“I’ll give you two some space to chat,” Ford said, sliding a decent size stack of paperwork to my side of the table. “Take a look through the contracts, decide what you want, and stop by the office. I have a notary on staff.” As he spoke, he slipped across the seat, dragging his briefcase with him. He stood ready to bolt at first chance. “I’ve heard about you, Dash. You have a strong track record in court. I wanted to stop by to discuss the possibility of collaborating with you.”
“You’re out with my husband…” he started, his tone turning nasty.
“Dash, stop,” I said firmly. “Ford, I’ll show him what we’re working on. He’ll understand soon enough. Thank you for meeting with me.” Ford never looked back.
“Why do you need a financial advisor?” All of Dash’s attitude pinned me in my spot. “I’m right here. I’ll handle whatever you need.”
“You embarrassed me,” I said, though deep down, that wasn’t entirely honest no matter how much I wished it were. I enjoyed having him here next to me in the booth, something we’d always done when we’d gotten back together the first time. A shared dessert would arrive at the table with one spoon. He’d choo-choo train the bites into my mouth, and we’d laugh. The memory was so vivid and special I wished it were happening right now.
“No, I didn’t. You weren’t embarrassed at all. Why were you here with him?” Dash asked. “Was this some kind of scheme to show me what you went through? Because I don’t like it at all.”
“If you believe I’m trying to get you back for Chandler—” I ignored the snap of Dash’s finger and how he pointed at me as I continued to speak. “Then you’re admitting that there was something going on with Chandler.”
“I had no involvement with Chandler. How often do I need to say it?”
I held my gaze steady on him for what felt like an eternity, hoping he would grasp the meaning. It took him more time than I anticipated based on the indignation written all over his expression.
“Ford’s a UPS client. He’s married to a woman, has a few kids, and is trying to start a business for himself. He took care of a few things for me.” I patted the stack of paper in front of me.
“What’re you trying to do?” Dash asked and rolled his shoulders and neck. At least he tried to be reasonable as hereached for the stack. I placed my hand over his to prevent him from taking them away from me. Dash was such an intriguing guy. Stealthily, he flipped his hand around underneath mine, threading our fingers together. I didn’t withdraw from his touch. The weight and feel of his hand in mine caused my fingers to close over his. “Please stop pushing away from our bond. I’m ready for us to be a couple. I’ll always put you first, just as I know you do for me. This time apart was essential for me to gain clarity, but I’m back on track now. I promise.”
Dash apologized so often that I did believe his sincerity, making my next words painful to say. “We decided on a year apart. I’ve undergone some significant changes to my life. You may not appreciate the new version of me,” I confessed.
“That’s impossible.” He shook his head sweetly as if I was absurd. “Show everyone that you’re taken,” he pleaded, placing the ring on the table. “Please. You’re too handsome. I can’t take another moment like the one I just stumbled upon.”
He carried my ring around with him. His love for me remained unchanged. My heart connected then ached at the worry on Dash’s face, and I tightened my grip on his hand. With my other hand, I instinctively reached for the ring. It felt as right in my palm as the handhold did.
“Hold on to it. For some reason, sticking to our time apart matters to me. This way, there won’t be any doubts about us rushing back into each other’s lives. It wasn’t only you that grew apart, I did too.”
Tears welled in his eyes. Not quite enough to spill over, but they were there, nonetheless. “I love you, Beau. I miss you. Nothing’s changed. What if you meet someone and want to replace me? I don’t like it.”
What did I say? Dash’s special scent and striking face tugged at my heart strings. I didn’t want to lie to him, yet wasn’t ready to speak my truth. It almost killed me to lose him. The only way Isurvived was to stick with the calendar and move myself forward systematically through life. Dash began to nod at me, swallowing a lump in his throat. His attention went to the papers below our hands. “I know you want us together as much as I do. I’ll wait the six weeks.”
The handhold continued, now on the table, as he read the first few pages. His ability to speed read and retain information always impressed me.
“You’re buying your grandparents’ land?” Dash asked. Bewilderment crossed his expression. “That brings you closer to the resort.”
“My goal’s to create a replica of their house that feels less like a B & B and more like the home it was intended to be. The purchase includes a swath of land in front of the house, my grandparents owned that too. It’s sort of in front of the house, you cross the parkway to get there. The city bought the land for the road. The part on the other side is zoned for commercial use and leads directly into the bay with easy access to the ocean. If it works out, I can build a dock and start my charter service.” I explained a plan that I hadn’t said aloud to another person. Insecurity messed with me. What if I couldn’t handle the project?
“Allow me to make a few changes to the contract. I want to guarantee your privacy. I doubt my father’s company will sell to you if he has any idea it’s you.”
“I agree,” I said, nodding. “They’re selling a lot of land around here. Ford said they were liquidating assets.”
Oh, there it was, Dash’s satisfied grin. Whatever he had in motion, must be working.
“I heard the same thing,” Dash said, flipping through the pages. His stare jerked to mine. “You’re giving Scott five hundred thousand dollars?” Dash asked, surprised. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Each of the four girls will have two hundred thousand dollars in an annuity. Scott’s will be an annuity too, I guess. The bank told me they could live off the interest,” I explained, reciting some of what the bank manager outlined, or what I remember he said. “Maybe it wasn’t an annuity? A high yield…something or other?”
Dash chuckled at my confusion. “Some things don’t change,” he teased.
“All right, now. I want the girls’ funds secured until they reach twenty-five, but I want Scott to have access to all the money. I guess. He’s been a good friend. Like a brother to me.”
“Is he aware of this?”
I only shook my head. Dash’s expression turned doe-eyed. “You’re a good man.”
“I’m not,” I replied. “I don’t want the money, and you won’t reclaim it. Scott carries a heavy burden, and he protected me when I couldn’t protect myself,” I explained my reasoning. “And he had my back when I came out. I might not have gone to find you without his interference.”
