Free Ready to Love Again (Sweet Romance #2) by Keren Hughes Page B

explanation.”
    I hadn’t meant to bring it up but it didn’t seem fair to leave him wondering about things.
    “We can talk about that later. You don’t owe me anything, but if you want to talk, I’m here to listen.”
    That was my best friend for you, non-judgmental.
    I got up and hugged Clark and then my mother. They had both been there for me when I needed it and I had been ungrateful. Well, not anymore. I was going to get my life back on track and show the people I love that they really do matter to me.
     
    ***
     
    I’m so sorry this has to be the end, my darling. I know finding this letter will tear you apart, but I can’t think of any other way. I hope in the long run you will see that what I did was for the best. I was in so much pain, my sweetheart, I only put a brave face on it for you. Please don’t hate me for taking ‘the coward’s way out’. That isn’t what this feels like for me; it feels like the best decision all-round. It’s finally something I can control—unlike so many other things that have come to pass over this last year. Though I am going to break your heart by doing this, I know it has to be done my way. It has to be on my terms, I can’t take much more of what nature has in store for me.
     
    I woke from yet another dream about Ethan. It seems to be happening more and more lately and I am getting frustrated. These dreams keep me awake into the early hours, usually chased away by a small glass of whiskey and a cigarette. The whiskey is more of a recent development since they seem determined not to go anywhere.
    I’m sat on my window ledge smoking my fifth cigarette as I hear my name called quietly. It’s 1 a.m. and I wonder who could be out so late and calling my name. I look out of the window but can’t see anything except the dark, still street, cars parked in their usual places, and the light coming from the street lights.
    “Alyssa.” The quiet voice comes again.
    I look to where the voice came from and see a silhouette. It moves out into the dim light shining from the streetlight. I am shocked to see Chase standing there.
    I move to open my front door. I haven’t exactly wanted him to see this hovel of a place, but now he’s going to wake my neighbours up if he keeps calling my name, and by the sounds of it, bumping into trashcans.
    “Chase,” I call out the door and usher him inside before he knocks anything else flying. He seems a little drunk. But what’s he doing around here without his car? And how did he get here drunk? How on Earth does he know where I live?
    Stepping over my doorstep, Chase gives me a grateful smile and damn if it doesn’t make my heart skip a beat.
    “Chase, what are you doing here?” I ask as I go into the kitchen and start to make some coffee to help sober him up.
    “I’m here to see you, of course.” He hiccups as he speaks.
    “At one o’clock in the morning, Chase? Why on Earth would you be coming around so late?” I admonished as I poured plenty of sugar and creamer into his coffee.
    I walked back into my bedroom-cum-living area and saw Chase sat on my couch. I went to hand him the coffee, then thought better of it and placed it on the floor near my feet so he couldn’t knock it over.
    “So,” I cleared my throat and looked straight into the beautiful pools that are Chase’s eyes, “what brings you here at such a late hour? Or early, depending how you look at it.”
    “I don’t know, I just had this feeling I needed to see you,” Chase said, not breaking eye contact.
    “I was asleep,” I said as I picked up my coffee and handed Chase his.
    “It didn’t look like it to me. It looked like you were sat on your window ledge smoking. Dirty habit, by the way.” He took a gulp of his coffee and smiled at me, disarming me completely.
    What was it about this man that was so appealing? Yes, he’s outrageously good looking. He should be an underwear model or something. Not that I’ve seen him in his underwear, he just seems