Page 47 of Obsession on Repeat
"I’ll be home soon. I love you."
I cut the connection as quickly as possible. Crying, I slid against the wall to sit on the floor. Shoulders shaking, I tried my best to cover up my sobs. A knock on the door startled me. I frantically wiped my wet cheeks.
"Rory, are you in there?"
"No!"
Asher laughed from the other side of the door, and despite it being unlocked, he didn’t enter. "There’s another person who sounds like Rory that works here, too? That’s amazing."
"Please go away."
"I can’t."
"Why not?" I sighed in frustration. "There are other bathrooms!"
"I have a strict policy about not deserting crying women."
Rolling my eyes, I forced myself to my feet and made my way to the door. I jerked the door open. He didn’t back away, his eyebrow cocked as he leaned forward with his arms propped against the door frame. "I wasn’t crying."
Asher stepped forward, not stopping as I took a step back. He shut the door and locked it with a flick of his wrist before he concentrated on my features. "Alright, you weren’t crying. You’re leaking water from your eyes. What were you doing in here?" He glanced around. "Mopping the floor?"
"Don’t be ridiculous," I stuttered. "And unlock the door! The last thing I want is someone-"
"I think you’re worrying too much about everyone else and not one inch about yourself."
"Wow, an actor and a shrink, that’s quite the combination." I ran my hands through my hair and lowered the toilet seat in order to sit down. I buried myface in my hands, my elbows on my knees. "Every so often, I’m reminded why I don’t date."
He leaned against the bathroom wall. "Did something happen?"
"You could say that."
"Considering I don’t have a clue as to why you’re crying…" He chuckled at the look I shot at him. He squatted down on his haunches, his gaze sincere. "Tell me what happened. If not to me, then to Gina or Vanessa, but you need to talk about it."
I stared down at my feet. "I’m afraid of becoming too comfortable and losing track of what matters."
"And what’s that?"
"Not being discovered."
"That’s going to be difficult considering how talented you are. It can’t stay hidden no matter what you do."
"I can become a hermit or a nun."
He laughed at my look of seriousness. "Neither of those are the first thing that comes to mind, but you’re correct. The life of a hermit would become monotonous, and we both know you’re not cut out to be a nun."
"There’s an insult hidden there somewhere," I sighed. "You don’t know the first thing about me."
"I know you love your job. I know the look you get on your face when you’re dancing and think no one’s looking." He ran his hands through his hair before clasping his hands together. "I know how I feel when I’m near you."
"Please, don't—"
"I need you to hear it from my own mouth." He held up a hand to stop me from speaking and stood up. "You have a boyfriend, I respect that, and I realize you’re having problems that don’t involve me, so I’m staying out of it the best I can. I’m here to be your friend, not force myself on you, and that’s how it’s going to be until you figure things out. If that time comes and I have no chance… Well, I’d rather have you as a friend than not at all."
Dumbfounded, I stared at him. I was startled when someone suddenly pounded on the door.
"Asher, are you in there?"
He chuckled. "Yes, go away."
