Page 92 of Then Came You

“I agree, just not with you.”

Sam clenched his jaw. “Is this about Owen, or is it about me?”

Dax averted his eyes and scratched the back of his head. “If I died, I wouldn’t want Carly going after one of you guys. That would just be…weird.”

“You wouldn’t be around to know,” Sam snapped, his frustration getting the best of him.

Dax sighed. “Look, man. I’ve got nothing against you. You’re an upstanding guy, but Owen was one of my best friends.”

“I get that. I didn’t know him very well, but I could tell he was one of the good ones.”

“He was, and he loved Gillian like crazy.”

“So do I.”

Dax’s eyes went wide. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Does she know?”

“Um-hmm.”

“Does she reciprocate?”

“That’s what she said.”

“Holy shit!”

Sam couldn’t tell if his admission had made things better or worse in Dax’s mind, and he waited to find out.

“It’s not just a fling, then?”

“No.”

“Wow.”

“Not that I owe you an explanation, but I’ll give it to you anyway because I think you need to hear it. When I first met Gillian, my only intention was to be her friend. But as time went on, my feelings grew, and so did hers. I know that you were Owen’s friend, but you’re her friend too. The best thing you can do for her now is support her decision to move on. I hope you can do that for her sake, not mine.”

Dax stared at him for what felt like an excruciatingly long time. “Okay, then.”

Sam waited for the “but.” In one…two…three.

“On one condition.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“Don’t hurt her.”

“I won’t.”

“I mean it. You might be bigger than me, but I’m surprisingly strong. I’m not afraid to take you on.”

Sam struggled to keep a straight face, not because he doubted Dax’s strength, but because it was typical male posturing. “I got it.”

Dax turned to walk out, but Sam stopped him.

“One more thing.”