I could… tell him,maybe. That I loved him.
Or just let him know thatten or eleven hours on the road wasn’t so far away, and I’d always come if he called.Maybe that’d be more useful.
With a surge of decisiveness,I got out of the car and grabbed my backpack with all my essentials in it.Phone, wallet, meds.
“Sorry, sweetheart.” I gavemy car a pat as I closed the trunk, locking it twice to be sure. There was aplan forming in my head, but it meant leaving the car here.
Less than three years ago atwo-mile hike with just a change of clothes and a few personal items in my packwould have been a vacation, but by the time Ashley’s gate came back into viewI was starting to regret leaving the car so far away. My lungs were protestingjust as much as my leg by the time I reached it.
The horrible sound it madeas I opened it summoned Ashley to the front porch, still wearing the oversizedhoodie I’dleft with him.
My heart lifted as soon as Isaw him, as though the clouds had parted and the sun was shining directly intomy chest. Which might have been a sign.
Crap.
What the hell was I supposedto do about this?
“Logan?” Ashley frowned ashe walked toward me.
“Hey,” I waved at him,exhausted. “Car broke down.”
Ashley’s face fell.
Maybe I should have told himI’dcome back because I didn’t want to leave.
I wanted to hug him. Morethan anything, I wanted to hold him for a few minutes.
What the fuck was I supposedto do with that feeling?
But I’d come back now.I’d told the lie.
And this was where I wantedto be.
Whatever else I knew orthought, I wanted to be near Ashley and I couldn’t tell myself otherwise.
“We can call the familymechanic for you. He’s good.”
“I already called theinsurance company. They, uh. They’re sending a tow truck.”
Great. Now if I wanted tokeep the lie up, I’d need to produce a tow truck.
“But not until tomorrow atthe earliest,” I continued.
Should have thought this liethrough better on the walk back. I’d never been much of a liar.
“Oh.”
Was that a spark of hope onAshley’sface? Or did I just desperately want to see that?
“Umm… you could… stay here,if you want. Or I can get Grandma to take you into town to a motel, if… we don’tactually have a spare room, so…”
“So I’d have to share withyour sister,” I teased.
Ashley snorted. “She’d love that.I saw the way she looked at you, and you’ve seen what her options are likehere.”
“Can’t say I noticed herlooking,” I said honestly. I’d been polite to her—I’d been polite to all ofAshley’s family—but…
I hadn’t cared whatthey thought. Only what he did.
