tell him right now. Just wait things out and see what happens?”
“No, I want to do this now. I want to come clean to him. We’ve always based our relationship on honesty, especially after Mom left. So, um… yeah… I have to tell him.”
“Okay,” Jenna said. “Do you want me to come up with you?”
“Please. But we can’t hold hands. Not yet, ’kay?”
“That’s fine with me.”
They climbed out of the car at exactly the same time, walked around, and met at the hood. Instinctively, Ash reached for Jenna’s hand. It felt like the right thing to do, like the world would only be right if their fingers were intertwined and their palms were pressed together, but the moment Ash realized what she’d done, she pulled her hand away.
And she regretted it the moment she did.
She was supposed to be holding her girlfriend’s hand.
Ash started up the narrow, rusty steps, tightly gripping the handrail. Each footfall made the stairs sound like they were falling apart. She glanced over her shoulder to check on Jenna, who still looked at her surroundings with indifference, as if this wasn’t the worst she’d ever seen in her life.
Mad props for the girlfriend. Jenna was totally being a champ about all of this.
They finally made it to Ash’s apartment and before she opened the door, she stole one last glimpse of Jenna—just for reassurance.
Inside, the air was cool—finally—and had a slightly mildewed smell to it. The stench had gotten better since Ash had cleaned the place so well on Friday. Her dad was in his trusty recliner—complete with duct-taped armrests—kicked back, reading the Sunday paper. When the door squeaked and the sunlight spilled in, he raised his head and gave her one of his warm smiles.
“Hey, stranger,” he teased. “Glad you’re home.”
Chapter Nineteen
A DMITTEDLY , Ash’s dad’s good looks surprised Jenna. Though why, she wasn’t sure. Ash was absolutely gorgeous, and she most certainly came from her father’s DNA. They had the same icy-blue eyes, the same golden-blond hair, and the same narrow chin. Only, he had a tan and Ash had… well, the complexion of a ghost. But God, Jenna loved the creamy, milky tone of her girlfriend’s flesh.
“Daddy, this is Jenna,” Ash said.
Jenna didn’t know if she needed to step forward and shake his hand or what. He just stayed in his chair and nodded his head. He smiled, but it was an empty smile, sort of like he didn’t want to be bothered with Ash’s “friend.” And the whole situation went from promising to dreadful.
“Can we talk?” Ash asked as she headed toward the couch.
Jenna followed her only because she didn’t know what else to do, and she assumed Ash wanted her sitting down as well. She took a spot on the couch, close to Ash, but not too close. Just enough for Ash to feel her presence and within reach in case things got a little hairy.
“Sure, kiddo. What’s up?” her dad asked as he sat up in his recliner. He set the newspaper down on the floor beside him. Ash clearly had his undivided attention now.
“I, um… well….” Ash swallowed hard.
She looked over at Jenna, and there was genuine fear in Ash’s eyes. Nothing Jenna could do or say right now would make any of this easier, and it hurt her so badly that she couldn’t deliver Ash far away from this moment.
Jenna turned her eyes down, guiding Ash to look down with her. She rested her hand on her thigh—palm up, fingers slightly curled, an offering just in case Ash needed it. Ash seemed to consider the possibility of showing her father the truth instead of telling him about it. She looked back up at him, then down at Jenna’s hand. Ash took a deep breath, then laid her palm over Jenna’s. When their fingers curled together, it felt like the cosmos finally aligned again. Jenna and Ash were stronger, a collective unit. They could conquer the world now.
“Daddy,” Ash said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Ashlynn, you
“No, I want to do this now. I want to come clean to him. We’ve always based our relationship on honesty, especially after Mom left. So, um… yeah… I have to tell him.”
“Okay,” Jenna said. “Do you want me to come up with you?”
“Please. But we can’t hold hands. Not yet, ’kay?”
“That’s fine with me.”
They climbed out of the car at exactly the same time, walked around, and met at the hood. Instinctively, Ash reached for Jenna’s hand. It felt like the right thing to do, like the world would only be right if their fingers were intertwined and their palms were pressed together, but the moment Ash realized what she’d done, she pulled her hand away.
And she regretted it the moment she did.
She was supposed to be holding her girlfriend’s hand.
Ash started up the narrow, rusty steps, tightly gripping the handrail. Each footfall made the stairs sound like they were falling apart. She glanced over her shoulder to check on Jenna, who still looked at her surroundings with indifference, as if this wasn’t the worst she’d ever seen in her life.
Mad props for the girlfriend. Jenna was totally being a champ about all of this.
They finally made it to Ash’s apartment and before she opened the door, she stole one last glimpse of Jenna—just for reassurance.
Inside, the air was cool—finally—and had a slightly mildewed smell to it. The stench had gotten better since Ash had cleaned the place so well on Friday. Her dad was in his trusty recliner—complete with duct-taped armrests—kicked back, reading the Sunday paper. When the door squeaked and the sunlight spilled in, he raised his head and gave her one of his warm smiles.
“Hey, stranger,” he teased. “Glad you’re home.”
Chapter Nineteen
A DMITTEDLY , Ash’s dad’s good looks surprised Jenna. Though why, she wasn’t sure. Ash was absolutely gorgeous, and she most certainly came from her father’s DNA. They had the same icy-blue eyes, the same golden-blond hair, and the same narrow chin. Only, he had a tan and Ash had… well, the complexion of a ghost. But God, Jenna loved the creamy, milky tone of her girlfriend’s flesh.
“Daddy, this is Jenna,” Ash said.
Jenna didn’t know if she needed to step forward and shake his hand or what. He just stayed in his chair and nodded his head. He smiled, but it was an empty smile, sort of like he didn’t want to be bothered with Ash’s “friend.” And the whole situation went from promising to dreadful.
“Can we talk?” Ash asked as she headed toward the couch.
Jenna followed her only because she didn’t know what else to do, and she assumed Ash wanted her sitting down as well. She took a spot on the couch, close to Ash, but not too close. Just enough for Ash to feel her presence and within reach in case things got a little hairy.
“Sure, kiddo. What’s up?” her dad asked as he sat up in his recliner. He set the newspaper down on the floor beside him. Ash clearly had his undivided attention now.
“I, um… well….” Ash swallowed hard.
She looked over at Jenna, and there was genuine fear in Ash’s eyes. Nothing Jenna could do or say right now would make any of this easier, and it hurt her so badly that she couldn’t deliver Ash far away from this moment.
Jenna turned her eyes down, guiding Ash to look down with her. She rested her hand on her thigh—palm up, fingers slightly curled, an offering just in case Ash needed it. Ash seemed to consider the possibility of showing her father the truth instead of telling him about it. She looked back up at him, then down at Jenna’s hand. Ash took a deep breath, then laid her palm over Jenna’s. When their fingers curled together, it felt like the cosmos finally aligned again. Jenna and Ash were stronger, a collective unit. They could conquer the world now.
“Daddy,” Ash said. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Ashlynn, you
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