Read Online Seeing You by Dakota Flint - Free Book Online Page A

Wade even trying? And was this how the whole evening was going to go?
    I glanced around the table, taking in Mike, who was studiously applying himself to his second helping of roast, the two little girls who were conducting a whispered conversation, and finally Erin, who was looking at the exchange between Wade and Scott with interest. I looked back to see Scott blushing slightly and smiling shyly at Wade. Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. This time I didn’t bother to refrain from rolling my eyes.
    “Erin, could I have your help in the kitchen?” She shook her head no, an evil grin on her face. Little sisters were still the pits no matter how old you were. “Please?”
    “Dylan, you know I’ve never been a hit in the kitchen.” Erin was truly evil. If I had said that about her, I wouldn’t have turned my back on her for weeks. I opened my mouth to agree with her, damn the consequences.
    And cue Mike, ever the diplomat. “But you do bake a fine chocolate cake. Doesn’t she, girls?” The girls must have known which side their cookies were frosted on, because they stopped whispering long enough to agree with their father. As for Mike, he just smiled at his wife, and I cringed, thinking there was something unnatural about seeing a man look at one’s baby sister like that, even if they had been married for nine years now.
    But back to the matter at hand. “Oh, you know me, I’m just hopeless with desserts. I try and I try and still, it eludes me. How do you get your chocolate cake so chocolate? I think that’s where that whole mystique problem came from. Betty’s cake was just never chocolate enough.” Erin rolled her eyes, but finally followed me into the kitchen, probably eager to tell me to shut up before I scared off young Scott.
    I grabbed the store-bought chocolate cake out of the fridge and pulled out a plate to put it on, trying to keep my voice quiet as I said, “What are you doing?”
    “I don’t know what you mean. I was eating dinner until you rudely demanded my help.” I’d seen that butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-my-mouth look too many times over the years to be fooled.
    “No. Scott. He doesn’t look like the misfit type to me.”
    “He is, actually. Small town, most of his high school friends moved away. His parents are pretty hateful, though they pay his tuition.” She started to say something else, but then bit her lip.
    “So you thought you’d bring him out here for dinner, throw him in front of Wade, and sit back while the magic happened?” I turned around and braced my hands on the edge of the counter, consciously relaxing the muscles in my shoulders and back so Erin wouldn’t know how much the idea bothered me.
    “No, you dolt. Actually, I brought him out here thinking magic might happen with you .” Her voice rose on the last bit, and I glared at her over my shoulder.
    “Keep your voice down.”
    “Oh, like they really think I’m helping you with your cake.” Her voice sounded annoyed.
    “Whatever.”
    “Dylan.” She sounded hesitant. “How long are you going to stay out here, playing house, waiting for Wade to look at you and realize he’s ready to move on?”
    It didn’t surprise me that Erin knew how I felt about Wade. “Is that what you think I’m doing out here? Just waiting for my chance?” I’d poured blood, sweat, and even a few unmanly tears into this place over the years, and I’d worked damn hard these last few months to save that. Besides, Wade was my good friend, had been before he and Simon ever got together.
    I felt her come up behind me, lay her hand between my shoulder blades, a gentle reminiscence of our mother, and say, “Not at first, no. And maybe not even completely now either. I’m not blind. I see the work this place needs. But… I’m not blind. Wade’s not broken anymore, you know?” She paused, and I closed my eyes, both unwilling and desperate at the same time to hear what she had to say. “He’s going to wake up someday soon and