by Sindee Lynn
“It’s been three weeks.”
“We did break up so I guess you are free to see whomever you want. Does that kid know you’re seeing someone?” David asked with a harsh laugh.
“Yeah he knows.”
Torrie’s look had only changed slightly from disapproving to one of impatience. She tapped her watch to let her know it was time to end the call.
“I’d have given anything to be there to see the look on his face when you told him.”
“Hmmm,” she said.
“I still want to see you. As long as you and this guy don’t have anything exclusive then I’d like to put my name back in the running. Besides I think I have a bit of a head start on this joker. I’ve got seniority.”
Oh that’s what you think? “Look David I really have to go. Sorry.”
Feeling miserable, she hung up without saying good-bye and put her head on the desk.
“What the hell was all of that about? Why did it take you so long to get him off the damn phone? Hell Ashley I would think you wanted him back if I didn’t know better.” Torrie bombarded her as soon as she put the receiver back on the hook.
Her head was still down. Why hadn’t she just told him about her and Wade? It would have ended the conversation two seconds in. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t known what he wanted. He’d said the same thing each time. He missed her and wanted to see her. She’d made excuses for why she couldn't meet instead of just telling him she wasn’t interested.
“Torrie I’m confused I don’t know what to do.”
She felt a warm hand on her arm. Ashley lifted her head enough to see the concern on Torrie’s face. “Hon what is it? You can’t possibly be having doubts about Wade or how he feels about you. That boy has been in love with you for as long as I’ve known him and I dare say you’ve had feelings for him for about that length of time as well.”
A look of disbelief crossed Ashley’s face.
“How’d you know? How’d everyone seem to know but me?”
Her friend laughed and sat back in her chair again.
“Honey it wasn’t that you didn’t know. You didn’t want to believe it. I’m sure it was easier to go on thinking what Wade felt for you was the same brotherly love you were trying to convince yourself you were feeling for him. Anyone who saw you two together could feel the tension between you.”
“I’ve been running from this for so long. It’s hard to stop. I know how he feels about me. It’s in the way he looks at me now and I just melt inside. In that moment all the obstacles between us don’t matter. Nothing matters but us. Reality intrudes and all the same doubts I have come back. What if this doesn’t work out? What if it puts a strain on my relationship with Joey and Maura? Or Heather?”
Ashley eyes shimmering with unshed tears, as she finally allowed all the fears she’d been holding inside release.
“But worse yet what if it destroys my friendship with Wade?”
The first tears slid down her cheeks and Torrie handed her some tissues.
“Oh honey you are in a pickle. You can’t keep on the way you’re going because if you do then you will be doing not only yourself a disservice but Wade as well. He adores the ground you walk on and he deserves your head to be fully in the game not somewhere on the sidelines thinking about all the what ifs. If you can’t give him that much then maybe you need to consider walking away before he gets hurt.”
Chapter Nineteen
Wade stepped into the cool interior of Ashley’s house from the muggy early evening heat. She’d made it clear before leaving this morning she wanted him here when she got home. He’d thought of little else while he’d been hanging with his friends at Jay’s. Even with the sometimes sullen mood he’d found himself in when his thoughts had turned to his uncertainty over their relationship there had still been plenty of time to think on how he wanted her to find him when she got home. He still hadn’t come to anything definite but he was pretty sure he’d be naked wherever he decided to wait for her.
He almost jumped out of his skin when the shrill ring of the phone suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Heading to the kitchen, he checked the caller id and didn’t recognize the number. Wade hunched his shoulders and decided to let the machine pick it up instead. Ashley’s voice came from the machine on the counter and he couldn't keep the smile off his face. Grabbing a drink from the fridge he turned to leave the kitchen when another voice stopped him dead in his tracks.
“Ashley this is David. Sorry I missed you at the office. I’m running about twenty minutes behind schedule. My meeting with my agent ran late. I thought you might have come home before heading to the restaurant. I guess I’ll try you on your cell again.”
The soda can almost fell from his fingers. He stood for long moments just staring at the phone on the wall as if it held all the answers to the questions swirling around in his brain. Why the hell was David calling? What the hell was he talking about? He was running late. The implications of the message refused to be ignored.
He dropped down into one of the chairs at the island. A tight band wrapped itself around his heart and squeezed. He couldn't breathe. Rising, he stumbled through the French doors in the family room and onto the deck. He braced himself against the rail and took several deep breaths of humid air. It didn’t make sense. David was meeting Ashley. Why? He began to pace as his mind worked through what this could mean. She had said she was okay with the breakup. If that was the case why were they seeing each other? What if Ashley wanted to give it another try? It was David Wright they were talking about after all. Despite his overall dislike for the man, Wade grudgingly admitted he was considered a catch. If being the quarterback for the Austin Blaze wasn’t enough, according to Ashley, he wasn’t just another dumb jock. Dammit.
This could not be happening. He paused in his pacing to look up at the steadily darkening sky. He had waited so long for his chance with her. He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. If Ashley truly wanted to give David another chance where did that leave him? He glanced around at the deck. Hmph, apparently outside.
“Maybe I’m just overreacting,” he said into the still night. “Yeah that’s it. After all there’s no proof that says she wants to go back to him is there.”
Except the fact she’s having dinner with him right now. A dinner she didn’t bother telling him about. The facts could not be overlooked.
“So what if she’s having dinner with David Wright some big shot quarterback. I’m Wade Nicholas Romano and,” he said poking his chest.
And?
Some of the steam left him as those three little letters stared him square in the face. Never had his own identity been in question before. He was a Romano and that was all there was to it. His last name alone could guarantee him entry into some of the most exclusive places in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.
Heather’s words rang loud and clear in his ears. “What can you possibly offer her?”
He found a chair and sat down in it before his legs gave out on him. Since the day she had confronted him about his true feelings for Ashley she had been telling him he needed to do something with his life. Telling him not to waste the opportunities he’d been given. All these years he had just assumed she’d been giving him a hard time because he’d opted to take the road less traveled in their family by living off of his trust fund.
As he sat on Ashley’s deck, the night air deathly still around him, Wade realized maybe she’d been trying to get him to see if he wanted Ashley he would have to do more than what he was doing.
“Oh God,” he said running a hand through his hair.
Hot tears burned at the back of his eyes and his throat clogged. He got up slowly from the chair and headed back in the house towards the foyer. His thoughts still swirled out of control. His emotions moved just as fast. He went from overwhelming pain to hurt and anger. Why hadn’t she just told him? Why had she done it behind his back? Never would he have thought her capable of inflicting the pain he was now suffering.
�
��Dammit,” he cursed when unwanted tears began to roll down his cheeks.
His fist hit the front door in frustration.
“Why Ashley? Dammit why?”
He stayed like that for a while until he felt he had pulled it together enough to drive. Wade set the alarm for what he had to assume was the last time and left.
***
Ashley breathed a deep sigh of relief as she walked through the door of her home. After wrapping up her meeting with Torrie, she had called David and made plans to see him. Her talk with Torrie had made her understand it wasn’t so much her fear of what would happen between herself and Heather or even Joey and Maura. It was what would happen to her and Wade if things didn’t work between them. He’d been such a large part of her life for so many years she didn’t want to do anything to mess that up. But she’d finally realized she wasn’t doing either of them any favors by not giving her all to this new phase of their relationship. And as much as she hated to admit it that involved full closure with David.
Hearing her alarm beeping, she pushed herself away from the door. Why was the alarm still on? Wade was supposed to be here. Not seeing his car outside in the driveway she’d just assumed he’d pulled into the garage. Now she wasn’t so sure. The house was awfully quiet.
“Wade,” she called, walking into the kitchen, dumping her briefcase and pocket book down on the counter.
A smile lit her face and she headed towards the stairs. Her heart rate increased at the thought of him sprawled out across her bed naked. Her smile died as she walked into her dark room. He hadn’t gotten there yet. Stepping out of her shoes she grabbed the phone and called his cell. When voicemail came on she hung up. Where the hell was he? Then it hit her. He must be at Jake’s. She hadn’t known what time she would be getting home when she had left this morning so he was probably just hanging out over there waiting. After trying Wade’s cell and getting the voice mail again, she hung up and called Jake.
“Hey gorgeous,” Jake answered the phone.
Her smile immediately returned at the sound of Wade's best friend’s voice.
“Hey sexy. Is Wade there by chance?” she asked as casually as possible, not knowing how much or how little he’d divulged to Jake.
“Nope not here. He was at home when I spoke with him a few minutes ago. Anything I can do to fill in? I am a little closer than he is.”
What the hell? Why was he at home when he was supposed to be here? She’d been anticipating him being here all day. And after her dinner with David she’d really needed to see him.
“Hey Ashley you okay? You need me to come over or something?” Jake asked concern in his voice.
“No it’s nothing like that. I’m fine. I was just trying to get in touch with him. I’ll give him a try at home. Thanks,” she said and hung up the phone.
She immediately tried Wade’s home number. Maybe he’d been in the shower getting ready to come over to her place. When voice mail came on she left a message. No worries she was sure he’d call her back. He probably got caught up doing something or other and was running late. She checked her watch and decided to head for a shower before he got there.
While the hot water ran over her she went over the events of her dinner with David. A small smile lifted her lips as she breathed a deep sigh of relief. She felt so much better, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She laughed out loud as she recalled the look on his face when she’d told him she was involved with Wade. She’d thought he was going to choke on the sip of wine he’d taken. When he had alluded to her cheating on him while he’d been on the road she had sat and endured the scrutiny. When he began to make further rude comments about Wade and his family, she had called a halt to the conversation. There had been no reason for her to sit there and endure him while Wade was at home waiting for her.
Stepping out of the bathroom a towel wrapped around herself, she expected him to be there but her bedroom was as she’d left it. Empty. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Seven fifty-three. It was still early. He’d be there soon and she was more than certain he’d make up for his tardiness. A smile broke out on her face as she thought of all the many ways he would make it up to her. Sitting on the side of her bed, she had one more thing to do before she could forget everything except the man who was on his way.
“Hello.”
“Hey Heather. You got plans for lunch tomorrow?”
Her finger twirled a lock of hair nervously as she waited.
“Hmm not that I know of or at least nothing I can’t cancel. What’s up?”
“I have something I want to talk to you about is all. No biggie,” she said as nonchalantly as possible.
Soon this weight would be lifted from her shoulders as well.
“Okay. How about we meet at Luciano’s at say twelve-thirty?”
“That sounds great. I’ll see you tomorrow,”
“Okay see ya then,” Heather said and hung up.
Ashley put her phone back on its cradle. She went over to her closet to find something to wear. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and figured Wade would be there any minute.
Three hours later, she lay in her bed staring up at the ceiling with her sexy night gown still on. She glanced at the clock again. It was almost eleven o’clock. Where the hell was he? She’d been calling his cell and home off and on for the last two hours with no answer and no return call to the messages she had left. She had even sent a few text and emails. Still no response. What was the use in having that fancy phone of his if he didn’t respond to calls and messages? Maybe something had come up and he had just forgotten to call her. She may have been able to sell herself on that a few hours ago but now as she lay in her big bed by herself she found it hard to believe. No something was wrong.
Chapter Twenty
“Hey sorry I’m late,” Ashley said as she sat down in the chair the maître d held out for her.
She nodded her thank you for the menu he handed her before he left.
“No big deal. I was running behind schedule myself,” Heather replied with a smile on her face.
All morning anxiety and nerves had been making it difficult to work. After Wade had been a no show she’d canceled her initial lunch date with Heather but after three days of silence from the younger Romano she’d been at her wits end. Since no one had called to say otherwise, she figured he was alive and well. Not being able to take anymore she’d called Heather this morning. She had barely been able to keep the desperation she had felt under control as she had waited for Heather to come on the line. She had almost lost it at the concern in her friend’s voice when she had asked if she was okay. As she sat in front of her she didn’t know how long she would be able to contain all the emotions rolling around inside her.
“So what’s going on with you? You sounded stressed on the phone and now that I’m looking at you I’m a little worried,” Heather reached for her water glass.
The worry she saw reflected in the hazel gaze of her best friend made her want to break down in tears. She’d held them back all week refusing to cry over something she didn’t understand but as she looked at Heather she realized she’d just wanted the shoulder of her best friend to cry on. But where did she start? Her silence surprised her. Never before had she experienced a problem talking to Heather about anything. This is what her dishonesty had created. Her own misery and mishandling of the whole situation began to overwhelm her. She blinked several times in an effort to stop the flow of tears welling up.
“Ashley is this about you and Wade?”
Her head snapped up at the softly spoken question but quickly lowered it so Heather wouldn't see the tears she could no longer hold in check. All she could do was nod her head in misery. The hand Heather placed over hers only made the tears fall harder. How had things become such a mess?
“I kind of suspected you guys had something going on but I was waiting for you to tell me.” There was a twinge of hurt in her words.
Ashley grabbed blindly at her napkin
in hopes of at least controlling the water works. It had never been her intentions to hurt her friend.
“I wanted to tell you but I didn’t know what you would say or how you would react. I didn’t really know what Wade and I were getting into,” she said in a rush, lifting her watery brown gaze to Heather’s. “Now I don’t think there’s anything to tell. I mean I haven’t spoken to him since Tuesday. I call but he doesn’t call me back. I text and email but still no response.”
Ashley buried her face in her napkin. Never would she have thought things would end like this. Her heart ached with the need to talk to him and see him. To touch him and have him touch and hold her. She raised her head to look at Heather. Instead of the censor she feared she would see, she only saw her best friend’s deep concern shining back. She should’ve known she’d be her friend no matter what. That knowledge only added to her misery.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Heather. I didn’t know how. The longer I delayed the harder it got.”
Heather waved off her apology, understanding reflected in her gaze.
“Don’t worry about it. I don’t know if I would have told me either. Now why don’t you tell me about anything that could have brought all this on and we’ll see if we can figure it out. Together,” she said a warm smile on her face.
“That’s just it. The last time I spoke with Wade was Tuesday when I was at work. He was supposed to meet me at my house when I got off.”
“Okay so what happened?” Heather asked.
“He wasn’t there when I got home. I just thought he was running late or at Jake’s house. I called his cell and home and got no answer. Then I called Jake who said he had just talked to Wade and he was at home.” Ashley released a heavy sigh.
“I figured he may have been in the shower or something when I called and hadn't heard the phone. I called back and left a message and the same on his cell. He never showed up that night and it’s been dead silence ever since.”
