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)
When it was over, I didn’t want to let him go. I clung to him with my arms and legs, desperately hoping I wouldn’t embarrass myself by crying, but my throat was tight and my eyes were teary and I was having a hard time controlling my breath.
One sob escaped, and then another.
Dash, still breathing hard, picked up his head. “Hey. You okay?”
“I’m fine.” I started to laugh, even as the tears kept coming. “I have no idea why I’m crying. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he said, his voice soft. He smoothed my hair. “That was kind of intense. Maybe I was too rough.”
“No, no.” I closed my eyes, willing the damn waterworks to stop. “It’s not that. I’m just being overly emotional. Don’t pay any attention to me.”
“There must be something,” he said, his voice warm and soft. “Talk to me.”
“I think . . . I think it’s just hitting me that you’re leaving in a few days.”
“Yeah. It hit me tonight too.” He continued to play with my hair, winding curls around his fingers. “I wish I didn’t have to go back so soon.”
“It doesn’t really matter when, Dash. You were never here to stay.” I managed a shaky smile as tears leaked from the corners of my eyes. “I know that. I know what this was. I guess I just didn’t realize it would hurt so much when you left.”
He kissed my forehead, letting his lips rest there. “I didn’t realize it either. Fucking Xander was right, wasn’t he?”
Despite everything, I laughed. “We can never tell him that.”
“Ever.”
“God, Dash.” I put my hands on either side of his face. “Why couldn’t you have been a disappointment? Why did you have to be wonderful?”
He grinned. “Sorry?”
“You should be. How is anyone supposed to compare?”
“I feel the same. I look at you, and I wish . . .” He closed his eyes for a moment, and I held my breath. “I wish things were different, Ari. I wish I could make you happy.”
Fresh tears spilled. “You’re making this worse.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know the right words to say.”
“Say you’ll thank me in your Oscar acceptance speech.”
He smiled. “Of course I will. I made a deal.”
We lay side by side for a while, saying nothing, just listening to one another’s heartbeats. But soon, hands started to wander and mouths went searching, our bodies frantically seeking closeness once more, knowing our time was running out. Afterward, we fell asleep with limbs tangled, the sweat still drying on our skin.
The next thing I knew, someone was pounding on his hotel room door. “Dash? Ari? It’s Mabel! Are you in there?”
Dash sat up and ran a hand through his hair. “What the fuck? What time is it?”
Glancing at the bedside clock, I pulled the sheet up to my chest. “Barely eight. Do you think something is wrong?”
“I don’t know.” Grumbling, he got out of bed and pulled his suit pants on. “Just a second!” he yelled, zipping them up on the way to the door. He pulled it open. “What’s going on?”
“Is Ari in there?”
“Yes.”
“I need to talk to her.”
“Mabel, can this—”
“I’m serious, Dash. It’s about her dad.”
TWENTY-ONE
dash
Fear and worry gripped my heart. Behind me, I heard Ari make a startled noise and within seconds, she appeared at the door, wrapped in the thick knit blanket from the bed.
“What happened?”
Mabel’s scared expression did little to ease anyone’s panic. “Your mom called me,” she said to Ari. “She said she’s been trying to get ahold of you but you weren’t answering your phone.” Her eyes grew shiny. “Your dad was rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night. He had a heart attack.”
Ari gasped and leaned against me. “Is he okay?”
“He’s in stable condition.” Mabel, who’d thrown a sweatshirt on over her pajamas, lifted her shoulders. “That’s as much as I know.”
“I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to talk to my mom. I need to see my dad.” Ari started to cry, huge tears rolling down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking. “But I can’t seem to move.”
“Oh, honey, he’ll be okay. He’s got to be.” Mabel looked at me. “What can we do?”
“I’ll get her back home,” I said firmly. “You tell Dev and Lexi and everyone else what happened. Say we’re sorry we had to leave without saying goodbye, but it was an emergency.”
She nodded. “They’ll understand. I’m going to get dressed and help her pack.”
“Good idea. Hey, can you grab something real quick she can wear right now so she doesn’t have to put her dress on again?”
“Yes. Be right back.” Mabel hurried down the hall.
When I closed the door, Ari turned to me with tear tracks running down her cheeks, her mascara smudged beneath her eyes. “Dash, you can’t leave! Your family is all having brunch today. You need to be with them.”