Ethan and Grayson had been right. Maybe Ash was a little on the unhinged side. It wasn’t just after Sarah died. She had been feeling things for me long before then. Thinking back on it now, it made sense. The way she never left Sarah and I alone. The way she always found a way to insert herself into situations all the time. She was obsessed with me and not in a healthy way. It creeped me out a little bit.
“Ash, I am sorry that I can’t feel the same things that you feel for me, but we were never going to be more than friends. I wish I could love you how you wanted me to love you, but I can’t. I am with Maddie, and I love her. I married her, after all.”
“I know it’s a lie,” she spat. “You only married her because of Pete’s ranch. You don’t love her, Marcus. You are only doing this so that she can get the ranch and Danny can keep her job.”
Shit. I tried to keep my face calm.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, but I think that it’s time you leave, Ash. I have to get back to work.”
Before she could say anything, I turned and walked back into the station. She knew she couldn’t follow me inside because it was restricted access. So, she just stood at the front, calling my name which I ignored.
How had I not noticed that the poor girl was unhinged? She really had built up a whole fantasy in her head. How had I missed it?
I walked to my little cubicle and retrieved my phone. I needed to let Maddie know that Ash knew.
Me: Hey I need to talk to you when you are done at the ranch. Ash knows about the ranch and the whole deal. I told her that I didn’t know what she was talking about, but we need to come up with plan b.
Usually, she messaged me back in less than ten minutes but, this time, I didn’t get a response. She was probably busy with other things, so I would just tell her when my shift ended.
Last time, when I was faced with making a decision, I had chosen the wrong side. Now was different. I would stick by her side through this. I was choosing Maddison, and I could only hope that she was choosing me, too.