Page 78 of Dash

“May I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure,” I say not bothering to turn around.

He walks up next to me and places his forearms on the railing as he leans over and looks at the backyard as well. “Tabatha…She told me…” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “I know that you know what I did. But I want you to know it wasn’t what it looked like.”

“Looked like you were kissing the woman you knew I was in love with,” I say flatly.

He sighs. “I don’t know why I did it.” He pauses. “Well, that’s a lie.”

I finally turn to the side to face him. “Are you going to start making sense anytime soon?”

He turns to face me, too. “I just want you to know, I kissed her. And she freaked out. Started talking about you. I told her that you couldn’t change for her.” My anger toward him grows. “That you couldn’t love her like I could.” He rubs his hand over his forehead. “I didn’t get it. How much you loved her. But I see it now. I see how much you love her. Just like I…” He swallows, and I know what he is about to say. “Just like I loved Amelia.” He hangs his head. “Tabatha just reminds me so much of her, and I got caught up in the moment. I thought that she could fix an ache that won’t seem to go away. I’m sorry, man. I truly am. I hope you can understand that.”

As I look up at him, I see the sadness in his eyes. I see the pain that he still feels. Amelia was Jake’s high school sweetheart. Their senior year, while he and Blake were on vacation with their family, he got a call from a friend that her and her parents died in a house fire. I don’t remember much about Amelia, but I do remember how much they were in love. And what it did to him. How it made him who he is today. I couldn’t even imagine what I would do if I lost Tabatha forever.

“It’s okay,” I say, and I mean it. He might have kissed Tabatha, but who wouldn’t want her? She’s mine now; my own stupidity allowed them the moment to share that kiss. I guarantee you that it won’t happen again.

“It was my fault…”

I place my hand on his shoulder. “Jake. I said it’s okay.”

He nods his head as he rubs his hand against his thighs. “Thanks for understanding. You know I would never want to do that to you.”

“You’re a good guy, Jake,” I say honestly. He may drink Blake and me under the table, but there’s a reason behind that. And Amelia is that reason. It must be hard to shake the memories and feelings.

“I just needed to explain myself,” he finishes. “Thank you.” He turns around and walks back through my sliding glass door before I can respond.

I sigh heavily and run a hand through my hair as I look back over my backyard. I stand there silently as I hear the door open once again. Then two small arms wrap around my waist, and I smile. “Why are you up here?” Tabatha asks, laying her head on my back.

“Just wanted some fresh air,” I answer truthfully. I spin around in her arms and wrap my arms around her as well. I look down into her beautiful eyes, and I place both hands on either side of her face. “Move in with me.”

Her eyes widen and her lips part slightly. “Dash…”

“I know it feels like we’ve been moving fast, but I’m not ready to slow it down. I know I love you, and I know that you love me. I’m ready for us to take that next step.” I push my body up against hers. “Please. Say you’ll move in with me,” I ask once again, and I hold my breath. This is what you do when you’re in love. When you know you have found the one. And I know that I have.

I watch as her parted lips start to turn into a smile, and her wide eyes soften. “I do love you.” She speaks softly. “And yes, I would love to move in with you.”

A smile spreads across my face, and I pull her in for a hug. I couldn’t be more grateful that she said yes, but I also can’t help but think about Jake. What he must have felt being around her? He had mentioned her healing his pain. She does that. Just looking at her makes you feel invincible. Seeing her smile is like watching the sun rise. I couldn’t imagine losing her like Jake lost Amelia. Life is short, and I wanna make the best of it with her.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

TABATHA

It’s been two weeks since Dash asked me to move in with him and three weeks since he won his race. The first week back from Florida was spent ninety percent of our time together. Now, we’re lucky if we get fifty. I’m back in school now; my father got word that Rodger had transferred schools, to New York nonetheless. Guess he decided he needed to get away, or his father made him transfer. Either way, I’m not sad about it. He’s out of our lives for good, and that’s all that matters.

I’ve moved all of my stuff that I thought I needed to keep into Dash’s house and put mine up for sale with a lot of help from my mother. I swear, it doesn’t matter how old you are, you will always need your mother. Dash has been busy spending all of his time with my father. They are building him another race bike, and they are looking for another guy to join their team. I don’t understand why they need another member, but Dash tells me that it’s a common thing. I just nod my head and say yes, honey I understand what you’re saying even though I truly don’t.

I was in the middle of rearranging our furniture when he called to tell me to meet him at my parents’ house. I swear I don’t know why we just didn’t move in with them. There’s plenty of room, and I feel like we spend all of our time there.

I open the front door and can already hear them talking in my father’s office. I make my way down the long hall and walk right in. Dash sits looking relaxed on the far couch with both arms fanned out across the back of the couch as he speaks to my father. When he sees me walk in, he winks at me and pats the spot next to him.

I snuggle up next to him and let them finish their conversation before I speak. “What’s going on?”

“I told Dash to call you here to celebrate,” my father says excitedly.

“Celebrate what?” I question.

“Two things actually.” He smiles. “One, the fact that Rodger didn’t press charges on Erik for beating the shit out of him.” Dash chuckles. “And two, the fact that I just got off the phone with a company who wanted to sponsor Erik.”

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