Unsocial (26 page)

“Deny,
deny, deny,” he says before turning to leave. “Have a good night, Brooke.”

“Good
night.”

I
lay back on my bed and close my eyes.  I know what people are saying about Dylan
and me are true, and I also know tonight was crazy on both of our parts. But we
did nothing wrong.
Keep going Brooke, convince yourself of that.

Sunday
I wake to an empty apartment.  There is no note, so I decide to head to the
mall.  Last night I made the decision to update my wardrobe. I don’t want to
keep dressing like I’ve become used to since dating Will.  He’s gone, and I
want to go back to my pre-Will days.  I blow through dress shops picking out
dresses, skirts, tops, and pants that are much more age appropriate for me but
still say professional. I think sexy-professional about sums them up.

Monday
is more of the same.  I wake to an empty apartment.  I’m guessing Alex is
keeping her distance to let things between us cool down.  I know we got heated,
but I’m honestly just over the whole subject of Dylan and me. That’s precisely
why I haven’t said anything about me helping Dylan with Halloween. Trevor did
leave a note saying he would be in Topeka until late visiting an old high
school buddy.

The
morning, fortunately, is uneventful.  During my lunch, I decide to pick up some
Halloween decorations for the front of Dylan’s house for the trick-or-treaters
the next evening.  While I’m at the party store I pick up a little costume for
myself, I couldn’t resist.  I had texted Dylan earlier asking what the kids
were going as, and all he told me is that they wanted to surprise me. I figured
me dressing up for trick-or-treating would be my surprise to them. I can’t lie,
thoughts of tomorrow night have me excited, and one of those thoughts is seeing
Dylan.  That evening I eat alone.  Alex doesn’t come in until after I have gone
to bed.  I decide I need to make the first move to fix things, as usual,
because Alex has a way of letting things stew when she doesn’t get her way.

It’s
Tuesday, and I’m surprised how quickly it came and how excited I feel when I
wake up.  I rush through getting ready and practically skip into the kitchen to
get an apple on my way out.  I have a bag packed for going to Dylan’s after
work.  Trevor is asleep on the couch with the covers pulled over his head, but
Alex is wide awake and sitting at the dining room table drinking a smoothie.
“Hey, you look happy.”

So
we’re talking.

She
looks down at the gym back I’m carrying and raises an eyebrow at me in question. 
It’s not lost to her that today is Tuesday and where I’ll be. I have to keep my
composure. I shrug, “Well, it is Halloween. You know how much I love
Halloween.”

Both
eyebrows go up now. Yeah, she’s not buying it. “Right. Well does that mean
you’re going to go out with Trevor and me tonight?”

“Where?”

“We’ve
been invited to a Halloween party at one of their friend’s house.”

I
laugh, “Well that sounds like fun, but I don’t think so,” I hedge.

“We’ll
have you home early, so you’re okay for work tomorrow.”

“I’m
sure you would, but I still think I’ll pass. I don’t have a costume anyway.”

“Don’t
worry about that. We can find a costume if you leave your home visit early.  I
know its last minute, but I’m sure we can put something together.”

Shit,
there’s no way I’m getting out of this without coming clean why I’m not going.
“Well, I told Dylan that I would help with the kid’s Halloween and dinner.”

Yep,
there’s the scary Alex again. “Are you shitting me? You’re making his dinner?”

“Well
I’m going to help him make dinner for all of them, and then help him with
costumes and trick-or-treating tonight.  It’s Halloween and all about the
kids.”

She
throws her hands up. “Brooke that is totally fucked up.  Helping with your
clients costumes and taking them trick-or-treating is not fine.  Making them
dinner is not fine. Why can’t you see this?”

I
rub my temples; I got out of bed in such a good mood.  “Alex, I’m not going to
fight with you about this. I’ve made plans with Dylan tonight, and I’m not
backing out.  You have to lay off me about this and have a little faith in the
fact that I’m grown up enough to make good decisions. I’m not crossing any
lines. Now I have to go to work.”

She
shakes her head, “You may not be crossing them, but you are erasing them until there
won’t be any lines left to cross.”

I
leave amazed that Trevor didn’t even stir in the living room during mine and
Alex’s “conversation.” It was a little loud, and our apartment is small.

I
have had a shitty day, so I decide to leave early to grocery shop before
heading to Dylan’s.  I change clothes in the employee restroom before I leave
the office.  I’m ready to shed the professional uniform and get comfortable for
this evening.  My fight with Alex put me on edge most of the morning which left
me having little patience with one particular asshole client. I think a part of
me feels she may be right, but I refuse to cave on my decision to be there for
Dylan and his family.  I know that they need me, and I think I may need them also. 
I just haven’t figured out why that is.

After
picking up what I need for making stuffed pork chops and roasted potatoes, I
head to the Monroes. Dylan answers the door and helps me with the groceries,
and I don’t miss how mouthwateringly gorgeous he is in faded jeans and a gray
Henley.  Dylan returns my appraisal, and I notice he spends a little longer
focusing on my hair.  He shakes his head and smiles. “Hi.”

For
some unfathomable reason, his simple greeting leaves me speechless.  All I get
out is a simple, “Hi, yourself.”

He
takes the bags to the kitchen, and I join the kids already gathered in the
living room.  I smile because I’m happy to see things are getting back to
casual.  I greet them all and I sit down in a chair in the living room with
Michael, Cassie, and Gabby sitting on the floor around the coffee table with
Luke on the couch. Dylan joins him, and we get started catching up.

I
turn to Luke first, “How is everything going?”

“Pretty
good, except I’m still grounded until Friday.” I nod, he really should be
grounded for Saturday night, but I don’t say anything. “Is school going okay?”

He
nods but doesn’t give up any more on that subject, so I have to ask him about
football.  I want to show him I’m interested in what’s going on with him. 
“How’s the team feeling about this week’s game? I figure it’s pretty good since
you’re still undefeated.”

“No
worries.  They aren’t going to beat us.  Their O-line is weak, and we’ve got
the number one defense in our conference.” He says smugly.  I swear this kid
has more swagger than most grown men when he decides not to act like a pissed
off teenager.  We discuss who else will probably be going to the playoffs for
the next few minutes, and I’m feeling proud of myself that we’ve managed a
decent conversation.

I
notice Cassie out of the corner of my eye chomping at the bit in order to have
her turn, so I turn to her next.  “And how have you been since I saw you
Saturday night?”

“I’m
okay. I’m still grounded which means I have to stay in and hand out candy with
Luke while you and Dylan take Gabby and Michael trick-or-treating.” She pouts.

Dylan
looks over at her, “I told you that you can go with us.”

“I’m
fifteen Dylan. I’m not going trick-or-treating.” She huffs.

I
laugh, “I think it would be fun, Cass. I’m excited.”  I tap her leg with my
foot. “I’m even dressing up.”

“As
what?”

“It’s
a surprise.”  This could be a chance to have some fun and get the kids to
loosen up even more with me.  “You could save me being the only adult in
costume by dressing up and coming with us.  Then I look over a Dylan with a
brilliant idea rolling off my tongue before I can stop it.  “How about I take
the kids, and you stay with Luke and pass out candy?”

He
raises and eyebrow, “Are you serious?”

“Why
not? It sounds fun to me. Cassie can help me, so I don’t get lost.” I tease.

“Hell,
I’m fine with that. You sure you want to do that, though.”

“I
would love to.” I turn to Cassie, “How about it?”

She
lights up, “Okay, let’s do this.” She says enthusiastically.

“Great.”
I turn to Michael, “So how is everything going with my Brainiac, ready for that
spelling bee?”

He
nods, “I’m excited, but no one around here will help me study.”

“Well,
I can help, I’ve always been a pretty good speller.”

He
lights up just like Cassie, “That would be awesome, Brooke.”

I
feel really good that things are going so well after my crazy attempt to
distance myself from them.  We all seem to be falling back into place, but this
time, it feels better.  I talk to Gabby a little, but the poor thing still
isn’t using her words.  I do notice that she smiles a lot more, and her eyes
aren’t as distant. Eventually, I wrap everything up, eager to get dinner cooked
and our trick-or-treating on.  I get up and pass the bag with decorating
supplies out to the kids with instructions to transform the front porch into
Monroe Monsterland.

I
follow Dylan into the kitchen and head straight to the grocery bags.  I think
briefly that maybe I should have invited Cassie to join in cooking dinner
because damn Dylan looks good. Maybe I’m reacting to him so strongly because of
our night at the bar and remembering for the millionth time how his body felt
pressed against mine. I won’t be forgetting that anytime soon.

“So
what are we making?” He asks.

“Stuffed
pork chops and roasted potatoes,” I announce.

He
nods approvingly, “Nice, but it sounds kinda hard.”

“It’s
actually not. I’ll walk you through the whole thing.” I tell him everything
we’ll need to cook with, and he starts gathering them up. Then he joins me at
the island.

After
a moment of opening packages, he finally says. “So I have to ask you
something.”

I
look at his face to gauge if he is serious or not. He’s serious. Moving around
the kitchen, I gather all the ingredients, “Okay.”

“Why
is Trevor staying with you?”

I’m
confused.
This is about Trevor?
I thought it was something serious. I
pick up a bowl to start mixing up the stuffing. “Well, his wife kicked him out,
so he’s staying with us for a bit before the band picks up touring again.”

“He’s
married?”  His voice sounds relieved almost.

I
hand him a sharp knife and grab the first pork chop, show him how to cut into
it to create a pocket for the stuffing, and then answer.  “Yeah he is, but I
guess not for long.  They’re supposed to be getting a divorce.”

He
nods and looks to be in deep thought about this. What the hell is this about?
“I see.  And how long is he staying with you?”

“Just
til after Thanksgiving sometime.  I know they have a tour starting after that,
and he wants to go to Florida to visit his parents.  Alex is excited that he’s
staying with us.”

He
studies me, “And you aren’t?”

I
laugh, “I guess I am.  I’ve missed having him around a little, but not having
him in my space all the time.”

He
doesn’t laugh, in fact, he looks irritated. “Why can’t he stay in a hotel or
with friends or something?”

Is
that jealousy
? “Well, technically he’s staying
with a friend and his sister. And who wants to stay in a hotel for very long.”

He
smiles, “Okay, I guess.”  He shakes his head.  “Yeah, you’re right. Besides,
it’s none of my business.”

He
opens finishes the last of the meat then turns to me.  I give him a serious
look. “You can ask me anything.  Remember, open book policy?”

He
smirks at me, “Right.”

We
finish preparing dinner, and I’m pleased with how comfortable he’s become in
the kitchen.  We work together like we’ve been doing it for years.  At the table,
the kids are all in a good mood.  Even Gabby seems excited to be going out.

After
we clear the dishes, I get my costume from my car and just pull it on inside
the garage.  It’s easy to change into, but I think Dylan and Luke will probably
appreciate it.  Since the kids want to surprise me with their costumes, Dylan
and Cassie help them get ready.  After 30 minutes we all meet back in the
living room.  Luke looks up from where he’s filling bowls with candy.  “Oh,
shit.  I need pictures.  Come on, Dylan, get your phone, and let’s get pictures
of these nut jobs dressed like this.”

Gabby
and Michael have been transformed into Super Man and Wonder Woman.  Cassie has
simply put on her cheerleading uniform and glammed up her hair and makeup. 
Sexy
cheerleader.
At least, that’s the look she’s created.  Dylan passes by me
and bends to whisper in my ear. “I’m digging the costume, Brooke.  Hottest
fucking thing I’ve ever seen.”

I
have to smile at this.  The thing is, I’m not showing an ounce of skin.  In
fact, my body is completely covered.  My costume is a racing uniform. 
Coveralls, gloves snapped to the shoulder.  I even have the helmet that goes
with it.  I’m suspecting what he thinks is so hot about this particular get up
is that I stenciled Monroe Racing on the back and helmet.  I figured he would
like that, and I’m secretly pleased that he likes it so much.