Chapter 18
Ashley’s car was still parked in front of his house.
He shouldn’t have been excited about that. He shouldn’t have ducked out of kissing Tiffany goodnight outside of the restaurant, though he didn’t regret it.
She texted him two minutes later and told him she didn’t think they were compatible. He was relieved since he’d never wanted to exchange real phone numbers with her in the first place. Blind dates were exhausting.
He walked up and went to put his key in the lock, but the door opened, and Ashley stepped out, closing it behind her.
“Hey, Ash.”
“Hey, yourself.” Her eyes sparkled up at him. She looked …. awake. He wasn’t sure how to describe it. Like a fire was lit inside her, and he wasn’t sure whether to expect good news or an argument.
“Fun night?” he asked, instantly regretting it.
She raised an eyebrow. “Super fun. How’d your date go?”
“It was fine.” He glanced at the shut door behind her. “Why are we out here? All the kids alive?”
That was the wrong thing to say. Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step toward him. “Yes. And even if you couldn’t bring yourself to invite me over, Beth did. We did have fun tonight. I got to read two chapters ofA Wrinkle in Timewith Gabby. I didn’t understand any of it, but apparently, it’s her favorite. I told her next time we’re reading something simple likeThe Babysitter’s CluborJunie B. Jonesor whatever the dumb kids read these days.”
“Next time?” He wanted there to be a next time. But he couldn’t let her become important to everyone else in his life and only a friend to him. And there was no way to tell her that.
“Yes, next time.”
He moved to go inside, and she blocked him with a hand to his chest. She left her hand there and stared up at him.
“I’m glad you like my family, Ash.” He looked away, not wanting to meet her brilliant brown eyes anymore.
“No, you’re not. You’re not glad. Why?”
He took her hand off his chest, though he couldn’t bring himself to let go of it. The touch of her was like magic. With his other hand, he reached up and cupped her face. She didn’t shy away. Instead, he saw an unspoken challenge there. What did she want from him?
Their staring contest ended when she pulled away and opened the door. She stepped inside and grabbed her purse from off the hook in the entryway. “Bye, Beth,” she whispered.
Beth was sitting just inside, on the couch with a book in her hands. She looked up and grinned at the two of them. “Did he tell you how the date went?”
Ashley’s smile faltered. “I’ll let him tell you about it.” She ducked under his arm and ran out to her car.
He followed, afraid she’d take off before he could figure out what was going on. “Ashley, wait.”
She ignored him and got into her car, though at least she didn’t slam the door on his hand when he went to keep it open.
“Please listen.”
She crossed her arms and stared. “Okay, I’m listening.”
But he suddenly couldn’t think of a single thing to say, except that he didn’t want her to leave angry. “I … I’m sorry.” There was so much more attached to that apology, but his mind was whirling with which thing to say first.
She reached for his hand and turned it over, pressing something small and hard into his palm and closing his fingers around it.
He knew what it was without having to look. But which one was it? His or hers?
She smiled like she knew what he was thinking. “Mine’s at home in my jewelry box, Chase.” She shut her car door and locked it, giving him a casual wave as she drove off.
She knew. She knew everything. And he had no idea how she felt about it. Chase opened his hand and looked at his incriminating little worry stone, and then he went inside to try to come up with a plan of what to do next, knowing Beth was going to hound him. Even at sixteen, she couldn’t possibly give him worse advice than his own terrified heart. Maybe it was time to stop keeping all this inside.
***
