Lindsey took a hasty step back. She had no doubt that Dylan had a few harsh words for her, and she knew she had to accept responsibility for talking to Emma about him.

She felt Sully step up behind her as if to give her backup and she appreciated the gesture but knew that this was her problem.

To her surprise, Dylan didn’t even slow down and appeared to be planning to blast right past her.

“Hey, Dylan.” Lindsey reached out and grabbed his arm. “Are you all right?”

Dylan glanced up as if seeing them for the first time. He looked as if he was visibly trying to get himself under control.

“Hi, Ms. Norris, Captain Sully,” he said. “Sorry, I didn’t see you.”

“So I gathered. Are you all right?” she asked him again.

Before he could answer, the door to the station opened and his mother came out. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked just as angry as Dylan.

“Dylan Thomas Peet, you will not walk out on me when I am talking to you. Am I clear?” Joanie asked—although it was pretty obvious that there was only one acceptable answer to her question.

Joanie’s eyes widened as she noticed Lindsey and Sully standing there, and then her gaze went to where Lindsey’s hand was still on Dylan’s arm. Lindsey removed her hand, knowing that it looked awkward as she did so.

“Why should I stay and listen to you when you don’t care what I want, Mom?” Dylan asked.

Joanie walked toward them. She put a fake smile on as if she wasn’t having a scorching fight with her son.

“That’s enough,” she said in a clipped tone. “We’ll finish this discussion in the car.”

“What’s to discuss?” Dylan snapped. “You told me I have to quit the play. What more do you want to take from me?”

“Dylan, I said we’d discuss it in the car,” Joanie said. Her cheeks were bright red and her mouth was clamped in a thin, tight line.

“There’s nothing to discuss!” Dylan exploded. His arms went flying up into the air in a gesture of perturbed exasperation that Lindsey had never before seen from the usually low-key teen. “And do you want to know why?”

Joanie looked as if her eyes were about to pop out of her head. Lindsey was sure Dylan had never spoken to his mother like that—ever.

“Because I’m not going to quit!” Dylan yelled. “I’m doing this for Robbie Vine, and nothing you can say or do is going to stop me!”

26

Dylan spun on his heel and took off running. Joanie looked as if she’d just been slapped. Clearly embarrassed, she cleared her throat.