11. Jacob

CHAPTER ELEVEN

jacob

S witching off the TV, I rise from the couch to answer the tapping at the door. Against what may actually be my better judgment, I've invited Ashley over to talk things out once and for all. I've been stewing over her proposal to get back together for over a week now, and it's time to make a move, regardless of the direction.

"Hey, baby. I'm glad you called," Ashley says when I answer the door.

She brushes a kiss on my cheek, and if she notices my minor recoil at her touch, she doesn't let on.

I follow her into the living room, and she settles herself on the couch. She's wearing that blue dress I always loved to see her in. Intentional, I'm sure, and it's not a wasted effort. It still gets to me, reminding me of the weekend trip we took last year to Jackson Hole.

"You look good," she says, probably fishing for a compliment of her own.

I oblige.

"Thanks, so do you," I say.

The tension in the room is so fucking thick you could slice it with a knife.

"Have you made a decision?" Ashley presses after a few beats of silence.

"I'm not confident there's a future for us," I say. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to look at you the same. But I think we both would take back some choices if we could."

"I would," Ashley says softly, as hope inflates her body. "If I could go back and change it, I would."

"I still want the same things, Ash. And I want them with you. I don't want to give up on us if there's any chance that we can fix this. So, if that's what you want, I want to give it a try."

Ashley grins and rises back to her feet. She comes across the room and hugs me tightly against her, knocking me off balance. I stumble but catch us, my arms awkwardly wrapping around her. This might not be the right decision, but the worst thing that can happen by choosing to try is wasting a small amount of time. On the other hand, if it is the right decision, and I don't try, I could be losing my future.