Chapter 41
Sophie
The next day, I get Stella to take me over to our apartment—the apartment that she’s been staying with Gunnar most nights.
I don’t blame her. I don’t much want to be at the castle these days.
I haven’t seen Ashton, and I haven’t asked about him.
It’s taken almost all the willpower that I have, but I’ve done it.
Maybe he’s staying with Fenella. Maybe he’s hanging out with Fern.
Maybe he left Laandia.
I don’t care. About any of it.
Only I do. I know I care because it hurts. Not because Ashton lied to me; technically no lies were told, but he was disingenuous. He was a false friend. Fake, just like what everyone thinks of him and his friends.
Maybe everyone is right. Ashton is a good actor.
He had me fooled.
“What are we doing here?” Stella asks as I sit in the car outside the three-storied Victorian that I called home for months.
It doesn’t feel much like home now.
“I need to see if I can do the stairs,” I tell her. “I want to come home.”
“Why?”
I haven’t told Stella about what happened. I haven’t even mentioned Ashton. And I know she doesn’t know anything, because she would have led off with a litany of curses against him when she picked me up.
“I thought you were getting used to castle life,” Stella continues. “You get taken care of there, so why come back here when you’re going to be stuck on your own. I can help but… Mom’s going to want to come over…”
“I can’t stay there forever.”
“You kind of can. For as long as you want, at least. What’s going on? Did something happen?”
I open the car door. “I just want to try the stairs.”
I make it up three before my toe starts to throb. It’s not a lot, but it’s something, and it’s enough to give me hope that maybe next week, I’ll be recovered enough to move home.
I just want to be out of the castle. Out of where everything reminds me of Ashton.
In all my thoughts about him, my spiralling at night, trying to remember everything he has said to me to find out if he’d ever given me a clue that he was as cowardly and fake as I give him credit for.
I can’t come up with anything, and I spend way too much time remembering every detail about our kisses.
“You okay if we stop for coffee on the way?” Stella says as we pull away from the house. “I was up early with the new litter of puppies.”
“Sure.”
Of course, for once, Stella can’t find parking and sends me in on my own. I only take one crutch this time, so I have a free hand.
Of course, Fenella is inside.
“Sophie,” she says rushing over to me the moment I step inside. “My brother is an idiot.”
I brush past her, heading to the counter with a lopsided gait. “Not as much of an idiot as I am.”
“Oh, no. You’re… Ashton really messed this up. He told me everything.”
“I doubt that.”
“He did. Everything our father told him to do. What’s been happening between the two of you. Sophie.” Fenella catches my wrist. “Ashton told me he’s falling for you.”
My heart gives a traitorous lurch, but I can’t… I can’t.
“That’s what he says.” I try to keep my voice strong and even but it wavers just a little.
And Fenella notices.
“Because it’s the truth,” she says earnestly. I had no idea Fenella could be earnest. So serious. She’s always the life of the party, with her don’t care attitude.
She looks like she cares now. Big purple eyes intent on my face, intense like she’s trying to make me belief her. “I know my brother, and I’ve never seen him like this. Wait here a minute, okay?” And Fenella rushes out of the shop, leaving me confused.
Bewildered.
Feeling things I want to feel but won’t let myself.
Like, what if Ashton did really have feelings for me? But that’s not possible.
Is it?
Silas smiles sympathetically as I make my way to the counter. “Ashton’s staying with us,” he offers. “In case you were wondering.”
“I wasn’t, but thanks.” I might have pulled off the nonchalant attitude, if my voice wasn’t shaking.
“He’s feeling pretty sorry for himself,” Silas adds.
“As he should be,” I tell him curtly.
“Yeah.” He stands for a minute, then asks for my order.
I love that I only have to say it’s for me and Stella for Silas to know exactly what I want. Everyone in Battle Harbour knows what I want, what I’m like.
I’m predictable, dependable, nice. I’m not the type of girl Ashton would want. He’s a billionaire and I… I live here in Battle Harbour. I am not a billionaire, but the manager of a fish and chip place who likes to play at painting.
Ashton doesn’t want me, regardless of what he told Fenella.
Silas meets me at the end of the counter with my drinks.
It’s not as busy today, with only a few of the tables filled.
“Sophie,” Silas says in a low voice. “That family… they’re different then we are.
Fenella… there’s a lot about her that I don’t understand, because I wasn’t brought up like they were.
I could never live the way they have lived.
I don’t get a lot of what she’s been through.
Their father…” He gives a shake. “And their mother.”
“Yeah. I mean, I don’t know but…”
“When she talks about their parents, it’s so unbelievable, like they’re from another planet. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t good people.” He shrugs a shoulder, and I can’t help comparing Silas to Ashton’s graceful shrug.
Ashton in his leather jacket. Cashmere sweater.
Cupping my face as he kisses me.
“I mean, the jury is still out on the parents,” Silas adds with a rueful smile. “But Fenella? And Ashton? I’ve really gotten to know him and he’s, he’s not what you expect. But I think you know that.”
“I thought I did.”
“No.” Silas looks at me steadily. “You do know that. In your heart. And you need to remember that. Ashton made a mistake listening to his father, but he’s not the first son to do that.
But that was the only one. I don’t think Ashton feels that anything about the last few weeks has been a mistake.
Fen says it’s the happiest he’s ever been, and I believe her. You should too.”
“What are you telling me to do, Silas?” I demand.
“Nothing. Nothing at all. I know enough about women not to ever tell them what to do.” Silas laughs without humour. “But maybe just believe in what’s in your heart. And believe in yourself. I know that was a big thing for me, when we got together. It was so unbelievable, that it didn’t feel real.”
“I know the feeling,” I admit.
“But it’s so right, that it has to be real. And.” He shrugs again. “Stranger things have happened. Billionaires seem to go with Battle Harbour these days.”
“Maybe,” I say, and begin to back away, cups in a tray so I can balance with one hand. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
Fenella meets me at the door. “Good, I was afraid you’d leave. Ashton left this for you.” She pushes a dress bag at me.
Arthur’s Attire. “He’s not buying me a dress,” I tell her.
“He said you’d say that, and he said he bought it because every woman in the place was going to snatch it up because you looked so incredible. But he didn’t buy you shoes, because he needs to wait until he gets his first paycheck first.”
“Paycheck.”
“He’s going to be consulting for the king,” Fenella says with a proud smile. “He’ll be staying in Battle Harbour for a while.”
My heart stutters in my chest, trips over itself before it resumes a normal pitter patter. Ashton is staying. Here.
Where I am.
“Why?” I whisper.
Fenella cocks her head, looking so much like her brother that I want to cry. “I think you know why. And if there’s any doubt, he told me to tell you that he’ll be waiting for you at the Sea Queen ball to help you dance. He said it was important that I told you that.”
Heat pricks my eyes and I have blink quickly. “Okay,” I say, because what else do you say when you hear something like that.
“Let me help you get this to the car.” Fenella pushes open the door for me. “He said it was a pretty incredible dress. Can’t wait to see it.”