Page 20 of Going Down

“Then it’s a party!”

I love the way Dash includes my father without hesitation.

I’m on the upper deck when I spot Dash. He’s got that easy-going smile on his face and is studying someone else. A woman about his height, dressed in lavender jogs over in her board boots. A white headband holds back her rows of dark brown, shoulder-length braids which glint red in the sunlight. My stomach clenches as he grabs her by the middle, lifting her off her feet, and carrying her like a log behind his back. She beats at his side and he drops her in a lump, but holds out a glove to help her back up. They’re both laughing when she grabs his cheeks, making him pucker and kisses his duck face. Dash wipes the kiss away with the back of his sleeve, but he’s still happy and I feel like a voyeur to a private joke.

“Isn’t that Dash?” Dad asks coming up behind me. He’s proudly showing off a shirt my boy, er—friend presented him with the last time Dad drove up to the resort. It says: I know I ski like an old man. Try to keep up.

My dad had been ecstatic and put it on right away. Chip even posted a pic to the resort’s feed, which was great until posts popped up about how Dash and my dad were both hot enough to melt the snow. I’ve challenged myself to ignore the ones about Dash, but the ones about my dad made me see him in a new light. As in, my dad’s not so far past his prime that he’s headed toward the light—Yet, he’s alone.

“Um.” I stammer, looking back and forth between my dad and Dash, who is now waving. I’m beyond confused, feeling like I’ve walked in on a private moment, and it’s a glaring reminder that I’ll be alone again soon, too.

Dash runs up the metal stairs with the too-pretty-for-words woman hot on his heels.

“Dr. Jai!” He claps my dad on the back. “This is my cousin, Cadence. She’s here to fix my busted kitchen cabinet.”

“I’m beginning to think he breaks things moving on purpose.” Cadence pipes up. “This is the third time.”

“I don’t. Plus your fee is cheap.”

Cadence shows off her complimentary lift pass, but raises a brow at her cousin. “So is wood glue, Dash. I can mail you some for less than the round-trip.” She tells my dad how good it is to meet him and turns to shake my hand. “You must be Kat.”

I’m not sure if it’s the way she looks, her friendly nature laced with barbs that only someone who knows Dash well could make, or her confidence in general that makes Cadence intimidate me.

“Are you staying at the trailer?” I ask.

“Oh, God No. I may customize them, but Dash can keep his tiny house to himself—and for you. I need a jacuzzi tub and room service on vacation.”

“Since Kat and Dash have to work this afternoon, what do you say we hit the slopes?” Dad suggests.

He and Cadence walk ahead toward the lift, chattering. Dash holds me back.

“You’re not jealous of Cadence, Kat?”

“I’m—so what if I was?”

He cups my cheeks with his mittens that flip the world the bird. “Then you’re making progress that you can admit it. She may be my cousin, but I’m not a dip. Cadence is beautiful.”

I groan, trying to turn my face away.

“There’s no sense denying it! All of my guy friends have been interested in her.” He laughs aloud. “You’re forgetting something, past that she’s my cousin. You’re beautiful. There could be a million Cadences and you’d still be the one I want. To gain my attention, someone like her has to compete with someone like you. Not the other way around.”

“I feel like an idiot.” I look toward where my dad is standing in line. “She left us, Dash. I shouldn’t let what my mother did come close to touching you and me, but it doesn’t stop my insecurities.”

“Kat, we’re all insecure about something.” Dash huffs and smiles, shaking his head a bit. “I’m starting to worry about missing you when I go.”

“Enough to stay?” Why the hell did I ask that? Dash was upfront. His life plans are to keep moving on. It’s wrong for me to tether him.

“No, Sugar. Not enough to stay. But I’m not letting an opportunity to ride with you pass me by. And I know that when I go, I’ll need to find a way to keep you in my life somehow. Maybe not as we are, but I can’t leave all of what we have behind.”

I’m not sure if Dash is telling me he can’t live without me or reminding me at the core we’ve got something more.

________________

10

________________

Share your joys and sorrows with family

---