‘You didn’t talk very much,’ Ashley observed once they’d said goodbye to Andrew and were walking outside. It was a beautiful spring day, the trees lining the city street full of blossom, the sky bright and blue above.
‘I was listening,’ Nico replied. As they navigated the busy street swarming with pedestrians, he took her arm, startling her, and raised his eyebrows.
‘Iama gentleman,’ he told her dryly.
‘That may be so, but you’re not acting as I thought you were going to,’ Ashley replied, and then looked away, her cheeks touched with pink.
‘And how did you think I was going to act?’ Nico asked.
‘Like you did this morning—distant. Cold.’ She paused, pressing her lips together. ‘I’d just like to be clear about where we are.’ Before he could reply to that, she shook her head, rolling her eyes. ‘Oh, ofcourse. This is for those oh-so-candid photos. Silly me.’ She nodded towards the photographer who walked a few feet behind them. ‘Sorry. I won’t forget again.’
For a second, Nico couldn’t reply. The truth was, he’d forgotten about the damned photographer. He’d taken her arm because he’d wanted to, but did he really want to admit that to her now? He’d made things clear this morning. It was his own fault they were muddled up now. And he didn’t know how much more muddled they were likely to get.
In Nico’s car, Ashely edged all the way to the side, staring out of the window, while Nico couldn’t help but remember just how close they’d been the last time they’d ridden in a car together. Ashley clearly didn’t want to repeat the experience, even if he was sorely tempted.
‘How’s your ankle?’ he asked.
She kept her face to the window as she replied, ‘Fine.’
‘Ashley.’ He touched her shoulder, and she tensed. ‘Look, I appreciate that you want things to be clear,’ he said carefully. ‘And I know I seemed very clear this morning. But… I’d like today to be pleasant. Can’t we enjoy each other’s company?’
She turned to face him, her expression. ‘Can we? I am, after all, aWoodward.’
He sighed, wishing he hadn’t said that earlier, and yet knowing he’d meant it. Even now, he couldn’t forget…but he was starting to want to.
‘And I’m a Galletti,’ he told her. ‘You have just as much reason to dislike me as I do you, considering how I took over your company. Can’t we put that all aside, if just for today?’
She looked as if she wanted to argue but then, with a sigh, she nodded. ‘I meant to,’ she admitted. ‘I was going to be professional and friendly and nothing else. But my feelings keep getting in the way.’
His breath caught in his chest as he took in her flushed face, the softness of her lips and eyes. ‘What feelings?’ he asked quietly.
‘I know it was just a one-night stand, Nico,’ she said unsteadily. ‘I can accept that, but… I’m a romantic at heart, I guess. Some part of me keeps wanting it to be more.’ She held up one slender hand. ‘I’m being honest because…well…because I’m tired of pretending, I suppose. But I don’t want you to worry about it, or freak out that I’m going to ask things of you, because I’m not.’
‘I’m not freaking out,’ he replied mildly.
‘This morning felt like a little bit of a freak out,’ she shot back with a wry smile.
Compelled by her own honesty, he admitted, ‘That wasn’t because of you. It was because of me.’
‘What is that supposed to mean?’
He already regretted admitting so much. ‘I could care about you,’ he said slowly, feeling his way through the words. ‘And I don’t have space for that in my life.’
Ashley was silent for a long moment. ‘Why not?’ she finally asked.
‘Because…’ He couldn’t go into why—the people he’d lost, and how much it had hurt. Already pressure was building in his chest, and even behind his eyes, which appalled him. ‘I just don’t,’ he said brusquely, turning to look out of the window.
If he’d thought his tone might put her off, he was mistaken. Instead, he felt the soft touch of her fingers on his hand.
‘Okay,’ she said quietly, an acceptance, and somehow that made him yearn for her all the more.
The car took them to a nursing home just outside the city, a gracious-looking building set in its own manicured lawns.
‘So what are we doing here, exactly?’ Nico asked as he stepped out of the car. They hadn’t spoken for the rest of the journey, but it had been a surprisingly companionable silence.
‘We’re seeing the robotic toothbrush in action,’ Ashley told him with a little smile. ‘And we’re visiting my mother.’
He turned to her in surprise. ‘Your mother?’
