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Tess’s brows lift slightly as she glances between him and Elodie, who is matching his gaze with a challenge of her own.

‘I’m not here to cause problems,’ he continues. ‘Happy birthday.’

There’s something dry about the way he says it, as if he’s being sarcastic, which I know would grind Elodie’s gears. She exhales heavily, glancing at me, not looking overly impressed by his appearance at her party.

‘Well, points for self-awareness, I guess.’

A faint flicker of amusement crosses Ash’s face.

‘I don’t dislike you,’ Elodie says after a moment, narrowing her eyes as if sizing him up. ‘I dislike how she was when things ended because of what you did.’

‘I haven’t had the chance to explain,’ he says evenly. ‘But what you think happened isn’t the truth. I was devoted to Bryn.’ There’s a slight pause as his eyes dart to me. ‘I still am.’

Elodie blinks. For once, she doesn’t have something clever to say, no immediate retort hot on her tongue. She studies him, her eyes flicking to me briefly before shifting back to him. There’s still caution there, that protective edge she wears when it comes to me, but his words seemed to have softened her. A tiny bit.

‘You realise that from where we were standing, it didn’t look good,’ she says.

‘I know,’ Ash replies.

‘You disappeared after she did,’ she continues. ‘No explanation. No grovelling. No dramatic chase. You let her go.’

His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t snap back. ‘She cut me out of her life, and I had to accept that.’

Elodie understands that part. I kept in contact with the girls, but she knows I went off grid for years, cutting out a lot of people I used to know.

Ash is still looking at her, like he understands that he’s answering to her right now.

‘I didn’t let her go,’ he adds quietly. ‘I would never have let her go, if given the chance.’

Elodie’s expression changes, shifting into something that looks like surprise. She’s maybe even a little impressed.

‘Okay,’ she says eventually. She steps a little closer, not quite welcoming him, but not appearing as unfriendly as before. ‘If you hurt her again, I will ruin your life in ways you won’t see coming. I don’t care who the fuck you or your brother are.’

Ash nods, and I know he could do much the same in return, but he doesn’t argue or defend himself. ‘I’d expect you to.’

Elodie holds his gaze another second before. ‘Right. That’s settled then.’ She leans over to me, bumping her shoulder lightly into mine. ‘If he makes you cry, I’m keying that big truck of his.’

I can’t help the small laugh that escapes me. Ash’s mouth twitches; he’s almost amused.

‘I’ll park further away next time,’ he says dryly.

Elodie narrows her eyes at him again, but there’s the faintest hint of reluctant respect there now. She still doesn’t trust him, but I think she believes what he just said.

‘Really cool costume, by the way,’ Tess interjects, a small, polite smile on her face. ‘At your work.’

‘Yeah,’ he says lightly, a hint of amusement in his voice. ‘I like to really commit to the bit.’

Silence falls among the group, a little awkward.

‘I’m getting a drink,’ he says, glancing at me. ‘You want anything?’

‘I’ll have whatever you’re having,’ I say.

He nods and releases my hand, moving toward the kitchen.

Tess leans in immediately. ‘Okay,’ she hisses. ‘He is terrifyingly hot.’

Elodie elbows her, but I know she agrees.