Page 102 of Ashes of Us
"She wasn't his dentist."
“Piper… You don't know that! Maybe he has a really hot dentist!" She ran her hands through her hair. "Look, I'm Team Piper forever. You know that. If he's actually seeing someone, I will help you slash his tires and egg his apartment and whatever else you need. But…" She sat down next to me. "But babe. You're assuming the worst because you're scared. And I get it. I do. After what he did, you have every right to protect yourself."
"So what am I supposed to do?"
"Ask him. Straight up. 'Who was that woman? Are you seeing someone?' And if he is—" Her eyes hardened. "—then we burn it all down and never speak to him again. But if he's not, if there's some other explanation... don't you want to know?"
"What if I don't like the answer?"
"Then at least you'll know. And you can actually move on instead of hiding at the sketchy grocery store and avoiding civilization like a fugitive."
My phone buzzed on the coffee table.
It was Liam.
Can we talk? Please?
Maya looked at the screen, then at me. "You can't avoid him forever. Riverside's too small. Eventually you're gonna run into him at the hardware store or the post office or—God forbid—the pool, and then it'll be even more awkward."
"I'm aware."
"So talk to him. Get an answer. And if he breaks your heart again…” She squeezed my hand hard enough to hurt. "I'll be right here. With Thai food and a plan for arson."
"That's illegal."
"That's sisterhood, baby."
I staredat my phone for the better part of an hour.
The apartment was too quiet. Too still. Just me and the hum of the refrigerator and the chocolate-espresso cake I still couldn't bring myself to throw away.
7:43 PM. Late enough that texting felt deliberate, but early enough that it wouldn't seem desperate.
Maybe.
My thumb hovered over his name in my contacts. I'd typed and deleted four different messages.
Can we talk?
Too vague.
Who was that woman?
Too accusatory.
I'm sorry I've been avoiding you.
Too much like admitting I cared.
I saw you on your birthday with someone and I need to know if you're seeing her because I baked you a cake and almost let you kiss me and I think I'm falling for you again and I'm terrified.
Way, way too honest.
I set the phone down, then picked it up again. Stared at the blank text thread like it would magically solve all my problems.
Maya's voice echoed in my head:Ask him. Get an answer.
But what if the answer was the one I didn't want to hear?
