She pulled out of his arms, and snagged a cookie. She didn’t want to go back to Boston, not anymore. But she couldn’t be here with him, either, and think she could continue writing a book about being happily single. “I’m not sure,” she finally said, as honest as she could. What she wanted and the responsible thing to do were polar opposites.
He grabbed a cookie as well. “Then let’s only worry about tonight.”
They sat on the couch and when he put his arm around the back of it, she took the invitation to snuggle into his side. They tried to watch a movie, but mostly kissed as if they might never kiss again.
Asher fell into an exhausted sleep sometime after two in the morning, his head tipped back as he steadily breathed. She took in his peaceful, open expression and wished things could be different. She drifted off curled up next to him, her cheek pressed to his chest, her arm thrown over his stomach, her new very favorite way to fall asleep.
Eliana awoke alone on the couch, a blanket spread over her. She stretched out her arms, missing the feel of Asher beside her. She heard him in the guest room, shuffling around in his socks. With a yawn and a stretch, she reached for her purse on the end table and pulled out her phone.
Hundreds of notifications. She pulled the blanket over her head and groaned. That’s what she got for taking one day off for her sister’s wedding.
Three missed calls from her grandma caught her eye as well as one missed call from her agent. Was someone hurt?
She called her grandma back, but it went straight to voicemail. She went to her text messages. The one at the top was from her agent.Why would you do this? Call me immediately.
Do what?
She sat up quickly, the blanket falling to her feet as she read through her other texts.
Grandma:Call me when you get a minute.
Grandma:I’m so sorry. Your mom explained to me what I did.
Grandma:I love you.
Eliana grew more panicked as she read through each message, until finally,finally, she got to a message from her sister.
Julia:Have you seen this yet? *video link*
Eliana:Why are you on your phone on your honeymoon? Is Grandma okay?
Julia:I think she’s okay. We’re in the airport, waiting for our plane. Just watch the video, then message me.
It linked to Grandma Winnie’s social media page. Eliana played the video, and her heart stopped when she realized it was her and Asher dancing together at the wedding. Asher looked so smitten with her, it almost hurt to look at. But that wasn’t the bad part. No. It was that Eliana was staring up at Asher so clearly, unmistakably, inarguably in love.
Eliana:OH MY GOSH.
Julia:I know.
Eliana:I’M FREAKING OUT. Even if I have Grandma take it down, it’s too late. People have seen it and downloaded it.
Julia:I know.
Julia:It’s been on social media since last night.
Eliana’s eyes stung with tears as she watched the video again, torn between mortification and longing to be in Asher’s arms. Her agent called again, and she sent her straight to voicemail.
A video message from Giselle pinged in her notifications. Then one from Sienna. Her stomach lurched. She was going to be sick. She had to talk to her agent. She had to erase the video—go back in time and have it never happen. That’s what she needed to do. Time travel! Easy peasy.
Julia:Listen. Maybe it’s not so bad. I’ve never seen you look so happy before.
Eliana swiped the message away without responding to it. Her heart rate accelerated quicker than Asher’s motorcycle, and she stood, turning one way and then the next, not sure where she was trying to go or what she’d do when she got there.
Asher, unfortunately, chose that moment to walk into the room, his hair tousled with sleep in a way that was irresistible. Her chest tightened as panic clawed at her.
His brows pulled together. “What’s wrong?”
“Everything.” She grabbed her purse and stuffed her phone into it. “We can’t do this, Asher. We never should have started. It was a mistake. A horrible mistake.”
