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)
“Just the last few months,” he said. “We agreed to keep it quiet to see how things went. I hope you understand.”
“Of course we do, Dad,” I said. “And we’re all happy for you. I can’t wait to meet her.”
“Me too,” said Mabel.
“You’ll love her.” Ari grinned at Mabel. “She’s really fun.”
“But wait a minute—Dad, if you’re waiting for Julia to arrive, does that mean Ari and I should find another ride to Snowberry?” Mabel asked.
“I can take you,” I said, before anyone else could offer. “I’ve got a big enough car.”
“Great!” My sister smiled at me. “What time will we leave?”
“Ari has to work, so maybe around three?”
Mabel looked confused. “How do you know she has to work?”
“I must have told him on the way to the airport,” said Ari quickly. “But if you guys don’t want to wait for me, I can drive myself.”
“We can wait for you. Or Mabel, if you want to hitch a ride with Austin and get there early enough for a spa day, I can just wait for Ari.”
“Do that,” urged Veronica. “We’ve got room in our car.”
Mabel looked at Ari. “Would that be okay?”
“Of course.” Ari glanced at me without actually meeting my eyes. “Thanks, Dash.”
“No problem.”
Everyone on the couch stood and stretched, and a few people carried their empty popcorn bowls to the kitchen.
I approached Ari and kept my voice low. “Can I give you a ride home now?”
Her cheeks reddened slightly, and she looked at my chest. “Sure. If you don’t mind. I just have to put my shoes on. They’re by the back door.”
“No problem.” I watched her leave the room.
“Dash, can I talk to you for a second?” Mabel grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the dining room.
“What about?” As if I didn’t know.
She faced me, all five foot two of her, pushed her glasses up her nose and gave me a look that meant business. “I’m not going to ask what’s going on with you and Ari, because it’s obvious. I just want to say that I hope I’m not going to be mad at you for it.”
“You won’t be. Ari and I are good.”
She glanced toward the kitchen and lowered her voice. “Okay. As long as you know that she’s always had a lot of feelings for you.”
“I know.”
“And when Ari cares about someone, she cares deeply.”
“I know that too.” No one needed to explain Ari’s heart to me.
“And it’s all good?”
“It’s all good.” Except for that hook sinking into my chest.
“Okay.” Mabel smiled, even as she cringed slightly. “I mean, it’s weird for me, but whatever—I’ll deal with it.”
“As weird as Dad having a lady friend?”
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. “Did you know?”
“Xander and I had a hunch,” I confessed. “And I think it’s a good thing.”
“Oh, I do too,” she said quickly. “It’s just a surprise.”
“Life’s full of them,” I told her. Slinging an arm around her shoulder, we walked toward the kitchen, where Ari was waiting for me to take her home.
“Mabel knows,” I said as I pulled away from my dad’s house.
“I didn’t tell her, I swear.” Ari held up her hands stick-em-up style.
“I know. You were right—she just had a sense about it.”
“She didn’t say anything to me. Did she seem surprised or upset?”
“Neither, really. She just sort of warned me like Austin and Xander did to be nice to you.”
Ari snickered. “If they only knew how nice you are to me.”
“Probably best that they don’t. Mabel did seem a little squicked out.”
“I will keep the details to myself,” she said, making an X over her chest. “So your dad came clean about Julia—that was cool.”
“Yeah.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “It was. I’m happy for him.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” I sensed her looking at me in the dark of the front seat. She knew something was on my mind. “In fact, something might be really right. I got a text from Izzie earlier today.”
She gasped. “And?”
“And apparently Katherine Carroll’s assistant made an inquiry about me yesterday. She wants to meet with me next week.”
“What? Dash!” She threw her hands up. “You’ve known this all day and you’re just telling me now?”
“It’s been a busy day. And I don’t really know what it means.”
“It means you’re getting that role you want—I just know it.” She squealed with joy and clapped her hands. “I’m so excited for you!”
“Thanks.”
“When is it happening?”
“Tuesday,” I said, pulling into her driveway.
“Tuesday?” Was she doing the math? “Wow, that’s . . . that’s soon. When will you fly back?”
“Monday.” I tried to make a joke of it. “Will you be glad to be rid of me?”
She tried too. “Yes. Get lost and take all the orgasms you’ve been giving me with you.”
“You’ll miss them, huh?”
“I’ll miss a lot of things, Dash.” Her voice was soft, and yet it pierced my heart.