Rum Spring Read Online Free Page A

gallant like “Your chariot awaits, my lady,” but she didn’t think she could pull it off. Not with a straight face, anyway. For her sixteenth birthday the year before, her parents had bought her a VW, a bright yellow new Beetle that was like a happy face on wheels. That didn’t exactly scream gallant.
    Her father looked up when Dylan headed downstairs. He was standing in front of the mirror in the foyer trying to make sure his tie was straight. Dylan’s mother Grace was running around making sure she had turned everything off. They had reservations at her mom’s favorite Italian restaurant, which meant, Dylan knew, that her dad was probably going to return home with sauce stains all over the tie that currently occupied so much of his attention.
    “How do I look?” he asked, buttoning his gray sport coat.
    Dylan gave him the once over. At fifty-six, he no longer possessed the size 30 waist he had sported all through high school and college, but he was still in relatively good shape despite his admitted weakness for cheese steaks and garlic fries. The touch of gray at his temples gave him a distinguished air that was offset by the boyish glint in his bright blue eyes. “Not half bad. Even borderline handsome.” She reached up and gave his tie a final adjustment. “If you play your cards right, you might get lucky tonight.”
    He waggled his strawberry-blond eyebrows mischievously. “You think?”
    “Who knows? Maybe I will, too.”
    His expression turned serious. “You do know this isn’t a date, don’t you? If you have feelings for Rebecca, she can’t possibly return them.”
    “I know.”
    “I hope you mean that and you’re not just saying what you think I want to hear. I don’t want to see you get hurt, Dylan.”
    “Neither do I. And I won’t.”
    “Rebecca is a sweet girl and I wish things could be different. For her and for you.”
    “Dad, I know you mean well but you’re kind of bumming me out. Can I enjoy tonight without worrying about tomorrow? Or next week? Or next year?”
    “Sorry, honey. I just want to make sure you aren’t expecting more from your friendship with Rebecca than she will be able to give. Has she ever said she wants to be more than friends?”
    “I don’t know if she has even allowed herself to believe such things are possible, but I think it’s telling that she wants to spend the first night of her rumspringa with me, don’t you?”
    “She couldn’t have chosen a better escort,” her mom said. She was wearing a beaded black cocktail dress, a white silk shawl thrown over her shoulders. Her lustrous red hair was swept up and away from her face, which was framed by a pair of dangling emerald earrings. She looked stunning. Dylan was blown away. So was her dad. He let out a piercing wolf whistle.
    With a broad grin, her mom twirled like a runway model on the end of a catwalk. “You like?” she asked, enjoying the attention.
    “Wow, Mom. You look great.”
    “You think so?”
    “I know so.”
    “No curfew tonight, right?”
    Her mother’s grin disappeared. “You wish. Just because Rebecca gets to break all the rules doesn’t mean you do, too.” She kissed Dylan on the forehead and gave her a hug. “Be home by eleven, and no drinking and driving.”
    “And don’t forget to watch out for the other guy,” her father said.
    Dylan headed for the door. “Have fun tonight, Dad. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
    “I thought you said you wanted us to have fun.”
    While she made the short drive from Lancaster to Lutz, Dylan reflected on the conversation she and her father had just shared. Was he right? Was she expecting too much?
    “I know you want what’s best for me, Dad, but this time I think I’m in a better position to judge that than you are.”
    Her father was the reason Dylan and Rebecca had met. When she was a kid, Dylan used to ride along with him while he made his propane deliveries. She would remain in the truck while he hopped out to check