Page 3 of The Deal Breaker
Each word deflated him because what Henry said was true. Dash had been so busy working and then visiting Raina’s family on the East Coast, he hadn’t considered how Iris would spend the holidays with him away. He’d forgotten her and their Christmas Day tradition. He hadn’t even bought her a gift. When he’d arrived home, he’d found a present from her under the tree.
“It slipped my mind,” Dash admitted.
Henry rolled his eyes. “It? You mean Iris.”
“I apologized.” The words shot out. Dash had promised to make it up to her on her birthday. He’d also written her a six-figure bonus check. Normally, Iris would have laughed and ripped it up. Not this time. She’d said thank you and deposited the check the next day. “She forgave me.”
“Of course she did, because that’s what Iris does. It’s her nature. Something that has nothing to do with you.” Henry didn’t sound impressed. “You might reconsider telling people you’re all she has when it was everyone else who made sure Iris wasn’t alone for Christmas when you dropped the ball.”
Dash’s face burned. “It won’t happen again.”
“No, it won’t.”
Henry’s strong words hit like a sucker punch. Dash forced himself to breathe. “What do you mean?”
Henry shrugged.
Dash stepped forward, using his height advantage. He might be the youngest, but he was also the tallest. “What are your intentions with Iris, dude?”
Henry laughed. “Intentions and dude do not belong in the same sentence.”
“I’m not kidding.” This was out of Dash’s comfort zone, but he couldn’t back down. “You’re going to hurt Iris. There are other women you can date. Leave her alone.”
“Oh, Dashiell.” Henry tsked after saying Dash’s full name. “You’re jealous.”
Dash’s jaw dropped. “I’m not. I have a girlfriend.”
Henry sighed. “You’re still dating Raina?”
Dash nodded.
“Pity.”
What? He couldn’t let Henry diss his girlfriend. “Raina is nice. She’s pretty, smart, and a world-class gamer.”
“Yes, but she isn’t the one for you.”
Dash stiffened. “She’s perfect for me. Hadley—”
“Hadley is an excellent matchmaker, but not all the couples she introduces get married.”
“I didn’t mention marriage.” Dash should have realized Henry was trying to get a rise out of him. The guy was never serious. “I’m only dating Raina.”
“And missing out on what’s right underneath your nose,” Henry muttered.
“Huh?”
“Never mind. Since you are ‘dating’”—Henry made quote marks with his fingers around the last word—“why do you care so much about what Iris does?”
With me.
Henry hadn’t spoken the words, but he might as well have.
Heat rushed up Dash’s neck. “She has no family. Her mom’s dead. Her father deserted her to marry a woman half his age. We look out for each other.”
“She runs your household and your life.”
“Yes, and she does an excellent job at both. I pay her well.” Iris also lived rent-free in the two-bedroom guest house in his backyard—one of her benefits. “But she’s…fragile.”
