Cupid's Incorporated {Completed}

Cupid's Incorporated - Chapter Twenty-Five

To say that the next month and a half felt like a dream would be an understatement. It didn't feel like a dream; a dream was one of those weird, unexplainable things you experienced of a night, only to wake up and have no recollection of what you dreamed about.

But this was completely different. This was a dream that you never wanted to end. And right now, it seemed like it wouldn't. End, I mean. Every time I woke up, I realized that Ash was still there, still in love with me, and I still loved him. It was a fantasy come to life.

My mother and Henry resumed dating, and they were actually doing way better than anyone could have ever expected. Numerous times I had woken up to find Henry in my kitchen, making breakfast, wearing nothing but a plain white cotton towel as he cooked eggs and bacon on the stove and chatted with my mother about politics and the weather.

And I’ll be honest; there were quite a few nights when my mother didn’t come home.

I didn’t mind though. My mother had found love, and if she was happy, then I would let her be. Henry treated her like a queen, and until he started treating her badly, I had no reason to believe he wasn’t a good guy. But Ashton and I were still keeping tabs on them, trying to protect my mother from ever getting hurt. Though I had loosened my protectiveness considerably since the beginning of summer, I still made sure my mom was OK when I could.

Ashton and I had also been getting along extremely well. We had decided not to tell our parents—that would complicate things a lot—but the secret relationship was actually really refreshing and romantic. I loved the hushed phone calls and sneaking out at night (Which, believe it or not, I had done quite a few times over the summer.) Ashton made me feel like a normal girl. I had never once before had reason to sneak out or go into a different room to answer a phone call. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the adrenaline and secrecy that came along with dating a handsome, British guy like Ashton. It was thrilling, and I really felt in love. I'd never done anything like it before, and though I wished I could tell my mom, I knew that would mess everything up, so I kept it under wraps and had a blissful, secret relationship.

All-in-all, summer had turned out a lot better than I thought it would.

In the third last week of summer, I met Charlie in the Coffee Shack to spend some one-on-one time with her. I didn't want her to think that now, just because I was with Ash, I no longer wanted to spend time with her. She was my best friend, and I loved hanging out with her. I kinda felt guilty that we hadn't hung out as much as we planned, but Charlie never seemed mad at me, and she respected the time I needed to spend with Ash.

“So, how’s Ashton?” she asked, eyes sparkling mischievously as she took a sip of her lemon and honey tea. I didn't miss the way her lips quirked up in a sheepish smile.

I was not in control of the blush that stained my cheeks and the big goofy grin that overtook my face. God, I was acting like such a girl! Before I had met Ashton, I was just a tom-boy in need of a new wardrobe and a manicure. I used to hate girls like the love-struck one I had turned into. But there was something about being in love that turned you into a massive giggling mess.

And I liked it.

She laughed. “I’ll take that as a good sign.”

“He’s amazing, Charles,” I gushed, stirring my straw around my iced caramel latte and taking a long sip. “He’s so sweet and funny.”

“And hot!” Charlie chimed in with a grin, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I rolled my eyes at her. “Yes, and hot. Oh, and a good kisser. And-”