Xander narrowed his gaze, wondering if that comment had something to do with Cassidy. Because Dash wasn’t in a confessing mood and this lecture was more for Xander’s sake, he didn’t ask.

“And in your case, the one time you tried, she trampled on your heart.” Before Xander could give his own input, Dash raised a hand. “Ignore the sappy way this is coming out. My point is, I know you bailed before she could crush you again.” He lifted his mug to his lips, took a drink, and swallowed. “And don’t kick my ass or anything but I told Sasha as much.”

Xander leaned against the counter and accepted that Dash had his best interests at heart. And if he could soften Sasha before Xander talked to her, all the better.

He placed his mug on the counter and groaned. “I can’t get it right. The first time around, I expected way too much from someone so young and trying to build a career, and this time, in bending so far the other way so I wouldn’t repeat the same mistake, I pushed her away.” Though he couldn’t deny Dash’s point. Protecting himself played a large role. “I was an ass.”

“Can’t argue that point.” Dash put his coffee next to Xander’s. “But I was worse if that makes you feel any better.”

Xander shook his head. “I told you to stay the hell away from Cassidy. What’d you do?”

Dash raised an eyebrow. “I’m taking the Fifth. I don’t want you to have to haul off and hit me.”

Xander ran a hand over his face and groaned. Reading between the lines, he figured his brother had slept with her and bailed the morning after. He’d lecture him but his own behavior wasn’t much better. “Fine. I’d rather not know, anyway.”

Dash looked away, obviously lost in thought, and whatever was going on between him and Sasha’s best friend, Xander figured he was better off staying out of it.

“I need a favor,” he said.

Dash glanced at him. “Name it.”

“Take Bella?” He pointed to the dog, who was chowing down on her breakfast that had been left in the bowl. She was a grazer, eating when she felt like it and not at set times. “I need to go to the city and I don’t want to leave her alone.”

Dash had a stash of her food and bowls at his house, too, so Xander didn’t have to worry if he was gone overnight.

“Going to make it up to your girl?” Dash asked.

Xander rolled his stiff shoulders. “Something tells me she’s not my girl anymore,” he said, not bothering to hide his anger at himself.