The Dream - Whitney Dineen Page 0,57
healthy swig while Maggie announces, “It’s nice that Ashley is here even though your grandmother isn’t.”
Her dad grabs her by the hand. “Maggie and I are going to see if we can help out in the kitchen.” That’s obviously an excuse to leave me and Davis alone, or to keep Maggie from stirring up trouble, as the Frothingham women don’t allow anyone to help.
After they walk off, Davis says, “It never occurred to me to take you home instead of bringing you here.”
“It’s no problem. I’ll certainly eat better than I would have at my place.”
“But you might have preferred to spend the evening with Alexander,” he suggests.
“We spent the afternoon together.” Then for some reason unbeknownst to me, I add, “I’m yours for the rest of the night.”
A smile creeps across his face. “That’s good to know.” Holy heck, is he taking that to mean more than just dinner? I decide not to pursue clarification as it can only lead to further embarrassment.
“Speaking of Alexander,” I eventually say, “he wants to take you and Jessica out to dinner as a thank you for all the help you gave him with his article.”
“I didn’t help,” Davis says bluntly.
“I don’t think he felt comfortable asking Jessica alone.”
“Why?”
“Well, you know, because you and she are …” I let the thought dangle.
Pretending not to know what I’m talking about, he asks, “We’re what?”
Heat flushes my face and I stare down at my feet. “Together.”
Before he can reply, a slew of new family members arrive. I’m swept up in one conversation after another, each one making me feel more like an honored guest than an employee.
Three hours pass before Davis announces, “I’d better get Ashley home.”
Conversation halts like he suggested he and I were about to perform a naked interpretive dance. His mother is the first one to speak. “Of course, darlin’.” Then she comes over to me and takes my hands in hers, “How’s Wednesday for our movie night?”
I usually work at Shuckie’s on Wednesday night, but I called him today to tell him I needed to cut my shifts back for the foreseeable future. Buck was right, I’ll never have a social life if I work all the time. “I’d love to,” I tell Lee. “What can I bring?”
“You don’t need to bring a thing.” She addresses the rest of the women in the room, which includes Emmie, her mom Gracie, Amelia, and Lexi. “What do you ladies think? Can you come over Wednesday night for a cinematic blast from the past?”
It’s obvious the night is turning into a party from all the affirmative responses. I ask, “Is it still okay if I invite my friend Sammy?”
“It wouldn’t be the same without her,” Lee says kindly.
After lengthy goodbyes which include hugging everybody in the room, Davis and I finally make our way out to his car. Once he pulls out of the driveway he says, “You’ve made quite a conquest of my family.”
“They’re a lot of fun,” I tell him. “I like spending time with them.” The truth is, tonight was the kind of family night I used to dream of when I was younger.
“Good,” he replies somewhat cryptically. I wonder if that’s a, “Good, because that will make your job as my grandmother’s caregiver more fun for you,” or a “Good, because I want you to like spending time with them for more personal reasons?”
Chapter Thirty-Two
April 25, 2010
Dear Molly,
Sorry I don’t write much anymore, but it’s hard to find the time to be alone with my thoughts. Also, my thoughts are pretty grim these days.
For the first time in approximately ever, two different guys asked me out. One of them was that boy Flinn that I made out with right before going to college. The other was a new guy in town who works remotely for an online investing firm. Even though I would have liked to have gone out with both of them, I said no. I’m busy working two jobs and I plan on going back to school in the fall. It doesn’t seem like there’s much point in starting up with anyone in Creek Water.
Mom has pneumonia and was having a hard time breathing, so the doctor put her in the hospital today. I hope she comes home soon.
Davis cuts the ignition after pulling into Shady Acres. “Ashley…” he says my name like he’s about to say something big. He must think better of it though because he doesn’t finish the sentence.
“Yes?”
After a long moment, he asks, “Would