Page 71 of Fake-Off with Fate
“Hey,” I say as soon as she answers.
“Hey, yourself. How was the game?”
“You didn’t watch, huh?” I tease. I know there’s nothing but fire on her mind.
“We just evacuated,” she says. “I’m heading to Pasadena to Callie’s husband’s parents’ house.”
“Oh, Ashlyn, I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?” I ask, even though I know there isn’t.
“You could have a chat with fate if you want and put in a good word for me.”
“I hate to say this, but what if it’s fate for your house to burn down?”
Her gasp makes me sorry I asked. “To what end?”
“I don’t know,” I tell her. “But it happens to a lot of people where you live, and I’m pretty sure it leads them to a new phase in life.”
“An eviction notice would be easier,” she says, sounding defeated.
“I wish I could be there with you. I know it wouldn’t change the course of the fire, but it sure would make me feel better.”
“You’ve got another game tomorrow,” she says. “You need to stay put. By the way, you never told me if you won tonight.”
“Oh, we won. It was a shutout, too.” I kick my feet up onto Dale’s desk and lean back in his chair.
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It means the other team didn’t even score. I’m going to have to teach you about hockey when you get back,” I tell her.
“About that …”
A wave of apprehension hits me. “What about that?”
“I talked to my parents and they’re coming home tomorrow.”
I know I should be happy her folks are able to get out of Barbados, but I’m not. “What does that mean for you?” I want to know.
“It means I don’t need to be in Maple Falls anymore.” Before I can protest, she says, “I’m a week late starting a new job as it is, but I talked to my client today and she’s going to let me start tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? She should let you wait until you know your house is safe. Plus, don’t you need to come back and fill your dad in on what’s going on with the town?”
“I’m sure Phillip will do that, but I’ve also asked Marcy to be on hand, so my dad gets the facts straight. Phillip will probably make it sound like it’s all my fault.”
I’m having difficulty accepting the news that Ashlyn isn’t coming back. “Are you saying when we said goodbye at the airport, that was it? I won’t see you again?” I sound like a hurt puppy, but darn it, that’s exactly how I feel.
“I’ll visit my parents at some point. And maybe if you come to town for a game, we could grab dinner or something.” She doesn’t sound nearly as upset by our separation as I am.
“What about Maple Fest? It starts the day after tomorrow. You promised to show me around and tell me all the best stuff to eat.”
“All the food is good, Jamie. Trust me, you can’t go wrong with anything.”
I feel like I’ve been jilted all over again, which is ridiculous because Ashlyn and I were never dating. “I’ll miss you,” I finally tell her. “You’re my best friend in Maple Falls.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” she says quietly. “But I’d better get going. I want to check for updates on the fire.”
And just like that, my dream of convincing Ashlyn to stay in Maple Falls dies. She’s made it clear that LA is her home, and I’m nothing more than a “buddy” to catch supper with if I show up in her domain.
How depressing.
