Page 119 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince

“Hi, Ashlyn.” Saying her name chipped at my resolve to leave once I’d given her the papers.

“What are you doing here? This really isn’t a good time.” She searched frantically behind me. The look in her eyes told me she was thinking of ways to get me to leave before Damien showed up.

I lifted the manilla envelope I had by my side.

She glanced at it, clearly not understanding what I held in my hands. “Okay, you have an envelope. Did I leave something at your place?”

“No.”

“Then I can’t think of any reason you need to be here, Dean. You have to go.” She burst forward, grabbed my arm, and tried to shove me back out the door. The fact that it pushed inward was hindering her efforts.

“Ash, I need you to listen,” I begged.

“No, I don’t. You can’t do this to me. Not today.” Her eyes pleaded with me. “Today is a big day for me. Please, just go.” Her voice broke on the last word.

Hearing it was like throwing an axe through my heart.

“I’m not here to hurt you.” I gently tugged her back to the middle of the store.

“Then why are you here?”

“Damien isn’t coming.” The word hurt like ripping a bandage off a gaping wound.

“How do you know about—” She paused. “No.” She drew out the o’s as it all clicked into place. “Youdid this.”

I nodded.

“What the fuck, Dean. I don’tneedyou to do this.” She spread her arms wide. “I’ve handled this all perfectly fine by myself.”

“I know.”

“Stella and Burda. They have been here every damn step of the way. While you—I don’t know what you were doing. But it wasn’t here.”

“I’m sorry, Ash. I know that’s not good enough. But if you let—”

“It’s not.” Tears streamed down her face.

I wanted to pull her into my arms and kiss those tears away, but instead, with strength I didn’t know I possessed, I held back.

“This is for you.” I held out the envelope.

When she didn’t take it, I placed the envelope on the check-out desk before coming back to her. “You’re the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. Your conviction, intelligence, and unwavering dedication to not let anything stand in the way of your dreams is nothing less than inspiring. I can see why you chose that as the name of your business.”

Ashlyn wiped her tears away with the tissues Stella quietly produced before she discreetly joined Burda to give us the appearance of privacy.

“You are strong. You are beautiful, and you are the most giving person I know.”

“Dean—” she whispered on a broken sigh.

“Wait, please. I need to finish this.” I knew if I stopped speaking for too long, my emotions would seize my throat, and I wouldn’t be able to continue. “I came here today to offer you that contract to have your lingerie in our Paris store, not because I want to win you back, but because you deserve to be there.”

“Oh,” she said. I heard the thread of disappointment in that one word.

It killed me inside.

I gently took her hands within mine. “I do want you back. I’ve realized far too late how deep my love is for you. I’m sorry for being such an asshole. You deserve someone far better than me. Someone that knows how to be in a relationship and has a clue about what he’s doing.”

Her wide eyes stared at me as she stood there, unmoving.