“I don’t know what to say, Ben,” she whispers. “I need time. This is a lot to process…” She trails off, pulling her hand from mine as she stands from the sofa.
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I know I can’t push her. What choice do I have? If I’d just been honest with her from the start, maybe things would be different. But I wasn’t. And now there’s a real possibility she might walk away.
I stand and move toward her, reaching for her hands, but she shakes her head and steps back.
“Don’t,” she whispers, her eyes dropping to the floor.
My heart sinks, but I respect her wishes and take a small step back.
“I’ll give you some space,” I say quietly. “I really am sorry, Ash.”
I mean it. I just wish she believed me. But when she doesn’t respond or even look at me, I wonder if I’ve already lost her.
“I should go,” I say quietly, my voice unsteady. “Call me when you’re ready to talk.”
I turn toward the door, but before I can leave, she speaks. “Ben,” she says softly.
I stop and turn back.
“I’m sorry this happened to you, Laney, and Molly. I can’t even imagine what you’ve all been through.”
I want to pull her into my arms, to hold her close and make this right. But I know I can’t. She won’t let me. Instead, I give her a small, bittersweet smile before slipping out of the apartment and closing the door behind me.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ashlyn
As the door closes behind Ben, I grip the back of the sofa, my fingers digging into the fabric as I try to steady myself. My heart pounds so hard I’m convinced they can hear it downstairs in Eden. I can barely process what he just told me, my mind spinning.
A wave of guilt crashes over me for not letting him explain sooner, but another part of me wants to run and never look back. I know that makes me a terrible person, especially after everything he’s been through. Relationships aren’t easy, but should they be this hard right from the start?
I make my way around the sofa and sink onto it, my head falling back against the cushions. I don’t know how long I sit there, lost in thought, before the apartment door opens.
“Hey. You okay?” Taylor asks, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. “I saw Ben leave, but when you didn’t comedown…” She crosses the room and sits beside me. “Ash, what happened?”
I let out a long sigh and sit up, absently picking at a loose thread on my sweater. “It’s messed up, Tay. Really messed up.”
“Shit,” she mutters, reaching for my hand. “What did he say?”
I spend the next few minutes telling her everything Ben told me, and by the time I’m done, her expression mirrors mine.
“Damn, Ash,” she breathes. “Six years. And his daughter has no idea they were going to separate? What are you going to do?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know. Regardless of their intentions, the fact is, he’s still married.”
She gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Only on paper. Look, I’m not saying he was right to keep this from you…” She hesitates.
“But?” I prompt.
She pulls a face. “I think I understand why he did.”
I stare at her, surprised. She holds up a hand before I can argue.
“He’s spent six years raising his daughter alone, not knowing if his wife would ever wake up. If what he says is true, you’re the first person he’s let himself care about in all that time. He was wrong not to tell you, but maybe he just wanted to feel normal for once. How do you even try to date when you’re technically still married with no real way to move on, even when you want to?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “It just feels like it’s going to be so tough. If we start something, we’ll have so much hanging over us from the beginning. Should it be that way?”
Taylor gives me a soft smile. “The best things in life are worth fighting for, Ash. You just have to decide if Ben is worth it. And how will you know if you don’t give it a chance?”
