I Love How You Love Me(The Sullivans)(7)

She didn’t know why Dylan’s offer made her want to start sobbing, only that she couldn’t keep letting him make her go all soft inside like this. Staying tough and determined was what had kept her and Mason’s life on track so far. If she let down her guard now, if she let someone else carry her load even if it was just for a little while, how hard would it be to pick it up again later, all by herself? Besides, Dylan already had her son in his arms, and she could easily handle the rest. Just the way she always did.

“I’ve got them,” she insisted, when the truth was that between playtime at the park the day before and her long day at the computer rewriting every sentence of her article on new nail polish trends a half-dozen times, her shoulders were aching.

She was more than a little surprised by the beat-up Jeep parked outside her apartment building. From the research she’d done about Dylan’s business—and after having been inside his state-of-the-art boathouse—she knew he was wealthy. But unlike her ex, who’d had to proclaim his wealth in any way he could, Dylan obviously didn’t feel the need to drive around in a little red sports car or a massive Hummer that would edge out all the other cars on the road.

She quickly fit Mason’s car seat into the backseat, then clipped him in and handed him a toy to play with during the drive.

“My mom has been counting down the minutes since I called to let her know that you and Mason were coming to dinner.”

Grace had already felt nervous about tonight, but now her nerves jumped another notch. “He was a little fussy earlier. Hopefully he won’t melt down right when we get there.”

“I’m sure he’ll do great tonight. Besides, after raising five of us, my mother’s a master at dealing with meltdowns.”

With Mason banging away on his toy in the backseat of the Jeep, she should have been able to keep her hormones in check. But the noise didn’t make her any less aware of how close to her thigh Dylan’s hand was on the gearshift or how good he smelled—an intoxicating combination of the sea and freshly cut wood.

“I’d love to know more about your family.” She’d promised Dylan that she wouldn’t focus on his family in the story, but just as he’d said on Tuesday, she’d at least need some background on them to help her understand how Dylan had become the man he was. “In doing some preliminary research for my article, I think I have a fairly good handle on what each of them does for a living.”

His oldest brother, Ian, was not only the billionaire founder of Sullivan Investments, he had also recently become engaged to Tatiana Landon, a beautiful and talented movie star. Dylan’s second-oldest brother, Adam, was well known for his historic house renovations throughout the Pacific Northwest. His middle brother, Rafe, was a private investigator and was engaged to a woman who made gourmet chocolates. Rounding out the group was his sister, Mia, who owned Sullivan Realty and was engaged to rock star Ford Vincent.

“But I was wondering—” At a red light, he turned to smile at her, and her brain mixed up the question she meant to ask and the one she actually wanted to know the answer to. “What’s it like to be related to so many famous people?” She clapped her hands over her mouth, shaking her head as though that could magically erase the intrusive words that had fallen out. “I’m sorry, that was out of line. I meant to ask if they all sail, too.”

“It wasn’t at all out of line,” he said with a grin that had only grown wider by the time the light turned green and he hit the gas pedal. “And yes, they all sail, too. Which means that I can usually get them into the water if they ever need to be taken down a notch. There’s nothing like the ocean for knocking you around to help you remember that you’re only human.” He smiled at her again. “But most of the time I forget that they’re famous until I’m picking up some milk and see one of their faces on the cover of a magazine. The only time it bothers me is when I see something printed about one of them that isn’t true. Which, unfortunately, happens far too often.”


“That must be hard.”

“None of them are out there for the fame, but they’ve come to accept that it’s part of the dream they’re chasing. A rock star like my sister’s fiancé, Ford, could never hide out when there are stadiums full of fans around the world who love his music. So they deal with the fame, they handle the spotlight, and when we’re together we all forget about it for a little while.”

Since she’d already crossed a line, she decided she might as well stay there a little while longer. “Is that why you don’t usually do interviews? Because you’re afraid the press is going to twist your words around?”

“I’m not a musician or a movie star or a professional baseball player. I’m just a sailor who also makes boats. Anything I’ve got to say about sailing, someone could figure out for themselves by getting out on the water.”

She understood what he was saying, and yet she still couldn’t let it go, or keep her mouth shut. “I’m not sure I agree with you. I don’t know much about boats beyond what I’ve read about them for research, but from the pictures I’ve seen of the ones you’ve built, and getting to see the one in your boathouse, you’re obviously very talented. Just because you’re not acting or singing or hitting a baseball doesn’t make your gift any less special. Or any less fun to read about for all the people who will never get the chance to sail a boat from one continent to another.”