I call Tyson back and he gives me an address. I thank him and plug it into my navigation system. It’s in a nice area. At least, I won’t be afraid to leave my car there.
I drive to the address and knock on the door. No matter what happens between us now, I have to speak to Ashley. Because it’s not just about me anymore. It’s about Gemma too.
21
Ashley
I know it’s Finn at the door. I heard his voice before I slammed my bedroom door shut and went to lay on my bed. I can’t believe he’s got the nerve to show up here like this. I know my mom will get rid of him for me. She knows how much he’s hurt me. Of course, she doesn’t know the full story. If I had explained the marriage was never going to be real anyway, she would never have been able to understand why I’m so upset about it all. It’s easier to just let her think Finn broke my heart the conventional way.
I hear footsteps on the stairs and then my mom knocks quietly on my bedroom door and pokes her head around.
“Ashley? It’s…” she starts.
“I know who it is. And I don’t want to see him. Please, just send him away.”
“I told him all of that, honey, but he said he has some information for you about someone named Gemma?”
“What?” I say, sitting up from where I’ve been lying on my bed, a pillow hugged to my chest. “Who the hell is Gemma?”
“Some kid you were trying to place in the foster system or something?” My mom replies.
My eyes widen. Shit. How has he managed to find Gemma? And what does he know about her? “Is she hurt?” I ask.
“I don’t know, love. Maybe you should go ask him yourself.”
I sigh. He’s played his hand well… I’ll give him that. He knew this way I wouldn’t be able to help myself from talking to him. “Fine. Send him up,” resigning myself to the fact I’m going to have to see Finn, after all. I’m only going to talk to him about Gemma though. I have nothing else to say to him.
Mom nods and leaves my room.
I quickly jump up and look at myself in the mirror as I drag a comb through my hair. I don’t care if I look a mess except for the fact I don’t want Finn to think I’m like this, a total mess, because of him. Because I’m most definitely not.
I hear Finn coming up the stairs and I steel myself, although not enough to stop my stomach from turning over when I see how handsome he looks, but it’s not enough to stop the pain inside me when I remember what he told his father.
“Your mom said it was okay to come up,” Finn says.
“Well, you made damned sure I couldn’t refuse, didn’t you?” I snap. “Now what do you know about Gemma?”
“I went by your office and I ran into her. We got to talking and she told me you were trying to get her a place in a foster home. She’s in the Travel Lodge around the corner from your office, so when you’re ready to stop wallowing in self-pity and get your act together, that’s where you can contact her. She’ll be expecting your call.”
“Wallowing in self-pity?” I repeat, my temper rising.
“Well, sure. Isn’t that what you’re doing here? Sitting here with the curtains drawn while crying over me, instead of helping the kids who have come to rely on you? Or do you have another word for it?”
I sit down hard on the bed, shaking my head, and glaring at Finn. “You’ve got some nerve, haven’t you?” I snarl. “You think this is about you? My landlord called me on Saturday morning. He’s got a buyer for our building and we’re out. So no, I’m not wallowing in self-pity because of you. I’m on the verge of losing my charity altogether and I can’t see any way out of that. So forgive me if I’m not doing the fucking cancan here.”
“Shit Ashley, I’m sorry.” He sits down beside me on the bed. “But it’s not over. I can give you the two hundred and fifty thousand now and you can get some new premises, and—”
“Jesus Finn, how are you this fucking stupid?” I interrupt him. “Let me make it crystal clear for you. I don’t want your money. I don’t want anything from you anymore.”
“It’s good to know you haven’t changed. You’re still such a melodramatic brat,” Finn mocks with a laugh.
His words shock me so much that I just stare at him, unable to form the words to tell him to just get the fuck out of here and not come back.
“You think that’s unfair?” Finn is looking at me with a cool amusement, the way he used to look at me when we first met. “Well listen to yourself, Ashley. You’re on the verge of losing your charity, and instead of thinking about the kids, you claim to care so much about, you’re thinking about your damned pride.”