Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Ashlyn
It’s nearly midnight by the time I’m discharged from the hospital. With a fractured wrist, a mild concussion, and stitches on my neck, I’m beyond ready for this day to be over.
Hope Creek is a small town, and word of the school lockdown spread fast. The waiting room had been packed with friends and family, a steady stream of people coming to check on me while I waited to be seen. I’m grateful for their support, but right now, all I want is to go home.
“Ready to go, Ash?” Ben asks, slipping an arm around my waist as he guides me through the emergency department toward the waiting room.
“More than ready,” I murmur, wincing as a sharp pain shoots up my arm.
We haven’t had a chance to talk about us and what all of this means. Ben’s been by my side through everything tonight, but I don’t know where that leaves us, and I’m too scared to ask.
“Where is everyone?” I ask, glancing around the now nearly empty waiting room.
“I asked them to head home,” Ben says. “Told them you’d see them tomorrow. You’ve had a hell of a night. I know you appreciate them coming, but I can see how exhausted you are.”
A small smile tugs at my lips. “Pretty sure you just read my mind. Thank you, Ben.”
“How did Laney get home?” I ask, noticing she’s not in the waiting room either.
“Officer Jenks took her,” Ben says, his voice tight.
I frown. “Officer Jenks?”
“The guy she went on a date with. He was working tonight.”
“You met him?” I ask as he leads me outside and across the parking lot toward his car.
“Briefly.”
I grin. “Sounds like it’s going well, then?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
I smirk. “You’re not planning on being an overprotective dad, are you? You know how annoying overprotective family members can be.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, I have some experience with that. I’ll behave, I promise.”
“Good.”
He opens the car door for me, and I gingerly slide in. Every part of me aches from the way Eddie manhandled me.
I lean my head back against the plush leather seat and sigh.
Exhaustion weighs on me, but I know sleep won’t come easily, not when my mind is still reeling from everything that happened.
I want to ask Ben to stay the night, knowing that as soon as I close my eyes, all I’ll see is Eddie.
But I don’t want to push him, not when I know he’s still struggling with Molly’s death.
“How are you feeling?” Ben asks as he pulls away from the hospital.
“Sore,” I admit. “Eddie was rough with me. I think I’m going to feel it even more tomorrow.”
Ben exhales sharply. “God, I wish Nash had done more than just clip his shoulder.”
“Me too,” I whisper.
I frown as I realize we’re heading away from Hope Creek and away from my apartment.
“Where are we going?” I ask, confused.
“My place.”
“Oh, okay,” I reply, trying not to let my surprise show.
He reaches across the car and tangles his fingers with mine.
“We need to talk, Ash, but tomorrow, when you’re feeling better.”
I stay silent as his thumb gently traces circles on my skin.
The past two weeks have been hell, thinking I’d lost him for good.
I get that grief affects everyone differently, and his situation with Molly was complicated, but the truth is, he hurt me.
Despite that, when Eddie was standing behind me with the knife at my neck, the only person I wanted was Ben.
He’s the only person I’ll ever want, but I still don’t know if he feels the same.
I thought he did before Molly died, but now. .. I’m not so sure.
“Ash,” he urges gently when I still don’t respond.
“I don’t think I can wait until tomorrow,” I murmur.
He squeezes my hand. “As soon as we get home then, okay?”
I nod and lean my head back against the seat, my stomach twisting with nerves as I stare out at the dark road ahead.
I want to believe that because he’s here, holding my hand and staying by my side, it means he wants to be with me.
But right now, everything between us feels so uncertain, and I don’t know what to think.
Twenty minutes later, Ben pulls into the driveway and quickly gets out of the car, circling it to open my door. He holds out his hand and I wince as he gently helps me out.
“You okay?” he asks.
I take a few deep breaths, fighting the tears that sting my eyes from the pain that spikes with each movement.
After a minute, I nod. “I’m okay.”
He offers a soft, sad smile. “Let’s get you inside.”
Ben guides me up the drive and into the house, closing the door quietly behind us. A light glows from the living room, and the low hum of the TV seeps through the closed door.
“I think Laney tried to wait up for us,” Ben says as he heads into the living room. I follow him in and find Laney fast asleep on the sofa.
“She didn’t need to stay up,” I whisper.
“She wanted to. She was worried about you.” He sits beside her and gently shakes her shoulder. “Laney.”
“Dad?” she mumbles, blinking awake.
“Yeah, sweetheart. We’re home.”
Her eyes meet mine and she bolts up, suddenly alert.
“Ash! Are you okay?” She throws her arms around me, and I groan as my injured arm gets caught between us.
“Shit, I’m sorry!” she gasps, quickly pulling back. “Did I hurt you?”
Her face is filled with worry, and I smile as I reach for her hand with my good one.
“I’m okay, Laney. You didn’t have to wait up.”
“I couldn’t go to bed until I knew you were alright. Are you staying here tonight?” she asks, glancing between me and Ben.
“Yes, Ash is staying,” Ben says. “Is that okay?”
Laney gives a small smile. “Of course.”
Ben smiles back at her. “Let’s get to bed. It’s been a long night.” He clicks off the TV and switches off the lights.
After saying goodnight to Laney, Ben locks up and we head upstairs. Every step sends a jolt of pain through my body, and by the time we reach his bedroom, I’m barely holding it together.
I pause awkwardly inside, unsure of what to do.
Ben crosses the room and takes my hand, guiding me to the bed. “Sit down. I’ll grab a T-shirt for you to sleep in.”
“Thank you.”
He pulls a black T-shirt from his dresser and turns back to me. “Do you need help getting changed?”
I sigh. “Please. This cast is going to take some getting used to.”
With gentle hands, he helps me out of my clothes and into the oversized shirt. Then he eases me into bed before stripping down to his boxers and sliding in beside me.
He turns to face me, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“I’ve been such an idiot,” he says quietly. “I never should’ve pushed you away like that.” He sighs, his voice heavy with regret. “After Molly died, I got so lost in my own head… I didn’t know how to deal with it. I know I hurt you, and I hate that I did.”
My heart aches for him.
“You were grieving, Ben. I can’t even begin to understand what that was like.”
He shakes his head. “I should’ve talked to you. I wanted to. So many times. I missed you like crazy, Ash.”
“I missed you too,” I say, emotion catching in my throat.
“I was already planning to come and see you tonight, to make things right. To say I’m sorry for being such a jerk–”
I cut him off. “You weren’t a jerk.”
His brow lifts. “Yeah, I was.” He exhales. “When that alert came through on my phone earlier… I’ve never been so scared. The thought of losing you, Ash... it was unbearable.”
“All I could think about was you,” I admit softly. “The way Eddie was acting… I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.”
“I would’ve done anything to get to you, baby. Nash had to hold me back.”
“I’m so glad you were there.”
“Me too,” he whispers.
I let out a slow breath and drape my good arm over my face. “Maybe I was too friendly with him. I was just trying to be kind. He seemed so alone.”
Ben moves closer, propping himself up on one elbow. He gently moves my arm away and slips his fingers into mine. “None of what happened is on you. That wasn’t about anything you did. Eddie had his own issues.”
“Yeah… maybe.”
“Definitely,” he says.
We fall quiet, just watching each other in the dim light, the silence thick with unspoken questions.
“Are we okay?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. I want to believe it, but I need to hear him say it.
Ben gives me a soft smile. “We’re more than okay. I love you, Ash. So damn much. And I never want to be without you again.”
Relief washes over me and I can barely breathe.
“I love you too, Ben,” I whisper. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been when I’m with you, and I never want to lose that.”
“I won’t let you,” he says, his voice steady and certain. “I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you just how much you mean to me.”
Before I can say a word, he leans in and presses a gentle kiss to my lips. It’s soft and tender and not going to lead anywhere, yet it says everything. I don’t need grand gestures or promises. I can feel how much he loves me in every look, every touch, and every kiss.
I just hope he knows I feel the same. I’ve been in love with him for weeks, even if our love has been messy and hard.
From the very beginning, we’ve had to fight for it.
Taylor and Paisley always said that anything truly good is worth fighting for, and they were right.
I couldn’t have predicted how hard the fight would be, or the toll it would take, but I’d go through every second of it again if it meant ending up with him.
We’re here. Together. Forever.