“What?” My mind is still reeling from Ashton’s almost confession and my realization. I can barely understand the words coming out of his mouth.
“Allie,” Nate says gently. “I found your dad.”
33
ASHTON
I’m notsure when I fell in love with Allie Montgomery. It was somewhere between fighting with her about her best friend at the bar and holding her against my chest on the sand as she asked me to take her pain away. I wish I could remember the exact moment it happened. If I knew, I would repeat it in my head over and over so I could never forget it. I would make sure that even when I’m at the end of my life, and all the other memories have faded, I could hold onto that one because it would be burned in my subconscious and that doesn’t age.
The truth is there were too many moments that shaped my love for her, even in those early days. There shouldn’t have been. We weren’t dating, and she hated me. What I do know is that by the time I walked into that conference room and saw her hiding behind someone’s hair so I wouldn’t see her, I was already in love with her. Nothing she said that day or any other could have changed that.
I was so close to telling her, and it almost felt like she was going to say it back, but then her phone rang, and when she answered it, her eyes went wide. She’s been in a state of shock ever since. I tried to ask her what happened, but she wouldn’tanswer me. She just keeps shaking her head and looking at something on her phone.
We finally pull into my driveway and put the car in park.
“Allie,” I turn to her. “Please, tell me what’s going on.”
She shakes her head again. I’m not sure she even realizes we’re back at my house.
“Allie,” I try again, taking her hand in mine. “Is it your mom?” Another shake. “Then what?”
“He found…” She looks up at me through her dark lashes, eyes glittering with unshed tears. “Him,” she chokes out.
My brows furrow. “Him? Was that my dad?” How would my dad even have her number? I didn’t give him all the details. I told him it was for a friend, and we made a deal. Why would he call Allie?”
“No,” she sniffles.
“Then what?” I gently graze her chin with my thumb. “Talk to me.”
“It was Nate.” She looks at me again, a mix of sadness and uncertainty on her face. “He found my dad.”
No.
Dread coils low in my belly. This can’t be happening. She never told me she asked Nate to look for him. Did he do it on his own without her knowing? I don’t even care that I’m a raging hypocrite. How could he do that? A sob breaks free from her, and she slumps down on top of me. Her seatbelt is pressing against her chest, but she doesn’t seem to care. I reach around to unclick it and hold her against me, running my fingers through her hair.
Suddenly, she sits up. Her glasses have fallen off, and bright crimson blotches start to form around her eyes. “I have to see him,” she whimpers. “I have to go now. Can you keep an eye on my mom?”
“Allie, wait.”
“No, Ash. I’ve been waiting. I’ve waited my whole fucking life. I have to know. I have to ask him.”
“Okay, okay. Just breathe.”
“You’re not fucking listening to me, Ashton. I want to see my father.” She rears back to open the car door, but I stop her with a hand on her arm.
“I know, baby. I know you do, but do you think it’s the best time to fly to Nashville? Everything with your mom?—”
I feel it before I even look at her. The world crashing down around us. The earth swallowing us up from the ground. Allie moves back to face me, the car door still wide open. Her eyes flick to the phone in her lap before slowly moving back to land on my fingers wrapped around her arm.
“Allie.” She twists her shoulder, knocking my hand off in the process.
“How did you?—”
“Baby.”
“Ashton, tell me you didn’t—” Her voice is shaking so much that it splits my heart in two.
She still can’t get the words out. Her eyes grow wide, understanding slowly taking its place. When she finally speaks, it’s a different question that she asks.
