From Ashes

He looked at the door, then back to me, speaking softly. “Look, I don’t know what happened between you two tonight. But he’s pissed, said you needed to understand that you’re like a sister to him and nothing more.”

I let my face fall into my expressionless mask, but inside I felt like I’d been punched and was trying to catch my breath. I didn’t understand—Gage had been about to kiss me. He’d been the one pressing his body to mine, brushing featherlight kisses on my face. Why would he do that if he didn’t actually like me? My stomach churned at the thought of him seeing me as his sister. But this was probably for the best. I had been getting in too deep with him, and I needed to guard myself. My father and Tyler—the only men I would ever need in my life. I didn’t have room in my eternally shattered heart for anyone else . . . including Gage Carson. My chest tightened and I had to blink my eyes rapidly as that lie almost forced me to tears again. When I had a handle on my emotions, I looked up at Ty and gave him a weak smile.

“I understand.” I stood up and went to the bathroom to quickly get ready for bed before slipping under the covers with Tyler. He curled his body around mine and I was once again so thankful for him. My rock. He always made everything better by holding me, even heartache.

THE NEXT MORNING I got dressed for my opening shift and headed out to the kitchen. Ty was letting me borrow his Jeep today, so I wouldn’t have to further impose on Gage. Apparently he’d also been complaining about having to “be my chauffeur.” It’s not like I asked him to drive me, he just never gave me a choice. I rounded the corner and smacked right into his brick wall of a chest.

Gage laughed softly and wrapped his arms around me. “Morning, darlin’.”

Placing both hands on his chest, I pushed him off me and stepped around him to grab a granola bar. I knew I was being rude, but I’d spent the majority of the night trying not to cry at the thought of the man I loved seeing me as his sister, so I was extremely grouchy this morning. Walking back around him, I continued for the front door and didn’t stop ’til he caught my arm and turned me back to him.

His eyebrows were scrunched together in confusion. “Are you gonna at least wait for me to get my keys?”

“I’m driving myself.” I dangled Tyler’s keys between us. “Have a good day.”

“Wait, Cassidy, wh—”

“What, Gage?” I hissed. “What do you want?”

He dropped my arm and took a step back. “I th—talked to Tyler last night, I thought you’d be . . .” He trailed off as my eyes narrowed at him.

“You thought what, Gage? Thought I’d be happy? Or I’d be okay with that?” I laughed humorlessly and took a few more steps toward the cars before turning back to him. “Do you have any idea how frustrating you are?”

“Cass.” He took a few tentative steps toward me, reaching his hand to me.

“Don’t! Don’t touch me. I’m sure in a few weeks, I’ll look back and realize how stupid I’m being right now. And maybe by then I’ll be okay with what you want, but right now I don’t want to talk to you, I don’t want you to touch me, and I don’t want to see you.” Hell, I already knew that I was overreacting. But I could have sworn he felt something for me too, something more than a sibling bond. And he’d let me believe that, he’d even encouraged it, just to have Tyler tell me to back off. No freaking wonder Brynn had thought they were a couple. He probably went around doing these kinds of things to every girl.

His green eyes hardened and he looked crushed. Though that threw me off balance for a moment, I didn’t have time to care about how he felt right now. He was the one playing with my emotions. He was the one breaking my heart.

GAGE

AFTER CASSIDY DROVE away, I forced myself to breathe and go back into the apartment. I felt like she’d just ripped my heart out. This girl I’d fallen in love with the moment I saw her, this girl I would do anything for . . . didn’t want me.

“Hey, you okay, Gage?” Tyler asked from the kitchen table.

I sat down numbly, just staring at the table.

“Oh—I guess it didn’t go well this morning?”

When Cassidy and I had gotten home last night, I’d pulled Tyler into my room so I could tell him exactly what I felt for her. He’d told me that no matter how much he loved her, he knew how we both felt for each other and wouldn’t stand in our way anymore. I’d been blown away and could barely wait to see her this morning. I was going to finish what I’d started so many times, including last night. I was going to pull her body to mine and kiss her ’til she couldn’t stay standing anymore. Even sleeping had been difficult; I was too distracted thinking about where this could take Cassidy and me.

“She was pissed. Like beyond pissed. Told me she didn’t even want to see me. I don’t understand. After last night, I thought—well . . . it doesn’t matter what I thought.”

Tyler rinsed his mug out and clapped me on the back as he walked toward his room. “That’s a bummer, man, I really thought she liked you too.”

Chapter Five

GAGE

I WAS MISERABLE. It had been eight months since Cassidy had crushed my heart that morning before she went to work. Eight months of trying to ignore the pull I still felt, now more than ever. Eight months of being her friend and nothing more. The first six months of which I had to watch her run to Tyler every damn time something happened. Now for the last two months I’d barely had what you could even consider a conversation with her. Two months of no morning hugs and conversations, and one month until I moved back in with the happy couple.