Page 45 of The Obvious Check

Dash grumbles, and yeah, I probably shouldn’t mention the betrayal every time I talk to him, but I don’t know. I can’t help it. It’s like picking at a scab that’s almost healed just to watch it bleed again.

Silence stretches between us. Thick and loaded with all the things we’re not saying, and I choose not to say anything else as I know I’ll make it worse. Besides, I’ve got bigger problems than my sister’s sex life.

Dash is the first one to break it.

“It’s fine. She’s just sending me pictures of your dog wearing another outfit.”

Mhm. That's different. Normally, he shuts up completely when I remind him of the little fact that they're dating, like I've pressed a mute button labeled 'guilt.' He's leaning into it now, accepting it instead of hiding.

“Oh?” That piques my interest. “Still the Christmas one?”

He shakes his head. “Nope. It’s an anglerfish this time. She said she wanted Stanley to be ready for when the time comes.”

I hold back a laugh. Of course she’s already planning for my NHL career.OurNHL career. The one I’d planned with my best friend, my ‘brother’ before he decided he wanted to look into making that a real thing.

Dash clears his throat. “I’m sorry, Cade.”

Sitting on my bed, I look at him. “For?”

“Not coming to you first when things started to progress with me and Madison.”

“Are we back to that again?” I wave him off. “I already told you I’m fine with it.” To be fair, I think that statement is becoming truer by the day. I haven’t thought about Madison and Dash kissing once since this conversation started.

“Doesn’t feel like it.”

I let out a slow breath and rub the back of my neck as I try to find the right words. Am I angry? Not anymore. That dissipated pretty quickly after how happy they made each other. I love them both. “It’s just… different now.” I meet his gaze. “You’re my best friend. The one person I could talk to about anything, and now you’re with my sister, telling her about Savannah before I’ve had time to process shit.”

“Fuck.” Dash drops eye contact.

“You know Madison. She’s already planning my wedding with a girl who doesn’t want anything to do with me and it’s just weird.”

Dash sighs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t plan on anything happening with Madison. You know that, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t want to screw up our friendship.”

Little does he realize that statement alone makes me feel like an asshole. Was I the only thing holding them back from each other all these years?

“Understood.”

“I’m sorry I told her about Savannah. It was only because she was asking why you were acting so shifty recently. I told her not to mention it to you, though.”

“Yeah, well, I’m surprised you haven’t already learned that my sister is one of the biggest blabbermouths on the planet. She can’t keep a secret to save her life. Besides, she couldn’t exactly not ask questions. Savannah was at my apartment when she came over today.”

“What?”

“Oh, surprising. Maybe Madison doesn’t tell you everything after all.”

“Maybe not.”

“Yeah, well, Madison walked right in on Savannah having breakfast.”

“Did you sleep together? I thought things were pretty much over after she sold the tickets you gave her.”

I hesitate, debating whether I should go into details, but then I shake my head. This is Dash. Talking to him is the best thing I can do. “She didn’t sell them. They were taken from her. When I tried to confront her about it, I found out she’s living in her car.”

“No way?”

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