Page 1 of The One Night Dash
ONE
DASH
Tuesday
My phone explodeson the nightstand, vibrating against a water glass until it sounds like a jackhammer in my skull. I reach for it, squint at the screen, and groan.
Not a text. Not a team update. Not even a “you up?”
Briar.
I swipe, already bracing myself.
“Dash,” she says without a hello, her voice all bright and clearly caffeinated, like she doesn’t realize it’s an hour earlier than I need to be awake. “I met him.The one.”
Of course she did.
I rub a hand down my face and glance at the blondie untangling herself from my sheets. She’s one of the Icehouse Tavern bunnies—bless them. The group of them has multiplied faster than third-period penalties since the team started moving up the ranks.
We took down Columbus last night, which explains why I woke up with her leg thrown over mine and glitter on my pillowcase.
“Uh-huh,” I mutter into the phone, leaning just far enough over the side of my bed to grab her top she dropped somewhere between the bar and my mattress. She takes it with a grin that says she knew exactly what she came for. No illusions. No hard feelings. No mention of me being the one.
“He’s different,” Briar insists. “He’s not like the others.”
I throw my legs over the side of my bed, bend, and grab a pair of sweats, sliding them on as Glitter Bunny slides her skirt on. Then I pull the phone from my ear, thumbing open the rideshare app.
“Car’ll be out front in five,” I whisper and flash a quick smile.
A respectful exit, no walk of shame required. My mom, Serena, drilled into me that it doesn’t matter the circumstances, you treat people with dignity. She says,“Don’t leave anyone with less than they came in with, even if all they wanted was a good time.”So, yeah, a car, a smile, no awkwardness, ever.
“Bathroom?” she whispers, and I nod toward my ensuite.
“Did you hear me?” Briar asks.
“Right. Not like the others,” I echo back as I grab a sweatshirt from the closet.
“I’m serious, Dash. He held the door for me. He asked about my classes. He?—”
“Briar,” I cut in, lowering my voice as I snag Glitter Bunny’s shoes from under the bed and hand them over. “You said the same thing about the guy who sold you a fake parking pass.”
“That was different!” she huffs.
“With all the love in my heart, Briar, you gotta stop listening to these little bitches that use lines to get laid,” I half-whisper.
“For your information, I didn’t even sleep with him … yet.” She says … proudly?
“Good. Because, hand to God, you’ve already given me two names of asses to kick during the off-season, because that’swhen I can get away with being locked up and not piss off Coach D.”
“And hand to God, Dash, I will stop trusting you enough to share my inner most secrets and just call?—”
“Our sister is too damn young and needs to remain focused. Don’t twist her mind with?—”
“Celeste is a senior in high school. She’s dated and?—”
“A virgin. Just like you are until marriage.”
She snorts. “Don’t go all patriarchal on me, Dashel Stearling, that will force?—”
