Page 73 of The Dare

Epilogue

Two Months Later

Natasha

Mom and dad getting back together at the same time as Suzanna and me finding the loves of our lives is more than just a little weird.

Beyond coincidence.

Unfortunately for me, it means both my parents want to hang out with Michael and me more than ever,andwith Suze and her man too.

Suze got herself a job alongside her new beau, at a local newspaper that wants to even run a story on us all.

I said I’d think about it, but Michaels seems to think it’s a great story.

Even though I said I’d go where Michael goes, and vice-versa, we decided to stay at the beach house until the remodeling on his—ourMontana ranch was complete.

“There’s no real rush, is there?” he asks, as I rub lotion onto his back as we relax by the pool, overlooking the ocean.

Something else I haven’t quite gotten used to. But it’s less sand and there is no one to watch us, which I have to agree with Michael on is way better whenever we want to do what comes naturally now.

Once it was clear that mom and dad weren’t mad at all, that they were actually as much in love as I am with Michael (but for different reasons), I actually stopped pinching myself.

I started living the dream life I always wanted instead, and noticed how quickly everything just fell into place once I stopped telling myself it could never or shouldn’t happen to me.

“You know you don’t have to ask,” I remind him, eagerly running my hands all over his back before I even think about lotion, working my way around to his front.

He murmurs a groan and then laughs, grabbing my hands before they reach down his swim trunks.

“I need all the vitamin D I can get before we go north,” he says, chuckling.

“And I need all your vitamin D,” I giggle, moving my hand lower before I feel a sharp pain in my abdomen, making me cry out.

“Honey, what is it?” Michael asks alarmed, instantly grabbing a hold of me and sitting me down on the edge of a deck chair.

I take in a sharp breath. “It’s nothing,” I lie. “Just a –ugh!” I exclaim louder, suddenly feeling scared.

“We’re gonna get you to a hospital,” he grits, not bothering to reach for his towel, just grabbing my thin cover-up before scooping me up into his arms.

I want to tell him I’m fine, but I don’t feel fine.

Michael is cool and calm in a crisis, which makes me feel better the whole way to the hospital.

He doesn’t speed, but moves through traffic with purpose, always checking how I am every minute or so without sounding like he’s nagging me.

He calls the hospital on the way, letting them know we’re coming in after getting in touch with his own doctor.

That’s something I’m pretty sure doesn’t come with the insurance I know I don’t even have. But Michael’s not worried about that.

And right now, neither am I.

I feel a little better once we get there, which is typical.

Always fine at the hospital, but scared and in agonizing pain at home.

We are taken straight in to see the waiting doctor, who greets Michaels like they know each other somehow.

Turns out he’s a good friend of the doctor who owns the beach house we’re staying in, I find out.