A SECOND CHANCE AT FOREVER Chapter 8: CHAPTER EIGHT

ASHLEY

I walked back into the waiting room, spotting Violet immediately. Her shoulders relaxed when she saw me, her chest rising as she let out a relieved breath.

“That took you forever,” she said, a playful glint in her eye. “You sure you weren’t solving a national crisis in there?”

A dry chuckle escaped me. “More like surviving one,” I muttered under my breath, dropping into the seat beside her

My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag, the leather digging into my palm at the reminder of what happened in the restroom.The taste of him still lingered on my lips, a cruel reminder of what had just happened. One kiss. That’s all it took to unravel everything I had built to keep myself together.

I thought I had already moved on, but today’s encounter with him had shattered that assumption. That crazy kiss had awoken emotions I thought were long buried.

I unconsciously hit my forehead, trying to shake off the lingering effects

“Hey,” Violet said, her voice laced with concern. “Are you okay?”

I should’ve known better. Violet could read me like an open book, no matter how hard I tried to close it.

“Yeah,” I mumbled. Then, after a pause, I let the truth slip out. “No… I saw Kyle.”

Her eyes widened, surprise flickering across her face. “You mean him? You saw him again? Now?”

I nodded, staring at the floor as if it held all the answers. “I… I stumbled into him in the restroom,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about the kiss, not yet. I was still wrestling with the guilt and disappointment in myself.

She was quiet for a moment, chewing on her lower lip the way she always did when she was deep in thought.

“So…” she began cautiously, “how are you holding up?”

I froze, my head snapping up. “What do you mean? Of course, I’m fine.”

“No, Ashley. The truth,” she pressed gently, her blue eyes locking onto mine. “You just ran into Kyle. That’s not nothing.”

A shaky laugh escaped me, humorless and hollow. “Violet, I’m fine. Really. It was just… unexpected, that’s all.”

Her silence told me she didn’t believe me.

“You don’t have to pretend with me, Ashley,” she said softly. “I know how much he hurt you.”

My chest tightened, and for a moment, I couldn’t speak. “It’s been two years, Vi,” I said finally. “I’ve moved on.”

“Have you?” she asked, her voice laced with a quiet challenge.

I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. “I don’t have a choice, do I? That chapter of my life is over.”

“But seeing him again…” she began, but I cut her off.

“Seeing him again doesn’t change anything,” I said firmly. “It just reminded me of why I left. That’s all.”

Violet sighed, the concern in her voice unmistakable. “Ash, I just don’t want you to bury this. You deserve closure—”

“Closure?” I interrupted, my tone sharper than I intended. “Closure isn’t always an option, Vi. Sometimes you just have to accept the way things are and move on.”

She didn’t argue, but her silence spoke volumes. I felt a pang of guilt for snapping at her, especially knowing how much she was dealing with herself.

“Look,” I said, softening my tone. “I appreciate you worrying about me, but I’m okay. Really. Right now, the only thing that matters is making sure you and the baby are okay.”

Violet hesitated but eventually relented. “Alright,” she said quietly. “But if you ever want to talk about it… you know I’m here.”

“I know,” I replied, forcing a faint smile even though it felt far from genuine. “Thanks, Vi. Now, let’s get you home. Ryan’s probably convinced we’ve been abducted by aliens. You need rest—doctor’s orders, remember?”

Her lips curved into a soft laugh. “Fine, fine. Let’s go.”

We stood up and made our way out of the hospital. Violet launched into a lighthearted rant about how her baby had been giving her a hard time lately—restless nights, unexpected cravings, and the occasional mood swings. I tried to keep up, nodding and adding a few comments here and there, but my mind kept drifting back to the encounter I’d just had.

His pain-filled eyes, his desperate attempts to explain himself—it all felt too familiar. 

The kiss. God, that kiss. It shouldn’t have happened, yet it had. And now, it lingered like an unwelcome guest, stirring up emotions I thought I’d buried long ago.

Maybe I was going crazy.

I replayed the encounter over and over in my mind, as if dissecting it would somehow make sense of the chaos it left behind. The way Kyle had looked at me—with raw emotion and regret—it was impossible to ignore. For a moment, I’d seen a version of him I hadn’t seen in years, the version I’d once loved.

But then reality came crashing back. Two years ago, I made a decision to walk away, to distance myself from him and the hurt he’d caused. One fleeting moment of weakness wasn’t going to change that.

I needed to stay strong, to focus on the life I was building for myself—a life free from the shadows of my past.

Kyle had his chance, and he didn’t take it. Whatever he was feeling now wasn’t my responsibility to fix.

*****

After Ryan picked Violet up, I hailed a cab to my apartment. I had rented the place just a few days ago, fully accepting that I’d be staying in New York for the next two months. Violet’s diagnosis of C-section complications meant frequent hospital visits, and there was no way I wouldn’t be here for her.

The ride back was a blur. I barely noticed the passing scenery until the driver’s voice pulled me out of my daze. Stepping out, I felt the weight of the quiet night pressing down on me as I unlocked the door.

The quietness of the house seemed to remind me of my loneliness as I trudged through the door.

I made my way to the kitchen, craving the comfort of a hot cup of coffee. After preparing my coffee, I sank into the living room sofa and turned on the TV, hoping for some distraction. But even the flickering screen couldn’t keep my mind from wandering.

I sighed deeply, losing count of how many times I had done so today. A soft, plaintive meow suddenly broke the silence, pulling me from my thoughts. I glanced over to see my cat, Mochi, wagging her tail at me, her green eyes wide with expectation.

“Sorry, girl,” I murmured, realizing I’d forgotten to feed her.

I scooped her up gently, carrying her to the kitchen. After setting her down, I prepared her meal, sprinkling some fish food into her bowl. Mochi darted around excitedly, her contented purrs filling the air as she ate. Watching her, I couldn’t help but feel a small pang of comfort. She had been my constant companion since I got this apartment,her presence grounding me in the chaos of hospital visits with Violet and endless cups of coffee.

As Mochi finished her meal, I leaned against the counter, sipping my coffee. She was a tiny source of solace, and I was grateful I had her.

The ping of my phone snapped me out of my reverie. I picked it up to see a text from Ethan—the man I’d met at the hotel a week ago.

“Hey, how are you doing? I was wondering if you’d be free for dinner this week. Totally understand if you’re not—hospital runs and all.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. Ethan has been an unexpected but pleasant addition to my life lately. Our conversations were easy, his company surprisingly enjoyable.

I stared at the screen for a moment, hesitating. Maybe I needed this. Maybe I needed to give someone else a chance, to prove to myself that I wasn’t stuck in some endless loop of heartbreak.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard before I finally typed out a positive response:

“Dinner sounds good. Let me know when and where.”

Setting the phone down, I made my way to bed, exhaustion settling into my bones. The moment my head hit the pillow, sleep claimed me, offering a temporary escape from the whirlwind of emotions that seemed to define my days.