Page 161 of Should Our Stars Collide

He’s stubborn as hell.

“You’re wrong,” he calls after him, breathing a sigh of relief when Ash stops. “It can’t be anyone else. I don’t know who that asshole is who convinced you there’s no one for you who’d want what you have to offer, but they were wrong. I’ve waited my whole life for you, and I won’t let you slip through my fingers because you suddenly have self-esteem issues.” He walks over and jabs a finger in Ash’s chest. “You better brace yourself, big guy.”

He lets the words hang in the air, not waiting for a response, and heads back to his car.

Behind him, he hears a faint but heartfelt, “Oh dear.”

38

Ash always knew Kieran’s a little unhinged—one of many things that intrigued him in the first place—but he’d never have guessed he’d end up being followed. From his workplace, no less.

Kieran’s parting warning echoes in his mind on repeat like a broken record. Every day, he braces himself for something—for Kieran to barge through the door to his office while he’s in the middle of a session, armed with a scowl and sheer determination.

He expects to find him on his doorstep, holding his apartment hostage (unlikely, since he’d have to get through double-security, but you never know with him). Or atLost and Ground,lurking in the corner.

Deciding to minimize the risk, he’s started cheating on Gabe with a mediocre café joint around the corner from his office. He blames Kieran for his current, subpar coffee experience.

He hasn’t been to any bars either. That one wasn’t hard to give up; last time, he was only there to try to get over Kieran. Jared was the same height and build, same soft, round face, hair color only a shade darker, but that’s where the similarities ended. Jared was bubbly and trusting, eating up all the half-baked attempts at flirting. No sarcastic remarks, no attitude, no talking back.

No Kieran.

Sigh.Ash hates to admit it, but he was kinda relieved when Jared took off like he couldn’t get into the shower fast enough.

That was last week. Ash has been holding his breath since, waiting for Kieran to inevitably show up like he owns the day, but he hasn’t. It shouldn’t come as a surprise—after all, Ash has made it more difficult to be caught off-guard. Still, he’s been feeling restless.

Not because he wants to see Kieran. Not because he misses him. Not because he can’t forget the words that spilled out of his mouth that night, striking Ash’s heart like a bolt of lightning. Not because he’s been waiting his whole life for someone to call his own.

He’s on edge because this waiting game is exhausting. It makes it impossible to focus on his work,his patients, who actually need his attention.

If they could just get it over with, that would be great.

Ash gets his wish granted three days later. Kinda.

After organizing the patient files and locking the office, he finds Kieran waiting for him outside. He’s leaning against his car, arms folded on his chest and legs crossed at the ankles, glaring hard at the entrance like that could’ve summoned Ash quicker.

“Fucking finally,” he exclaims when Ash walks out. “What took you so long?”

What an entitled brat. Ash smothers a smile.

“I don’t remember making plans with you.”

“That sounds like ayouproblem.” Twisting sideways, Kieran opens the passenger door and steps aside. “Get in.”

So not only stalking—but kidnapping too.

“And go where?”

“Where the fuck do you think?” Kieran huffs impatiently. “We’re going on a fucking date. Now get your ass in the car.”

Ignoring the tightening of his pants, Ash says, “Kieran, we’ve talked about this.”

“And I warned you to brace yourself.”

“This is payback, isn’t it? For riling you up all this time.”

He hasn’t been able to figure out what made Kieran do a complete one-eighty, and looking into his mind hasn’t cleared up anything either. His first guess would be that this is all an elaborate revenge plot, but…Kieran almost had a panic attack when Ash turned him down that day. That wasn’t the reaction of someone who’s just playing a game.

“There’s been no railing yet.”