I hang up before stalking to her. “I’ve been calling and calling. Can you not pick up the phone and let me know you’re okay?”
She leans back to look up at me and nearly falls over. I rush to grab her arm to keep her steady. “You have my phone number?”
“What are you talking about? Of course, I have your phone number.” I didn’t until a little while ago, but I certainly do now.
She shrugs and steps away from me. “My phone’s in the bedroom. I forgot to grab it when we left.”
I growl. “You can’t go caravanning around without a phone!”
“Caravanning around? Am I gypsy now? Do I need to worry about passing through hostile territory?”
I grit my teeth before I lash out at her again. “It’s an expression.”
She snorts. “An old one.”
“Can you be serious for one minute?”
“Why?” She huffs. “To give you a chance to tell me about your perfect little wife? No thanks.”
My perfect little wife? If she only knew.
She picks up a sofa cushion and peers underneath it. “Where is she anyway?”
“Where’s who?”
“Mrs. Perky Breasts. Who else?”
“She’s certainly not under the sofa.”
She drops the sofa cushion as if she didn’t realize what she was doing.
“She’s not here,” I clarify.
Her nose scrunches up and she appears confused. It’s adorable. “Where is she? Did she go shopping on Main Street?”
I can’t imagine any store on Main Street would meet Sandra’s standards. Not because there’s anything wrong with the local shops, but because Sandra is a snob with a capital S. “She’s staying at the inn.”
“Why?” Her eyes widen and she smacks her forehead. The action causes her to stumble onto the sofa. “She doesn’t need to stay at the inn. I’ll go home and she can stay here. You can share a bed with her. It’s not like you haven’t shared a bed with her before.”
“I am not sharing a bed with her. And you’re not going anywhere.”
“Why not?” She hiccups before lifting her boot. “I can get around just fine now.”
Because I want her to stay. Because I’m a selfish asshole who knows I can’t keep her, but I don’t want her to leave anyway.
When I don’t respond, Ash continues, “It’ll be easier for you to recon- recol- reconcile without me being a third wheel.”
“I don’t want her back,” I grit out.
She raises an eyebrow. “Really? You checked her into the inn this afternoon because you don’t want her?”
I grunt. Damnit. I knew the whole town would know about me checking my ex into the inn before I had a chance to explain to Ash.
“She won’t leave. I can’t kick her out of town.”
She leans back on the sofa and her eyes close. “Sure, you can.”
I open my mouth to respond, but she snores, and I realize she’s out cold. How much did she have to drink?
My phone beeps with a message. We brought Ashlyn back to your house. You owe us.
I shove the phone back in my pocket – there’s no responding to Aspen’s crazy – before picking Ash up and carrying her to bed.
I enjoy the feel of her in my arms where I wish she belonged, but it won’t last forever. Not when I finally tell her why we can’t be together.