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“He’s been busy with his Dad in the hospital,” I tell her.
“Why don’t you head over for a few days like you were going to?” she says. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but you were glowing just a couple of days ago. Now it’s all back to business, and you seem to have lost the spark.”
“I miss him,” I say honestly. Sometimes, it’s easier to admit to someone not so close to the situation. “More than I thought.”
“So, go get him,” she says. It’s simple to Tess, and it used to be simple for me, too.
“It’s not as easy as that.”
“Oh, I think it is, Mads. I think he’s crazy about you. You know how I know that?”
I bite my lip, shaking my head. Though my heart hammers in my chest at what her answer will be.
“He couldn’t stop looking at you at the auction.”
My eyes grow wide. It makes my heart soar after hearing that.
“And I thought he was going to knock Phil Davie’s block off!”
I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, he wasn’t too keen on Phil.”
“See, if he was getting jealous and protective of you, he’s got it bad. I’ve been around long enough to know these things.”
I smile. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Good. Let me know what happens. The Overton’s deal is done. Things can be looked after for a few days.” She tucks a strand of her bright red hair behind her ear and pushes her thick-rimmed glasses up. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a hot date tonight,” she informs me.
“Ooh, anyone we know? Didn’t you go away for the weekend with the guy?”
She smiles. “Yes, and it went well, even if he isn’t a hot-blooded ice hockey star.”
One thing is for sure, she puts a smile on my face. “Well, he has plenty of friends, so you never know, if things don’t work out with your latest flame.”
“I ain’t moving to Seattle, so his friends better live in Florida!” she muses. “But I mean it, Mads. Life’s too short, girl. Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns, catch my drift?”
I nod, biting my lip. I know we need to talk. I wonder why he hasn’t called me, since his message said ‘talk later,’ and later hasn’t yet come. Though we have messaged back and forth a couple of times, none of it has been romantic.
I wish he hadn’t shut me out like that, but maybe that’s what he wants.
Maybe it’s his way of dealing with things when it gets too hard.
I’m sure he has enough on his plate right now to worry about me, but I need to talk to him. As soon as possible.
I’m halfway home, thinking about what Tess said about taking the bull by the horns when my phone rings, and I see Ashton’s name on the display.
My heart hammers in my chest, and everything tightens.
I can’t put it off, not that I want to, because I’m almost desperate to hear his voice.
Bull by the horns,I reiterate to myself.
“Ash,” I murmur through the car speaker.
“Maddie,” he says, and straight away, he sounds different.
He sounds off.
My heart starts to beat fast, too fast.
