30. Chapter 30
Chapter thirty
Aspen
“ H ere’s your copy.”
Smiling, I hand Julia the list of bylaws I’ve drawn up. I needed at least three Directors before I could establish the rescue as a non-profit organization, and lucky for me, Julia and Piper volunteered.
I’ll be handling the day-to-day running. Julia will provide the veterinary services that are beyond my pay grade, and Piper will take charge of any admin required.
“This is so exciting,” she says, peering down at her copy. “It’s starting to feel real, isn’t it?”
“It is.” Slumping into a chair, I can’t stop my smile from widening. This is just another step closer. Once all the legalities are done, I can pour all my attention into making the place operational. It will cost a pretty penny, which is why I still have two jobs.
“How have you been doing?”
She puts down the list and takes her glasses off, pinning me with a no-nonsense look. I was nervous to disclose that I took a second job, but felt that I owed her a heads-up. She was concerned that I was over-extending myself, but other than that, she had no problem with it. I’ve made sure that my work at the clinic hasn’t suffered from it.
Before I can answer, Piper walks in, carrying a riot of blue, pink, and white flowers arranged into a massive bouquet.
“These came for you.”
Things have been a bit awkward between us since our conversation after Frosty’s. They asked me to trust them, and after I had time to think, I have to admit that honestly, I do, but it doesn’t change the fact that I know they’re keeping a secret from me. I don’t know how to feel about that.
“You can put them on the desk for now,” Julia says.
“It came with a card.” I bite back my squeak of surprise when Piper hands me the card. I thought they were for Julia.
Then it dawns on me. Ryan. The ass. I still haven’t forgiven him for scaring me like that. I was so freaked out that I could hardly sleep and spent Saturday moping around my place. It didn’t help that there was no message waiting for me when I woke up that morning, and the next, and I like to pretend to myself that it didn’t leave me feeling hollow. Angry, but hollow. Isn’t that what I’ve been asking him to do? To leave me alone?
“Can I ask you something?” I ask when Piper leaves. I need advice, and I can’t talk to Mom, but she considered Julia a very close friend, so she’s the next best thing. Curiosity is scratching at my brain, demanding I read the card, but it will have to wait till I’m alone.
“You know you can.”
“You and Mom were friends for years.” At her nod, I continue. “What were Mom and Dad like when they started dating?”
Leaning back in her chair, her face takes on a faraway look. “It was like fireworks on the Fourth of July.” She chuckles, but it’s a sad chuckle.
“Really?” I ask, swallowing past the lump in my throat.
“Really. Soap opera-worthy at times. Plenty of ups and downs, break-ups, and make-ups.”
My eyes widen. Well, color me surprised. This was the last thing I was expecting to hear. “Not once did I see them fight. I thought their relationship was perfect.”
She sighs. “There’s no such thing as a perfect relationship. It would be a lot easier if there was, but life isn’t a fairytale, Aspen. They had their issues, but the true beauty of their relationship was that they loved each other enough to fight for it. To not give up. By the time they got married, they’d managed to sand each other’s square pegs into round ones. But make no mistake, they still had their issues.”
“Do you think that’s what I’m doing? Giving up?”
“I’m not going to answer that. I get that you compare all relationships to theirs, but not all relationships are the same. Not all people are the same. Everyone makes mistakes, Aspen. It’s up to you to decide if it’s a mistake you can forgive.”
Julia’s words roll around in my head as I walk to the storeroom, Ryan’s card clutched in my hand. Can I forgive Ryan? The better question is, can I trust Ryan again? I know forgiving someone is a decision, and if I look past what happened with Hadley and focus on the positives—the qualities he has that made me fall in love with him, the amazing relationship we had before Hadley—it should be easy. But it’s not. Hadley’s scheming was the first big test our relationship faced, and he failed spectacularly.
Forgiving him and moving forward will only work if I let that go, and I don’t know how. Ripping open the card, I brace myself for his words.
Aspen
I’m so sorry I scared you. That wasn’t my intention, but it seems no matter how good my intentions are, I just keep messing up. So, just add this sorry to all the other things I need to atone for.
I know you don’t want to hear it, but I love you, and worrying for your safety comes as naturally to me as breathing.
Please don’t ask me not to breathe.
Yours, always.
Ryan
PS I would appreciate it if you didn’t report me to the cops.
I frown. Report him? For following me? The thought didn’t even enter my mind. And after the fright he gave me, it’s more likely that I’d be the one being reported to the cops for manslaughter.
Tucking the card in my coat pocket, I walk back to reception. No matter my inner turmoil, as they say, the show must go on.
“Pretty flowers,” Piper says, as I pick up a file. “They must have cost a fortune,” she continues when I nod.
She’s fishing for information, information I’m not inclined to share with her. I haven’t told her about my and Ryan’s episode after my shift, and I’m not sure why. It’s not because of this awkwardness between us. Maybe it’s because I’m not sure how I feel about what happened. Once I got over the heart-pounding terror and my anger at him for causing it, a kernel of warmth bloomed inside me. Besides Mom and Dad, nobody has cared enough about me to put my safety above all else. To wait in his car, shift after shift, and then follow me home, without me knowing, just to ensure nothing happened to me. Who does that?
It’s clear that he still cares for me. Deeply.
So, I’m taking the flowers home where I’ll most probably stare at them while torturing myself further.
“Are you free tonight?” Piper asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“I have a shift tomorrow, but I’m off tonight.”
“Good. Would you like to come over?”
“Why? Any specific reason?” I ask carefully. It saddens me because a couple of weeks ago, I would have immediately said yes, and I’ll bring a bottle of wine .
“There’s something we want to discuss with you.”
Tapping the file on the counter, I squint at her. “That sounds ominous.”
“No, not at all. It’s just something we want to run by you.”
“Does it have something to do with this secret that you need my trust for?”
And yeah, not knowing bugs me. A lot. I’m hoping if I needle her a lot, she’ll spill. But Piper is a vault where secrets are concerned. I’d have more luck getting Maya to crack.
She sighs and rolls her eyes. “Aspen, really? Stop asking so many damn questions and just tell me if you’ll come.”
“I think I can spare you an hour,” I tease.
I’m about to knock on Piper’s door when Maya calls my name. Closing her door, she hurries to me and pulls me into a hug. I’ve always thought it was cool that they live in the same apartment complex.
“How are you?” She pulls back, scrutinizing my face.
“I think the better question is, how are you?”
She was gutted when Nathan didn’t make it to her showing. I’m sure seeing him at work all the time can’t be easy.
“I’m fine,” she says, waving it off. Yeah, I don’t believe that, but Maya isn’t the type of person you can push. She won’t talk about something if she doesn’t want to. “Good news, though. I’ve sold three paintings. Can you believe it?”
“I totally can. I knew it was only a matter of time. Congratulations, Maya. I’m so proud of you.” This time it’s me pulling her into a hug.
Piper’s door opens, and she stares at us with a raised brow. “Anything you want to tell me?”
“Don’t be an idiot.” We laugh, and I pull away from Maya, following Piper inside.
My laughter dries up when I see Carter sitting on Piper’s couch. “I have a bone to pick with you.” I narrow my eyes at him. “You’ve been snitching on me.”
“Me? I would never.”
He’s being so fake with his wide eyes and his hand on his chest. An actor he’s not.
“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Rose chips in.
He gives her an exasperated look. “Can we just stop with the hostility for one night? And what exactly am I snitching on?” he asks, turning to me.
“Don’t play dumb. My shifts.” I keep my glare pinned on him. He’s going to crack any minute now.
“Oh, that.”
“Yes, that. Why would you do that? That’s not cool, Carter.”
“In my defense, I was trying to keep my friend out of jail,” he says with a sheepish smile. “He was hell-bent on finding out, and you know Ryan, if he gets a fly up his ass, he’s like a dog with a bone. He’d do something stupid like try to hack into their systems to get a hold of their shift schedule.”
“I don’t understand why he just can’t let it go.”
Grumbling, I sit down, taking the beer Piper’s holding out to me.
“He cares about you.” His casual shrug says it’s as simple as that. But it’s not. What am I supposed to do now? Just allow Ryan to loiter outside the club every shift?
“So, you wanted to run something by me?” My words are tentative, and the look I give Piper is even more tentative. I’m not going to deny that curiosity has been eating at me. I don’t think I’m strong enough to survive another blow just yet.
To my surprise, it’s Carter who speaks up.
“Piper told me that it’s official. Your rescue is now a nonprofit. Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thank you,” I say, unable to hide my surprise. The rescue is the last thing I thought we were going to be talking about.
“So, we’ve been putting our heads together and we’ve come up with a plan.”
“Okay…”
“I want you to hear us out without interrupting. Do you think you can do that?”
I make a face at Piper, then nod for Carter to continue. He proceeds to lay out plans for a fundraiser where you buy tickets that get you a cruise around the harbor for you and your pet, dinner, and a raffle at Frosty Frogs.
“So instead of a bring your dog to work day, we do a bring your dog on a cruise day,” he says with a flourish, jazz hands and all.
“We’ll also be providing pup cups for the dogs at Frosty’s,” Rose says, wiggling around in excitement.
I stare at them in silence while they stare at me in expectation.
“So that’s what the secrecy was about?” I choke out and then burst into tears. I’m not a crier, I’m really not, but for the second time in a week, that’s what I’m doing.
“Aspen,” Rose coos, rubbing my back. “We wanted to surprise you.”
“I was so scared I was losing my friends,” I cry. “You were all acting so weird.”
“Never,” Piper proclaims, squeezing in beside me and pulling me into a hug. “You’re stuck with us for life.”
I drive home with a smile on my face. These last few days have been a whiplash of emotions, but tonight’s were the best ever. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve such amazing friends.
We spent the rest of the time going over everything they’ve already organized, and I must say, wow. Just wow. I am incredibly amazed by all the thought and effort that’s gone into it so far, but mostly, I’m thankful. Thankful that I have such amazing friends. And excited. So damn excited. Renovating the rescue by myself has been rewarding, but it’s been incredibly slow going, and there are things I’m just not capable of doing myself. With this, I can see it opening way sooner than I ever dared to hope. I’m so tired of having to turn away unwanted litters and strays at the clinic.
Biting my lip, I make a spur-of-the-moment decision, and changing course, make the drive to Ryan’s house. I need to talk some sense into him. He can’t keep following me home.
I frown at the car parked in his drive. It’s not one I’ve seen before. Tapping the steering wheel, I debate whether I should knock or go home, but the front door opening makes my decision for me.
“Can I help you?” a man calls from the doorway.
“Yes,” I say, reluctantly getting out of my car. “I need to speak to Ryan. Is he here?”
“Ryan?” he asks, confused.
“Yes, Ryan.” Now I’m confused. I glance back at the house, double-checking that I didn’t somehow end up at the wrong house, but nope, it’s still the same.
A lady joins him, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Do you perhaps mean Mr. Milligan?”
“Yes, Ryan Milligan.”
“That’s the man we bought the house from, honey.”
“Ryan sold his house? When?”
She looks at me curiously. “Well, we moved in a little over a month ago. And before you ask, I don’t know where he moved to,” she says cautiously. Not that I blame her. It’s weird, having a stranger show up in the middle of the night asking about the previous owner. I also wouldn’t disclose any details.
I get back in my car after apologizing for interrupting their evening, my mind spinning. What the hell is going on? Ryan loves this house. I feel like crying as I stare at the light pouring out of a window. We had so many good memories in that house. Before all the bad. Why did he sell it? Is he moving away? Why didn’t anyone tell me?
Grabbing my phone, I open it up with shaky fingers. I’m fully aware I’m still sitting in their driveway, but getting answers is more important than freaking them out.
Aspen: You moved
Keeping my eyes glued to the screen, I see three dots appear. They disappear before appearing again. It feels like forever before he comes back with a simple “Yes.”
Yes? That’s it? That’s all he’s giving me?
Aspen: Why?
I don’t care that we’re not together anymore and that it’s none of my business. The need to know why eclipses everything else. I glance up when the front door opens and the stranger—who’s living where he has no reason to be living—frowns at me.
Yeah, buddy. I’ll leave in a second.
This time, it takes him even longer to respond.
Ryan: Can’t talk now. I’m busy with something
For months the man has messaged me, keeping in contact with me, and now, when I finally reach out to him, he’s too busy to talk to me? If I knew where he was, I’d drive over there and give him a piece of my mind.
Huffing, I put my car into drive, and with a cheeky wave to the man still frowning at me, head home.