Redwood Bend (Virgin River #18)(47)

“Are the kids upset about that?”

“No, I wouldn’t say so, but they did have fun with him when he was here and they asked about him. I think it might be best to distract them. Do you mind?”

Conner, oblivious to what might be under the surface of Katie’s request, simply answered, “Be glad to. I love hanging with the guys. Think they’d like to go fishing?”

Katie let go a sigh of gratitude. “Sunday?”

“Sunday it is. You want to go?”

“I think I’d like to spend a little time with Les. Thank you for her, by the way.”

Conner chuckled. “My pleasure, but I didn’t exactly get her for you.”

Just what the doctor ordered, Katie thought. The boys were distracted by fishing with Uncle Conner and Katie had some girl time with Leslie. When Leslie suggested the front porch, Katie asked for the back porch, away from the curious eyes of neighbors who might pass by.

“Have you heard from Dylan?” Leslie asked right away.

Katie shook her head. “I’m sure that’s my doing. I suggested he had to do his thing and I should get on with my life. Les, I don’t fit into his life and he doesn’t really fit into mine.”

“Are you sure about that?” Leslie asked.

“From the first second I saw him, I knew we came from opposite worlds. He might be living in Montana and running a small airport, but he’s a movie star. All he had to do was pick up the phone and bam! Hollywood wants him back.”

Leslie was shaking her head. “He doesn’t seem like that kind of guy…”

“But he is, that’s the fact. He’s never going to be a regular guy who does ordinary work—he’s always going to be that guy that everyone wants, the guy with one foot out the door. And surrounded by a lot of irresistible women, I’m sure.”

Leslie straightened and leaned toward Katie. “Your feelings are hurt,” she said. “I don’t blame you, but I think you’re dreaming up roadblocks instead of bridges.”

“He told me he didn’t know when he’d see me again. And that I was the best time he’d ever had.”

“Well, that was dumb of him. I think he missed his cue to say he loved you.”

“Because that’s not in the script, Les.”

“I don’t usually do this, but… Call him, Katie. Call him and ask him how he is—tell him you miss him.”

“I can’t,” she said.

“Why not?”

“Because right now my heart hurts. If I call him and he doesn’t answer or return the call, my heart will be in tiny pieces.” She shook her head. “I’m so naive—I didn’t think after just a few weeks, I’d be in this kind of shape.” Then with glistening eyes she said, “Please don’t tell Conner. Dylan didn’t do anything wrong—it’s not his fault I let myself fall in love. He told me he was only staying a little while, waiting to hear about a potential job in L.A.—I knew that from the start. Honestly, I sent him away. He’s not the kind of man to put down roots.”

“He had roots in Montana… I’m just saying, maybe he didn’t really want to be sent away.”

“If he didn’t, I’ll hear from him,” Katie said. “But I haven’t yet. Not even a call to say he arrived safely.”

Katie didn’t like how much she thought about her time with Dylan, but she was determined to move forward. On Wednesday after summer program, she took the boys to McDonald’s. She told herself it was just a treat for them, not a walk into the past for her. But when they wanted to go to the bathroom and she said she’d take them, Andy said, “If Dylan was here, we could go in the boys’!” And she almost burst into tears.

Man, she’d really been living in a fantasy land. She had briefly thought both their lives were about to change based on a chance meeting. What a little girl she’d been!

One thing she could hold close to her heart—he had been very good to her. Generous, tender, funny and considerate. He didn’t act like the kind of guy who was using someone for sex, not that she had any experience with that. And when she could stop feeling sorry for herself long enough to be honest with herself, she had to admit, he never misled her. Never. She was determined to be a grown-up about this. It was brief, it was awesome, it was over.

And after that trip to McDonald’s, the boys stopped asking when he would call or come back.

The following weekend brought the Fourth of July and a town picnic, an event she hoped would help take her mind off Dylan. She met even more neighbors, got to know quite a few of the young mothers who took their kids to the summer program and relaxed in the shade of a big tree while her kids ran around with their new friends. But she couldn’t help wondering how Dylan was spending the holiday.

A couple of days later she drove to the grocery store while the boys were in school. She loaded up on basics—milk, cereal, bread and eggs. Standing in the magazine aisle, she glanced at the gossip rags. And there, looking back at her, was Dylan Childress, those bedroom eyes and sexy smile grasping at her. On one paper there was a headline that read Guess Who’s Back in Town? The next had a picture of him laughing, holding a drink, his arm about the shoulders of an older man described as his producer. Apparently there would be a movie after all. And the third front page picture was Dylan pressing his lips into the neck of a beautiful blonde, an actress who had briefly played his girlfriend in the old sitcom, Rough Housing, when they were both about fourteen. The caption was Old Flames Reunited?