“Listen, Dyl—”
“Can we meet up?” I ask, cutting her off.
There’s a slight hesitation in her voice, but then she comes around. “Sure. When?”
“Now.”
“What? Dylan, it’s three in the morning. No one should be awake at this ungodly hour.”
“You are?” I reply.
She lets out a sigh. “That’s because I have to head into work.”
“What! No one should be working at this ungodly hour. Who does that?” I let out jokingly.
“Apparently the same kind of people who hijack phone calls making absurd demands,” she replies with a noticeable groan. “Look, if you’re adamant about meeting up right now, you can meet me at the diner.”
I think back a few weeks to the blow-up she and I had in that diner, and the words of the owner telling me it would be best not to return. “Um, Velyn, I don’t think meeting up there’s such a good idea. Your boss was clear; he didn’t want to see me back there.”
“Don’t worry about Stu. I’ll deal with him. You just make sure you show up ready to work,” she replies.
“You got it! —Wait? What?” Too late, she already hung up.
Ready to work—is she serious?
Yep, she was serious. When I walked into the diner, Velyn was already there.
“She’s waiting for you in the kitchen. Go on back,” the older woman behind the counter directs.
I offer her a friendly nod then head in the direction she had pointed me to; when I walk through the swinging doors, Velyn’s standing at a large stainless-steel table with bushels of uncut vegetables in front of her.
“Looks like you have a busy morning ahead of you,” I comment, moving to the other side and just opposite her at the table.
“You mean, we,” she replies.
“Huh? We what?” I have a sneaky suspicion that I’m about to be sweet-talked into assisting her.
“You said it will be me that will have a busy morning ahead; I’m just letting you know it will be, we.”
Yep, I was right.
I let out a breath, knowing I’m not going to win this one. “Where can I wash my hands? And before you gloat, I want to put it out there that this is not a victory. Just a wise man knowing when it’s best to give a little.”
Velyn locks her dismissive gaze with mine. “The sink’s over there.”
I quickly wash up then grab a knife off the counter behind me and pull out one of the rinsed peppers from the large bowl. “Brunoise, Chiffonade, or Julienne?”
Brow perched high, Velyn shoots me a smug glare. “Show-off.”
I reciprocate with my winning smile. “I owe it all to Connie. She taught me all I know.”
“Pfft yeah, well, you forgot Macedoine,” Velyn comments, starting to slice away at her pile. “Why did she teach you?”
Chuckling, I respond. “Connie was always on me to help her prep dinners. She said I needed to learn for when she was gone. I thought she meant dead, so I said we would just hire someone new—she threw a wooden spoon at my head. She apparently meant when she was on holiday. She then proceeded to let me know she would never die.”
Velyn lets out a belly-filled laugh. “Oh my God, she’s the best. You and Chase must love having her around.”
“Yeah, well, seeing as how our biological ones didn’t give two shits; Connie’s the closest thing to a mother Chase and I ever had.”
“Chase mentioned that to me. It must’ve been hard on you two as children?”
I shrug it off. “It could’ve been worse, but I don’t want to talk about that.”
Velyn rests her cutting hand on the table and looks to me. “Fair enough, but I know you didn’t ask to meet up with me so that you could help with food prep, so tell me why did you come?”
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I look directly at her. “Velyn, I realize that lately I may have been somewhat unreasonable in my actions.”
“Oh, there is no may, you most definitely were.”
I let out a breath. “Can you hold back on the smart-ass retorts. In case you can’t see it all over my face, this is actually hard for me.”
“What? Trying to apologize?” Velyn asks.
Locking my gaze with hers, I reply, “Yes, but most of all, admitting when I’m wrong.” Her shoulders drop, telling me that she’s let down her wall a little. “Look, I’m an ass. I’ve been an ass most of my life; I won’t deny that. But the way I’ve been lately...that’s not me. Chase, and even Jordan in his own way, are my family. I’ve never treated them like this, and it wasn’t until they shut me out that I realized what I was doing.”
“Do you know why you did it; because they have no clue?” Velyn questions.
I shrug. “Yes and no. Mostly because I’m an idiot but also because of this thing with us.”
Velyn looks to me, her face holding only confusion. “What thing? I didn’t realize there was one.”
“Okay, I’m calling you out on that one. If I’m trying my best to be honest here, then you need to do the same,” I reply.
“Dylan, you’re the one that asked to come here and talk to me, not the other way around. I don’t need to contribute anything to this conversation.”
I look to her and shake my head. “You know what this was a bad idea. Why did I think this would fix anything?”
I walk past the table heading toward the kitchen doors but stop short when she calls out. “Dylan, wait.” I turn to her as she continues. “Fine, you’re right. But explain to me why that would have you acting like an ass to everyone.”
Rubbing my hand over my mouth, I let out in a mumble, “Because
