Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 67227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 336(@200wpm)___ 269(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
He chuckled at something his mother said. “We were taking things slow, that’s why you didn’t know about it.” He listened then said, “Of course she’ll be there on Sunday.”
She shook her head and sighed.
“Yep. I will. Love you, too, Mom. Bye.” He disconnected the call and put his phone on the table.
Then he glanced at her, still holding her on his lap with his arm, and smiled, the genuine Dash smile she adored.
“Stop trying to soften me up,” she muttered. “You shouldn’t be lying to your mom.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is telling her what I believe to be true lying? We’re together.”
“Officially?”
“As far as the world … and I am concerned, we are.” His expression grew serious. “Stop worrying.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. “You’ll be at the barbeque?” he asked.
She felt the lift of her lips into a smile. “You told Melly I’d be there. How can I not show up?” she asked.
“Good. Mom will be happy.”
Everyone loved Melly Kingston. How could you not appreciate a woman who took in her dead husband’s pregnant, adult child from an affair and easily made her and her baby part of the family? Melly had never blamed Aurora for her husband’s behavior, and since the young woman had grown up in foster care thanks to neglectful parents, it made Melly’s acceptance all the more sweet.
Dash’s mother had always treated Cassidy well, too. She wouldn’t mislead her … and Dash had a point. It wasn’t a lie. They were together – for now. And that’s all Cassidy needed to remember.
She hopped off his lap, and because she’d taken him off guard, he let her go and she settled back into her seat.
He shot her a knowing gaze but didn’t say anything about her escaping.
“You enjoy my family, right?” Dash asked.
She nodded. She’d always envied him his big family with a lot of siblings and closeness. All she had was her brother, and sometimes she got lonely. During the last four years, Cassidy had had Sasha in her life. They were like sisters, and they’d spent holidays together if Axel wasn’t in town, but now Sasha had Xander. And though they’d never not include her, Cassidy didn’t want to be a third wheel.
“Where’d you go?” Dash asked, breaking into her thoughts.
She glanced up. “I was just thinking how lucky you guys are to have such a big family. I love my brother but holidays can get lonely.” She set her jaw, wondering what made her confide in him that way. If she was going to protect herself, she couldn’t be too vulnerable with him.
His expression softened. “You’re always welcome at any family gathering we have. Sasha wouldn’t have it any other way and neither would I.”
“I appreciate you saying that.” Especially since there would be times she and Dash would have to be in the same room for an event once whatever what this was between them ended. Not that she’d bring that up now and upset the balance they’d found.
“My siblings are great but my family situation wasn’t always the best.” Dash picked up his coffee and took a long sip.
She wasn’t looking at his lips and remembering how they felt on hers. She really wasn’t, she thought, waiting for him to tell her more.
“My father didn’t understand me, and trust me when I tell you, sometimes I thought no father would have been preferable to Kenneth Kingston’s disapproval.”
She frowned at that, realizing that it was his turn to open up to her, and she wanted to know everything about him. She didn’t know much regarding the family’s background beyond the fact that his sister, Aurora, was new to the clan, having been tracked down by Linc this year after their father had passed away. Sasha protected Xander’s past and secrets, and Cassidy had always respected their relationship. It didn’t affect her and she hadn’t asked.
“Your father didn’t recognize your talent?” she asked.
Dash shook his head. “Wasn’t interested, either. He really was an absent father unless we embarrassed him or he had to clean up a mess,” he muttered.
“What do you mean? What kind of mess?” she asked.
“I’ll explain … one day. I just don’t want to ruin our weekend with shitty stories about the past.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Okay, but I’m here if you ever want to open up.”
He dipped his head. “I know. And it’s probably the only time I owe my father for helping me out. Hell,” he said, running a hand through his hair, “I’m not even sure he did the right thing back then.”
He had her curious, but it was also evident he wasn’t ready talk about it, and she wouldn’t pressure him.
“And after my father died, we found out that he’d been a serial cheater, which explains why he was never around. But when he was? He bitched about the music I played, the friends I hung out with, the time I spent trying to create a band, and he belittled my dreams. So no. He didn’t recognize my talent.”