Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“Dallas is your home,” I murmured, definitely, knowing that he had always referred to the house as ours.
“It was our home. It was built to be the place you and I resided,” he insisted, stepping in slightly closer. I stayed rooted to my spot, not due to any manly pride, but everything about him overwhelmed me. He always fucking did this to me, made me unsettled. I didn’t like it. “Chandler was there to gather information to report back to my father. He thought he was setting me up, but I knew from the beginning. When you left, he took the opportunity to attempt to ruin me both professionally and personally. The latter worked flawlessly.”
“Our problems began years ago,” I stated, and started to edge past him. It was time for me to leave. When I moved away enough to open the door, Dash’s firm hand slapped down on the wood, keeping it closed.
“I take full responsibility for what happened. I sought revenge against my father, and I lost sight of the fact that I had become him. I apologize for my behavior. After I left the firm, I saw what I’d become. Have dinner with us. Amelia’s making her tamales that you like. We can discuss what our future looks like together.”
Still facing the door, I closed my eyelids and remained silent for several long seconds before straightening my spine. For the first time in months, the boundaries I’d placed on our relationship began to blur. I found it unsettling, as I was just getting past the end of our relationship, now learning who I was as a man. I didn’t know what our future—mine and Dash’s—looked like, but I wasn’t ready to go back to the life we’d shared. With the way Dash dominated me, he wasn’t as changed a man as he pretended to be.
With him surrounding me, my body tightened, and I had to get out of there before my resolve cracked.
“Beau, I love you. I miss you. Nothing’s changed for me. Please talk to me so I can resolve your concerns and we can become a couple again. ”
I had to leave. With a force that was fueled by urgency, I flung the door open and started jogging toward my truck before anything more could be said. My quest to find my true self had nothing to do with love, unless it was about loving myself.
Of course I loved Dash, that was never in question. I hadn’t left him because I fell out of love with him. I’d left because I’d lost myself, if I ever knew me at all. I just refused to allow the bond we’d always had to control me ever again. Once I figured myself out, I’d decide what I wanted in a relationship. He’d have to wait or move on. That was just how it would go this time. I finally had control of my own life, and I wasn’t going to relinquish it based on a few words of devotion.
Dash
Weeks later
For as long as I had searched for the area Beau lived, I never expected to stumble on him randomly, on a Saturday evening, while driving on Oceanside Drive, the scenic route of the Gulf of Mexico. Another surprise was that he had two spirited German shepherds on leashes. I didn’t stop or pullover, but I drove slowly as he jogged across the street, looking hot as hell in the tight -fitting athletic wear, and gave some sort of command to the dogs.
Still on the leash, they came back to his side taking a seat. Pretty damn impressive. He unleashed them both and threw out a hand. The three of them jogged on the beach together. After a few seconds, the two dogs bolted, running freely. Beau called out something, I didn’t know what, but they ran into the surf, happily traipsing through the water.
Beau continued to follow, jogging behind them. He had earbuds in his ears. Music was new to his workout. Maybe. I hadn’t seen him exercise in years. The time I’d wasted that I’d never get back haunted me. A long, irritated honk from behind snapped me back into reality, but my focus remained on Beau. I pulled over, so taken with the way Beau handled himself and the dogs that I couldn’t continue my drive.
When they were too far away to be seen, I glanced on the other side of the road at the townhomes lining the opposite side of the street. A dark blue jeep was parked beside the townhome on the corner, and the tiny voice of intuition whispered that it belonged to Beau. I couldn’t contain my smile. Beau had made a good life for himself. Seeing Beau happy filled me with immense satisfaction. It was what I’d always wanted for him.
I drove slowly along the side of the road and turned into the parking lot ahead. I circled around, until I was back on the street, heading in the opposite direction I’d been traveling but in the same direction that Beau had jogged. I’d give up everything to be jogging with Beau right now, involved in his dogs’ lives. It had been this town, this beach that had set my life on the trajectory of Beau Brooks. I was never going to get that man out of my head. I didn’t even want to. I stayed in the far right lane, slowly driving until I saw they’d made it to a private beach. There was a dog park there, the German shepherds were popular among their peers. Before Beau could reach the park, the other animal owners were already welcoming them.