Page 72 of Checking Mr. Wrong
“I mean it, Mabel,” he repeats, his voice quieter this time but no less earnest. “I wish you’d stay.”
The pain in his voice is a knife to my chest, sharp and unforgiving. I press my palm to his cheek, my thumb brushing against the stubble there. I want to bottle this moment, to hold on to the way he’s looking at me, like I’m his whole world.
“You’re making it harder and harder to leave, you know,” I say, forcing a small, shaky smile.
“Good.” His thumb brushes over the back of my hand, the touch gentle but reassuring. “At least I’ll know I did something right.”
The music fades into the background, leaving only the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. For a second, it feels like the world is holding its breath, waiting for me to decide which way my life is going to go.
And for the first time in forever, I’m not sure I want to leave. But staying feels just as impossible.
The ache in my chest deepens as I pull away, stepping out of the circle of his arms. The distance between us feels unbearable, but I know it’s nothing compared to what’s coming.
I glance back at him one last time, and his eyes hold a quiet kind of heartbreak that I know mirrors my own.
If I stay, I could lose everything I’ve worked for.
If I go, I could losehim.
I don’t know which scares me more.
CHAPTER 25
ASHER
“Dude,”I say into the phone, my voice light but laced with relief. “I’m so glad you’re going to be okay. I’ll be apologizing to you forever that you got dragged into that fight the other night.”
Clément’s laugh comes through the line, smooth and easy. “It is nothing,mon ami.These things, they happen. You know this.”
“Yeah, but still,” I press. “That shouldn’t have been your mess to deal with.”
“Eh.” He brushes it off like I knew he would. “My headaches were never your fault. If it hadn’t been that push, it would have been something else. But I’m looking forward to getting back on the ice. I will see you there soon.”
I grin, shaking my head even though he can’t see me. “You’d better. We’re not the same without you.”
“Then do not let the team fall apart while I’m here, showing the love of my life around Paris,” Clément teases, his tone warm. I hear a giggle in the background and grin. I know from my talks with him that he’s with Marcy, the local accountant he fell hard for. Frenchie is getting his happily ever after. It’s poetic and the romantic in me is all for it. “Take care, Asher.”
“You too, man. Take it easy,” I reply before the call clicks off.
I slip my phone into my pocket, my steps carrying meaimlessly down Maple Falls’ main street. The early morning air is crisp, the kind that wakes you up whether you’re ready for the day or not. For a second, I just breathe it in, but my thoughts are already spinning.
Talking to Clément felt good. Calming, even, but it also stirred up something I can’t quite shake. The whole call, I kept thinking about a certain person. Someone who gets me, who’d care just as much about Clément being okay as I do. Someone I like sharing with, telling her about things that happen in my day. Dare I say she makes the ordinary seem extraordinary?
Mabel.
I pull my phone out of my pocket before I can second-guess myself. My thumbs hover over the screen for a second before I type the message.
Hey, am I going to see you tonight?
The three dots pop up almost immediately, and my heart lurches like it’s forgotten how to stay steady. I know she’s got to get ready to fly out soon, and I know she most likely has a to-do list she’s trying to get through that’s a mile long, but selfishly I want her. Mabel’s reply comes through a second later, and even before I read it, I know it’s not the answer I want.
I was hoping I could make it, but I’m not going to be able to now. Maybe we can catch up after the game? I want to see you.
I stare at her words, my chest tightening further. She wants to see me. And, in my mind, I’ve decided it’s not to say goodbye—not really. That little sliver of hope in her text feels bittersweet, like the moment before the last note of a favorite song fades.
But she’s still leaving. New York. Her big dreams, her big life. And I can’t be the guy to stand in the way of that. I won’t. Even if it hurts.
Okay. After the game, then. I’ll be looking for you.
