Page 53 of With This Ring

“Right.” Dakota stood up straight.

“Now let’s bring out dessert and enjoy the rest of our evening.”

“Okay.” Dakota pulled Kayleigh’s cheesecake out of the refrigerator, and as she toted it out to the deck, she found herself wondering if Hudson had enjoyed his aunt’s banana bread.

Chapter 12

Later that evening, Parker and Dakota stood beside his blue Kia SUV in her driveway. “I had a great time tonight,” Parker said.

Dakota jammed her hands in the front pocket of her sweatshirt and looked up at the stars twinkling in the dark sky above them.

Kayleigh and Brice had already left to relieve their babysitter, and now that Dakota was alone with Parker, she needed to give him all her attention. From what she could tell, he was a good man—and he deserved a chance.

“So did I,” she said. She meant it too. The evening had flown by after dinner. They’d enjoyed Kayleigh’s scrumptious chocolate chip cheesecake and cups of coffee before playing a rousing game of Scrabble, which involved a lot of laughter.

Though Dakota had enjoyed herself, she was still distracted. Hudson had disappeared from his deck before she’d returned withdessert. She kept searching for him in the house next door, but despite the lights glowing in the large colonial, she hadn’t caught another glimpse of him. And though it was a good thing he wasn’t within view, she couldn’t stop her ridiculous disappointment either.

But it was time to move on. Parker was here. He’d been more than willing to get to know Dakota, and she needed to do the same for him.

Parker turned his attention to the large house next door. “How long is your ex staying in town?”

“Until June. He’s here for his sister’s wedding.” Dakota did her best to sound casual.

He paused as if contemplating the information. “How long were you together?”

This is about to get awkward. “We started dating in high school. Then we got engaged, but we broke up a long time ago.”

“So it’s over?”

“It has been for years.”

His features relaxed, and he smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.” He touched her cheek. “I really like you, Dakota.”

“I like you too.”

He dipped his chin, and instead of dodging his kiss this time, she allowed his lips to brush hers. Closing her eyes, she held her breath and waited for the butterflies, but they never appeared. Instead, once again, she felt nothing. When she gently pulled away and looked up at Parker, the heat in his eyes left her numb.

“I’ll see you soon,” he whispered, his voice sounding husky. He opened his driver’s side door and climbed in.

“Good night,” she told him before he drove away. She turned and padded up the front path, then spotted a light glowing inside the colonial.

As she headed into her house, Dakota grappled with why her heart still craved Hudson when Parker was clearly the man she needed in her life.

She hoped her feelings for Parker would morph into something warm and special. Surely they would. She just needed more time.

***

Hudson’s body tensed as he stood at the window and watched Parker kiss Dakota in her driveway. It had been difficult enough witnessing her talking and laughing with him during their apparent double date with Kayleigh and Brice, but he felt physically ill seeing another man touch her.

He had gone out onto the deck to talk to Darren, but he hadn’t expected to see Dakota with her guests. He’d tried to concentrate on what his business partner was sharing about the job opportunities they had in Los Angeles and Great Britain, but he’d been too distracted by his ex-fiancée moving on so happily with her life.

Hudson had then gone back inside, and the more Darren talked, the better the opportunities sounded. Moving far away from Flowering Grove was what he needed. He just had to decide which position to take after he got his sister back on the right track. Then he could pack up and leave Dakota behind for good.

If only he could convince his heart that he needed to go.

***

Rain peppered Dakota’s windshield the following Thursday evening. She steered her car down the street toward her house and tried to hold back the tears that had threatened her eyes all afternoon.