Chain of Hearts (BWWM)

Downhill

It was all going downhill. Everything.

Down. Hill.

I'd slipped up. I'd left my heart open and vulnerable for him. I'd made it so easy for him to step back in and steal my heart.

I should have said no when I had the chance. Then none of this would have happened.

It started from the dinner. My dinner with Ryan was incredible. We laughed and just had an amazing time. I was seeing a side to Ryan that I didn't even know existed. The Ryan I had seen last night was sweet, romantic and caring Ryan. Not the funny, snarky, asshole Ryan that I knew.

"I am stuffed." He said, leaning back in his chair and exhaling after he'd paid the bill.

I laughed at his antics but agreed on his statement. "The food was great though." I patted my stomach. "It's gonna take a lot of hours in the gym to work this off."

"Why don't we begin now?"

I looked up at him, confusion etched on my features. "What?"

He stood up and put his jacket on. "Let's go for a walk." I pointed to the spiked heels that were on my feet, an obvious indication as to why I didn't want to walk. "You can lean on me while we're walking. Come on, Asia!" I allowed him to take my hand and help me into my jacket before we left.

As soon as the late night cold hit me, I pulled my jacket closer. Ryan looked at me and smirked. "I hope you don't expect me to give you my jacket." He remarked.

I scoffed. "Ladies and gentlemen, Ryan the asshole has returned!" I said, making us both laugh.

"I'm kidding." He replied, removing his jacket and putting it around my shoulders. "See, I'm not an asshole any more."

"I can see that. I'm really trying to figure out what brought on this change!"

He shrugged nonchalantly as we walked. "I've grown. Matured. It's been six years, Asia, I hope you weren't expecting 29 year old Ryan to be the exact same as the 23 year old Ryan you last saw?"

I nodded. "Good point, good point."

We walked in a comfortable silence, enjoying the company of the other. As we turned onto an empty pathway, I stumbled in my heel reaching out for Ryan. He grabbed my arms and managed to keep me from falling. Leaning against him, I couldn't help the giggles that escaped. "Why did you even wear those shoes?"

"To look good! It's rude not to make an effort." I stood up straight and he linked our arms so that I wouldn't fall again. "So what do you do now? I remember when I left you'd just moved to that production company... what was it called?" I snapped my fingers as I tried to remember the name of the company that Ethan never stopped talking about wanting to be involved in. "Revisual?"

Ryan guffawed and shook his head. "Revival, Asia." I blushed in embarrassment. "But yeah, Ethan and I both work there now, in fact we're both production execs."

My jaw dropped in amazement. "What?! Oh my goodness, that is amazing! No honestly, Ry that is... Wow!"

He grinned. "Why thank you."

"Do you enjoy working with your brother?"

He shrugged. "It's fun at times but if we don't agree on working with a certain client then it gets annoying because although we may not want to, it's easy to take your work home with you." I nodded in understanding.

"What about you? Do you enjoy your job?"

I sighed. "I love it. I really really do but I just hate how long it took me to get here. I had this plan, you know, to get to where I am at now three years ago." I pushed some loose hair out of my face. "Maybe I was pushing myself too hard and setting unrealistic dreams. I don't know."