Page 105 of Only One Tour Bus

Her brows pull together, and she considers me. But she answers.

“The job search was rough, so I talked to some business-minded friends and family, and they helped me set up a company, including getting some limited financing, mostly from friends and family. It’s what I was talking about on our last trip, where I offer more custom and niche tours for smaller groups. Apparently, I have a lot of social medial followers, which is a good start. And this party is a marketing event/introduction to the company.”

She’s passionate about it; I don’t think she’s taken one breath in that whole explanation. And her eyes are sparkling at the very thought of her company. A sparkle that she didn’t have when she saw me.

“It looks successful so far,” I say.

“Eh, people love free food and drinks, so we’ll see. I’m going to move out of my apartment and in with Vihana, actually, to save some money. And I’ve already got one booking for a whisky Highland tour. From some college friends, but they refused a friend discount. And I’m picking up some virtual tutoring shifts with a company to make money in between tours.”

Of course her friends didn’t take a discount. Asha inspires that kind of love and devotion from people. “I’m glad.” My hand tightens and the crinkling of the plastic flower wrapping reminds me of what I’m holding. “I got these for you, just a wee gift. Suppose they’re even more relevant now, as a celebration.”

“Oh, thank you.” She takes them and immediately smells them, and I’m jealous that they get to be so close to her face.

Pathetic, Kelly. Outright pathetic. I clear my throat. “You’re welcome.”

“Why are you here?” Her company and the flowers aren’t enough to distract her from my sudden appearance.

Ah, here’s the moment of truth.

CHAPTER 47

ASHA

I really wish I had the ability to put Callum on 1.5x speed right now, maybe 2.0x, like I do with my audiobooks. Because he’s taking a very long time to get to the point, and I do not have a lot of patience right now.

He’s the one who left me, but now he’s here. And I want to know why. I need to know why.

“I might have overreacted on the day of our last trip.”

“Excuse me? You might have overreacted?” Even for Callum, the master of the understatement, this is a bit much. Or not enough.

“Woman, I am trying to apologize.”

“This is your apology? You’ve stalked me to get here, after you left me, and now that you’re here, you gave me flowers, which are nice, but you haven’t actually said the word sorry.”

“I’m trying.”

“You’re failing! You know what? I’m going to help you out here, because this grovel is going atrociously.”

“I didn’t think it was going so bad.” I stare at him until he shifts from side to side. “Well, then. What would you suggest?”

Fine, I’ll direct this for him. “First of all, I need you to be less belligerent.”

He relaxes his face, but he’s still a bit belligerent. I suppress a smile at how grumpy he still is. Even though now I know it’s just a response to him being uncomfortable.

“That’s…better. Now. Why did you run before?”

“I have come to really…respect you. And I didn’t think that someone like you could be happy with someone who saw the world so differently than you. You would try, because you’re so optimistic, but it would make you miserable, which would make me miserable.”

I open my mouth to show my frustration with that word, but he cuts me off to continue.

“And I mean that as a good thing, I promise. I love your optimism, the way you look for the good and fun in every situation. But I worried that it would destroy that precious optimism, being with someone who almost never sees the best. I didn’t want to see the look on your face when I killed it.”

“So what’s changed?”

“Ah. Well, as much pain as I imagined it would be disappointing you, it was nothing compared to the pain I’ve already felt, being apart from you. I need to be with you to be happy. And I didn’t think I needed happiness in my life, but now I know I want it.”

This is too much. I spent weeks mourning a loss of relationship with the man that I love, and now he pops back up because he wants to give it a go?