“I wasn’t using my Uncle James voice,” Dexter said. Because in their family, that was definitely a thing. “Just being clear.”
“I don’t know,” Rett said. “Sounds like my boy needs me. Say the word and I’m there. I know how hard the breakup was on you. It couldn’t have been easy seeing her again.”
“It was fine, and I’m fine.”
“But is she still fine?” There was playfulness in his cousin’s tone.
“She’s beyond fine. She’s gorgeous. Seeing her again after all this time…It knocked me on my ass for a minute, if I’m being honest,” Dexter admitted with a sigh. “But what’s crazy is that she looks so much like her mother now. I swear, she could be her twin.”
“If you ask me, Dakota’s mama thought they were twins. I’ve heard of parents wanting to live vicariously through their children, but the woman took it a bit far,” Rett said, then added, “God rest her soul.”
“You know that doesn’t give you a pass for speaking ill of the dead, right?” Dexter pointed out.
“Wasn’t speaking ill of her, bruh. Just stating facts. Let the chips fall where they may,” Rett said matter-of-factly. Neither of them spoke for a minute. Then his cousin broke the silence. “You sure you’re good?”
“Positive. We’ve already gotten through that first awkward meeting. We even spoke privately.” Dex clenched his fist, remembering how good it had felt to hold Dakota’s hand again.
“Her idea or yours?” Rett’s interest was obviously piqued.
“Mine. I wanted to talk to her about an issue with her father.” Dexter cleared his throat, then added, “Told her she should hang around town for a while. For Oliver’s sake.”
“Wait, you snitched on her dad, then guilted her into sticking around longer?” Rett whistled. “That’s grimy.”
“It’s not like I did it for me.” His cheeks heated and his pulse quickened, even as he denied his cousin’s claim. “I was looking out for her dad. Besides, she has the right to know.”
“Speaking of Dakota’s right to know…” Rett quickly transitioned to the topic they both knew he didn’t want to discuss. “Don’t you think Dakota has the right to know what really happened between you two back then?”
Dexter heaved a sigh and tapped his thumb against the blotter on his desk. The pain in Dakota’s eyes and the tears that streaked her cheeks, red from the frigid weather, were as vivid in his mind as they’d been that day seventeen years ago.
“She knows what happened. I broke up with her. It was my decision, no one else’s. It was the best thing for the both of us.” Dex gritted the words out.
“Say it a few more times and maybe you’ll start believing it.” Rett’s words were firm but empathetic. “But the truth is that we both know you regret how you handled the situation.”
That much is true.
They both knew it, so there was no need to confirm it.
“You missed a great Fourth of July Festival,” Dexter said instead. “The new committee has outdone itself. I can’t wait to see what they’ll do for Founders Day.” Dexter lightly rapped his finger on the desk. “You should come home for it. Aunt Ellen would be thrilled.”
“We’ll see. I don’t know if I’m up to being grilled about my love life and hounded about producing grandchildren for my mother,” Rett said.
“You don’t have a love life, so it’ll be a short conversation. But if she asks about your sex life…well, that would be a conversation and a half.”
“Or maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do. Maybe I’m ready for something more,” Rett countered.
There was a beat of silence; then they both broke into laughter.
“I could barely say that with a straight face,” Rett said. “You know I’m all about that bachelor life.”
“I do. Which is why I don’t understand why you’re pressing me about Dakota. Seems like it goes against your bachelor code.”
“Being a quintessential bachelor is the right move for me. For a marshmallow-soft dude like you…not so much.” Rett laughed.
“You didn’t even like Dakota when I was dating her,” Dex reminded his cousin.
“I didn’t dislike her personally. I was selfish, and I didn’t appreciate sharing my best friend and wingman.” There was regret in Rett’s voice, but he quickly recovered. “Besides, after that chick you were going to marry, I’d much prefer that you get back with Dakota.”
“Evelyn wasn’t that bad.” Dexter felt the need to defend her. His ex was high maintenance, but she wasn’t a bad person. And it was him who evidently hadn’t been ready to commit to her. Because they weren’t the right fit.
“She who shall not be named or she who was a piece of work will do just fine,” Rett responded quickly, then sighed. “Seriously, you and Dakota were good together. I didn’t recognize it then, but I do now. And if there is any chance that the two of you are still right for each other…well, seems like it’d be worth investigating.”
“We were kids then. We didn’t have a clue about love.”
“Maybe,” Rett conceded. “But you made each other happy. And from what I hear, you could both use a little of that in your lives right now.”
“Could you please tell me where my real cousin is and put him back on the phone?” Dexter teased. “The sentimental sap on the line right now is giving me the blues.”
From the moment he learned that she’d returned to town, he’d been in his head and in his feelings about how badly he’d screwed up with Dakota. The last thing he needed was for Mr. Quintessential Bachelor, of all people, to point out the very thing that was constantly on his brain. His desire for a second chance with her.
“It was a momentary lapse. I promise to be the same annoying prick you know and love the next time we talk. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“So…” Rett dragged out the single syllable. “If Dakota is back, she’s probably hanging out with her girl Sin again.”
“From what I hear,” Dexter said. “Why? You still sweet on Sin?”
“I was never sweet on Sinclair Buchanan.” Rett put a little bass in his voice. “She was a pain in my ass that I was forced to spend time with while you and Dakota were together.”
“Oh, so we’re gonna pretend that all that bickering you and Sin did back then wasn’t one big game of juvenile flirtation?” Dexter laughed when his cousin stammered in response. “That’s what I thought.” Dexter glanced up at his assistant, who’d knocked on his open door. “Gotta go. But you should come home. In the meantime, I’ll tell Sinclair you said hello.”
“Don’t you dare—”
Dexter ended the call, still chuckling at how flustered Rett had been around the topic of Sinclair Buchanan. He answered his assistant’s questions about the recent conference call, then got back to work. But his cousin’s words kept cycling through his brain.
Don’t you think Dakota has the right to know what really happened between you two back then?