“Because you’re still in love with Sandra.” Duh.
He recoils. “What makes you think that?”
“Let me count the ways. One, you haven’t been with anyone since you returned to town after your divorce.” And yes, I would know. This is Winter Falls after all, and I do have stalkerish tendencies.
“Two, you didn’t kick Sandra out of town.” No, he checked her into the inn my sister owns. Did he not realize I’d find out about it before Sandra’s luggage was in her room?
“And, three.” I lower my voice and imitate him. “You can’t have a relationship with anyone.”
A muscle in his jaw ticks. “I’m not in love with Sandra.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Prove it.”
“Okay. How?”
Crap. I didn’t think he’d agree. Now what?
“Kick her out of town.”
“I’m not the Chief of Police. I can’t simply get rid of someone because I don’t want her here.”
Damn. He’s right. I’m not backing down, though. The words ‘back down’ are not in my vocabulary.
I throw the covers off of me to discover I’m still dressed. What did I do? Pass out in my clothes? Apparently so.
“You’ll figure out a way,” I tell him. “In the meantime, I need to get to work.”
I’m lying. I finished all my projects early, but I can always use the time to update my website and do some marketing to find new clients.
“Ash,” he pleads.
I hold up a hand to stop whatever words are going to come out of his mouth.
“Nope. I don’t want to hear it. Actions speak louder than words.”
I march into the bathroom. I nearly slam the door behind me, but I don’t want Rowan to know how much his unwillingness to move forward with a relationship with me is hurting me even though it’s killing me. I shut the door and lean against it.
Only when I hear his footsteps retreating from the room do I slide to the floor and bury my face in my hands. I inhale through my nose and exhale out through my mouth the way I learned in that stupid meditation class I was forced to attend in college because of a fight I did not cause. It doesn’t help.
Tears leak out of my eyes and my heart rate skyrockets until I’m the picture of a blubbering fool on the floor of the bathroom. I knew this would happen. I knew living with Rowan – albeit temporarily – would destroy me. And I did it anyway. I’m such a fool.
No more, Ashlyn. No more. Put on your big girl panties. It’s time to commence Project Forget Rowan Ever Existed. I’ll get right on that. Just as soon as I can stop my eyes from leaking and my heart from breaking into a million pieces.