“Okay,” she said, letting herself melt into his chest. That was weird, but she’d let it go for the sake of not going into this already weird night with any extra weirdness. “Let’s reserve judgment on ‘fun,’ though. It could be completely obnoxious.”
Even Cranky Dylan had to laugh at that, his chest shaking. She was delighted at the sound of it. “I’ll give you that. Are you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
Thirty-one
Dani was right. This party was completely obnoxious.
Dylan had always liked Emma, but sometimes she could go a little overboard. Usually it was just the Christmas-themed events that he’d felt he had to show up for, but Dani had to go to all of them. She’d warned him on the way over, but he still wasn’t quite prepared for the signature cocktail or the menu written in script on a chalkboard.
None of this was Dani’s scene either and he wished he could just take her back to his house, take those jeans off of her, laugh and play with her in bed.
He popped the cap off of a beer, forgoing the homemade wassail in Mason jars. The bottle was cool against his sweaty palms, and he tapped it to Dani’s while she made conversation with a friend of Emma’s he didn’t know. Dani winked and made a face like she was about to fall asleep. He cracked a tiny smile.
He just wasn’t in the mood for it. There were too many people, too many elbow nudges and puzzled looks. He knew it would be awkward the first time they did this, but after the day he’d had, he really wasn’t up for the scrutiny.
The conversation with his mother had been breathing down the back of his neck all night, but for Dani’s sake, he’d tried to put it out of his head. He hadn’t meant to take it out on her, and he certainly didn’t want her thinking he had some issue with walking into a room with her on his arm, no matter who was in that room. Fuck, walking around with Dani was maybe the best thing he’d accomplished in his life, and everyone here seemed to agree, given how they’d all been looking at him like the whole thing had to be a practical joke—Dani and him together.
When they’d arrived, Emma’s husband, Adam, had opened the door and visibly startled at the sight of Dani’s hand in his. Emma had rushed to the door, waving them in. “I forgot to tell you,” she’d whispered to Adam who stood there silent and wide-eyed. Then she’d announced them to the room in a weird, high-pitched sing-song voice. “Dylan and Dani are here.” Wink, wink.
It occurred to him now, while Sonya studied him from across the room with her arms crossed and her expression vaguely disapproving, that maybe the weirdness was more than just everyone getting used to him and Dani being a thing. Maybe not everyone was as convinced as he was that he could do this. Maybe everyone here was thinking: Here comes Vinnie Pierce’s kid to ruin our friend. He hadn’t expected that, though he probably should have.
The doorbell rang and Emma went to answer it, squealing like she did every time anyone new arrived. Josh and Cat were finally here. Thank God.
Cat walked into the kitchen and immediately grabbed a handful of crackers. She shoved them in her mouth, her cheeks popped out like a chipmunk, and walked straight toward him. His muscles tightened like he was preparing for an incoming assault, but instead she gave him the first genuine smile of the night.
He leaned down to hug her, Josh’s soon-to-be son or daughter barely fitting between them. Out of nowhere, a weird mix of affection and envy rushed him. The kind that he had no place feeling on the heels of that sharp reminder his mother had given him. “You look cute, Kit Cat,” he said.
Josh shot him a knowing look while he made himself a drink. He’d been the new boyfriend here years ago, but somehow Dylan doubted he got the same reception.
Emma waved everyone into the dining room and he followed behind Dani. “You okay?” she whispered when he pulled out her chair.
He put on his most convincing smile and reminded himself that no one here knew him as Vinnie Pierce’s kid. He was overreacting.
“Of course,” he said. He pressed a kiss to her temple, his neck going hot when he saw Sonya watching him again.
“So this is really happening?” Sonya took the seat across from him and gestured between him and Dani. The table went quiet and he felt a sweat break out at his temples.
“Yes, it is really happening,” Dani said. “And I think Emma had some games planned after dinner, Sonya, so you don’t need to treat us like the entertainment for the night.”
Cat slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Sonya rolled her lips inward but her eyes softened. Everyone else studied their place settings. Dylan drained the rest of his beer. This party was definitely obnoxious.
After dinner, Cat hooked her arm through Dani’s and tugged her down the hall to Emma’s bathroom. “Sorry we were late,” she said. “That was freaking intense.”
“No kidding. Are you puking or peeing?” Dani asked.
“Peeing. I haven’t puked in three whole weeks.” She shut the door behind them and hiked down her tights.
Dani turned to the vanity, picking up a little mermaid figurine that held Emma’s hair ties. “Sexy,” she mused, running a finger over its cleavage.
Cat giggled.
“You’re really feeling better?”
“I’m good. Second-trimester endorphins finally kicked in. I’m happy.”
Dani bounced her eyebrows. “Your man is beaming. Were you sharing those endorphins before you came?”
“Pleading the fifth.” Cat flushed then pushed Dani out of the way to wash her hands. “So, this is kind of weird, seeing you and Dylan together in person.” Her lips pulled into a smirk in the mirror. “You two sure are awfully touchy-feely.”
She shrugged. “I like touching him. He’s very firm.”
Cat snorted a laugh. “Perv.”
“You’re the one who went there.”
“Anyway,” Cat groaned. “You’re happy, though? ”
“I’m happy.” Sure, Dylan had been a little moody tonight, and despite swearing up and down he wanted to do this with the whole group, he’d seemed more than a little uncomfortable, but it was rough in there. Sonya had been watching her like a hawk, like she was going to miss some sort of secret SOS. Emma had gone completely in the other direction, smiling and elbow-nudging anytime Dani and Dylan spoke to each other. She wasn’t sure which was more painful. Dylan had looked like he was having a tooth extracted the entire night, but he was here doing it. She had a feeling it was more than most people expected from him. Protectiveness rippled through her. Sonya and Adam were going to get an earful later.