Page 57 of Should Our Stars Collide

Okay, not untrue.

“But…”He moves closer to the camera lens and winks cheekily. “Then you wouldn’t be the asshole I fell in love with.”

Ash’s chest tickles, as it always does when Kieran drops the L-bomb.

“Getting brave now that you’re not here and I can’t spank that attitude out of you, huh?” he teases, but honestly, he’d probably just hug him so hard he’d leave bruises.

Kieran’s voice is softer when he speaks next.“If you’re wondering why I didn’t tell you this was coming, well... As you know, I have a penchant for fucking things up.”He shrugs, feigning nonchalance, butAsh sees through him.“And I couldn’t stomach the slightest possibility that this…us…might not happen if I did anything differently from how things happened to me.”

“Oh, Kieran…” He’s come so far, and yet this is something he still struggles with. This deranged belief that no matter what he does, he’s never going to be good enough. That when bad things happen, it’s somehow his fault.

“Anyway…”Kieran clears his throat.“A lot of things you couldn’t explain before will start making sense now, but it will be a bumpy ride. So I have a favor to ask of you. Two, actually.”

Kieran’s visibly nervous now. Terrified, even. Ash itches to reach through the screen and hold him until all the fear dissolves.

“First—don’t give up on me. Even when it gets hard, even when I drive you so crazy you think of yeeting me off a cliff. Just…don’t give up on me, okay? Don’t give up on us.”

“Never,” Ash promises to no one. “Not gonna happen.”

“Second—make me fall in love with you.”His grin is back now, teasing and a little bashful.“With your dirty mind and infinite patience. The way you always manage to quiet the noise in my head, and how you look at me like I’m the most fascinating thing you’ve ever seen, not just a waste of space.”

“Babe…”

This is torture. Knowing Kieran sat down to record this while drowning in those thoughts. That he went through it alone when Ash had no idea. He wasn’t there to comfort him, to prove to him how wrong he is.

“Youknowme.”The words carry a sense of urgency now.“You know what I was like when we met. You’ve seen it yourself. Who I am now—it’s all thanks to you. You bring out the best and worst in me, but you change even the worst into something good, Mr. Bigshot Therapist.”He chuckles, swiping a hand over his eyes in a quick motion.“I love you, you ass. So fight for us, like I did.”

The video ends abruptly, leaving Ash disoriented with Kieran’s last words echoing in his head.

“Always,” Ash murmurs. “Always, firecracker.”

He presses the phone to his forehead, like it might bring him closer.

Kieran needn’t worry. Ash has never turned down a challenge, especially not one like this. He’s going to make Kieran fall. So. Hard.

13

The view out of their suite—more like a fancy hut, really—is nothing short of magnificent. Blue skies and golden sand as far as the eye can see, and water so clear you could spot shoals of fish even from a distance. If Kieran wasn’t so fucking pissed, he might even appreciate it.

Alas, he’s fucking pissed. It’s just hard to say who he’s pissed at more—Ash, or himself.

Himself, he decides. Because Ash being a manipulative dickhead is no news. And yet, Kieran somehow thought it would be a great idea to throw caution to the wind and pretend he’s actually on vacation. With Ash. In the future.

Speaking of, he sure recovered quickly. Who the hell learns that they time-traveled, are stuck in the future for God knows how long,anddating the guy they can’t stand, only to be happily sipping margaritas by the pool an hour later? He must be more disturbed than he’d thought. Like, seriously, bullets have left guns slower.

No wonder I got Ash’s attention. He attracts nutcases, after all.

Ugh, Kieranhatesthe guy. First, he does everything he can to ruffle Kieran’s feathers, only to flirt with himwhilestill ruffling his feathers. And then he makes sure Kieran’s drunken ass arrives home safely, staying until he falls asleep, pretending he actuallycares.

Fast forward two years and it’s the same fucking thing. He acts so caring and understanding, while simultaneously driving Kieran up thewall. Then bam! Like flipping a switch, he’s suddenly trying to control Kieran the exact same way every other person in his life has done. Andthenhe has the audacity to turn around and make promises about always being there for Kieran and never leaving him.

No one’s ever fucked with his head this much. Kieran hates it. Hateshim.

But what he hates the most is that disgusting, mushy feeling in his chest whenever Ash opens his stupid mouth and makes one of those promises.

He lets out a frustrated grunt, kicking his feet and punching the air.

The bed is a wreck—sheets untucked, pillows scattered across the room after he’d thrown them during one of his many fits of rage.