Hold on Tight (Sea Breeze #8)(30)

“I’m going to soak in the bath while you two play. Come get me when Dewayne leaves,” I told Micah. Then I forced my gaze back to Dewayne. “Thanks for dinner. It was delicious.”

I turned and walked toward the hallway.

“You barely ate any of it,” Dewayne called out to me.

“Don’t want to gain any weight and dip below that average line I’m walking,” I replied, then slammed my bedroom door behind me.

Squeezing my eyes closed, I took several calming breaths, then began to strip. I was ready for a long soak in the tub with the new bath salts Hillary had given me to try out. She wanted her employees to sample products she carried at the salon so we could recommend them. I loved that idea because I would never let myself splurge on things like bath salts.

Micah’s laughter in the living room reminded me why Dewayne was here, and I let my anger and frustration with him go. He had come to see Micah. He was protecting Micah. As insulting as it was for him to question my choices, I was glad he wanted to be a part of Micah’s life. I needed to learn to take the bad with the good.

From now on when Dewayne came to visit Micah, I would just take really long baths. I could eat more in here too. It was a win-win situation. The good thing about Dewayne being a jerk was that at least I wasn’t going all silly around him. His beautiful body and face didn’t get to me anymore.

Well, almost.

* * *

“Momma, I’m taking Dewayne outside to show him Daddy’s star. Okay?” Micah called through the door a long time later.

I had gone outside with him last night to help him find the biggest star we could see. He believed it was Dustin. So I let him believe it.

DEWAYNE

When Sienna had called out good-bye to me last night through her closed bedroom door, I knew I’d really screwed up. For starters, I was going to have to explain the ‘average’ comment to her, because it was bothering her. She kept bringing it up.

Then I needed to remember that she had done a damn fine job of raising Micah on her own. Trusting her was important. I did trust her. It was this Cam Dodge I didn’t trust. I was going to fix that, too. I would talk to him. See what I thought about him. If he was a good guy, then I’d encourage this dating thing with Sienna. If he wasn’t, I’d make sure he stayed the hell away from her.

Last night when Micah took me outside to see the star he believed was Dustin, I should have had a moment with him. It should have been the only thing on my mind. But it wasn’t. I’d been planning this visit to Cam Dodge. Fucker messed up my night. I had to make sure he was worth it. Sienna deserved the best.

Pulling my truck into the visitor parking at the high school, I decided this was the best idea. The man couldn’t ignore me if I showed up at his job. I’d ask for a meeting with him and then we’d talk. Sienna wouldn’t know about it, and I could hopefully step back and let her date.

Maybe she’d smile at me again. And f**king eat something around me.

I stepped into the school office, and Mrs. Quinn looked up at me. She broke into a smile as she stood up. The short little secretary was older than my momma, and her white hair was always curled up tight, her bangs pinned back with a bow like she was seven instead of seventy. Couldn’t help but love the woman.

“Well, if it ain’t Dewayne Falco come to pay us a visit. I’ve heard that you cause less trouble these days now that your buddies have all been tamed by their women.”

Leave it to Mrs. Quinn to know about everyone’s lives. She may be stuck sitting behind that desk and dealing with teenagers all day five days a week, but she when we graduated, she didn’t forget us. People like her were who we needed in education.

“I came to see that pretty smile of yours,” I told her, then winked just to watch her blush and bat her eyelashes.

“Still a charmer, I see,” she replied, beaming at me. I was sure she didn’t get flirted with often, given that she was as wide as she was tall. Still, she deserved some attention.

“Yes, ma’am. I always think a pretty woman needs to be told just that.”

She waved me off and giggled, which was hilarious coming from someone her age. When she retired, it would be a sad day for Sea Breeze High.

“I know you didn’t just come here to flirt with me. Now, what can we do for you, Mr. Falco?” she asked, still smiling.

I nodded at the door I knew belonged to the vice principal. Back when I was in school, the vice principal had been Old Man Warldo. He was grumpy and mean as hell. It was good news for kids in Sea Breeze when the man retired two years ago.

“I need to see Mr. Dodge,” I told her, trying to be as respectful as possible. If I could get through Mrs. Quinn, then I was home free.

She looked unsure, then picked up her phone and pressed a button.

“Mr. Dodge, are you available to meet with Mr. Dewayne Falco, sir?”

The man wasn’t going to know who the hell I was. “Tell him it’s concerning Sienna Roy,” I told her. That would pique his interest.

Mrs. Quinn’s eyes went big, and I knew she recognized that name too. My brother’s death had been a tragedy this whole school had suffered. And Sienna’s leaving had shocked everyone.

“Uh, it’s concerning Miss Sienna Roy,” she added, studying me while she said it. “Yes, sir. I’ll send him right in.”

He was curious. Good.