“Why else would you go along with it?” Allie asked.
“I was kind of already looking for an excuse to get to know you better,” Ash said, his eyes serious.
Allie froze.
She had been secretly wishing for him to say those words all this time, pining for him and dreaming about their kiss throughout the week.
And now here they were in a romantic restaurant, in the glow of the pretty twinkle lights. He was gazing across the table, looking criminally handsome, telling her he was interested.
And for once, her heart wasn’t fluttering and her cheeks weren’t heating.
What’s wrong with me? Am I destined to be alone?
“Oh,” she said softly after a moment, uncertain what to say when her dream was coming true, but her heart didn’t believe it.
“You don’t feel the same,” he said, without leaning back, his dark eyes still fixed on hers, his voice calm and measured. “I get it.”
“I’m just… surprised,” she managed. “That’s all.”
“So, would you consider it?” he asked, tilting his head slightly in a way that seemed almost familiar.
“Yes,” she said carefully. “I’d like us to get to know each other better.”
“You would?” he asked, one brow arched in that way that gave her butterflies before.
She nodded slowly.
“Excellent,” he said. “Well then, I’m sorry I didn’t bring you flowers tonight.”
“You’re helping me get a greenhouse,” she reminded him automatically.
He laughed, and the warmth in his laughter melted a bit of her uncertainty.
I really was just surprised, that must have been it. I do like him.
“It’s true,” she teased. “You’re not just giving me flowers, you’re giving me vegetables, and herbs, and topsoil…”
“I like that,” he said, nodding and leaning back at last. “You’re a woman with high standards, Allie Lawrence, as well you should be. You deserve a greenhouse.”
After lying to her own parents, Allie wasn’t sure what she deserved anymore. And something didn’t feel right about being on a date as part of an exchange. Talking about the greenhouse made her wonder if that was why she was feeling off about his declaration.
But when she thought about it, the greenhouse wasn’treallyfor her. It was for her students. And when they’d first met, she hadn’t known Ash had money, and never expected to get a greenhouse from him, or anything else for that matter. So she didn’t need to feel bad about it.
If she was really being honest with herself, she’d been looking for an excuse to get to know Ash better, too. That was why she’d gone ahead with this whole crazy scheme.
So why do I feel like we’re having a business negotiation instead of confessingour feelings?
But that was probably just her nerves. She had no real dating experience to speak of. She was just feeling a little overwhelmed, and that was okay.
She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, just like she taught her students to do when they were overwhelmed.
Immediately she felt better, and ready to enjoy the rest of the night.
Maybe they were only in this situation because they were both bad at asking people out. But however it had happened, Allie was glad to be here with Ash now.
15
ASH
