“You said my dad needs me. What did you mean?”
This wasn’t a social call. The only reason she’d been compelled to meet Dexter Roberts here, of all places, was because of her father.
“I'm worried about Oliver,” Dexter said. “He hasn’t been himself since he lost your mom, and now there’s the decline in his health.”
Dakota swallowed hard, a knot tightening in her gut. She wanted to tell Dexter to mind his own business because her dad was fine, but the truth was she was worried about him, too.
“A decline in his health?” She echoed Dexter’s ominous words. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and the knot in her stomach cinched tighter. “I mean, I know he’s lost a lot of weight in the last six months, but he said that he wants to be healthier, so he can live long enough for me to give him some grandkids since Shayna hasn’t.”
“Sounds like your dad.” Dexter chuckled. “So how are Shayna and…”
“Howard,” she supplied. “They’re both doing fine.” According to Shay.
But when they spoke by phone, once or twice a month, her sister seemed unhappy, despite insisting everything was fine. Dakota had wanted to fly to California to see for herself, but Shay was always too busy. Not that any of that was Dexter’s business.
“Are you saying my dad is sick?” Just saying the words caused a flutter of panic in her chest, but her heart rate doubled when Dexter shifted his gaze from hers rather than answering. “Oh my God, my dad isn’t…dying, is he?” She whispered the offending word, hating to even put something so awful out into the universe.
Dexter covered her hand with his much larger one. “No, sweet—” He swallowed the word. “No, but Oliver is diabetic. Did he tell you that?”
She shook her head, her eyes burning with tears. “How do you know that when he hasn’t told me or Shay?”
“He didn’t tell me. I saw him buying diabetic supplies at the pharmacy.”
“Why would he keep something so important from us?” she whispered the words aloud to herself, but Dexter responded anyway.
“He probably didn’t want to worry you.” Dex’s reassuring tone drew her attention to his warm smile. “Lila Gayle’s been fussin’ over him, much as Oliver will allow. Seems to have worked. He’s lost a lot of weight, which is great for his condition. But that limp of his has gotten a lot worse. We’re all worried about him, but you know your dad.”
Dakota’s heart ached. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her father, too. Not when the loss of her mother still felt so fresh. She glanced down at the hand Dexter was still holding. Dakota allowed herself the momentary indulgence of reveling in the familiar warmth and comfort of his touch. It had always felt so reassuring when Dexter held her hand in his. Like she was safe. Protected. Loved.
A teenage fantasy back then. A mere illusion now. One she wouldn’t fall for again.
She slipped her hand from beneath his.
“I know Holly Grove Island is just a pit stop to whatever you plan to do next. But Oliver needs you right now, Dakota.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
He winced, as if he was disappointed that she needed to ask. “I care about Oliver…and about you. I never stopped caring about you, Dakota.”
His words felt heavy. Like a living, breathing thing that had taken up residence in the space between them. Her face and neck suddenly felt hot.
How dare he fix his mouth to say something like that? To pretend that he still cared. It was Dex who had broken up with her during Christmas break his first year at Texas A&M.
She’d planned to follow him there, though it meant giving up her dream of going to NYU’s journalism school. Because she couldn’t bear the thought of spending four long years apart, she’d been willing to defer that dream. Perhaps go to grad school at NYU instead. Or move to New York once his pro football career had ended. She’d been prepared to make that sacrifice because she loved him. But then he’d broken her heart.
Dakota still remembered everything about that night nearly two decades ago. White Christmases were a rarity in the Outer Banks. But that night had started off perfect. The air was cold and crisp. Fluffy white snowflakes fell to the ground but melted on contact. She remembered the green sweater Dex had been wearing and the red peacoat she’d worn with the red, white, and pink scarf Dex’s mother had crocheted for her the year before.
They’d been in the middle of exchanging gifts when he’d suddenly blurted out that they were both too young to be tied down. He wanted the freedom to see other people.
She’d been devastated. Thinking of that cold night a lifetime ago still made her heart feel as if it would explode. Dakota bit the inside of her cheek and steeled her spine, sitting taller. She’d been so sure she was past all of this, but suddenly the wound Dexter had inflicted that night felt as raw as ever. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how deeply he’d hurt her.
“I appreciate you telling me.” It pained her to feel even slightly indebted to Dexter Roberts, but she was grateful he’d informed her about her father’s health issues.
She couldn’t help feeling guilty about staying away so long, leaving her father to grieve her mother on his own because she couldn’t handle the painful memories lurking around every corner: In every single room of their house. At the town gazebo where her mother had sung Christmas carols with the church choir. On the beach where she and her mom would lie in the sun and trade gossip like old girlfriends. At the ice cream shop where her mother would occasionally indulge herself by having two scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream piled high with whipped cream.
If she needed to extend her stay on Holly Grove Island to see after her father, she could certainly spare a few months. Besides, lying low a bit longer would put more distance between her and the scandal that had tanked her career.
“If it was my mom, I’d want to know.” He shrugged.
“Well, thank you, just the same.” She stood, turning to leave.
“One more thing, Dakota,” he called out, stopping her in her tracks. “I don’t know what your eventual plans are, but if you decide to stay on Holly Grove Island for a while, a mutual friend could use your help.”
Dakota narrowed her eyes at him. “Who’s the mutual friend?”
“Nick Washington. He’s now the director of sales and marketing at the new hotel on the island. He’s never taken on a job this big before. You know Nick—he’s smart and capable, but also a bit cocky. I think he’s starting to feel like he’s in over his head, but he’s too proud to admit it. He needs confident, experienced people on his team. So far the pool has been kind of shallow. And the pay is awfully good.”
Dakota wanted to tell Dexter Roberts where he could shove his little job-assistance program. But the truth was, she needed to be here, seeing about her father for at least the next few months. Just until she knew he was on solid footing. And as for Nick’s available job…well, she could definitely use the money.
“I’m not staying permanently. But if Nick would consider a temporary arrangement, maybe I can help. But right now my only concern is my father.”
“Of course.” Dex extended Nick’s business card. “In case you need it.”