A Wedding Worth Waiting For

“No, but it took me a while to figure that out. I majored in Agricultural Science at UF, but the closer I got to graduating, the more I wanted to do something else. I didn’t tell my parents I was applying to grad school until after I got accepted. I figured they couldn’t argue with a scholarship to Harvard.”

So not only did he get into Harvard, he’d gotten a scholarship. Wow. “So your version of rebellion was to go get a business degree at an Ivy League school?”

He chuckled. “If you put it that way, I guess so. Not much of a rebellion, huh?”

“Hey, going against the expectations of your family is hard, no matter what.”

“Is that how you ended up as a wildlife officer, because your father expected it?”

Sam sputtered, nearly choking on a sip of tea. “No, definitely not. He thought I should be a librarian or an English teacher. Joining the Fish and Wildlife Commission was the last thing he wanted for me. He thinks law enforcement isn’t a suitable career for a woman. Or at least, not for his daughter. Camping out, hiking—those are fine if they’re just a hobby. But chasing poachers in the back country, carrying a gun—that’s way too dangerous. “

A slow, sexy smile spread over Dylan’s face. “Well, then, I guess that makes us a pair of rebels, doesn’t it?”

* * *

Dylan watched her shrug off his question. “I guess so, although rebelling really wasn’t the goal. And I do like books, so he wasn’t too far off with the librarian idea.”

“But...?” There was obviously more, something she wasn’t saying.

“But I wanted something that we could share, something to bring us together. And I wanted to make a difference, the way that he did.”

And she wanted to make him proud.

Something inside his chest ached at the thought of this gutsy woman trying so hard to earn her own father’s approval. No wonder she was determined to make things work for her in Paradise. She wasn’t just trying to impress her boss or renew old friendships; she was trying to win her father’s love.

“Is everyone all done?” Sally was back, ready to clear their plates.

Sam nodded. “I’m finished. How about you, Dylan?”

“Yes, thank you, Sally. And could you bring out two slices of the key lime pie, please?” He looked back to Sam. “Unless you’d prefer something else.”

“Key lime pie sounds perfect.”

Sally took their plates and smiled her approval. “Y’all sit tight. I’ll be back with that pie in just a minute.”

True to her word, she returned with the sweet, creamy dessert in record time, and he still hadn’t figured out a way to ask Sam more about her relationship with her father. Maybe it was best to work up to that and start with something simpler. “So, what kinds of things are you looking forward to, now that you’re back?”

She halted the fork that was halfway to her mouth. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, what are you planning as far as fun? Places you’ve missed, people you want to see, that kind of thing.”

“Other than eating conch fritters and key lime pie?”

“Yes, other than that. Although it’s not a bad start.”

She licked a bit of pie from her fork, sending his blood rushing south as she appeared to consider the question.

“I don’t really know. I’ve been pretty focused on the things I have to do, not the things I want to do. Business before pleasure, and all of that.”

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