Always(Time for Love Book 4)(17)

She waited, hoping he’d knock and at least demand what that kiss was about.

But he was gone.

Another ouch.

*****

Brenna pressed Rebecca’s number, praying that her friend wouldn’t mind her calling while she was on her honeymoon. It was mid-afternoon in Paris, and Brenna assumed the newlyweds were doing touristy things instead of... well... being in bed.

“Hi, Bren!” Rebecca answered, sounding delighted.

“Hey, Bec! How’s the honeymoon?”

“Heaven,” Rebecca gushed. “We’re sitting in a café now, relaxing after a morning of sight-seeing. How are you?”

“I’m okay. I hope I’m not interrupting something, but can you talk for a couple of minutes?”

“Sure,” Rebecca replied, sounding worried.

“Bec, do you think Ash ever had feelings for me?” she blurted out.

There was silence on the other end of the line.

“The other girls think so,” she continued, suddenly feeling foolish for calling Rebecca to ask that one question. “But I was wondering if they were mistaken. So I thought I’d ask if you’d noticed what they’d noticed.”

“What brought this up?” Rebecca asked, the eager curiosity in her voice obvious.

She told her friend everything, from that day at the beach—omitting the part where she’d seen Ash naked at Connor and Amanda’s—to her dinner with him that had just finished. “I think that if he ever had feelings for me, they seem to be gone now,” she said sadly.

“Oh, Bren.”

“But I still want to know if you think he ever felt anything for me at all. Because maybe it’s not too late?” she asked hopefully.

She heard Rebecca’s loud sigh. “Yes, I think Ash has feelings for you. I think he’s had it for a long time.”

“Has, not had?”

“Well, as far as I could tell, it was still there when Zach and I left for our honeymoon.”

“How could you tell?”

“He asked me about seating arrangements for our wedding reception. He tried to be vague about it, but it was obvious to me that he wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to be sitting at the same table as Lance. Of course I knew not to sit him at the same table as Lance. I wouldn’t have done that to him. I was glad you were at the bridal table with us, so he didn’t have to watch you sit next to your boyfriend at my wedding.”

Tears sprung to Brenna’s eyes. She couldn’t imagine ever hurting Ash, but from what her friends had said, including this new tidbit from Rebecca, she’d done it many times in the past. “I wish I’d known this before,” she murmured.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything before, Bren. But you didn’t seem to return his feelings, and I didn’t want to open up a can of worms.”

“I’m not blaming you or the others, Bec. I totally understand why you all kept it quiet. You were just protecting him.”

“And you feel differently for him now?”

“I think I’m falling in love with him,” she admitted.

“Wow,” Rebecca said after a pause.

“But he’s keeping me at an emotional distance. Why is he doing that if he’s really interested in me? He’s totally ignoring my flirtations.”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because he’s not sure of how you feel? Maybe he’s scared he might be misreading your flirtations for something else?”

“Or maybe he doesn’t want to encourage me,” she said despondently. “Maybe he’s really interested in Sophie.”

“Who’s Sophie?”

“This woman he’s supposedly seeing. Although he tells me he has no current plans to go out with her.”

“What are you gonna do?”

Brenna thought for a moment. “I’m not giving up on him that easily, Bec.”

“Way to go, honey. I’m cheering for you.”

*****

Brenna turned up at the clinic at eight, two hours earlier than her arranged start time. Even Dora and the morning temp weren’t in yet. Fortunately, one of the doctors was already there, and she let her in.

Ash would be turning up in about ten minutes. She wanted to be there before he got busy with work. She couldn’t wait to see how he’d act around her after she’d kissed him on the lips last night.

After her conversation with Rebecca, she’d made up her mind to continue flirting with him. She wasn’t ready to give up yet.

She turned on her computer, then started going through Ash’s schedule for the day, figuring out when she could bring him his lunch. She enjoyed this part of the job the most. She loved looking after him.

The front door opened and Ash walked in.

“What are you doing here so early, Bren?” he asked in surprise.

“I wanted to be here early,” she said with a smile.

“Why?”

“Just because, Ash,” she replied, peering at him through her lashes.

Ash frowned. “Have you had breakfast?”

“Have you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ash’s lips twitched and he let out a sigh. “Fine. Could you get us both something to eat, please?”

“And what would you like, Doc?” she asked, hiding her smile. She wasn’t expecting this. Their I-eat-when-you-eat arrangement was for lunch only. But she wasn’t going to point that out. At least he’d be getting some sustenance before he started his busy day.