Spencer took the hand off her left shoulder and pressed a warm kiss to its palm.

“You’ve thought of coming back for a while now, haven’t you?”

Ashley was surprised that Spencer read her so well. It was true that she had on and off over the last few years toyed with the idea of moving back to Los Angeles.

“Yes, more times than you can imagine. The most memorable was when Kyla casually mentioned that you and Carmen had broken up. I remember thinking it would be faster if I just hired a jet or something, just so I could get here faster. Of course, common sense burst my little bubble pretty quickly. I realized you wouldn’t have been, how shall I put this? Receptive to my advances after breaking up with your girlfriend of five years. So I ended up telling myself that it was for the best, that you were better off without me anyway.”

It was Spencer’s turn to pull Ashley into her arms, holding her tightly as if it would somehow impress her words more deeply to her.

“I could never be better off without you in my life. Don’t think you were the only one only half living your life. I was in a dead end relationship for five years simply because I was too afraid.”

Ashley looked into Spencer’s eyes with a questioning look. Silently asking what she was afraid of.

“I was afraid to admit to myself that I missed you. That no one made me laugh like you did, that no one could just look at me and make me feel loved like you did. Carmen was my subconsciouses poor substitute for you. I used her to try and forget you, or replace you. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m willing to sacrifice a few things as well to have what I want. And what I want more than anything is you Ashley. So we can try and work something out, something that suits us both, but if you really want to move back? Well I won’t stand in your way, hell, I’ll welcome you with open arms.”

Ashley smiled at that, in the way that only Ashley Davies can smile. With lips and eyes and crinkling nose.