“Yes.”
She watched him closely, the way his jaw tightened, the flicker of something unnameable passing across his face before he smoothed it away.His gray eyes lifted to hers, searching as though trying to gauge how much she knew.
“You didn’t mention he was in town,” she said softly, crossing her arms.
He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came.
“You didn’t think I should meet him?”she pressed, her voice calm but laced with an edge she didn’t bother to hide.
Cole exhaled slowly, raking a hand through his hair.“Ashley–”
“He’s your friend, Cole,” she said, her voice steady.“Shouldn’t I have met him by now?”
For a moment, silence stretched between them, heavy and unyielding.Then Cole’s shoulders dropped slightly, his hands falling to his sides.
“Ashley–wait,” he said, but Ashley had already turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving to prepare their home for dinner.
* * *
The kitchen hummedwith the faint sound of simmering sauce and the clink of utensils as Ashley made final adjustments to the table settings.It had taken her forever to make the house look presentable, given that they were in the middle of packing.Boxes lined the walls, and every available surface seemed to bear some reminder of the chaos of moving.She paused, smoothing a wrinkle in the linen tablecloth, her mind half-occupied by the growing knot of unease in her chest.Across the room, Cole leaned against the counter, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.His jaw worked in silence, the tension in his frame as rigid as the silverware she had just placed.
The doorbell rang, slicing through the taut silence.Ashley straightened, wiping her hands on her apron, and cast a quick glance at Cole.“I’ll get it!”She exclaimed.
Cole didn’t respond.Instead, he reached for her, pulling her into a deep, searing kiss.His hands tightened around her, one sliding lower to grasp her behind with a possessiveness that sent a jolt through her.
“What’s gotten into you?”she asked, her voice breathless as he finally broke the kiss.
For a moment, his hands tightened around her waist, refusing to let her go.“Nothing,” he murmured, his voice low and rough.
Ashley shook her head, her cheeks flushed as she turned toward the door, her heart racing.
Standing on the porch was Ezra– a tall, broad-shouldered, and effortlessly charismatic man.His tousled, dark blond hair caught the faint light from the porch, and his sharp blue eyes sparkled with a disarming energy.He wore a tailored gray blazer over a navy shirt, the casual yet refined ensemble giving him the air of someone who thrived on first impressions.
“Ezra,” Ashley greeted, extending a hand.
Ezra grinned, ignoring her hand entirely as he stepped forward to pull her into a brief, warm hug.“Ashley, it’s so nice to meet you finally.Cole’s been hiding you far too long.”
Ashley chuckled lightly as she stepped aside to let him in.“I’ll have to take that up with him,” she said, closing the door behind him.“Welcome, and sorry for the mess.”
“What mess?This is a beautiful place,” he said, his smile curving wryly.“Though I can imagine it’s been a bit of a challenge to keep things looking decent while packing up.I was half-expecting to find boxes stacked to the ceiling and maybe a path carved out to the kitchen through piles of books and bubble wrap.”
Ashley smiled, though her cheeks warmed slightly.“It’s been an adventure, to say the least,” she admitted.“But we managed to clear enough space for tonight.”
As they entered, Cole straightened from the counter, his face settling into a polite but distant mask.
“Ezra,” Cole said, stepping forward.His tone was cordial, though his shoulders remained stiff.“Good to see you.”
Ezra extended his hand with an easy grin.“Good to see you too, Westwood.It’s been way too long.”
Cole shook his hand briefly, then gestured toward the dining table.“Let’s sit.Ashley’s put together a great meal.”
The three of them settled into their places at the table, the warm scent of roasted vegetables and herbed chicken filling the air.Ashley poured wine for the men, keeping her smile steady even as she noticed the tension radiating from Cole.
“So, Ezra,” Ashley began, aiming to ease the atmosphere, “Cole tells me you’ve been working in tech?”
Ezra nodded, swirling his wine with a practiced air.“That’s right.I’m with a startup here in Boston.We’re working on AI-driven analytics for healthcare.It’s intense but exciting.Definitely keeps me on my toes.”
“That sounds fascinating,” Ashley said sincerely.“What inspired you to get into that field?”
