Page 52 of Fake-Off with Fate
“I see.” Ashlyn’s neighbor excitedly adds, “Well, I’d better get going. I have supper in the oven.”
Ashlyn waves again before pulling me inside. “Supperis code for a million people to call.”
“How are you doing?” I ask her as she leads the way into the kitchen.
She pulls down plates from the cabinet before retrieving silverware from the drawer. “I’m scared. I can’t believe I sent myparents on a trip in the middle of a hurricane zone during hurricane season. Who does that?”
Sitting down at the kitchen table, I remind her, “You needed to find something last minute.”
“And now we know why it was available.” She pours two glasses of water from the pitcher in the refrigerator and brings them over to the table while I take our food out of the bag. This whole scene is so domestic it makes me yearn for more.
A sudden tension fills the air around us like there’s a third person in the room. “Ashlyn …” I start to say.
She doesn’t let me finish my thought. “Thanks for bringing supper over.”
Sitting down across the table from me, she opens her food container. It seems like she’s trying really hard not to look at me.
I suppose now is not the time to tell her how I’m starting to feel. She clearly doesn’t want to hear it or she would have let me finish speaking. Trying to regain the easiness of companionship we were enjoying, I tell her, “I just had an interesting call.”
CHAPTER 25
ASHLYN
Havingdinner with Jamie feels like the most natural thing in the world. His presence is comforting and highly disconcerting at the same time. I’ve obviously felt attraction for the men I’ve dated in the past, but I’ve never felt as drawn to them as I am to Jamie. Note to self, Ashlyn:You are not dating Jamie Hayes. He is your friend.
“So, tell me about this mysterious call,” I say.
Opening his food container, Jamie transfers his fish and chips to the plate in front of him. “I just got off the phone with Allegra.”
My fork stops halfway to my mouth. “Really? Did you call her, or did she call you?”
“She called me.”
“Why?”
He tips his head from side to side before answering. “She said she’s taking a break from the guy she left me for. She wants to see me.”
Even though I think Allegra was an idiot to leave Jamie, I can fully understand how she could want him back. However, I’m not thrilled about it. “Wow. What are you going to do?”
“I’m obviously not going to see her,” he says. “Why? Do you think I should?”
“I … um … well …” I absolutelydon’tthink he should see her, but I’m also beginning to wonder if Jamie might be starting to have romantic feelings for me.Just like I’m having for him.Which is not good and the only reason I tell him, “I don’t see how it could hurt anything.”
He looks up at me with shock in his big blue eyes. “Why would I bother? I’m not a big enough idiot to consider taking her back. You don’t think I should take her back, do you?”
I put my first bite of fish into my mouth and chew it slowly before swallowing. Then I take a sip of water. “You told me yourself there’s a part of you that will always love Allegra.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I can forgive her.” He looks appalled at the very notion.
“Love is weird,” I tell him. “Take my parents. My mom felt like my dad never made her a priority and because of that she was going to leave him. Even though Allegra left you for a billionaire, you even admitted that you didn’t make enough time for your relationship with her. If that’s true, it’s easy to see that she didn’t feel like a priority …” I let the rest of the thought dangle in the air.
“I did say that, but I still have a shred of self-respect left. And unlike your parents, Allegra and I were never married.”
I’m actually happy he doesn’t want to see her, but that doesn’t mean we can let anything more develop between us. Even though my stay here has been extended, I am still going to leave Maple Falls. “I should introduce you to my neighbor, Clara,” I tell him.
He looks confused. “Why?”
“She’s a lovely single mother of two.” After a beat, I add, “She’s doing the social media for the Ice Breakers.”
