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Ash: I do too
It would be easy to push her for more, to remind her that they could be doing that exact thing in less than five minutes, but he didn’t. If a little extra time was what she needed, she could have it. He could wait.
Reid: I know I hurt you and I want you to know I’m sorry.
* * *
Reid: And I’ll be here waiting whenever you’re ready
* * *
Ash: What if…
He already didn’t like where this was going.
Ash: What if I’m never ready, Reid? What if I can’t move past this? What happens then?
His heart squeezed hard in his chest as he typed.
Reid: Then we go back to being friends
* * *
Reid: I’ll always be here for you, Ashlynn. Always.
Now certainly was not the time to remind her that he loved her, so he kept that to himself.
Ash: Thank you for saying that.
* * *
Ash: I think I’m going to try to get some sleep.
* * *
Ash: Take care. Goodnight.
* * *
Reid: Goodnight
Like he was going to get any sleep now…
Eventually he must have fallen asleep because the next time Reid opened his eyes, the sun was up. His phone was still in his hand and when he tapped the screen he saw it was after eight. He still had two days to himself and had no idea what he was going to do to pass the time.
And he desperately needed a distraction.
“A run,” he murmured as he rose from the bed and stretched. A little physical activity was a great way to clear his mind and keep him from sitting in his apartment, obsessing about his late-night conversation with Ashlynn.
Dressing quickly in sweats and a hoodie, he put on his sneakers, drank a glass of orange juice, and grabbed his phone, earbuds, and key. He jogged down the three flights, and once in the common area, he stretched a bit before taking off at a slow pace.
After a few blocks, he picked up speed, and before he knew it, he was at his optimum speed and heading right into downtown Sweetbriar. It was a Saturday morning so there weren’t a lot of people out and about yet, and it was the first time in a long time that he was able to simply savor the scenery and appreciate the fact that he was back in the only place he ever really considered home.
He loved this town.
He loved most of the people here—with a few obvious exceptions.
And he saw this being the place he wanted to settle down, get married, and raise his kids.
