Page 12 of On One Condition

But I don’t put words to the thoughts. Can’t. It’s best to leave this as is. In a better place. More settled. As is.

“I have to go,” I say to save face, but when I turn and meet his eyes, my feet refuse to move.

“You sure?” He dips his head to be on my level so his eyes can search mine.

“I’m sure.”

He rocks on his heels, clearly not believing my lie but letting me think he does anyway. For that, I’m more than grateful.

“It was great to see you, Ash.” There’s that lopsided smile again. It’s genuine and real, and I hate that despite our past, a part of me sags at the sight of it. “Actually, it’s better than great.”

“It was nice to catch up. Good luck with everything.”

“No. Not yet.” He sighs and glances around the bar before he meets my eyes again. “Look . . . we were kids, starry-eyed and not prepared for anything life was going to throw at us. Things happened that . . . that happened. Things I still don’t understand, and that I’m starting to think neither of us could control. We could talk about the past and dwell on the what-might-have-beens, but that would be pointless.”

“Agreed.” I nod when, in reality, I want to dissect every word he just said to me. “It was good seeing you, Ledger.” I start to walk away, but his words stop me.

“I’m going to be in town for a couple of months. I’d like to get together sometime . . . have a drink. Catch up.” He glances down for a beat before meeting my eyes. “Be friends.”

Emotion is thick in my throat as I stumble for a response I’m not sure I know the answer to. “Maybe.” I push on the door and look over my shoulder at him. “We’ll see.”

When I walk through the door and it shuts, I lean my back against it and blow out a long, drawn-out sigh.

I can’t see him again.

I don’t want to.

I do want to.

Shit.

There’s something about Ledger Sharpe.

Yes, he owned my heart once upon a time, but he’s right. I’m not a starry-eyed teenager anymore.

So much has changed from the girl he once knew.

I’m stronger.

I’m independent.

I’ve finally found my purpose.

And I’ll be damned if I’ll let his handsome face and a pocketful of nostalgic memories get close enough to me to change anything about me this time around.

CHAPTER THREE

Ledger

Pushing my chair back from my makeshift desk—the kitchen table of my rental house—I scrub a hand over my face and sigh in frustration.

Nothing is holding my attention. Fucking nothing. Not the emails I have waiting to be answered, not the talking heads blathering on the television across the room about the expectations of record travel this year, and sure as hell not the absolute silence inside and outside this modest house on the outskirts of Cedar Falls.

Because all I can think about is Asher Wells.

What happened before.

The heartbreak.