Page 112 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince

Her surprised eyes searched mine. “You have?”

“I’m happy she’s getting her dream and doing what she loves. She’s incredibly talented.”

“She is. It’s been good for all of us to get away from my mom.” Sadness pooled in her eyes.

We both stared at each other, not quite sure what else to say. “Let her know I said hi.”And that I miss her.I looked away, unable to say that last part out loud. I didn’t know what I was hoping for with this conversation, but I felt more empty than I did beforehand.

“You just let her walk away like she didn’t matter. Why didn’t you at least call her? You knew it wasn’t her.” I knew the hurt on Stella’s face was how Ashlyn felt, and my heart lurched.

“I was a total asshole. She deserves someone better than me. Someone who will believe and trust in her.”

Stella groaned. “She still loves you.”

“What?” There was no way I’d heard that right.

She sighed. “God, she’d kill me right now if she knew we were having this conversation, but I love her. You broke her heart, and yet she can’t move on. I hate seeing her like this.”

“I wanted to go to her, but I needed to fix things. I needed to be sure that no one tried to connect her to what your mother did. I needed to make things right.”

“And when you were done with that?”

I ran my hand over my neck. “My dad had a heart attack that day. I had to immediately step up and run the company. I’ve barely had time to breathe. Then a few weeks had gone by, and I figured it was too late.”

“It’s never too late to apologize.”

The truth in her words cut deep. “You know I owe her more than an apology.”

She stared at me like she had that first time I picked Ashlyn up for our date. It was as though she was weighing my words and determining the truth.

“Do you love her? Did youeverlove her?”

“I do love her. It took me way too long to realize that what I felt for her was love.” This was the first time I’d allowed myself to say the words out loud. Pain ripped through me at knowing I’d blown my chance. “I realized once she was gone how much I wished I’d asked her to stay.”

Stella began to rummage in her purse. “Take this.” She shoved a pamphlet into my outstretched hand.

I looked down at the paper she'd given me. “A convention? I don’t get it.”

“We’re going to be there next week for the business. You should stop by and say hi to her.”

I glanced up at Stella, confused that she was helping me, but pleased all the same. “What if she tells me to leave?”

She gave me a gentle smile. “What if she doesn’t? It’s like in all the romance books, Dean. You have to make a grand gesture if you want her back. You hurt her. You let her think you hated her.”

“Grand gesture?”

“Yes, a big to-do saying you made an awful mistake.” Stella waved her hands in the air in a big swooping motion.

The barista called her name. “So, that’s me. Think about it.”

“Stella. Thanks for this.” I waved the pamphlet. I finally had a chance to make this right.

“Don’t screw this up, Dean.” She turned and left.

I forgot about ordering my coffee and sat in the nearest empty seat, stunned at the olive branch Stella had offered.

How was I going to make this grand gesture count?I needed to show Ashlyn she meant everything to me. That I was serious about being with her.

I wracked my brain trying to imagine what grand gesture would say all the things I should have said to her before now. The movies made it seem so easy. The hero gave up everything to get their girl back. He didn’tgive up.