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“Reid?”
“Hmm?”
“No.”
It took him a moment to realize exactly what she was saying.
Shit.
“Ash, you have to believe me,” he pleaded. “I screwed up. I know that and I’m sorry. I freaked out and panicked and…I should have called. Hell, I never should have left town. Please tell me we can talk this out.”
He swore he saw a flash of regret in her eyes but it was gone too quick. She didn’t look quite so hostile, but she also looked like someone who had zero interest in anything he had to say.
“Ashlynn, please. Give me another chance,” he begged because he refused to let it end like this. “Please.”
“I’ll see you around, Reid,” she said softly right before she shut the door in his face.
Numbly, he stood there for a solid minute before he could even move. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but he hadn’t expected it to simply end like this. Maybe now wasn’t a good time, maybe she wasn’t alone, or…
Maybe she wasn’t alone.
“Son of a bitch,” he murmured as he hung his head.
And it took another minute before he turned to walk away. He had only gone up a few steps when Ashlynn came out of her apartment. Her head was down and she pretty much raced down the stairs without seemingly even noticing him standing there. The stairwell wasn’t open, but he jogged up to the third floor and looked down at the parking lot because he was clearly a glutton for punishment.
And saw her talking to Inspector Rowe before getting in the car with him.
“What the hell…?” He didn’t care how it looked; he ran down to the parking lot, but they were already pulling away. Looking around in confusion, he had no idea if he should follow them or…
There was no or.
He was going after them because if they were going to question her or officially charge her with arson, he was going to be right there to defend her.
Like he should have been doing all along—as loudly and boldly and as confidently as possible.
Even if it meant losing his career.
Chapter Thirteen
Her nerves were a complete wreck and she was trembling. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
Beside her, Inspector Rowe gave her a sympathetic smile as they drove into town. “It’s all going to be okay, Ashlynn. We were extremely thorough in our investigation and our findings are conclusive.” He paused as they pulled around the back of Books and Beans. “I would think you more than anyone would be relieved that this is finally coming to an end.”
Relief was almost too mild of a word.
At nine this morning, Ashlynn received a call from Ryder Ashford’s attorney, Evan King. He’d confirmed that the investigation was wrapping up and no charges were going to be filed against her.
She had fallen to the floor and cried with relief.
It was over.
It was finally over and she was free to move forward with her salon with nothing hanging over her head.
An hour later, Bob Banks and Inspector Rowe had shown up at her door with an explanation, an apology, and a bizarre proposal.
“You have to realize, Ashlynn, that we had to investigate the fire from every angle. When there’s a disgruntled employee or former employee involved, we have to check into it,” Bob explained. “Your name was the only one that came up, and believe me, it was hard for me to accept it.”
All she did was nod.
