Page 66 of It's Not Home Without You

“But did you love him? I mean, if I had a woman sharing my bed and she called out another man’s name in her sleep, I would toss her ass out.”

I stopped midsip to look at Enzo, and I saw the judgment in his eyes. Ashton never said a thing. I didn’t even know I said Max’s name in my sleep. Ash knew as soon as he met Max. He knew, and that was why he asked him if he could call him Max instead of Maximilian. The way he held me a little tighter made sense now.

“Ashton loved you, but you weren’t his to keep. Still, he tried.” Enzo tipped the bartender generously and left me standing there trying to gather my thoughts. The night went on, and I kept smiling and laughing and noticed that not once did Ashton kiss my lips; he stuck to my forehead. He didn’t hold me close like he used to. He was giving me the space I had asked for. When the night ended, I got into his car without turning back.

“I’m ready to leave,” I told Victor, who was waiting forme, but before he could drive away, the door opened and Ashton sat beside me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I… I came to wish you well, Freya. I really am sorry how things ended for us.”

“You never said I talked in my sleep,” I mumbled.

“It doesn’t matter now,” Ashton shrugged. “I am sorry for cheating on you, Freya. For hurting you.”

“You hurt my ego more than anything.”

“Ditto, babe. At first, I wanted to make you jealous and get your attention.” He laughed, “I now see that was not the way to go.”

“I’m sorry about your car.”

“I deserved it,” he said just as Victor pulled up at the Ritz. I turned to look at the building and back at Ashton, knowing full well that when I stepped out of this car, this chapter of my life would close, never to be revised.

“This is it, huh?” He said what I was thinking.

“We were wrong for each other. I hope you find the one, Ash. Just don’t cheat on her.”

He gave me a genuine smile, a smile that used to make me forget I had a broken heart. “I’m still telling everyone you cheated on me… I’ll need women to console my broken heart.”

“Asshole,” I muttered, but I honestly didn’t care anymore. Ashton and I would never be friends.I wasn’t saying what he did was right, but there were a thousand things we both could have done differently.

“Goodbye, Ash.” I closed the door as he said, “Have a good life, Freya.”

I stayed at the Ritz for one more week, giving my all completely to my work, closing deals, and training my replacement. It was only when I looked at the calendar did I realize it was Founder’s Day. My stomach dropped, my blood pressure lowering. I was going to faint.

Max would get married on Saturday.

I couldn’t let him do it. I couldn’t let him get married, not until I told him everything. Maybe it wouldn’t make a difference, but if I said nothing, I would always wonder what if.

I left the hotel, not surprised that Ashton still took care of my extra week after the gala. Victor was outside waiting for me when I came out with my luggage. I looked at the city where I pretended like I wasn’t broken, and I knew I would not be coming back.

“Where to,mi niña?”

“I’m going home,” I replied, the words no longer sounded unsure, nor homesick. I was going back to Sunny Pines where I always belonged.

Now here I was,unsure of what to do next. “Thanks for picking me up. And sorry again for flaking on Founder’s Day.”

Emma shrugged. “It’s okay. I had help.”

“Who helped?”

“Jana, Rusty, Jake, his little brother… and Dex.”

I gave her a mischievous grin.

“I’m sure Dexlovedto help.”

“Do you want to walk home?” Emma glared at me. I gasped, my little Emma was getting somebark. “Sorry,” she mumbled immediately.

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