The Wattpad Filipino Block Party 2020

Morrighansmuse's Short Story

Elevator - A Loving Ashe Prequel Short Story

by Morrighansmuse

#TWFBP2020 #TWFBPYore

I should be there in an hour.

    Gareth glanced at the text message, his heart racing. Was this the right thing to do, agreeing to meet the woman whose love he traded for the career he had now three years earlier?

    But after this time, Riley still needed answers and it was the least Gareth could do. Surely her questions would be harmless or he'd have heard from someone else not to answer them. Or at least warn him that she knew the truth.

     That last thought sent a chill through his heart. Would he ever be brave enough to be the one to tell her or would he be the same old coward who left her hanging all this time? Gareth took a deep breath and typed his response.

     Definitely! I left you a key card for the restricted floor. I left it for Catherine Earnshaw.

     Gareth didn't wait for her to reply. He pocketed his phone and turned his attention to the rest of the people in the room. Of course, Riley would know who Catherine Earnshaw was. It was only her favorite book and if anything, it would tell he hadn't forgotten.

     How could he?

     Riley Eames was his childhood sweetheart. Even with the way things went down between them three years ago, he secretly couldn't wait to see her again. Besides, he was curious. How did she look now? Was she still as beautiful as he remembered her? Blonde hair, baby blue eyes, a wide smile that could light up any room. A heart of gold he trampled to pieces.

     Gareth's stomach clenched. No, he couldn't hurt her again. He still loved her although even that was such a loaded word.

     Love.

     He'd loved so many women through the years, some who never loved him back--like his mother, for one. She broke his heart and later, when he became successful, he'd break hers when he told her in a fit of anger (and enough whiskey to put more hair on his chest) that he was ashamed of her, of the things she did that made life growing up in the tough Jackson Heights neighborhood he and Riley grew up in.

    No wonder her sister Paige was more than ready to bail out of there, and she sure did, earning herself a modeling contract that had her traveling the world at eighteen. Gareth wanted to bail, too, but he couldn't leave Riley behind. Sure, Paige sent money and presents but none of that guaranteed that Mr. Eames would be kind to his youngest daughter. Gareth wanted to do what he could to protect her from his bitterness and grief, constantly looking for someone to blame and finding only Riley.

     He ambled toward the craft table and picked a cherry from a bowl and popped it into his mouth. If he were in a bar right now, he'd impress some chick by tying a knot on the cherry stem with his tongue. A cool trick but boring. These days, women did it to impress him. And it would work. For the night.

     The next morning, his assistant would clean up whatever the woman left behind. Her underwear usually, or a scarf, hoping Gareth would call to let her know that she had something at the house and would she have time to pick it up the following night? Nah, he didn't have time for that and so his assistant would chuck them all in the trash.