A couple of rings later, Cat appeared on his screen. She was in her pajamas, the hem of her tank top riding up to show her round belly. She looked adorable. Perfect.
“What did you do?” she asked.
Jesus, Cat. Not helpful. “Hey, Kit Cat. I’m here with Jake.”
She threw a hand up like she had no idea what he was talking about. So Dani hasn’t even told Cat this guy’s name. Good sign.
“Jake, very rightfully, is just a little concerned about letting me go on this date with Dani instead of him.”
“Oh my God. This is your plan? You couldn’t just call her?”
He gave Jake another innocent smile, then pulled the phone to his ear and whispered. “I did. She sent me to voicemail. Please? Just tell him I’m not a threat.”
Her growl was loud enough to get to Jake, and he pulled his lips inward, glancing through the window. Jake was about to run out of patience, which in turn would lead to him going in there and telling Dani about this immediately.
Dylan was putting all of his trust in Cat right now, trust he didn’t deserve, but it was his last shot. He switched back to video and held the screen up to Jake.
“She’s pregnant,” he said. “Did you see that?”
“I saw.”
“Hi, Jake,” Cat said flatly. She could have feigned a little more enthusiasm but at least she was doing it. “I’m Cat, Dani’s best friend. That’s our friend Dylan. This is so rude, and he’s way out of line—”
“What the hell, Cat?”
“But!” she shouted. “He really is a good guy and Dani will not be upset to see him once she hears what he has to say. He owes you for your time, so please accept dinner and a drink from him in exchange for him ruining your evening, but know you’ll be doing a good thing.”
Dylan nodded like a Bobblehead doll at Cat’s speech, praying it was convincing enough. Jake crossed his arms over his chest. Inside, Dani looked over her shoulder again, probably thinking she was being stood up. “Please, man,” Dylan said. He held the phone away and lowered his voice. “I love her. I think she might love me too. She shouldn’t be here.”
Jake let out an exasperated sigh. “You’re all insane.”
“Totally,” Dylan agreed. “But not criminally. I promise.”
“All right. Shoot your shot, man. Honestly, this is some crazy shit, but I get the feeling I should split and let it play out.”
“Thank you.” Dylan held out his hand again, relief pouring through him as Jake shook it. “And Cat’s right. Go in, order at the bar. It’s on me.”
“Forget it,” Jake said, waving him off. “If this works, maybe the karma will help me out on my next date.”
“I hope so, man. Thank you.”
Jake slapped Dylan’s shoulder and nodded, heading back the way he came.
Dylan pulled the phone back to his face to see Cat still waiting.
“Psycho,” she said, her arms crossed on top of her belly.
He grinned. “Thank you. I owe you one.”
“Consider us even if you don’t screw this up.”
“I won’t, Cat. I promise.”
By the time Dylan pushed into the restaurant, his fingers were like ice. His cheeks burned when the warm air hit him and he took a breath to steady himself before crossing the room to where Dani sat, still fiddling. She had her phone out now, hopefully not calling Cat to tell her about how her date didn’t show. Poor Jake. Dylan would clear his name as soon as he could. Jake was a great guy. Jake was a fucking saint.
He stepped to her table and cleared his throat. “Dani?”
Her head popped up, her ponytail bouncing. “What the hell, Dylan?” she hissed. “I’m meeting someone.” She did another scan of the room. “Shit. Don’t tell me you’re here on a date too. Why does everything have to be so complicated?”
“Dani. Wait. Look—” He stumbled for his next words. He’d rehearsed his plea to whatever guy showed up tonight, but maybe he hadn’t even really believed it would work himself, since he hadn’t planned this any further. He swallowed and ran a hand over his hair. “Jake, right?”
“Oh great,” she said, tossing her phone on the table. “Even better. You know him?”
Her head was still on swivel and guilt started to eat at him. He needed to spit this out. “We just met. Um, I convinced him to let me take his place.”
“What?”
Okay, maybe he’d misjudged the romantic gesture angle with her. “Let me explain.”
“How did you even know where I—”
“Cat. Don’t be mad. Dani, please. I fucked up. Bad. I never meant to hurt you, but you never even gave me a chance to explain or apologize. You said we were friends. We have way more history than the few weeks you let me be with you, so I guess I’m just calling on that history and asking you to let me tell you what was going through my head when I called off the dinner. I can’t promise it will be what you want to hear, but I can promise it will be the truth.”
Dani’s red lips parted, her eyes darting around his face. If she sent him away now, he didn’t know what he would do. This was his last shot, his last desperate plea, and the first time he’d ever done desperate.
Finally, she snapped her mouth shut and held a hand out for him to sit.
Dylan’s heart rushed. “Thank you.” He pulled up onto the stool and tugged at the damp collar of his shirt. In the span of five minutes, he’d gone from freezing his ass off, to sweat beading around his temples and the back of his neck. Don’t blow this, Pierce.
“When I asked you to go with me to that dinner with my mom, I meant it. I wanted you there and everything that came with that. But I was taking a flying leap and I hadn’t given two thoughts as to how I was going to land. I was just focusing on, you know, the rush of it all, the way it felt to have you beside me, supporting me. Taking some of the pressure that’s always there. Like the Jansens that night.”
Dani’s eyes were unmoved, but he continued.
“I had every intention of telling my mom about us. Being all in with you. Hell, I was even looking forward to the shock on her face. But then my sister called and said she and her husband were coming. It turned into this whole thing and I panicked. I was about to show up to a Pierce Family event with a girlfriend. You have to understand, I’ve never done that before. Instead of a meal with my mom, it felt like a statement I wasn’t ready to make.” He paused, his heart hammering. “God, it sounds stupid coming out of my mouth, Dani. I know how stupid it sounds. But there’s a difference.” His voice cracked and he looked at the ceiling. How could he make her understand this?