I didn’t get that minute.

“Yes, he’s a decent guy. But he is still a loan shark, among other things. He is involved in so many sketchy things. I’m just watching out for you. You gave him 10,000 dollars, of course he thinks you have more.”

I turned and leveled him with a glare. “I gave him that to pay off your debt. That was because of you. You are the only person who has ever used me for money. And for your information, he gave me back all 15, and still cleared your debt.” Ha! Swallow that pill sucker. 

“Why…”

“Because he cares about me. He didn’t feel right keeping my money. He also knew that money was being saved for a reason. I never told him that. He figured it out on his own. He didn’t like me taking Ubers all the time. He also knows that I wouldn’t allow him to buy me a car, so he gave me my money back. Dillan has way more money than me. Why would he need mine?”

“Okay, fine. It’s not your money he’s after. What about what you can do? He kept asking about you and computers.”

I rolled my eyes and walked a few steps away from him. “I explained that to you already. I locked him out of his own company. I locked everyone out. His computer guy would have figured it out sooner or later, but Dillan was ticked that I did that. He wanted me to fix it and he didn’t want to wait. Dillan has a bit of an impatience problem. At least when it comes to things involving me.”

Randy winced. I laughed and patted his shoulder as I passed to leave the kitchen again. “I’ve never been naive, Randy. My eyes were opened to the world the moment you lost your first bet to mohawk dude.”

I sat down at the table and started eating. Randy joined us a few minutes later. Dinner passed in mostly silence. Dad didn’t ask what happened. But, then again, this place wasn’t all that big. He may have heard it all anyway.

An hour later, we both said goodbye to our Dad, who was falling asleep on the couch. 

As we stood in the elevator, I figured I would warn him. “Dillan is picking me up. Play nice.”

“You know he banned me from the poker room, right? Did you have anything to do with that?”

“Yes and no. Like I said, he wants to take care of me. Which means helping you make better choices, so that I am not stressed over you. If he was really just after my money, or whatever, why would he have done that?”

“He told me you stayed the night when you went to pay him off. He made it sound like you had to because of the interest.”

I laughed once as we disembarked the ride. “He offered the deal, and I slapped him. I would have stayed regardless. He just sweetened the pot. There is something about him that draws me in. He has the same response to me.” I winked at Randy before I opened the lobby doors to leave. “Why do you think I locked him out digitally?”

Randy huffed, only slightly amused, and followed me out. Dillan was parked right in front of the building leaning against his blue car.

“Hey, beautiful. Have a good visit?”

I grinned and let him wrap me in his arms. “Mostly. Apparently, I smell just like you.”

Dillan laughed, then kissed me in front of my brother for the first time.

“Well, that’s my cue. See ya, Pixie!” 

I flipped my brother off. 

Dillan chuckled as he opened my door to the front seat. Once he was behind the wheel, he asked, like I knew he would. “Pixie?”

“Only my Dad calls me that. Randy only does it when he is being a butthead.”

“So…”

“No!” I smacked him with the back of my hand, Dillan caught it and held it in his. “Dad only.”

He gave me a mock frown. I giggled as I leaned over and kissed it.