A Little Dare - Brenda Jackson [57]
Dare nodded. It was important to him as well. He slumped down on his back beside her and looked up at the stars. “I think I have an idea.”
“What?”
“The brothers and I, along with Jamal, had planned on going to the cabin in the North Carolina mountains to go fishing. AJ knows about it since he heard us planning the trip, so he won’t think anything about it. What if I invite him to come along?”
Shelly raised a brow. “Why would you want to take AJ with you guys? I’d think the six of you had planned it as a sort of guys’ weekend, right?”
“Right. But I remember AJ mentioning to Thorn that he’d never gone fishing before, and I know that Thorn came close to inviting him. The only reason he didn’t was because he knew we would he playing poker in addition to fishing and Storm’s mouth can get rather filthy when he starts losing.”
Shelly nodded. “But how will this help your situation with AJ? The two of you still won’t have any privacy.”
“Yes, we will if the others don’t come. After AJ and I arrive, the others can come up with an excuse as to why they couldn’t make it.”
Shelly raised a doubtful brow. “All five of them?”
“Yes. It has to be a believable reason for all of them though, otherwise AJ will suspect something.”
Shelly had to agree. “And while you and AJ are there alone for those three days, you think he’ll open up to you?”
Dare sighed deeply. “I’m hoping that he will. At least I’m giving him the opportunity to do so.” He met Shelly’s stare. “What do you think?”
Shelly shrugged. “I don’t know, Dare. It might be just the thing, but I don’t want you to get your hopes up and be disappointed. I know for a fact that AJ wants you to know the truth, but I also know that for him the timing has to be perfect.”
Dare nodded as he pulled her into his arms. “Then I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that it is.”
Thirteen
D are hung up the phone and met AJ’s expectant gaze.
“That was Chase. One of his waitresses called in sick. He’ll have to pitch in for the weekend and won’t be able to make it.”
He saw the disappointment cloud AJ’s eyes. So far since arriving at the cabin they had received no-show calls from everyone except Thorn, and he expected Thorn to call any minute.
“Does that mean we have to cancel this weekend?” AJ asked in such a disappointed voice that a part of Dare felt like a heel. “Not unless you want to. There’s still a possibility that Thorn might show.”
Although he’d said the words, Dare knew they weren’t true. His brothers and Jamal had understood his need to be alone with AJ this weekend and had agreed to bow out of the picture and plan something else to do.
When AJ didn’t say anything, Dare said. “You know what I think we should do?”
AJ lifted a brow. “What?”
“Enjoy the three days anyway. I’ve been looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation, and I’m sure you’re glad to have an extra day out of school as well, right?”
AJ nodded. “Right.”
“Then I say that we make the most of it. I can teach you how to fish in the morning and, tomorrow night we can camp outside. Have you ever gone camping?”
“No.”
Dare sadly shook his head at the thought. When they were kids his father had occasionally taken him and his brothers camping for the weekend just to get them out of their mother’s hair for a while. “We can still do all the things that we’d planned to do anyway. How’s that?”
AJ was clearly surprised. “You’ll want to stay here with just me?”
A lump formed in Dare’s throat at the hope he heard in his son’s voice. He swallowed deeply. If only you knew how much I want to stay here with just you, he thought. “Yes,” he answered. “I guess I should be asking you if you’re sure that you want to stay here with just me.”
AJ smiled. “Yes, I