Dash doesn’t come back to my house, and his silence speaks louder than any action could.
He’s done with us, or he wants some time.
Either way, it hurts so damn much.
I spend the first day crying into a tub of ice-cream, the second cursing the day Vanessa and Riley were born. The third day, I cave and ring his phone, but it goes straight to voicemail.
Yeah, he doesn’t want to talk to me.
Dash stole my heart with one look into my eyes that day in the school hallways, and now, he is handing it back.
Without a word.
He’s just cutting me out.
Going ghost on me.
I couldn’t believe it.
I ring Sierra, who tells me Dash is fine, that he just needs some time.
Yeah, I had to hear it from his sister.
He’s right; our communication skills do need a shitload of work.
I bury myself in work as a distraction.
I keep my phone on me twenty-four seven.
After a week, still nothing.
My hope turns to bitterness.
He doesn’t want me? I’m not worth an explanation? After the amount of attention he gave Vanessa when he hurt her? She got all that, and I get nothing? Not even a courtesy phone call?
I’m not worth that to him?
Fine.
I was fine before him, and I’ll be fine without him now.
He may have stolen my heart like a thief in the night, but only I can reclaim it.
And I will.
*****
Our weekend getaway is in one week.
I don’t know what to do, because we already paid for everything. Should I just go alone? What if he doesn’t show up? What if he does?
When did everything get so complicated?
Summer, Taiya, Clara, and Trillian come to visit me, bringing wine and food.
I call Dash again.
Nothing.
*****
Dash
It’s two days before I’m meant to go away with Vi.
I sit at the bar, drinking scotch and listening to the jukebox as everyone talks around me.
“You’re an idiot,” Summer says, looking at me with a scowl on her face. “And a coward. You don’t just leave a woman with no explanation, Dash. I can’t believe you’d do something like this to the woman who is meant to be the love of your life!”
“If I wanted a lecture, Sum, I’d go visit my sisters,” I say, pretending that her low opinion of me doesn’t hurt. “She’ll never love me entirely. I’m going to be the next groom left at the aisle, because I’m not Max.”
Because no one is.
Summer rests her hand on my forearm. “Don’t go by other people’s words, Dash. Go by her actions. I didn’t know her before, but I do know from the moment she laid her eyes on you again, she’s looked at you the same way I look at Reid, like you hold the answer to everything. You’re my family, Dash, and I love you. I wouldn’t want you to be with a woman I didn’t think could make you happy, but lately, you’ve been the happiest I’ve ever seen you until now. Don’t lose that over some shit.” I swallow a mouthful of my drink and look Summer in the eye. “Do you love her?”
I nod. “Yeah, I do.”
“Then the rest is just details. You’re going to lose her, Dash. You need to go and talk to her, now.”
“I can’t compete with a dead person,” I say, voicing the words I’ve been thinking for so long, but have been too afraid to say out loud.
“Then don’t,” Summer says. “Let her have her memories. She’s yours. You have her. Imagine how badly Max would want what you have, and you’re throwing it away.”
Fuck.
Summer is right.
What the hell am I doing?
Feeling sorry for myself?
I stand up.
Summer grins.
I need to go and win my woman back.
*****
I arrive at her house the morning of our flight, bags packed and flowers in my hand. I use my key and head straight to her room. She’s awake, sitting in bed reading. She puts the book down as she sees me, her expression unchanging.
“I’m sorry,” I say, looking her in the eye. “I fucked up. I went to the shops that morning to get you flowers to apologise, and I saw Dan.”
She winces when she hears the name.
“After everything Riley said, I thought maybe I would always be second, that you’re only with me by default, and it fucking hurt, Vi, because in any lifetime, no matter where I was, I’d always choose you over anyone.”
I take a deep breath, and then continue, “I love you. More than anything.” I step closer to her and set the flowers down on her side table. “Will you come away with me still? Maybe we could spend the weekend talking, and I could apologise for being a dick some more?”
I take her hand and kiss her palm, looking at Max’s name on her wrist.
“And you’re getting my name tattooed on you too, right on your forehead. You hear me?”
Her lips twitch at that.
“I’m so angry at you, Dash,” she says, swallowing. “But I’m sorry too. I should have told you about everything. I shouldn’t have been going to see Dan and pretending he was Max. I should have let Max go, and I’m going to work on that. I’m going to visit his gravestone for the first time and say goodbye.” I pause. “I love you too, you know. I always have. Riley was wrong. I didn’t leave him there because of Max. I did it because he was the wrong guy for me. Yes, I wished Max would have been at my wedding, and that’s what I’d mentioned to him.”
“You love me?”
“I always have, Dash,” I say, resting my forehead against his. “Always will.”
“Are we going to go on this trip?”
I nod. “Yeah, I think we are.”
He kisses me.
Epilogue
Five Years Later
I look at the house Dash bought us and can’t believe we own something so beautiful. Three stories. Cream and black. Amazing garden. I think I’m still in shock.
“I can’t believe this is all ours,” I say, bouncing on the balls of my feet in excitement. I turn to Dash and kiss him on the cheek. He touches my nape, where the tattoo of his name is, and smiles down at me.
“Are you ready?”
“For what?” I ask, running my fingers through his beard. He’s recently grown one, and it was seriously hot on him.
“To be happy.”
“I’m always happy when I’m with you,” I say.
My eyes widen as he steps back and gets on one knee. “Viola, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?”
Holy shit.
I look down at the stunning ring and feel like fainting. “Of course I will marry you!” I say, tears starting to pool in my eyes. “I love you so much,” I say as he stands and slides the ring on my finger. “I’m going to be Mrs. Edwards!”
He grins and kisses the tears that have fallen down my cheeks. “I love you more.”
I get up on my tip-toes and kiss his mouth. He lifts me in his arms, carries me inside our new house, and throws me down on the couch.
“Engagement sex?”
He grins and lifts up my top. “You’re mine now, Vi. All mine.”
I shut my eyes as he kisses down my stomach, and whisper back, “I always was.”
About the Author
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Chantal Fernando is twenty six years old and lives in Western Australia.
Her published novels include four books in the Resisting Love series – Chase, Kade, Ryder and James; the New York Times Bestselling novel Maybe This Time and its follow up, This Time Around. Her latest releases include Toxic Girl, Saxon, and a USA bestselling biker romance novel Dragon’s Lair.
When not reading, writing or daydreaming she can be found enjoying life with her three sons and family.
Represented by Kimberly Brower from the Rebecca Friedman Literary Agency.