CHAPTER THRITY-SEVEN DASH

CHAPTER THRITY-SEVEN

DASH

I sit back in my chair as my left arm hangs over Tabatha's shoulder. My other hand rests on the table. Her dad sits across from me telling a story about a time back when he was racing cars. Blake sits to the right of me and then Jackie sits next to him. The rest of the crew members fill up the other seats.

Earlier this afternoon, after I won my race and we got back to the hotel, Mr. Knight told me that he wanted to take us all to dinner. I couldn't say no. He chose a quiet but upscale restaurant. They seated us outside at a round table right on the water. I can literally here the waves and feel the ocean breeze on my skin. It's amazing.

I smile brightly and pull Tabatha closer to me as she lays her head on my shoulder. We've already finished dinner, and the sun has started to set. We've been sitting here for hours on the deck. The sound of the ocean is behind me, and I have my girl under my arm. I can't tell you how good I feel at the moment. I won my race today. It's just one, but that one made all the difference. I wanted more than anything to prove to Mr. Knight that I could do what he hired me to do, and it's an amazing feeling to know that I succeeded.

"Are you ready to go back to the hotel?" Tabatha whispers through a yawn.

"I am," I say bending down and kissing her on her forehead.

"Wait," Jackie says as she stands quickly. "We have to get a group picture of all of us with the ocean behind us," she explains as she pulls her cell out of her purse.

Blake sighs heavily. "I'm so full; I'm not even sure I can stand."

She starts to walk off to grab a server to take the pic when she throws over her shoulder, "Quit being a baby."

She comes back within seconds, dragging a young waiter behind her. She orders us all to stand up and then positions us on the deck before she starts to explain how to work her phone. Once she's satisfied, he gets in position. "Okay," he says. "On three." He counts down to three, and we all smile.

He snaps a few shots because that's what Jackie instructs him to do. I just release Tabatha from under my arm when I turn to my left to speak to Blake. I go to speak but stop when he gives me a sly smile. The kind of smile he used to give me right before he suggested we do something stupid. "What are you thinking?" Just as the words leave my mouth, he places his hands on my chest and he shoves me backward.

I swing my arms and kick my legs but nothing can stop the fact that I am falling. Just as I hold my breath, I feel my back slam into the water. I come up out of the water pushing my hair back and laughing. "Jackass," I call out.

He's bending over with his hands on his knees laughing his ass off. Tabatha comes running over to the edge. "Dash! Are you okay?" She reaches out to help me as she looks over at Blake with a scowl on her face. "Why do you have to be such a…?"

I yank on her hand and pull her in with me. She comes up out of the water with a gasp, and she slaps me in the chest. "Why…? What…?" she rambles, and I wrap my arms around her pulling her to me.

"I've always liked you better wet," I say with a smirk.

"Jesus," I hear her father hiss, and I laugh at the fact I forgot he was around. It's so hard to know when to be good or bad with her.

"This is awesome," Jackie says as she takes a few pictures of us as I tread water, keeping us from drowning.

"I'm glad you feel that way," Blake adds before he pushes her in as well. This time it's Tabatha who laughs as Jackie comes out of the water gasping and cussing Blake.

"You're lucky this phone is waterproof," she snaps as she lifts it up out of the water.

Blake just laughs it off before he jumps off into the water doing a cannonball.

"You guys are crazy," Mr. Knight calls out. Then he turns around quickly talking to the crew. "If any of you guys push me in, you're fired." His tone is serious and it makes all of us laugh. The guys shakes their heads quickly and throw their hands up in surrender.

I wrap my arms around Tabatha and hold her tightly to me. I'm ready to be back at our hotel alone. After the day I've had, I just want to be alone with her. People have surrounded us all day except for the little time I had with her in the trailer after I won. Now, I'm ready for her and only her in a bed under the sheets. "I love you," I whisper against her lips.

"I love you, too," she says seductively, and I know she is thinking the same thing that I am.

"Say cheese," Jackie says as she lifts her phone up in the air to take a selfie of us all in the water. But instead of smiling or saying cheese, I place my lips on Tabatha's.

***

We've been back from Florida for a week now, and we haven't left each other's side. We have spent most of our days lying in bed and most of our nights hanging with Jackie and Blake. It's been wonderful yet it still seems surreal. Things have been crazy since I won the race. I've had a couple of practice runs since we got back, and they feel different. Like something's off. I don't know if it's that my mind and body know that it is just a practice and not a real race. Or the fact that my mind is consumed with Tabatha. When I'm on the track, I find myself looking over at her. When I'm in the same room with her, I can't help but just stare at her.

Things couldn't be going better. I keep having these dreams…dreams of our future. I know I was once engaged to Valerie, but I never really saw a future for us. I didn't see us having a wedding, or growing old on a swing out on the porch while our grandkids played in the front yard. With Tabatha, I see all of that. I want all of that. Winning that race last week made me realize that was only half of my dream. The other half was having her there with me.

My mind continues to wander as I stand on the balcony of my house overlooking my backyard In my mind, I've already picked out the tree that I wanna put a tire swing on for our kids. I can picture what tree I can build a treehouse in.

"Dash…?"

I turn around to see Jake, Blake's brother, standing in the opening of the glass door to my balcony from my master bedroom. I haven't spoken to him since the night I saw him kissing Tabatha, and I still haven't mentioned it to anyone. Tabatha wanted to invite Jackie and Blake over for some drinks tonight and they showed up with Jake. I had an instant urge to punch him in the face the moment I saw him, but I didn't want to explain to everyone why I did it.

"Yes?" I ask as I turn back around and look over my backyard again.

"May I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," I say not bothering to turn around.

He walks up next to me and places his forearms on the railing as he leans over and looks at the backyard as well. "Tabatha…She told me…" He pauses and takes a deep breath. "I know that you know what I did. But I want you to know it wasn't what it looked like."

"Looked like you were kissing the woman you knew I was in love with," I say flatly.

He sighs. "I don't know why I did it." He pauses. "Well, that's a lie."

I finally turn to the side to face him. "Are you going to start making sense anytime soon?"

He turns to face me, too. "I just want you to know, I kissed her. And she freaked out. Started talking about you. I told her that you couldn't change for her." My anger toward him grows. "That you couldn't love her like I could." He rubs his hand over his forehead. "I didn't get it. How much you loved her. But I see it now. I see how much you love her. Just like I…" He swallows, and I know what he is about to say. "Just like I loved Amelia." He hangs his head. "Tabatha just reminds me so much of her, and I got caught up in the moment. I thought that she could fix an ache that won't seem to go away. I'm sorry, man. I truly am. I hope you can understand that."

As I look up at him, I see the sadness in his eyes. I see the pain that he still feels. Amelia was Jake's high school sweetheart. Their senior year, while he and Blake were on vacation with their family, he got a call from a friend that her and her parents died in a house fire. I don't remember much about Amelia, but I do remember how much they were in love. And what it did to him. How it made him who he is today. I couldn't even imagine what I would do if I lost Tabatha forever.

"It's okay," I say, and I mean it. He might have kissed Tabatha, but who wouldn't want her? She's mine now; my own stupidity allowed them the moment to share that kiss. I guarantee you that it won't happen again.

"It was my fault…"

I place my hand on his shoulder. "Jake. I said it's okay."

He nods his head as he rubs his hand against his thighs. "Thanks for understanding. You know I would never want to do that to you."

"You're a good guy, Jake," I say honestly. He may drink Blake and me under the table, but there's a reason behind that. And Amelia is that reason. It must be hard to shake the memories and feelings.

"I just needed to explain myself," he finishes. "Thank you." He turns around and walks back through my sliding glass door before I can respond.

I sigh heavily and run a hand through my hair as I look back over my backyard. I stand there silently as I hear the door open once again. Then two small arms wrap around my waist, and I smile. "Why are you up here?" Tabatha asks, laying her head on my back.

"Just wanted some fresh air," I answer truthfully. I spin around in her arms and wrap my arms around her as well. I look down into her beautiful eyes, and I place both hands on either side of her face. "Move in with me."

Her eyes widen and her lips part slightly. "Dash…"

"I know it feels like we've been moving fast, but I'm not ready to slow it down. I know I love you, and I know that you love me. I'm ready for us to take that next step." I push my body up against hers. "Please. Say you'll move in with me," I ask once again, and I hold my breath. This is what you do when you're in love. When you know you have found the one. And I know that I have.

I watch as her parted lips start to turn into a smile, and her wide eyes soften. "I do love you." She speaks softly. "And yes, I would love to move in with you."

A smile spreads across my face, and I pull her in for a hug. I couldn't be more grateful that she said yes, but I also can't help but think about Jake. What he must have felt being around her? He had mentioned her healing his pain. She does that. Just looking at her makes you feel invincible. Seeing her smile is like watching the sun rise. I couldn't imagine losing her like Jake lost Amelia. Life is short, and I wanna make the best of it with her.