Page 114 of Dare You to Run

I swallow down the lump in my throat and admit, “You don’t have to try to earn my love.”

His face pales and I feel a little bit of his hold on me soften. “Why-why not?”

“Because you’ve always had it.”

His chest moves up and down, shallow breaths flowing in and out rapidly. The muscle in his jaw clenches and one single tear tracks down his face. Reaching out, I wipe it away and let my thumb smooth over his cheek.

He leans into my touch and I see the way light fills his eyes. I bet if I could see inside his heart, I’d find the same glow.

“I’m sorry, baby. Please say you’ll forgive me. I’ll never let you down again.”

With matching tears and full of a shared love, I nod my head and dive into him. Our lips smash together and our kiss is fervent and fierce. My hands roam across every plain of his body, remembering what it feels like to hold heaven in my arms.

His hands frame my face as his fingers tangle in my hair. “I love you, Dagen McCallan. You’ve made every one of my dreams that I didn’t even know I had locked up inside of me come true.”

“I love you too, Hendrix. Just please don’t ever leave me again. I don’t think I’d survive it.”

“I know I wouldn’t,” he adds. “I dare you to love me forever, little mouse.”

I bite my lip then smile big. “Dare accepted, Mr. Wolf.”

EPILOGUE

SIX YEARS LATER

“Gemma Gayle Dare!What have you done?”

Gemma’s little eyes grow wide hearing her mom’s voice call from the entrance of the barn where we hide in the back corner. I hold my finger to my lips to hush her while my hands continue to try and wipe away the mud.

“Gemma Gayle. I know you’re in here. I followed the muddy shoe prints. Show yourself.” I peak around the stall and see Dagen, standing at the door with her hands on her hips looking every bit the delectable little mouse she was six years ago when she first crashed into Cattywump Bay.

“Gemma,” she calls once more, baby Olivianna —Olive, as we call her— sleeping snuggly in the carrier that hangs from her shoulders.

“It’s G.G., mama. Not Gemma Gayle.” She pops up from where we hide, stamping her foot and balling her hands into fists.

My princess is a little too much like me at the young age of four. In fact, if she found out that I called her my princess she’d kick my ass. Getting her to put on this dress was quite a battle, but I had to remind her that it’s for her Uncle D. And now we aregetting ready to face the wrath of her mother who is not going to be happy when she sees what G.G. has been up to.

“Actually, it’s Gemma Gayle and you are in trouble little missy. There is mud all over the back porch. Pops and Millie are going to be upset.” The sun that filters in is bright and Dagen has to squint, working hard to focus on G.G.

“Nuh uh. Pops is never mad at me. He said I’m perfect. And so does Unc Sloaney. Auntie AJ thinks I’m a brat, but she’s wrong.” G.G. looks at me and says, “Huh, daddy?”

I drop my head, still squatting down, and sigh. This little girl loves to call me out, and now it’s time to face the music.

I stand slowly, my muddy hands falling to my sides, and step out to face my fate.

“Don’t be mad at G.G., little mouse. It’s my fault.”

Dagen takes slow steps towards us and says, “Come closer, Gemma Gayle. What are you hiding back there?”

G.G.’s chest begins to rise and fall quickly as her breaths turn shallow, and her nostrils flare with dread. I touch her back and urge her forward. Better to get it over with now.

She takes a few shaky steps forward, and then a few more. Dagen gasps and covers her mouth with her hand when she sees what we’ve been hiding.

G.G.’s light blue dress is covered with mud as are her fancy shoes. Well, just one shoe. We still don’t know what happened to the other. My guess is that the other one is floating in the creek where she crashed her dirt bike.

“What did you do?” Dagen’s face turns bright red.

Just like Olive’s when she throws one of her famous tantrums. That little girl has the lung capacity of a swimmer and the shriek of a horror flick chick. Add in the sleep habits of an ER doctor on the night shift and it makes for a lot of sleepless nights.