Page 41 of The Last Date

“My parents are seriously freaked out.”

“Would you like me to come over and talk to them?” I asked.

“No!” she said quickly. “They definitely need some time to calm down.”

“I understand. Can I come see you?”

“No.” She was definitely crying now.

“Sasha, baby, please don’t cry. I promise that we’ll sort this out. I promise that I will make everything right. It’s just going to take a little time, and maybe a couple of awkward conversations.”

“You have no idea how much I hate those,” she sputtered.

“Then I’ll take care of everything. I just need you to believe in us. Believe in me. Can you do that?”

There was another long pause.

“Sasha, you’ve never seen me drink, have you?”

“No.”

“I’m completely different now. I’m not stressed out from being in the fast lane all the time. I’m not living on the edge. My life is carefully constructed to keep me steady and focused.”

“What is this kind of stress right now going to do to you?” she asked.

It was sweet that even though she was obviously furious with me, her first thought was whether I was all right.

“I’m going to hit the gym, and then probably sneak a piece of my hidden stash of dark chocolate,” I tried to chuckle. “There’s no kind of stress on this planet that could possibly make me fall into the bottle again, so please don’t ever worry about that.”

She took a deep breath. “I think I need a couple of days alone,” she said.

“Maybe you could talk to Sarah?” I suggested. “You know, good old-fashioned girl talk.”

She laughed a tiny bit, which was encouraging. “I just sent her a text a few minutes ago,” she said.

“Good. I’m going to send you a text now and then just to check in, okay? Don’t give up on me, angel. I need you. We need each other. Trust me, everything is going to be alright.”

“Okay, but–” I heard a knock at her door, then she whispered, “Gotta go.”

I wasn’t upset that she hung up on me. But she was doubting me. Doubting us. That pressure was like a boot worn by a thousand-pound man, standing on my heart.

Yet I wouldn’t crack. My sweet girl needed me to be strong, and fix this.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

* Sasha *

“Well, that’s certainly a gigantic freaking mess,” Sarah said, nodding over her wine at “Trail B.”

“Let’s start with the basics,” she said. “Does Oakley treat you well?”

“Absolutely. He treats me like the most precious person in the world. I honestly think he would do anything for me.”

“That’s an amazing start,” she said. “Has he ever seemed unstable or aggressive around you?”

“Not in the slightest. I thought he might be angry that I just barged into his tasting event, but he raced over to kiss me and tell the whole room that I was his girlfriend.”

Sarah clutched her necklace, looking a bit misty. “Seriously? That’s so cute.”

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