Unmistakeable (14 page)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Alaska

I couldn’t shake the feeling I had. I felt like Ash was responsible. Maybe I was just pushing him away because I didn’t know how else to handle my grief. Maybe I was just crazy. But I felt nothing.

My grandmother’s words came back to me.

Marry Ash.

She wanted me to be with him, clearly. But how could I when he let her go through with this? He could have told me what was going on. I could have changed it. I could have stopped my grandmother from going through with the worst decision of her life.

A knock on my door shattered my thoughts. It was probably Ash again, wanting to talk about our relationship. He wouldn’t give up. He came by every day and yelled at me, telling me we weren’t over until he said we were over.

I looked through the peephole and spotted my sister.

“Hey,” I said as I opened the door. “What a surprise.”

“Hey.” Her voice was somber.

I let her come inside. “You doing okay?”

“Not really.” She plopped down on the couch. “The money was put into my account but I don’t think I’ll ever use it.”

“Neither will I.” I sat beside her.

“She and grandpa worked their whole lives for that money. It feels wrong to take it.”

“Yeah…but I know she wanted us to have it. She wouldn’t have given it to us if she felt otherwise.”

“It still feels weird to have it. I might just take the interest from it but not touch the actual money.”

“Yeah…”

She fidgeted with her hands. “At least you have Ash. He’s wonderful to you.”

“Actually, I broke up with him…well, he says we’re still together but we aren’t.”

Payton raised an eyebrow. “What? When?”

“A few weeks ago.”

“Why the hell would you do that?”

“I kept thinking about what you said…Ash knew what she was going to do and he never said a thing to me.”

She gave me the same look she used to give me when we were kids. “Are you stupid? He’s bound by law to keep her privacy. You expect him to break his oath for you?”

“Honestly, yes.”

She rolled her eyes. “I have no idea why this guy is so into you. You’re an annoying brat.”

“I can’t stop thinking about how different things would have been if I changed her mind.”

“I miss grandma just as much as you do, but breaking up with Ash isn’t going to change anything. Now it’s in the past. Leave it there. And Nana loved Ash. She wanted you to marry him.”

“I don’t know…”

“Seriously, get your shit together before he’s gone. He’s patient because he loves you but he isn’t perfect. He’ll move on eventually. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”

Ash pounded on my door. “Open this damn door.” He was getting angrier with every passing day. Now he practically broke my door every time he visited. The desperation was in his voice. “I said open it.”

I got the door open. “You’re about to break it down.”

The crazed look was in his eye. “You think I give a shit? Then you can stay with me where you belong.”

“Ash—”

“Shut the hell up.”

I flinched at the anger in his voice.

“I’m sick of putting up with your bullshit. I love you and you love me. I’m tired of you pushing me away. Stop being selfish. You aren’t the only one suffering. I need you. I’ve been there for you but now you need to be there for me.”

I crossed my arms over my chest.

“I can’t keep letting you string me along like this. I’m tired of being trampled on over and over.” He reached behind his neck and unclasped a necklace then he grabbed my hand and shoved it into my palm. “I can’t keep this anymore. If you really think I didn’t do my best to take care of your grandmother then I have no right to wear it.” He stormed off then headed back to his apartment.

I opened my palm and saw the rose gold necklace in my palm. It was tarnished and old. Chilean script was across the surface, and the Chilean mountains were in the background. I felt it in my hands, suddenly feeling how heavy it was. It was all my grandfather had when he came to this country. Despite how hard things got, he never pawned it. And after he died, my grandmother never took it off.

Except when she gave it to Ash.

I felt the tears in my eyes. The gesture was paramount. My grandmother didn’t even give this to me or my sister. The only person she felt deserved it was Ash, the man I just threw away.

I came to his door and knocked, knowing he wouldn’t answer it. I didn’t deserve his patience or his devotion. I dragged him through the mud so many times. How he was still here was beyond me.

He opened the door, still looking pissed. “Yeah?”

“I…I’m sorry.”

“You’re going to have to do better than that.”

I stared at the necklace then handed it to him. “This is yours….”

He pushed is back. “No. I’m honored she gave it to me but you should keep it. I can’t carry that weight anymore.”

I felt the tears pour down my face. “I’m sorry. I take back everything I said. My Nana wouldn’t have given this to you if she didn’t love you…as much as me and Payton. She wants me to be with you.”

“But do
you
want to be with me?”

“Yes. A thousand times, yes. I shouldn’t have blamed you for what happened.”

“There wasn’t any other choice. I’m sorry it turned out the way it did, but that was the only way.”

“I know…I know.”

He stared at me for a long time. “Alaska, you know how much I love you. I wouldn’t have put up with all this bullshit for anyone else. But I can’t keep doing this. You’re either with me or you aren’t. You’ve broken my heart so many times and it can’t handle another crack. If you really can’t do this, then I accept that. I’m going to let you go. But if you want to be with me, things will have to be different. We are a team. We are forever. Breaking up is not an option.”

“I understand.”

“Do you really?”

I nodded. “Yes. I love you.” The tears fell.

He studied my face for a long time, finding the sincerity in my eyes. “Okay.”

I put the necklace around his neck then clasped it. “I want you to have this.”

He didn’t take it off. “You do?”

I nodded. “Because you’re my family too.”

His hands moved to my waist and he pulled me to his chest. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. I’m so sorry.”

He grabbed my neck then kissed my forehead. “Forget about it. I’m glad to have you back.”

I squeezed him to my chest and sighed. Ash was the guardian angel I never expected to find. He was there for me no matter what, even if I didn’t deserve it. I may have lost my grandmother, and my parents may have never wanted me, but he made up for all of that. He was always there for me and I knew he would always be there for me.

Jace broke my heart and ripped me apart, but he put back together all the pieces. He took care of my grandmother and did the best he could. He changed for me, becoming the man I needed. And he changed me, making me stronger. He knew when to push me and went to hold back. He was the perfect man for me, the missing piece of my soul. I never wanted to be without him. He was the one.

And I was the one to him.

The Next Installment of the Forehead Kisses Series

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Payton and Sage

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