What If I Never (Necklace Trilogy 1)

“Of that I doubt.”

“You haven’t met my father.” He motions me to the car.

“Let me walk you to Dash’s car.”

“You just couldn’t help yourself. You had to bring up Dash, right?”

He just looks at me. I almost laugh for no good reason, but I am glad for the company. We walk to the car and I click the locks. Once I’ve opened the door, he gives me a nod. “Goodnight Ms. Wright.” He turns and walks toward the fancy sports car parked next to Dash’s that I’d seen arrive this morning.

“Allie!” I call out.

He raises a hand and climbs inside his car.

***

Once I’m on the road, I consider my conversation with Tyler.

I decide he’s worried about Allison, too, but that could be more about his relationship with her, and perhaps a fear that she’s really done with him. Though it’s hard to see Tyler fretting over such things.

Half an hour later, I walk inside his grandmother’s house, switch on the alarm, but still feeling a little unsettled, I also search the house. It’s crazy, I know, but I just can’t stop feeling uneasy. Once I’ve established I’m alone and safe, my thoughts shift to Dash. It’s almost nine at night and he hasn’t called which means he probably won’t call. I digest this reality with a fairly brutal stab of disappointment. I’ve just sat down on the bed and kicked off my shoes when my cellphone rings. Disappointment fades into relief as I greet him with a simple, “Hi.”

“Hey, cupcake. Sorry I called so late. It’s been a hellish day that ended in a meeting over drinks that added the hell to hellish. I’m probably going to have to go to court over this mess. I’m meeting with an attorney tomorrow.”

“It’s a bad investment?”

“Yeah, and a dispute over the stock I’m trying to unload. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

“Did you write at all today?”

“On the plane but shit words. I’ll probably trash them all. So much for I might turn in the book early. Bella wants me to meet with some studio before I leave about a development deal.”

“That’s amazing. And exciting.”

“I don’t know. I mean yes, it could be, but I don’t love the Hollywood scene. How was your day?”

“Busy. I worked late. I just got home. Allison’s brother called today. He acted worried about her.”

“Allison’s brother is a lunatic. I was at the office one day when he showed up there drunk as fuck.”

“Oh. Hmmm. Tyler did say something about him being a problem.” My mind starts racing and lands on a heavy thought. “Dash, you don’t think—I mean—”

“Don’t go there, baby. Her brother is a drunk, but he loves his sister. He didn’t hurt Allison.”

“Right. Of course. Setting him aside. There was this other incident. I called a number I found in my desk drawer, her drawer, thinking it was a prospect, but the man who answered acted suspiciously. Long story short, he told me never to call him again. And before you say I’m worrying for nothing, she hasn’t called Tyler back. And like me, I think he’s worried about her, too.”

“More like, he has a bruised ego because she blew him off. That’s not something he’s used to.”

“And while I get that, I don’t feel good about this, Dash. I just have a bad feeling. Which brings me to what I consider an important question. What would you do if you felt like I do?”

“I don’t know what I’d do. If you don’t hear anything from her by the time I get back, I’ll talk to Tyler and see what I feel about all of this after I do.”

“You don’t even get along with Tyler.”

“We have a history, but it’s not all bad. We respect each other,” he pauses and adds, “with limits.”

Maybe less than Dash thinks, is my first thought, but I decide that’s not a talk to have after his “hellish” day. “Thank you for this, Dash. When do you think you’ll be back?”

“I hope Wednesday night, but it might be longer.”

“Wednesday would be good.”

“Plan on picking me up and coming home with me.”

“Is that a request or a demand?”

“Which do you prefer?”

“I’ll tell you Wednesday night,”

“Preferably naked,” he says. “Talk to you tomorrow, cupcake.”

We disconnect and I fall back on the mattress. I wonder if the man I called tonight is the man that sent the necklace. And I wonder if he ever made her feel flutters in her belly, the way I do with Dash. And if so, what changed? Why did he have to ask for forgiveness?

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Dash isn’t coming home until Friday.

This, after several days of him predicting Wednesday as the day he’d be home, but just not being able to make it happen. In the meantime, Tyler seems to be avoiding me, and that, and all other things work-related, is as usual. As for Tyler’s father, by Wednesday I have yet to meet the man, though I’ve heard whispers of his presence. It’s that day, after a heck of a lot of phone work, that I’m just about to go grab lunch when Bella pokes her head in the door. “Have you eaten?”