Chapter 29
DASH
Islept like shit. The bed felt too big without her in it, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw that look on her face when I’d walked away from her on set. Not angry. Not defiant. Just hollow. After a restless night, I was no closer to understanding what the hell had happened between us.
The production site was a hive of activity when I arrived. Crews everywhere, final touches being made to the runway, lighting tests in progress. I threw myself into it, grateful for the distraction. Every time I started thinking about Krista, I found something else that needed my attention.
She was there, of course. Moving through the chaos with that military precision, clipboard in hand, solving problems before they became disasters. We didn’t speak directly. We didn’t need to. We could coordinate without words.
But I felt her absence like a physical ache.
It hurt. I had never felt emotional pain like this over a woman.
This was an ache in my actual fucking heart.
I had never felt it before, and I knew I never wanted to feel it again.
The dismal feeling was confirmation that I was better off avoiding relationships and romantic entanglements.
I had always thought love was for suckers, and I had been absolutely right.
Around noon, I noticed Krista standing near the edge of the set, staring at her phone. I was about to look away when I caught a glimpse of her screen. It was the photo.
The one that had started circulating on social media yesterday.
Someone on the crew in Corfu must have snapped it and posted it.
Krista and me, standing close together on set, both of us smiling.
Her looking up at me like I’d just said something funny.
Me looking down at her like she was the only person in the world.
I’d seen it. Hell, I’d saved it to my phone last night before I could stop myself. I had been tagged in the thing no less than a thousand times. I had to remove the tag but it didn’t stop others from tagging me. It was a good picture. The first, last, and only picture of us.
She caught me watching and quickly locked her screen, slipping the phone into her pocket. Then she turned and walked away without a word.
Great. She was going to think I was keeping the thing going or that I had something to do with posting it.
By late afternoon, I was running on fumes and caffeine when my phone buzzed with a text from Adrian.
We’ve landed. Where should we meet you?
Right. My family. That’s exactly what I needed to deal with.
I gave him the address to the villa and told him I’d be there in an hour. Then I spent the next thirty minutes making sure everything on set was locked down for the night. Tomorrow was the show. Everything needed to be perfect.
Krista was nowhere to be seen when I finally left. I assumed she’d already gone back to the villa. Or maybe she was avoiding me. Probably both.
I didn’t go to my villa. I went to the one Adrian and his little family were staying in.
Mom was holding Buck, bouncing him on her hip while he shrieked with delight.
Elizabeth was unpacking what looked like half of Bucky’s nursery from an enormous bag.
Adrian was on his phone, probably still working despite being on vacation.
Briggs and Mandy were on the couch, his arm around her shoulders, both of them looking relaxed.
And there, standing by the window with a drink in his hand like he owned the place, was Callum.
I couldn’t really pinpoint why I was irritated by his presence.
He’d never done anything to me. He was actually a decent guy.
We were family and now business partners.
It just felt like he was sticking his toe in my sandbox.
“Dash!” Mom spotted me first and immediately shifted Bucky to her other hip so she could pull me into a hug. “Sweetheart, you look exhausted.”
“This thing has a lot of moving parts, but I’m hanging in there.” I hugged her back, then rubbed a hand over Bucky’s head. “Hey, Buckaroo. You ready to see your uncle kill it tomorrow?”
Bucky grabbed my nose and laughed.
“I can’t wait to see the set,” Elizabeth said. “Sebastian made such a big deal about it.”
“It’s good,” I said.
“Sebastian sent over the pics you sent him,” Adrian said. “He was impressed you took his vision and enhanced it.”
“Thanks. It’s going to be spectacular tomorrow.”
“I have no doubt.” He squeezed my shoulder once, then let go. “Proud of you, man.”
I wasn’t sure I had ever heard him say those words. My dad never had. Although Krista had told me that, back before things between us fell apart.
Briggs raised his glass in my direction. “To Dash. Who apparently can get his shit together when properly motivated.”
“Fuck you,” I said, but I was grinning.
“Baby ears!” Mom snapped, covering her hand over Bucky’s ears.
Mandy laughed. “He’s been dying to say that since we got on the plane.”
“I’m sure,” I said. “I know you’re all here to see me crash and burn.”
“That’s not true at all,” Mom said.
Adrian and Briggs didn’t say anything.
“It’s fine,” I said. “You’re going to be disappointed.”
Callum stepped forward. “Dash,” he said, extending his hand. “Good to see you.”
I shook his hand, squeezing maybe a little harder than necessary. “Callum. Welcome to Santorini.”
“Thanks for having me. I’m excited to see how you guys do these shows. Now that I’m working with the wedding team, I figure it’s important to get a feel how you do things. Learn from the best, you know?”
There it was. That underlying implication that I was here to teach him. That this was some kind of training exercise for his benefit. But I couldn’t help but wonder if it was about him stepping up and taking over for me.
I smiled. “Happy to show you how it’s done.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, picking up on the edge in my tone. Good. I wanted him to know this wasn’t his show. It was mine.
“Where’s your logistics person?” Mom asked, looking around. “Krista, right? I wanted to thank her for all the hard work.”
I sighed. “I’m the logistics person, Mom. But if you’re referring to Krista, I imagine she’s working, probably. She doesn’t stop.”
“You should invite her to dinner,” Elizabeth said. “We’re all going out. It’ll be fun.”
“I’ll ask, but she might prefer to keep working.” I pulled out my phone. “Let me check in with her.”
I texted her but didn’t send it. No way. I wasn’t going to sit there and have my babysitter give my family a play-by-play rundown of the mistakes I had made.
“She can’t,” I said. “Another time, maybe. Shall we go?”
I had reserved a table for all of us at a nice restaurant
They all insisted we go out to see the set before dinner. And yes, I was thrilled to show them. I wanted them to see I had actually been doing real work here. And that I could do this without a babysitter.
Adrian had walked the entire length of the runway twice, examining every detail. Briggs had taken photos to send to Sebastian. Elizabeth had practically squealed when she saw the lighting setup. Even Callum had looked impressed.
Everyone seemed pleased as we headed to the restaurant.
Once we were seated, I sat at the head of the table, watching my family laugh and talk over plates of grilled octopus and lamb. The restaurant was perched on the cliff’s edge, overlooking the caldera. I’d be thrilled to celebrate with my family if I wasn’t so fucking miserable.
“This is divine,” Mom said, cutting into her fish. “Dash, you always find the best places.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
She was radiant with pride. She kept looking at me like I’d just won an Olympic medal instead of coordinating a runway show. It should have felt good. It should have meant something. Instead, it felt hollow.
“The columns are perfect,” Elizabeth said, gesturing with her fork. “The way they frame the runway without overwhelming it. And that fabric? Sebastian is going to lose his mind.”
“It’s really well done,” Adrian agreed. “You took his vision and executed it flawlessly. That’s not easy to do. Good work.”
“The lighting is genius,” Briggs added. “That sunset window is going to be incredible on camera.”
I nodded, accepting the compliments, but they washed over me like white noise.
I had been chasing my family approval for so long, but for some reason, there was only one person whose opinion I actually cared about right then, and she’d made it clear we were done.
Everything else felt like participation trophies.
Well, I supposed there was one other person whose opinion I cared about, but I would never hear praise from him. He hadn’t lived long enough for me to get my shit together.
Dad would have loved this. He would have pointed out the details and he would notice every little thing. When I inspected that runway today, I had looked at it through his eyes. He would have clapped me on the shoulder and said something like, “This is good work, son. Real good work.”
Or so I hoped, anyway.
I shoved that thought down before it made me sad. Sadder than I already was. I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I had a show to run tomorrow, and I needed to stay focused. I blamed Krista. She opened that box of feelings I kept locked tight and now they were all over the place.
Bucky started banging his spoon on his highchair tray, shrieking with delight at the noise he was making. The entire restaurant turned to look at us.
“Buckaroo, let’s save the drum solo for later,” Adrian said, but he was smiling.
Bucky responded by banging louder.
“He’s got your subtle touch,” I told Adrian.
“Ha. He gets that from his mother.”
Elizabeth threw a piece of bread at him.
I watched them, this little family unit that seemed so effortless.
Bucky grabbed a different piece of bread with his chubby fist and shoved it in his mouth.
He was a mess and he was perfect. To get that, I needed an Elizabeth or Mandy or Bernadette.
Krista had given me a glimpse of what that might look like.