Hold on to My Heart (Maine Sullivans)

“Maybe that’s because there was no chemistry between you and your blind date,” Cassie suggested. “Someone can be great on paper, but that doesn’t mean that you’re going to fit together like puzzle pieces.”

“And maybe,” Lola said, “it means you should spend more nights with Nash. From everything you’ve said, it sounds like he had as good a time with you as you had with him. Are you sure one night is all you can ever have with him?”

“Can you imagine Nash Hardwin living in Bar Harbor?” Ashley asked her sisters. “First of all, he’s always lived on the road, so I can’t imagine him wanting to settle in a small town. And even if he miraculously did want to move here, people in town would talk about his past.”

“What about his past?” Cassie asked.

“He spent some time in jail when he was younger. It’s not because he’s a bad person,” she said, needing her sisters to know. “He was just lashing out at the world because—” No, she couldn’t share his secrets with her sisters. All she could say was, “He had a difficult upbringing, and I think it took him a while to make peace with it all. But if Nash and I were together, the sad truth is that gossip and conjecture about his past could end up hurting Kevin. And that’s something I can never allow to happen.” She gave a firm shake of her head. “I’m happy savoring the memories of our amazing and magical twenty-four hours together. But at the same time…” Ashley let out a big sigh. “When I was in Vienna, I told myself I was being brave and turning over a new leaf by being with Nash. I vowed to be a woman of adventure and embrace my sexuality when I came home. But even though we were only together for twenty-four hours, I miss him. It wasn’t just that the sex was hot, it was also that it felt like we became friends.”

Lola put her arm around Ashley. “I hear what you’re saying about gossip affecting Kevin—although I’m not convinced that’s an unsurmountable problem—but are you absolutely sure you won’t see each other again?”

“I’m sure.” That was why their good-bye had been so painful. Because they both knew it was the last time. “And it’s for the best, since it would be impossible to fit into each other’s lives when he’s always on the road, and I need to be here until Kevin is eighteen and heads off to college. But at the same time, I’ll never regret being with him, because Nash helped me finally see that my life can be bigger, better, and more full of pleasure than I’ve let it be all these years.”

“I’m really proud of you, Ash,” Lola said. “I know that might sound weird—that I’m proud of you for sleeping with a rock star. But it’s a big deal that you finally let yourself have a good time.”

“The best time,” Ashley said. But now that she’d shared so much with her sisters, she was ready to get out of the spotlight again. Turning to Cassie, she asked, “How are you feeling about the wedding? Is there anything more I can do to help?”

Cassie looked radiant. “I can’t wait to marry Flynn! I know saying our vows to each other shouldn’t change anything when we already live together and are raising Ruby, but it still feels like it will.”

“Of course it will,” Ashley agreed. “Promising forever to the person you love most in the whole world, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse? It’s the best kind of miracle! I know you and Flynn have already pledged yourselves to each other in private, but it will be such an honor to be present as you say your vows in front of everyone who loves you.”

Cassie threw her arms around Ashley. “You said exactly what I’ve been feeling.”

Lola put her arms around both of them, and just as they had so many times before, the three sisters held on tight and didn’t let go.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Josh barged into Ashley’s office in the back of the café kitchen fifteen minutes after she arrived at work.

“How do you expect me to be able to take Kevin for a big trip on spring break on my salary?” he accused. “Not everyone has a rich family like yours handing us everything on a silver platter.”

She tried not to grit her teeth. This was one of Josh’s favorite arguments, that her family had handed her career and savings account to her because her last name was Sullivan, rather than because she worked hard and had great ideas and followed through.

“Maybe if my family was full of movie stars or married to rock stars and billionaires,” Josh continued, “I would have no problem giving our kid everything he wants, just like you do.”