***
Grayson’s in school the next day, which surprises everyone. Luckily, nothing is broken. She did bruise her shoulder bone, which the doctor said can be as painful as a break, but it shouldn’t take as long to heal and she doesn’t need to wear a brace or anything. I wound up texting Ash last night to tell him the news, and then I turned off my phone.
Andre is carrying Grayson’s books to all her classes. He feels awful for not going with her to the hospital, and he should. His younger brother surprised Grayson with flowers this morning to apologize, even though it was an accident. Grayson seems okay with it all, but she already told me we are going to have to put in extra court time this summer to get her ready for tryouts since she won’t be able to swing a racket for a few weeks.
I manage to avoid Ash at lunch and between classes again. I’m just not ready to jump back into our roller coaster of a . . . whatever this is between us. Andre is driving Grayson home since I’m staying after school to work on my serve. But when I step outside the girls’ locker room, Ash is waiting for me.
“Hey. You are one difficult girl to hunt down. I’ve been looking for you all day.” He falls into step with me as I head for the courts. “I thought you’d be helping Grayson between classes, but you weren’t at her locker once.”
“Andre was helping her.”
“Whoa.” He gently tugs on my arm, making me stop. “Did I do something wrong?”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No, Ash. I just can’t do this.”
“Do what? Talk?”
I drop my racket on the ground outside the court and wave to Jess Wilbur, who is also working on her serve. She waves back and then gets right back to practicing, which is why she’s so good.
“Would you rather go for a run?”
Go for a run? Is he serious? “I have to practice, Ash.”
“I know.” He nods. “But just go for a short run with me first. Please, Meg. I need to talk to you, and this way you can still be training at the same time.” His big brown eyes plead with me, and before I know it, I’m nodding.
We head back toward the trail to Horseshoe Lake. We pass the football players, who are also on a run, but Ash waves them away. He doesn’t want an audience.
“You didn’t call me last night.”
“I texted you. Gray’s fine, so there wasn’t much to tell.” I turn left on the path and head for the lake. I pick up the pace until I’m all out sprinting. When I reach the lake, I double over, breathing heavily.
Ash is breathing heavily too, but not from the run. He looks nervous. “Did you really think I wanted you to call me because I only cared about how Grayson was doing?”
I stand up tall and meet his gaze. “That’s what you said, so why wouldn’t I think it?”
He looks down and shakes his head. “I was looking for an excuse to talk to you.”
“Why do you need an excuse?” We’ve been talking. Some would say we’ve been dating. I have to know what’s going on, because not knowing is driving me insane. “Ash, I don’t get it. One minute you seem like you’re into me and the next you’re telling me you should take me home. What is it that you want?”
He raises his arms like he’s going to grab me, but he lowers them just as quickly. “I don’t want to push you, Meg. In the time I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you date anyone. I thought if I moved too fast, I’d scare you away.” He takes a step toward me. “And I really don’t want to scare you away.”
“I thought you were trying to decide if you just wanted to be friends.”
“You are my friend, but I was hoping you’d be more than that.”
More than friends? Are we really going from him not even kissing me to him telling me he wants me to be his girlfriend? I’m more confused than ever. “What are you saying, Ash?”
“This.” He reaches forward, cupping my cheek in his hand. For a moment he hesitates, not moving another inch, and I feel like the space between us is getting bigger instead of smaller. What is he waiting for?
And then it hits me. He’s waiting for me. I reach up on my toes, bringing my face closer to his. His mouth curves into a smile, and he meets me halfway. The second his lips meet mine, the rest of the world falls away. It’s just the two of us. Ash and me. I forget about the football players standing around watching us. I forget about Grayson. In this moment, it’s only Ash’s lips on mine.
When he finally pulls away, he says, “I’ve wanted to do that for so long. You have no idea.”
“Yes, I do.” I laugh. “Ever since our first date. I was crushed when you didn’t kiss me.”
He lowers his forehead to mine. “No. Meg, I wanted to kiss you long before that night. I wanted to kiss you the moment I first saw you. Ask Jackson. He was with me. I told him that day that I was going to fall for you.”
I raise my eyes to meet his. “How could you possibly have known that when you didn’t even know my name?”
“Easy.” He lifts his head. “You were soaking wet and wearing your tennis uniform. You and Grayson were heading to the locker room, and even though your hair was stuck to your face and your sneakers were squirting out water with every step you took, you were smiling.”
“Because Grayson had won her first singles match.” I remember that day like it was yesterday. I even remember walking by Ash. He caught my eye immediately. It was his lips and the way he smiled. Everything about him was so warm and inviting.
He nods. “You were so happy for your friend that while every other girl on your team was complaining about the rain and running to fix their makeup, you couldn’t have cared less about what you looked like.”
Because I had no one to impress. I figured Ash would forget about me just like the rest of the male population at Treemont did.
“That was the day I transferred here. I asked Jackson who you were, and he told me I was a hopeless cause and I’d better stick with him.”
Feet pounding on the ground make us both turn toward the football team. They must have followed us after all. Jackson walks over and claps Ash on the back. “Yeah, except he’s not so hopeless. He’s the only reason we get points on the scoreboard.” Jackson motions to me. “And I guess he gets the girl in the end, too.” Jackson squeezes Ash’s shoulder and yells to the rest of the team. “Let’s go. They don’t need an audience.”
“So,” Ash says, taking both my hands in his, “do I?”
“Do you what?”
“Get the girl?” His hands find my waist as he waits for my answer.
I look out over the lake for a moment, replaying the last few months in my mind. How had I missed so many signs? Ash had been there for so long. But maybe I hadn’t missed it. Maybe it explains why I finally snapped out of my little bubble and started acting like myself again. Ash made me realize that I’m still the same person I was before I met Derrick. And that person deserves to be loved.
“Meg?” Worry lines crease Ash’s forehead.
I smile and reach for his face. “You’ve had the girl for a while. I just don’t think either of us knew it.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“I’m saying it’s about time we call this what it is.”
“Hallelujah!” Jackson yells. I turn to see him thrust his arm into the air from behind a tree. “Sorry.” He holds his hands out and then he takes off after the football team again.
I laugh, but Ash stops me with a kiss. His arms wrap around me and lift me slightly off the ground. I’m lost in him, the feel of his lips, the taste of his spearmint gum. When he lowers me to the ground again, I’m lightheaded.
“So, where do I get to take my girlfriend on our first official date as a couple?”
I take Ash’s hand and pull him to the ground. “I think we’re already on our first official date as boyfriend and girlfriend. This is our spot after all, isn’t it?”
Ash smiles. “I told you you’d love it here.”
Really, I love any place where Ash is, and I don’t
plan to leave his side for a very long time.
Please Consider Leaving a Review
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Falling For You. Want to know what happens next with Meg and Ash? Find out in Perfect For You, available now. Now that you’re finished reading, I’d love it if you’d take a moment and share your honest thoughts on the book.
Ashelyn Drake
PERFECT FOR YOU
Seventeen-year-old Meg Flannigan isn’t very self-confident, but what girl would be after her sophomore-year boyfriend dumped her by making out with another girl in front of her locker? Now a senior, Meg catches the eye of not one but two guys at school. They vie over her attention, and both are gorgeous. Sounds good, right? Not if one of the guys is her boyfriend and the other one wants to be. Meg doesn’t want to lose Ash. They’ve been together for almost five months, and she’s falling in love with him. But Noah. Ah, Noah. He’s the irresistible guy Meg has been crushing on for two years, and Meg isn’t ready to send him away either. But if she strings both along, she might be the one left in the cold.
Now available!
Author Acknowledgements
I have to thank my family first because they continue to allow me to follow my dreams and tell the stories I need to tell. I love you guys. To my street team (Kelly’s Coven), you are the best, most loyal, and truly amazing people, and I couldn’t do this without you. To my social media manager, Amber, I’d be lost without you. Thank you for making my life so much easier and all around better. And last, but certainly not least, thank you to my readers. My books would be nothing without you.
Also by Ashelyn Drake
Perfect For You (Young Adult contemporary romance)
Campus Crush (New Adult romance)
Looking For Love (A Campus Crush companion novella)
Our Little Secret (Young Adult contemporary romance, coming soon!)
Writing as Kelly Hashway
Touch of Death (Touch of Death #1)
Stalked by Death (Touch of Death #2)
Face of Death (Touch of Death #3)
The Monster Within (The Monster Within #1)
The Darkness Within (The Monster Within #2)
Fading Into the Shadows (Coming in 2016)
Ashelyn Drake
Ashelyn Drake is a new adult and young adult contemporary romance author. While it’s rare for her not to have either a book in hand or her fingers flying across a laptop, she also enjoys spending time with her family. She believes you are never too old to enjoy a good swing set and there’s never a bad time for some dark chocolate. She also writes young adult and middle grade paranormal novels under the name Kelly Hashway. Drake is represented by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary Agency. Visit her website at https://ashelyndrake.wordpress.com.
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