After so many weeks of tormenting herself over her feelings for Nash, everything finally felt clear.
“I promise,” Ashley said, coming quickly to her feet. At last, she knew exactly what she needed to do. Right away. Before it was too late. “I need to tell Nash that I’m sorry, that I love him, and that I’m willing to face any and all battles if it means we get to be together.”
Her mother rose and said, “Go find him, honey. And know that your father and I are with you every step of the way.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Ashley ran back through the forest, taking off her heels so that she could run faster, ignoring the leaves and sticks poking her bare feet. Her family was still gathered in the garden, but Nash was nowhere to be seen.
“Where’s Nash?”
Lola reached for her hand. “He’s gone, Ash. I’m so sorry.”
No! He had told her he loved her in front of her entire family—and then because he loved her, because he cared so deeply about Kevin’s well-being and future happiness, he’d done what she’d asked him to do, and he’d left.
Pulling her hand from Lola’s, Ashley whirled and ran out of the garden, down the driveway, and out to the road. She would find him, damn it, no matter what it took. No matter how far she had to run.
And then, thank God, she saw his busted-up old van on the side of the road a quarter of a mile away. It looked like it had a flat tire.
Divine intervention.
“Nash!” She yelled his name as she ran, calling out to him again and again until she was close enough for him to finally hear her.
At first, he looked like he couldn’t believe his eyes. And then he got up from where he’d been changing the tire and started running straight for her.
Seconds later, they fell into each other’s arms in the middle of the road. And just as she’d known all along, no matter how hard she’d tried to fight it, there in Nash’s arms was exactly where she was meant to be.
“I’m sorry, Nash. I was wrong. I never should have asked you to go. I never should have cared what other people think about our relationship. All that matters is what we think. And that we love each other.” She cupped his jaw and drank in the face that had become so very dear to her. Not because he was her fantasy lover, but because he was real, and wonderful, and had made mistakes. Just like she had. “Thank you for writing the most beautiful song in the world for me. Thank you for putting your entire heart on the line for me. You are so full of love. You’re such a wonderful person, not despite your past, but because of your past. The things you’ve been through and the choices you’ve made, both good and bad, have made you the man you are today. I’m so proud of the man you are, and I’ll happily shout it to the rooftops from this moment forward. Because I love everything about you, Nash. I’ll always love you. Past, present, and future.”
“I love you, too, Ash.” There was wonder in his eyes as he held her. “I love you so damned much. More than I knew it was possible to love anyone or anything. And Kevin too. I love your son. I want to stay and be with you. Both of you. In Vienna, you said that you weren’t the woman for me, but you are. I think I knew that from the very first moment I set eyes on you.”
“I knew it too,” she told him, “just from talking with you. I felt so comfortable. Like I could be myself with you in a way I had never been able to be with anyone else, not even my family. And then when you kissed me, for the first time in my life, I knew what it was to be completely alive.”
“You brought me to life, too, Ash. I thought I was coming here to buy an old van with the potential to be more so that I could keep being free forever. But now I know that freedom is nothing but an illusion without love. And as soon as I showed up in town, and you kissed me at the café, I couldn’t stop secretly hoping that you might see my potential, even if I’d never been able to see it in myself. The fact that you can accept me for both the man I am now and the idiot I used to be means everything to me. But I still could never forgive myself if my being in your life ever hurts you and Kevin in any way.”
“First of all, you might have been an idiot at times, but that didn’t happen for no reason. You were hurt. And you were scared. So you lashed out at the world. But you made it through the darkness with an even bigger heart than you would have otherwise had. You downplay everything you’ve done to help others, the charities you’ve anonymously funded, the families you’ve supported, the way you give endless joy to people all over the world with your music, and how you’ve brought such joy not only to my life, but my son’s life too. And I want you to know that possibly getting hurt in the future is a risk I’m willing to take, both for myself and my son. With you, I finally understand that love—true love—is worth the risk. And I want Kevin to see it too. That when you find the one person you’ve been looking for your whole life, you shouldn’t hesitate to risk everything for them.”