A SECOND CHANCE AT FOREVER Chapter 6: CHAPTER SIX

ASHLEY

Two days.

It had been two days since I’d seen him. Two days since I’d locked eyes with the man who once made me feel like the center of his world and then shattered it without warning. Two days since I've seen Kyle and the shock hasn't worn off

I pulled my coat tighter around me as I walked into the lobby of my hotel, the chill from outside clinging to my skin. New York in January wasn’t forgiving, but it wasn’t the cold that had my thoughts scattered—it was him.

Kyle Blackwood. Of all the places, of all the moments, it had to be there.

I hadn’t expected to see him so soon after returning to New York. Hell, I hadn’t expected to see him at all. My plans had been simple: check on Violet, make sure she had the support she needed, and then head back home once everything stabilized.

But now, with Violet’s condition requiring more frequent hospital visits, my stay in the city was stretching longer than I’d planned. And that meant there was no escaping the ghosts of my past—not when they were walking, breathing, and standing just a few feet away from me.

I sighed as I stepped into my room, tossing my bag onto the bed. The hotel was nice, luxurious even, but it wasn’t home. Nothing about this city felt like home anymore, not since everything had fallen apart.

I kicked off my kicks and sank onto the edge of the bed, replaying the moment Kyle’s eyes met mine. Well,that is what my brain has been doing the past two days…replaying that night on an endless loop

He had looked... surprised, maybe even conflicted. But he didn’t approach me. He didn’t say a word. And neither did I.

“Coward,” I muttered under my breath, though I wasn’t sure if I was talking about him or myself.

Seeing Kyle again had thrown me off balance in ways I wasn’t prepared for. But I couldn’t let myself dwell on it. 

Still, as I closed my eyes and tried to will myself to sleep, one thought refused to leave me.

Why was he at the hospital in the first place?

—

Turns out, Sleep and I had been waging war against each other ever since I got back to New York. One moment, I’d be lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, willing myself to relax, and the next, I’d find myself somewhere else entirely—like the hotel bar, chasing solace in a glass of wine.

Tonight was no different.

The bar was dimly lit, with warm, golden tones that gave it an inviting yet lonely feel. It was the kind of place where people came to disappear, to drown their thoughts in the bottom of a glass, and tonight, I was no exception.

I claimed a stool at the far end of the counter, somewhere I could fade into the background unnoticed. A glass of red wine sat in front of me, and I took a slow sip, savoring the way it warmed my chest. But no amount of alcohol could quiet the thoughts tumbling through my head, pulling me back to the hospital. Back to him.

Kyle.

Seeing him again had stirred something deep inside me, something I couldn’t quite name. But it wasn’t longing. It couldn’t be.

I’d moved on.

No, the only reason I felt so unsettled was because I hadn’t seen him in so long. That was all it was. I hadn’t expected to run into him, especially not there. It had caught me off guard, nothing more. People react strangely to surprises all the time, don’t they? It didn’t mean anything.

I gritted my teeth and took a sip of my wine, the liquid warming my chest but doing little to quiet my mind. I couldn’t let myself spiral. Whatever emotions his presence had stirred, they didn’t mean anything. They were just echoes of a past life, a past me.

“Get a grip, Ashley,” I muttered under my breath. “You’re better than this.”

“Rough night?”

The smooth, deep voice startled me, pulling me out of my spiral. I glanced up, blinking in surprise.

Standing next to me was a man who could’ve stepped straight out of a high-fashion ad. His dark hair was perfectly styled, not a strand out of place, and his sharp, chiseled jawline gave him an almost regal air. 

“Mind if I sit?” he asked, gesturing to the stool next to me.

I hesitated, caught off guard by his sudden presence. “Uh, sure,” I said finally, nodding toward the seat.

He smiled—a small, confident curve of his lips—and slid onto the stool, resting his forearms on the counter. “You look like you’re having a conversation with your wine,” 

I raised an eyebrow at him, managing a faint smile. “And you look like someone who’s about to judge me for it.”

“Not at all,” he replied easily, his smile widening. “Sometimes wine’s the only good listener around.”

That earned a soft laugh from me, and I leaned back slightly, studying him. “What brings you here?”

“Same thing as everyone else, I imagine,” he said with a shrug. “A need to escape. Or maybe I just like overpriced drinks and dim lighting.”

I smirked. “Fair enough.”

He extended a hand toward me. “Ethan.”

“Ashley,” I replied, shaking his hand. 

“So, Ashley,” he began, settling back against the counter, “what’s got you so lost in thought tonight? Or is that too forward of a question for someone you just met?”

I tilted my head, considering him. “It’s nothing, really,” I said after a moment. “Just… old memories resurfacing.”

He nodded, as if he understood exactly what I meant. “Funny how those have a way of creeping up on you when you least expect it.”

“Tell me about it,” I muttered, taking another sip of wine.

“Want to talk about it?” he asked, his voice gentle. “Sometimes it helps to unload on someone who doesn’t know the whole story.”

I hesitated.

Ethan seemed to sense my uncertainty and held up a hand. “No pressure,” he said with a disarming smile. “I’m perfectly fine just sitting here and enjoying the ambiance if that’s what you prefer.”

“Thanks,” I said, offering a small smile. “I guess I’m just not in the mood for a deep conversation tonight.”

“Fair enough,” he replied with a chuckle.“I’m not exactly the therapist type, anyway.”

I laughed. “So, what brings you to this corner of the world?” I asked, hoping to steer the conversation to safer ground.

“World-weary, as they say,” he replied with a smirk. “Or maybe just a little tired of the usual New York noise. Wine’s good for that, right? Or so they say.” 

He lifted his own glass in a silent toast.

“Guess it depends on the company,” I replied, giving him a teasing smile.

“Touché,” he said with a slight laugh

“I don’t usually do this,” I admitted, swirling my glass of wine. “Sit at a bar and talk to random people, I mean.”

“Good thing I’m not that random, then,” Ethan said, his smile widening. “I’d like to think I’m somewhat interesting.”

“You’re definitely not the average bar guy,” I said. “Most people would’ve just left me to my thoughts, but here you are... entertaining me with conversation.”

He grinned. “I’m just trying to be a decent human being.”

“Well, you're succeeding,” I said, amused. “I could use a little distraction right about now.”

Ethan leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “In that case, how about this—what’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh, now we’re getting into the good stuff. Alright, alright. Worst date? Let me think…” I paused, recalling some truly awkward moments. “Okay, I went on this date once where the guy spent the entire time talking about his stamp collection. I mean, who does that? Halfway through, I started wondering if he was going to pull out a magnifying glass to examine the stamps. I had to make up an excuse to leave.”

Ethan burst out laughing, clearly not expecting that. “That’s... that’s amazing,” he said between chuckles. “I don’t even know how someone would think that's an interesting topic for a date.”

“I know, right?” I said, rolling my eyes. “It was like being trapped in a never-ending episode of a documentary I didn’t ask for.”

“God, that sounds painful,” he said, still laughing. “I guess I’ll have to up my game if we ever go on a date.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so you’re already planning one?”

Ethan smiled, unbothered by my teasing. “Well, I figure if we’re going to keep running into each other, we should at least know whether it’ll be a disaster or not.”

I laughed softly, taking a sip of my wine. “You’re not wrong. Could be fun.”

Ethan leaned back, the corners of his lips curving into a smile. “Definitely. But no stamp collecting, I promise.”

“Deal,” I said, smiling back. “And no magnifying glasses.”

“Got it,” he said, raising his glass to seal the imaginary pact.

The conversation flowed easily from there, ranging from random thoughts to more general topics. We talked about movies, music, and the quirks of New York—nothing too deep, nothing too heavy. Just... two people killing time, exchanging stories, and laughing over the absurdities of life.

Eventually, I checked the time, realizing how late it had gotten. “I should probably head out soon,” I said, standing up and grabbing my purse.

“Yeah, same,” Ethan said, following suit. He hesitated for a moment, then pulled out his phone. “Hey, I know we just met, but... if you ever need a drink buddy, or just want to keep the random conversations going, feel free to text me.”

I looked at the phone, then back at him. “I think I could use some more bad jokes,” I said with a grin.

Ethan grinned back, entering his number and handing the phone to me. “You’ve got it. Let’s make sure we get the worst ones next time.”

I saved his number, handing the phone back with a smile. “I’ll hold you to that.”

As I headed back to my room, the weight of my previous thoughts had already dissipated, leaving a quiet sense of relief in its place.