Page 67 of One More Song

I stand just in time as she jumps up and she wraps her arms around my neck, squeezing me so tight I cough.

“I knew you’d come back,” she says, grinning at me, her eyes bright with excitement. “Right, Mommy? I told you he’d come to say goodbye.”

I glance toward where Ember is slowly walking toward us. Her lips are parted, eyes wide when she looks at me, and when she blinks, I see a tear fall down her cheek. She brushes it away quickly, but not quickly enough.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?” Cadence squirms away from me and goes to Ember.

“Nothing, love. I’m just happy to see Ash.”

Cadence’s nose scrunches up. “You don’t look happy.”

“Why don’t you go into the house and start your homework—”

“But I want to tell Ash everything that’s happened.”

“You can, at dinner. I mean...” She looks at me then, brows turning down. “If you’re staying.”

I nod. “If you’ll have me.”

“Can we make pizza?” Cadence asks.

“Yes, if you get your homework done.”

“Okay.” She gives me another hug before racing into the house.

Ember and I stand there for a few moments, gazes locked, tension and heat flickering and pulling between us.

“I got your letter,” I say, taking a step toward her.

She chews on her bottom lip. “So you came to say goodbye?”

“No. I...” My chest squeezes. This would be so much easier if she was in my arms. “I came back to apologize. I shouldn’t have left the way I did.”

“I get it.”

“I don’t think you do.” I move closer, and brush my palm across her cheek, leaning close and inhaling her scent. “Sunshine and vanilla.”

“What?” She’s trembling.

“That’s what you smell like.”

She lets out a shaky breath. “Ash—”

“I know there are a million things that need to be said, but I need to tell you something first, okay?”

She nods.

I inhale a deep breath and rest my forehead against hers, cupping the back of her neck. “You know I was a mess before I came here. And I could give you a million excuses. But the truth is I hated myself. Hated who I was. Believed I was just like my father. When he killed himself, I knew that would be me one day. His fate would be mine.”

She pulls back, frowning. “You thought about killing yourself?”

“No. Not like that. But I knew my lifestyle would eventually do the job for me. And I was fine with that. Because honestly, I didn’t have anything to live for. My life was empty.”

Her hands rest on my chest and she blinks up at me, not saying anything, just listening.

“Then you...” I stroke my thumb across her jaw, taking her in, my heart beating erratically. “You changed everything, Em. You and Cadence. You showed me joy, and happiness, and...love.”

She sucks in a small breath, and whispers, “Ash, I—”

---