Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Ashlyn
Christmas Eve
“Come to mine and get ready,” I say to Ivy down the phone. “We can have a glass of wine while you curl my hair.”
Ivy laughs. “So, it’s my hair curler you want, not me?”
“Well, I want you and the hair curler,” I tease. “The curler’s no good if you’re not with it.”
“Charming,” Ivy deadpans.
I laugh. “You know I love you! Now get your ass over here. There’s wine to be drinking!”
She laughs again. “I’m on my way, and I’m raiding your closet if I’m curling your hair!”
“Deal.”
I end the call and head into my small, open-plan kitchen, pulling down two wine glasses before grabbing the already open bottle of wine from the fridge and filling both glasses.
Taking one glass, I head to the living room while I wait for Ivy. She only lives on the next street over, so she won’t be long.
As I sink into the sofa, my mind drifts back to the other night, and that ridiculously hot kiss Ben and I shared.
It’s all I’ve thought about for the past two days.
That, and how easy and fun the whole night was.
I keep wondering if he’s been thinking about it too.
I really wish I had his number. Normally, I love the holidays and never want to rush through them, but right now?
I’d go back to work tomorrow if it meant seeing him again.
The intercom buzzes, pulling me from my thoughts, and I stand, cross the space, and lift the phone.
“It’s me,” Ivy sings down the line and I laugh.
“Come on up.”
I replace the phone and open the door. She’ll be a few minutes. She hates elevators and always takes the emergency stairwell.
Minutes later, she flies through the door, dropping a bag on the floor and kicking off her shoes. “Right, I’m here. Where’s the wine?”
I laugh as I grab her glass from the countertop and hand it to her. “Come on,” I tell her, walking toward my bedroom and gesturing for her to follow. “You can go through my closet.”
I sit on the bed and watch as she riffles through the racks.
“Have you seen much of Ben this week?” she asks over her shoulder.
I grin. “Maybe.”
She spins around, her eyes sparkling. “Well? What happened?”
I smile. “He asked me out for a drink after work the other day.”
She squeals and bounces over, sitting down next to me on the bed. “Oh my God, Ash! Why didn’t you tell me?”
I laugh. “You’ve been out of town, Ivy. I haven’t had the chance.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well, that’s what phones are for! Now, spill.”
I nod toward the dress in her hand. “You’d look amazing in that.”
She looks down at the dress, then back at me. “Thanks. But quit stalling and tell me everything!”
I grin, loving her excitement. She’s my biggest cheerleader through this and everything, and I’ve been dying to share it with her.
For the next ten minutes, I fill her in on how Ben started seeking me out after the cooking class, hanging out in my classroom every afternoon, talking about everything and nothing, and how that night he asked me for a drink and it turned into dinner at Eden.
She’s smiling so wide she practically bounces on the bed as I go on.
“So, what happened when he took you home?” she asks, her eyes wide.
I smile softly. “He walked me to the door and kissed me. Ivy, it was incredible. No one’s ever kissed me like that.”
She lets out a delighted squeal and pulls me into a tight hug. “I’m so excited for you, Ash! When do you get to see him again?” I pull a face, and she raises a brow. “What?”
“I don’t have his number and no way of contacting him, so I don’t, at least not until school starts back up.”
She frowns. “So, he kisses you and then just… leaves?”
I shrug. “Yeah. Pretty much.”
“Why didn’t you ask for his number?”
I sigh. “I wanted to. I wimped out,” I admit quietly.
“What about Insta? Surely you can find him on there.”
“I’m not going to stalk him on social media, Ivy.”
She chuckles. “It’s never stopped you before.”
I dig my elbow playfully into her side. “Rude!”
She raises her eyebrows. “But true.”
I sigh again. “Yeah, but Ben’s different. I don’t want to mess this up.”
She takes my hand and squeezes gently. “He likes you, Ash. He kissed you. That’s not nothing.”
I look down at our joined hands. I still can’t let myself believe that yet. I want it to be true, but I’m cautious. “Yeah, maybe. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.”
I drop her hand, stand up, and head toward the door, determined to change the subject. “Now, go try that dress on. You’ll look amazing.”
“I see what you’re doing, Ashlyn Brookes,” she calls after me. “You can’t fool me. I’ve known you too long.”
“Show me the dress when you’ve got it on,” I shout, ignoring her comment as I close the door behind me and head back to the living room.
She’s right; I can’t fool her. She knows exactly how into him I am. I’ve never been the shy type when it comes to going after what I want, even if it’s never really worked out before. But this feels different. And the last thing I want to do is ruin it by saying too much, too soon.
Just over an hour later, we’re all gathered around one of the booths in a packed Eden. Seb has to work the bar, but other than him, everyone’s here. It doesn’t happen all that often with Wyatt being away, and Nash and Paisley working shifts, but I love it when it does.
“Hey, Ash,” Taylor says excitedly. I look across at her. “I think you might have an admirer.”
I frown. “What? Who?”
“Yeah, who?” Nash asks from beside me.
Taylor gestures with her head to the dance floor. “The guy in the blue shirt.”
I look out to where she’s looking, my heart pounding and my cheeks flushing with heat.
“You know him?” she asks.
“Yeah, I know him.”
His gaze holds mine, and he smiles before heading over.
“Who is he?” Paisley asks, the whole table listening to my and Taylor’s exchange.
“My boss.”
“That’s Principal Murphy?” Paisley whispers.
I’d told Paisley and Taylor about Ben and our impromptu cooking class last week. I think they knew I liked him, and it looks like everyone’s about to meet him.
“Hey, Ashlyn. How’s your Christmas vacation going?” he asks, his eyes still fixed on mine.
My heart thunders in my chest. I can’t believe he’s here. I never specifically told him I’d be here tonight, but I did say I’d be in Eden over the holidays. Did he come looking for me?
“Yeah, good. You?” He nods, and I turn to everyone. “Guys, this is Ben Murphy, my principal.” I look back at Ben. “Ben, this is my family. My brothers, Wyatt, Nash, and Cade. This is Cade’s wife, Sophie, Nash’s girlfriend, Paisley, and our friends, Ivy and Taylor.”
He laughs. “That’s a lot of names to remember. Great to meet you all.”
After everyone says hello, his eyes find mine again.
“Can I buy you a drink, Ash?”
Butterflies erupt in my stomach, and my cheeks heat further as everyone looks at me while they await my reply. I’m not going to say no, even if this is playing out in front of my family.
“Umm… sure.”
I push back from the table and flash a grin over my shoulder at the girls before heading off with him.
After weaving our way through the crowd to the bar and grabbing drinks, we manage to snag a free high table near the door.
I hop up onto one of the stools, watching as Ben takes the seat next to me.
“You look amazing,” he says, his eyes trailing over me with a soft smile. “Gone for sequins over glitter tonight, huh?”
I grin. “Christmas Eve calls for sequins. It’s an unwritten rule.”
He glances down at his shirt, tugging at the collar. “Clearly, I didn’t get the memo.”
I laugh. “I think you could definitely pull off sequins.”
His eyes flash with heat. “Maybe, but I’m pretty sure you wear them better.”
My cheeks flush with heat, and I brush my hands down my black sequined mini dress, suddenly certain I’d picked the perfect outfit for tonight.
I lean in slightly so he can hear me over the music, “So, what brings you to Eden?”
He grins. “You said it was a good night out. I figured I’d see for myself. I hope your family didn’t mind me stealing you away from them.”
I laugh, waving him off. “Please. They see more than enough of me.”
I take a sip of my drink and sneak a glance at him, only to find he’s watching me with that easy smile of his, the kind that makes my stomach do a ridiculous little flip.
It’s hard to know if he’s aware of the effect he has on me, or if he’s affected by me, despite the compliment about my dress.
Still, he’s here. That has to mean something, right?
We spend the next hour talking. The conversation flows easily like it always does, but there’s something different tonight. It feels like he’s holding back, like there’s a shift that I can’t quite put my finger on. I don’t know what’s changed, or why, but it leaves me second-guessing.
“I’m just going to run to the restroom,” I say, grabbing my purse. “I’ll be right back.”
He nods, and I slide off the stool, making my way through the crowd to the other side of the bar. There’s a long line for the ladies room, so I slip into the staff restroom instead. Perks of being a regular, I guess. I get a few looks from the women waiting, but I ignore them.
A few minutes later, I head back across the bar, but when I reach our table, Ben is gone. Two women are now sitting where we were, chatting over cocktails like they’ve been there all night.
My stomach dips.
“Hey, sorry,” I say, forcing a smile as I step closer. “Did you see where the guy who was sitting here went?” I’m really hoping he just went to grab another drink.
One of them looks up. “Guy in a blue shirt? He just left. We grabbed the table as soon as it opened up.”
He just… left? Without even saying goodbye?
“Thanks,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper as they turn back to their conversation.
I stand there for a moment, unsure what to do. Part of me wants to believe there’s a reason, that maybe he got a call or had to leave suddenly. But deep down, the quiet sting of disappointment settles in my chest.
After everything… after that kiss… he didn’t even say goodbye.
And no matter how hard I try to brush it off, it hurts.