Page 47 of The Road to Finding Us

“Oh, really?” I stutter out.

“Yep,” he says, popping the ‘p’ at the end. “I think you’d really like her, actually.”

My hesitant gaze finds his, and I’m shocked to find a playful look on his face. Like this girl must really have his heart. He looks like a lovesick dog right now.

What the fuck parallel universe am I living in?

Are Aspen and I really about to talk about a girl he’s apparently so interested in that he’s not a man whore anymore?

“Hmm, okay,” I finally get out, while pulling at one of the denim strands of my shorts. I wrap it around my finger until the tip turns pink, thinking of a response. “So, a girl?”

He laughs quietly, leaning over to look in the passenger side mirror, bringing him closer to me. “Yes, Lily. I’m interested in girls. Well, one girl. But she doesn’t know it—yet.”

I nod curiously, looking down at the strand now cutting circulation off to my index finger. “Yet?” I can’t seem to form sentences at the moment. I’m too caught up in the fact that Aspen Bellevue is interested in only one girl. And is claiming he’s changed his ways for her.

Lucky her.

Wait, no—not lucky. Or…?

I don’t fucking know. I don’t care. Right?

I try not to think too much into it, but it’s hard for me not to wonder what she has that I didn’t have years ago.

“Are you only going to respond with one-word answers now?” he asks, calling me out.

“Shut up,” I snap, giving him the evil eye.

He mock-gasps, “Well, that was two, at least. Baby steps.”

Well, at least asshole Aspen is back. I didn’t quite know how to handle his sentimental counterpart.

The two of us are silent until he swings into a hotel parking lot and puts Gladys in park.

His head turns toward me. “We’re here.”

“I gathered.” Grabbing my purse, I hightail it out of the car. I need some space from him, the fresh air a welcomed reprieve.

We both grab our bags from the bed of the truck and head inside the hotel, where I’m slightly impressed with how nice it is. It’s modern, with a Nashville country twist.

Our feet make screeching noises over the freshly-polished floor. As I look around the lobby, I’m highly taken with their décor. We make it to the front desk, which is made out of reclaimed wood. The young woman sitting there shamelessly flirts with Aspen the whole time we check in.

I roll my eyes at how completely obvious she’s being.

Might as well come around the desk and straddle him, why don’t ya?

As soon as she hands us the room key, I snatch it out of her hand, shooting her a look that hopefully makes her rethink her professionalism. I don’t bother to check if Aspen is following behind me. I find the elevator and get in it—alone.

Part of me wants to be annoyed he’s still talking to Miss Desperate, but honestly, I shouldn’t have expected anything different.

It’s comical that ten minutes ago he was telling me how interested he was in some girl.

Yeah, right.

Seeing as he’s still down there flirting while I search for our room tells me everything I need to know about him.

He hasn’t changed one bit.

I let myself into our room, happy to see that finally, we have two separate full-size beds. I decide that, since he’s still busy downstairs, I’ll take the bed closer to the window. It’s only fair.

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