Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70180 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“Fuck that guy.”
“Thanks,” I said with a laugh.
I bit my lip. I knew exactly what Josie thought about Ash Talmadge. But I hadn’t told anyone about our date, except Marina, who was too far away. It would be nice to have someone to talk about it in person.
“I actually have a date tonight.”
“Really?” she gasped. “Tell me all the details. Who is the lucky guy?”
I looked down at my feet. “Well, he’s a mutual friend. Erm … of sorts.”
Josie grabbed my arm. “You’re joking! James?”
Josie was the only person I knew who called Ash by his first name. It had always seemed out of general animosity, but lately, maybe there was some affection to it.
“Yeah. Ash asked me out. Well, he’d been asking me out for, like, a week, and I kept turning him down. I don’t know … it feels different this time.”
“Like a real date? Not that bullshit y’all were trying to feed all of us that you were just friends?”
“A real date,” I confirmed.
“I thought you weren’t going to do anything with him until he was … over Lila,” Josie said softly. “I thought after what happened at my party …”
“That was last year and Lila is marrying Cole. Can’t get much more over her.”
Josie arched an eyebrow. “We both know that isn’t true.”
“Look, I know you don’t like him.”
“That’s not true,” Josie interjected. “I don’t like him with Lila.”
I coughed not so subtly. “Same.”
“I’ve made my fair share of relationship mistakes. But Ash is different with you, Amelia. He was long before he could admit it to himself,” she said gently. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I don’t want that either.” I bit my lip. “Is it too much to hope that he’ll pick me after all this time? Am I an idiot for giving him another chance?”
“You’ve loved him your whole life. Give him a fair shot. If it doesn’t work out, then you’ll know, and you can move on if you have to.”
I nodded. Josie was right. I’d spent a lot of time stressing about making the right choice around Ash. I didn’t want to be the same dumb girl, too interested in being with him without taking into consideration how he felt. Now, I knew. I’d been that girl, and I wouldn’t be again.
This was our shot.
If I was ever going to find out if this would work, then I had to put myself out there again. Which was the hardest part of all.
11
Savannah
Present
By the time we closed the shop for the day, everyone was exhausted, and our shelves were nearly empty.
“What are we even going to sell tomorrow?” Sasha asked, lounging back on the couch in the back room.
Kathy gestured to the small number of boxes. “Someone should probably put these out.”
I’d gotten some more inventory in this morning, but we hadn’t had an extra set of hands all day to open them and get them on the shelves.
“Not tonight,” I told them. “I can come in early and do it. Thanks for all your help.”
Kathy kissed my cheek and offered to show up early tomorrow to help too. I couldn’t say no even if she would have let me. I needed the help.
Sasha gave me a hug before heading out, but Kathy stayed behind for a minute.
“Everything okay?”
“I’m so proud of you, honey.”
I beamed. “Thanks.”
“Maybe you could come over to the house sometime soon for dinner.”
“Oh.” I should have seen it coming. Kathy tried to play mediator between me and Dad all the time. “I think I’m busy.”
“Your father wants to spend time with you.”
“Then, he could come himself,” I said snappishly.
Kathy sighed. “One day, you two are going to have to work this out.”
I shrugged. “I’ll put in exactly as much effort as he does.”
Kathy nodded, seeing that she’d lost again, because my dad didn’t put in any effort. She hugged and wished me good-bye, leaving me all alone in my shop.
I flopped down at my desk with a sigh. What a mess. And not one I felt like I had to clean up. Parents sometimes had to deal with the consequences of their actions too.
My phone dinged, and I grabbed it to see a text from Marina.
Have fun on your date tonight.
Thanks! Nervous and excited.
Don’t put out.
I snorted. Oh, Marina.
Not in the plan, but thanks … I think.
Tell him I’ll kill him if he hurts you.
I think Derek would handle him.
True, true. But I want it to go amazing! I want it to go so well that you bring him with you to Charleston in a few weeks and you’re drunk on love.
I smiled at that image. Ash used to go to Charleston with us all the time. It wouldn’t be strange to bring him with me. Except that I was planning to leave and not take him with me.