Page 120 of On One Condition

Just . . . fuck.

She doesn’t think it’s possible. That I’m capable of it.

I told her I loved her.

And she left anyway.

CHAPTER FIFTY

Asher

“It’s been over a week. You’re taking this whole ‘drive to clear your head and talk to no one’ thing to a whole new level this time, aren’t you?” Nita asks.

I smile and sink back into my chair on the balcony of my hotel room. Glacier National Park is in the distance and it’s mesmerizing. And believe me, I’ve been staring at it a lot over the past week. “You know me,” I tease.

“What’s going on with you? He hurt you, didn’t he? Am I going to have to go over and kick his ass?”

“No. It’s not him.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s me.”

“Girl, you need to give me more than that.”

“It’s hard to explain. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted, Nita. He’s kind and loving and thoughtful. But maybe he’s always lived as a figment of my imagination—my what-if—and now that he’s a reality, it’s messed me up.”

“You know I love you, right?”

“Yes.”

“So when I tell you that you’re batshit crazy and you need to get the guy, you’ll still love me, right?”

I laugh and then fall silent.

“Asher?”

“I still love you. I promise.”

“Whew. So you’re driving to clear your head. Do you have answers yet?”

“No. Yes. A few.”

“Well, at least it’s a start.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Ledger

I toy with the corners of the paper. The Fields logo is emblazoned across the top of the lavender-colored paper, but it’s the short note scrawled in Asher’s penmanship and the second piece of paper in my other hand that I can’t stop staring at.

Ledger,

You asked for no more deception. No more lying by omission. Enclosed is what I found while cleaning out Pop’s things. I didn’t tell you originally because I didn’t want to hurt you further, and the past can’t be undone . . . but you deserve to know. I’m sorry.

-Asher

I drop the stationery and focus on the check. On my father’s unmistakable penmanship. In his attempt to buy off her grandfather to keep Asher away from me.