Since when does Tessa drink espresso? Girl has changed so much over the past year I barely recognize her.
“But something must have started it.”
“God.” She chews on a black-painted nail and scowls at the couple sitting at the next table. They’re holding hands and staring, star-struck, into each other’s eyes. “He asked me to go out with him next Friday. But I had to cancel because of work. And then… I asked him if he was free another day. He said no. I could see he was upset.”
I bite my lip, my eyes stinging. God, no.
“So I said, what about the week after? I said I’ll cancel my next trip. Go camping, go wherever with them. With him. And he told me I should feel free to keep traveling. That I shouldn’t worry about him and his brothers. I told him I can’t do that. Can’t stop worrying. He said he doesn’t want to be my problem.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah.”
“And you told him he’s not a problem.”
“I told him… that he was being an ass.”
“Double ouch.”
“What was I supposed to say?” She leans back in her chair, eyes shimmering. “Why is he acting like that? Hot and cold. He keeps saying I should feel free, have fun, travel—then he gets upset when I’m not always there.”
“So this happened before? That he got upset because of you being so busy?”
She shakes her head. “No. He’s always been so su
pportive, Aud. Always telling me I should do my thing, follow my dreams, find myself. Only…”
“Only what?”
“I want him. Him, and his brothers, this little family we have. Above all I want Dylan, and I’m so scared that somehow I managed to break what we have.”
“It’s not you, Tess. Something doesn’t make sense here. He loves you.”
“But what if it’s not enough? What if I’m not enough?”
“Tess, no, you can’t start thinking like that again. This is a misunderstanding. It will be cleared, and everything will be fine.”
Has to be.
I have to talk to Ash.
“I’d give everything else up,” she says, her voice cracking. “Doesn’t he know that? Everything to be with him.”
“I’m sure he knows,” I say even as doubt assaults me. “Don’t worry, girl. It’ll be all right.”
I only wish I were as sure as I sounded…
***
“He what?” I stare at Ash who has just told me he retrieved Zane who’s had a bad flashback and got lost wandering in the city. “Why didn’t you tell me? Us? Dakota was with us. You should have told us immediately.”
“Sorry.” He’s not meeting my gaze, his face drawn with fatigue. “My first thought was to go get him, make sure he’s safe, and then… then we talked, and I didn’t wanna worry anyone. Tyler called Dakota, though, sometime after we brought Zane home.”
“That’s why she left earlier.” I check on Scott who’s fast asleep in his crib by the sofa. “She wouldn’t say why.”
“Sorry, Auds, I’m—”
I kneel in front of him, put my hands on his knees. “Breathe, Ash. And tell me what happened.”