Page 23 of Dash to Me
“Hey yourself. How was your day?”
“Long. Client meeting ran over. How was Selena?”
I pause, considering how to summarize. “She’s... going through some stuff. Broke up with Micah.”
“That’s rough. She okay?”
“I think so. She might be coming over tomorrow to help pack.” I hesitate. “She also had some concerns. About us moving in together.”
There’s a brief silence on the other end. “What kind of concerns?”
“Just that it’s happening fast.” I don’t mention her comment about my tendency to lose myself. That feels too vulnerable somehow, too exposing.
“Does she think we’re making a mistake?”
“No, not exactly. She’s just being protective.” I wrap another mug, focusing on the task. “What did your mom want? About Sunday dinner?”
He sighs, and I can picture him running a hand through his hair the way he does when he’s frustrated. “She wants to know if you’ll be there. And if you’re bringing anything. And if you have any ‘dietary restrictions she should know about.’”
I laugh. “She does realize I’ve been eating her cooking since I was seven, right?”
“I think it’s her way of processing the change. She’s never had to share me with anyone before.”
The word “share” makes something warm bloom in my chest. “Tell her I’ll bring that chocolate cake she likes.”
“Okay, she’ll love that.” He laughs. “Ryan and I made plans to hang out tomorrow. I know you are getting everything ready to go. Is that cool?”
Is he seriously asking me for permission? He does not need to do that. “Just because I’m moving in doesn’t mean you can’t hang out with my brother, who happens to be your best friend. Never say no to friends because of me. And I won’t either.”
We talk for another half hour while I continue packing—about his day, about taking over his father’s business, and how excited he is for our first night together in his place.
Sunday can’t come fast enough.
ATLAS
The gravel crunchesunder the tires of my old Ford as they roll to a stop at the edge of the lake. The truck’s door creaks open, and I step out, meeting Ryan at the bed of the truck, already getting out the fishing gear.
“Perfect day for this.”
“Doesn’t get much better than this, right?” He hoists a cooler onto the grassy bank.
I pick up the tackle box and follow Ryan down to our usual spot. Not much is said for a while, and maybe that’s why we are best friends. Nothing has to be said for us to hang out. We thread lines through rods. Hooks are baited and we are ready to go. No time to waste. With Ryan married now, our hangouts will slow down. It’s inevitable. The natural progression of a relationship and especially marriage. Once they start talking about having kids, and then having them, no one has much time for friends. Not that it upsets me.
When Eva and I have children, my whole focus will be on them. They are my priority always. It’s crazy to think about how our lives go. We are born and from then until the moment we turn eighteen, we are practically begging for independence, and then when you get it, you want but nothing to give it back. OnlyI want to hold on to mine. Onto Eva and our future. Ryan hasn’t brought it up yet today, but I know it’s in the back of his mind. He knows me well, but this is his sister.Give me the damn talk.
I flick my wrist, sending the line arching into the air before it cut into the still lake with barely a sound. We stand side by side, watching the ripples converge and dissipate like fleeting thoughts. After a moment, I glance over at Ryan, noting the crease of concentration between his brows—a look that seems to have taken up residence there recently.
“Everything going okay with your wife?”
Ryan lets out a chuckle. “Yeah, you could say that. Feels like I’m juggling flaming torches while blindfolded, but hey, it’s all part of the fun, right?” He gives me a side glance, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half-smile.
“No one ever said marriage was easy. You two are end game, though. Any thoughts on... well, me and Eva?”
I know, I shouldn’t, but he needs to get it out. Hell, I can’t believe he hasn’t already given me the talk. If she was my sister, you bet your ass we would’ve.
“You’re my friend, and I trust you. But let me put it this way—Eva’s my sister. You know what she means to me.” A half-smile tugs at his lips. “She’s been through enough to make her cautious. Just... don’t hurt her, alright? She deserves to be happy.”
The weight of his words hang heavy in the air. “Understood. Her happiness is everything to me, too. I care about Eva more than I’ve ever cared for anyone. Hurting her is the last thing I would ever want.”
