Hold on to My Heart (Maine Sullivans)

She took a deep breath. Kevin is going to be just fine, she reminded herself. You’re here to have a fantastic weekend abroad.

Working hard to push away her concerns, determined to make the most of her mini-break, she focused her attention on the streets of downtown Vienna.

Ashley had lucked out in finding an apartment that overlooked Michaelerplatz, a circular street with a fountain at the center of it, in the heart of the city. The door to her building was accessed through a narrow cobblestone walkway, and though it hadn’t been easy to carry her heavy suitcase up three flights of stairs, it had been worth it. Looking out over the city center, she felt at once safe and secure from the crowds, while still being a part of it all.

There were plenty of people up and about in early-morning Vienna. The café tables were full of tourists and local business people having coffee or tea and eating what looked like delicious Viennese breakfast specialties.

She had been nervous about looking like a tourist, so she’d packed carefully, erring on the side of elegant versus casual, when she normally lived in jeans and T-shirts in Bar Harbor. Though she’d never manage to pull off the slightly edgy looks of the beautifully dressed local women heading off to work, she was glad she’d carefully curated her wardrobe for the next couple of days.

Ashley grinned, thinking about how her family would react if she came home with a Vienna-inspired platinum-blond pixie cut, instead of her usual shoulder-length, wavy brown hair. For a few moments, it was fun to imagine being someone else. A hotshot CEO. A television star. Or even a take-no-prisoners man-eater who dazzled with sex appeal.

She laughed at the preposterousness of being anyone other than a small-town single mom. Hearing her laughter, a handsome man looked up at her from the street below. His suit was smooth, his hair slick, and his flirtatious smile told her he had a well-earned reputation as a lady-killer. But for all his good looks, he didn’t make her heart race.

Ashley had always been attracted to rugged-looking men who didn’t necessarily shave every day or feel at home in a suit and tie. Though she hadn’t had any serious relationships since high school, she had just as many needs as anyone else. The big difference between her and other women was that at seventeen, she had made her son the center of her world. And since there weren’t any men she trusted not only with her heart, but also with her son’s, she accepted that the closest she would get to being with a man for the foreseeable future would be her secret late-night fantasies about musician Nash Hardwin.

She’d never been one to pay much attention to celebrities or pop culture, but there was something about his music that always tugged at her. After seeing him in concert on a rare night out several years ago, she’d found herself falling asleep dreaming about sharing his bed. Some women dreamed about movie stars, others about professional athletes. Her late-night fantasies about Nash were her little secret.

Maybe once Kevin was eighteen, and Ashley had successfully launched him into the world, she might consider putting her own needs as a sensual woman a little higher on the list. But definitely not before then.

There was no point in denying that getting pregnant her very first time in bed with a guy had left her scarred. Scarred enough that since then, she’d preferred to keep her life on the straight and narrow in order to keep both herself and Kevin safe and sound. For now, her late-night fantasies about a sexy rock star she would never meet would have to be good enough.

Stepping back inside, she headed for the shower. Thirty minutes later, she was dressed in a beautifully printed wrap dress that her sister Lola had given her as a birthday present last year. Putting on her ballet flats, she did a twirl in front of the mirror, feeling pretty and happy. She was ready to soak up as many wonders of Vienna as she possibly could during the next two days.

She was just walking out the door when a text came in from Brandon.

Hey, Ash, hope your flight was good and that you slept well last night. Since you wouldn’t agree to stay in my hotel, I insist on taking you to breakfast. Text me once you’re awake, and I’ll meet you at the café across from your apartment.

Brandon, like everyone else in her family, was determined to take care of her. It was why she hadn’t wanted to stay in his newest hotel, even though she knew it would be incredibly luxurious. For once, she wanted to do exactly what she wanted to do. She hoped having a little separation would keep her brother from trying to babysit her on her first trip abroad. Plus, she knew how busy he was during one of his hotel launches. She didn’t want him to feel like he had to take his eye off his own ball because of her.