Page 40 of Let Me Love You

“Ash…”

“Colt—”

“Tell me we’re okay,” he cuts me off. “I’m begging you. Please.” He reaches for my hands, loosening their death grip on my messy hair and bringing them to his lips. He kisses my knuckles and squeezes me tightly as if he’s terrified it’ll be the last time I let him touch me. The last time he’ll get to kiss me. “Please tell me we’re okay.”

It’s like a knife is lodged in my chest. Like I can’t breathe. And hearing the pain in his voice? It leaves me shredded.

“I’m not breaking up with you,” I whisper. The need to comfort him is too strong to deny, but I pull one of my hands away and wipe beneath my eyes. “I just…I need a minute. Can you give me that? Please?”

He nods and lets me go. “Yeah. Sure thing. Whatever you need.”

“Thanks.” I sniff and slip out from beneath the covers. “Will you text Blake or Mia orsomeone? Ask them to come pick me up?”

“Let me take you to them,” he begs. “Please?”

“Okay.”

12

MIA

Icalled in sick.

So sue me.

After Logan sent everyone a link to a super shitty article involving Ashlyn and Colt, I knew we’d need girl time now more than ever.

Most of the items in the townhouse have already been packed up and carted away since only Blake and I still live here. But I figured the familiar ambiance would settle Ashlyn’s already frazzled nerves. Twisting off the lid from the tequila bottle, I pour shots and line them up next to the salt shaker and wedges of lime. It’s barely noon, but sometimes a little day drinking is just what the doctor ordered, and I plan to deliver.

Kate waves off the shot, choosing a ginger ale instead. Blake, Ashlyn, and I lick our hands, shake some salt into them, and slap the shot glasses against the counter, drinking the bitter liquor and biting into our limes. Round two has us repeating the ritual. Ashlyn’s nose scrunches as my phone vibrates with a text. I pull it out, finding a message from Colt.

Ashlyn’s nose scrunches as my phone vibrates with a text, and I pull it out.

Colt

Ice cream’s on the porch. Didn’t want to interrupt but figured you girls could use some snacks. Tell Ash I love her.

My lips tilt up as I tuck my phone back into my pocket and open the front door. Sure enough, there’s a sack full of different flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, along with a pack of gummy bears. Normally, I wouldn’t be affected by the charm of a groveling man, but Colt’s different. Because he does thoughtful things like this even when heisn’tin the dog house. And it has to count for something. Right?

“What are you doing?” Ash asks. Her eyes are still red from crying. The girl’s been sobbing on and off since Colt dropped her off this morning.

I lift the sack and show her. “A little elf dropped off goodies.”

Blake snatches the bag from my grasp and digs through it, raising the cinnamon bears high into the air. “Two elves. Thank you, Teddy!” she calls to no one in particular and rips it open with her teeth.

“Nowit’s time to spill.” I head to the couch, tucking my feet beneath my butt on the worn cushions while the rest of the girls join me in the family room. Once they’re seated, I begin. “How are you feeling about everything, Ash? We promised you didn’t need to talk about it until you’d had a stiff drink, and you’ve had two shots, so spill.”

Ash closes her eyes but takes a deep breath, letting the warmth from the tequila spread into her limbs the same way it’s spreading into mine.

“I feel…really crappy.” Her laugh breaks my heart as she opens her eyes again. “I feel like my entire world has shifted on its axis, and I don’t know what to do about it. I feel like the baby looks just like Colt. And I feel guilty for being upset about it. I feel like I’m a bad girlfriend for even considering breaking up with Colt over this. And it’s not like I want to,” she clarifies. “It’s… Am I standing in the way? I know what it’s like to have parents who aren’t present in your life. What if Colt wants to give his relationship with this woman another chance?”

“Whoa,” Blake interrupts. “No offense, but Colt’s head over heels for you. There’s no way he’d want to try and have a relationship with someone else.”

“And I don’t want him to,” Ash argues. “But saying it out loud? Doesn’t it make me a terrible person?”

“You’re not a terrible person,” I interject. “Seriously. You’re one of the most amazing, thoughtful, and caring people I’ve ever met.”

“Agreed,” Kate adds, taking another sip of her ginger ale.