Chapter 14 Allie #2
He gestured at the window and Allie gazed out at the moonlit park where families walked and chatted, surrounded by twinkling lights and a swirl of snow. Skaters on the pop-up ice rink twirled and smiled, looking like they were having so much fun.
“Libby wasn’t super hands-on with Maya,” he said softly.
“And I hate to admit it, but I didn’t exactly make up for it until she left and I realized how much of Maya’s care had been falling on babysitters.
It’s another reason we’re here. I want to build something for us, between us.
And I think it will be easier in a quieter environment. ”
“I don’t know if a location can make people closer or farther apart,” Allie said. “I think it’s all about intentions and time. And you two seem really close to me. She talks about you all the time at school.”
“She does?” Ash asked.
The hopeful expression on his face tugged at her heart.
“Oh yes,” Allie told him. “She loves playing games with you and cooking dinner together.”
“The little things,” Ash said, his eyes far away. “That’s what the parenting books all talk about. I guess it’s true.”
“Life is the little things,” Allie said.
“Her mom is more about the big gestures,” Ash said. “And they definitely make an impression. I think that’s why Maya doesn’t mind her not living with us, because when she comes around she sometimes makes magic happen.”
“You two are kind of opposites, aren’t you?” Allie realized. “I guess that’s why you fell in love. Do you think you might work things out and get back together?”
“No,” Ash said with a horrified expression on his face.
“I don’t mean to offend you,” Allie said right away. “But even all this, right now, it’s for her benefit. She’s obviously on your mind a lot. Maybe you’re not really over her.”
“I just don’t want her feeling like she’s so important,” Ash said firmly.
“Why this though?” Allie asked. “You could have just laughed off what I said and told her the truth. There are plenty of ways to let someone see they aren’t the most important thing in your life besides staging elaborate hoaxes.”
Ash looked at her appraisingly for a moment across the table.
There was a little flutter in her chest at his intense gaze, and she tried to quiet it.
“Can I be honest with you?” he asked after a moment.
“Of course,” she told him.
“It was satisfying to see Libby’s reaction to what you said, of course,” he said. “But that’s not the real reason I went along with it.”
“Why else would you go along with it?” Allie asked.
“I was kind of already looking for an excuse to get to know you better,” Ash said, his eyes serious.
Allie froze.
She had been secretly wishing for him to say those words all this time, pining for him and dreaming about their kiss throughout the week.
And now here they were in a romantic restaurant, in the glow of the pretty twinkle lights. He was gazing across the table, looking criminally handsome, telling her he was interested.
And for once, her heart wasn’t fluttering and her cheeks weren’t heating.
What’s wrong with me? Am I destined to be alone?
“Oh,” she said softly after a moment, uncertain what to say when her dream was coming true, but her heart didn’t believe it.
“You don’t feel the same,” he said, without leaning back, his dark eyes still fixed on hers, his voice calm and measured. “I get it.”
“I’m just… surprised,” she managed. “That’s all.”
“So, would you consider it?” he asked, tilting his head slightly in a way that seemed almost familiar.
“Yes,” she said carefully. “I’d like us to get to know each other better.”
“You would?” he asked, one brow arched in that way that gave her butterflies before.
She nodded slowly.
“Excellent,” he said. “Well then, I’m sorry I didn’t bring you flowers tonight.”
“You’re helping me get a greenhouse,” she reminded him automatically.
He laughed, and the warmth in his laughter melted a bit of her uncertainty.
I really was just surprised, that must have been it. I do like him.
“It’s true,” she teased. “You’re not just giving me flowers, you’re giving me vegetables, and herbs, and topsoil…”
“I like that,” he said, nodding and leaning back at last. “You’re a woman with high standards, Allie Lawrence, as well you should be. You deserve a greenhouse.”
After lying to her own parents, Allie wasn’t sure what she deserved anymore. And something didn’t feel right about being on a date as part of an exchange. Talking about the greenhouse made her wonder if that was why she was feeling off about his declaration.
But when she thought about it, the greenhouse wasn’t really for her. It was for her students. And when they’d first met, she hadn’t known Ash had money, and never expected to get a greenhouse from him, or anything else for that matter. So she didn’t need to feel bad about it.
If she was really being honest with herself, she’d been looking for an excuse to get to know Ash better, too. That was why she’d gone ahead with this whole crazy scheme.
So why do I feel like we’re having a business negotiation instead of confessing our feelings?
But that was probably just her nerves. She had no real dating experience to speak of. She was just feeling a little overwhelmed, and that was okay.
She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, just like she taught her students to do when they were overwhelmed.
Immediately she felt better, and ready to enjoy the rest of the night.
Maybe they were only in this situation because they were both bad at asking people out. But however it had happened, Allie was glad to be here with Ash now.