Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98789 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Leaving her house was a lot harder than it should have been.
The following morning, I picked up everything I needed from Austin’s around eight and let myself into Ari’s house by nine. I took a quick break for lunch around noon, running home to grab a sandwich and let Fritz out, and went back to Ari’s to finish the job. By two o’clock, the wood was mounted on the wall and looked pretty fucking good, if I said so myself. I couldn’t wait for her to see it.
Feeling a sense of accomplishment, I was just about to head home and clean up when my phone buzzed with an incoming call. I was hoping it was Izzie or Ari, but I wasn’t disappointed when I saw it was Gianni Lupo.
“Hey, Gianni.”
“Hey, Dash. Good news.”
“Yeah?”
“My father-in-law agrees that a bigger truck would be a good investment, and he’s willing to sell the current one.”
“Awesome. Got a price?”
“I’m still working on that. Obviously, I want to give you a good deal, but I just have to make sure my father-in-law doesn’t lose money. I need to do a little research.”
“Of course,” I said. “No problem.”
“Do you want to come see it? Make sure she’s even interested?”
“Yeah.” I thought quickly. Ari’s parents would be home from vacation later tonight, and she’d want some time to talk to them. “Maybe one day next week?”
“Sure. It’s probably easiest to get you in for dinner on a Wednesday night. Would that work?”
“That’s perfect,” I said. Mabel would be home Thursday, and Friday we’d all head to Snowberry Lodge for the wedding.
“Got a time preference?”
“I think you’re about two hours from here, and Ari gets out of work around two, so anything after five works fine.”
“Cool. I’ll text you.”
“Thanks, Gianni. I really appreciate this.”
“No problem. Looking forward to seeing you.”
Grinning, I locked up Ari’s house and headed out. Doing things for her just felt fucking good.
FIFTEEN
ari
Dash called while I was putting the finishing touches on our dinner—a Moroccan chicken tajine I thought would go perfectly with Casablanca, which was the movie I’d chosen for tonight. I’d stopped at the little gourmet market on the way home from the diner and picked up preserved lemons and green olives for the dish, and I’d also made Moroccan bread called khobz from scratch. I couldn’t wait for him to taste everything.
“Hello?”
“Hey. How are you?”
“Fantastic. I cannot stop looking at the antique wood on my wall.” Turning around, I admired it again and smiled. “It’s so beautiful, Dash. Thank you so much for doing that today.”
“You’re welcome. You just have to show me where you want the hooks and I’ll get them in.”
“Perfect.”
“I just wanted to tell you I’m running a little late. I ended up driving to Snowberry this afternoon.”
“Oh, nice! Did you meet Lexi?”
“Yeah. She seems great. Dev seems really happy, and the renovations are incredible. It hardly looks like the same place.”
“You didn’t have much time there. We should have rescheduled dinner so you could have stayed longer.”
“Nah. I’m good.”
Smiling, I leaned back against the counter. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m always hungry. Especially for you.”
I laughed. “I’m not on the menu.”
“That’s what you think.”
By the end of Casablanca, we’d pushed the tray tables aside and lay stretched out on the couch together, Dash behind me with an arm resting on my hip. When the credits were rolling, I flipped around to face him. “Well? Did you like it?”
“Yes,” he said. “But it surprises me that you like so many movies where the couple doesn’t end up together.”
I thought for a moment about the movies we’d watched so far. Titanic, When Harry Met Sally, Dirty Dancing, Casablanca. “Huh. You’re right. I’ve only shown you one that ends in happily ever after. That’s weird.”
“Maybe you don’t believe in happily ever after.”
I slapped his chest. “Bite your tongue! I read nothing but romance novels, and they always end in happily ever after. You know what I think it is?”
Dash’s hand was sliding up my ribcage. “What?”
“I think these movies I shared with you are romantic, but they’re not necessarily romances.”
“What’s the difference?” He scooted down and lifted up my shirt.
“Well, a romance ends with the couple together and happy, and in the movies I showed you, the journey was more about how we’re changed as a result of love, even if that love can’t last forever.”
“Tell me more.” Reaching around my back, he unhooked my bra.
“Are you even listening?”
“Yes.” He pushed my bra up and put his mouth on my breast. “I swear.”
“Well, Rose had to learn to stand up for herself to live the life she wanted, and Jack taught her to be brave and take chances.”
“Also to spit.” He stroked my nipple with his tongue.
“Baby needed to grow up, and Johnny’s lessons weren’t just about dancing.”
“Does that mean I can make a joke about the horizontal mambo?”