But he'd said it was wrong for him to be here with me; he never meant for it to get this far. Then he'd walked away, leaving me to deal with the fallout.
I wasn't sure if my frustration was directed at Hudson or Cooper.
"I'm here with my family. I'm about to have a baby. I can't deal with whatever this is." He gestured dismissively at me.
I watched helplessly as he went over to Ayla, who was sitting on the bench, and dropped to his knees to tie her skates.
Angela sat next to Ayla, murmuring softly to Hudson, probably telling him to calm down before he said something he regretted.
But he'd said enough. If the business fell apart, it was my fault. I was the one who'd made the impulsive decision to sleep with their friend and business partner.
I undid my laces, wondering how I was going to get home, because Cooper had driven me. My only hope was that he was waiting by the car to take me home. Not that it would be a pleasant ride.
With trembling fingers, I pulled on my boots and tied the laces. My heart still pounding, I returned the skates and walked toward the parking lot. I was only mildly relieved when I saw the familiar red truck.
Cooper wouldn't abandon me here, but he wasn't going to talk to me either. Whatever we had was done now that he'd seen the potential fallout. Our end wasn't hypothetical anymore. It was real.
Chapter 22
Cooper
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, resisting the urge to flee. I couldn't leave Aspen without a way home.
The passenger side door opened, and I tensed. I'd said some things that were horrible, and I walked away from her. I'd insinuated that we were a mistake. That I never should have gotten into a relationship with Aspen.
Once her seat belt was secured, I backed out of the spot and drove toward Christmas Town. I needed to drop her off, then get to work. There were projects I needed to ensure could continue without me at the helm.
I'd have to find a new job, reach out to old contacts to see if anyone was willing to rehire me. It would be humiliating, but it was stupid to think that I could have something better than I did before. I was always going to end up back where I started.
I might need to sell the house and move somewhere else, far away from the Sterling family.
I expected Aspen to lay into me and tell me all the reasons why I was an idiot, but she didn't. The silence was almost worse.
I wasn't feeling particularly good about anything right now. My relationship with Aspen was over, my job was in serious jeopardy, and I'd ruined my friendship with Hudson and his brothers. There was nothing left for me.
I'd been reckless, thinking we wouldn't get caught. We'd gone to a town where I didn't think any of her family would show up, and they had. I'd seriously miscalculated. We should have kept our relationship hidden. Then we might still have one. But reality was always going to intrude. It was just a matter of time.
I entered the town limits, my heart rate picking up again. My body sensed that this was it. I'd drop Aspen off at her apartment. Then I wouldn't be seeing her again.
I parked at the curb and waited for something to happen, for her to yell at me, to tell me that I'd hurt her. Anything would be better than the silence.
"I don't know what I expected to happen, but it wasn't that." Then she pushed open the door and got out. I watched in horror as she rounded the hood, then disappeared around the side of the building.
I should run after her, tell her that we weren't a mistake. That she was the best thing that ever happened to me, but I was rooted to my seat.
I felt like a fraud driving around in a work truck. I wasn't the supervisor anymore, not one that the Sterlings could trust. I'd destroyed everything with one ill-timed kiss. It didn't matter that I believed I was in love with her. Only that I'd betrayed her brothers' trust.
I pulled away from the curb, resisting the urge to get out and run after Aspen. She was mad at me, rightfully so. I'd dismissed our relationship. I didn't deserve a second chance, and I certainly didn't deserve her.
She was too good for me.
Being with her destroyed everything I'd built. Was it worth it?
I drove to the office without turning on the radio. My mind was a mix of emotions, despair, and irritation. I didn't need anything else clouding my brain.
I parked my truck, leaving the key to the office on Shayla's desk to deal with on Monday morning. By the time she arrived, my desk would already be cleared out. I'd let the Sterlings give her an explanation as to why I was gone.
The regret and despair settled deep in my bones as I walked toward my office. I'd go through the various jobs and put everything in order. Then I'd clear out my things.