Sage's Point Of View
Midnight Confessions
The neon sign of The Rusty Nail flickered in the rearview mirror as I sat in my car, hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.
My heart hammered in my chest, replaying the moment I'd just shared with Alyssa over and over like a broken record.
Her lips, soft and yielding for that brief, beautiful second before reality came crashing down. The fire in her eyes as she pushed me away, a maelstrom of hurt and anger that cut deeper than any knife. And then... she ran.
I slammed my palm against the dashboard, frustration boiling over. "Damn it, Sage," I muttered to myself. "You're really screwing this up."
It wasn't supposed to be like this. Coming back to Maple Grove, opening Sugar Rush – it was all part of my grand plan to make things right.
To show Alyssa that I'd changed, that I was ready to be the man she deserved. But at every turn, I seemed to be making things worse.
The sound of my phone buzzing jolted me from my thoughts. I fished it out of my pocket, hoping against hope that it might be Alyssa. Instead, Zoe's name flashed across the screen.
I sighed, debating whether to answer. Zoe was a brilliant businesswoman and a loyal friend, but her single-minded focus on Sugar Rush's success sometimes made it hard for her to understand... well, anything else.
On the fourth ring, I gave in. "Hey, Zoe."
"Sage, where are you?" Her voice crackled through the speaker, sharp with impatience. "We have that conference call with corporate in ten minutes. Please tell me you're on your way back to the hotel."
I glanced at the clock on my dashboard. 11:45 PM. Shit.
"I'm sorry, Zoe," I said, running a hand through my hair. "I completely lost track of time. I'm still at The Rusty Nail."
Her exasperated sigh crackled through the speaker. "Sage, this call is crucial for our expansion plans. What could possibly be more important than—" She paused, and I could almost hear the pieces clicking into place in her mind. "You went to see her again, didn't you?"
I didn't need to ask who she meant. "It's not what you think," I started, but Zoe cut me off.
"It's exactly what I think. You're still hung up on Alyssa Bennett, and it's clouding your judgment. Need I remind you that she's our competition now?"
I felt a flare of anger at her words. "She's not just 'the competition,' Zoe. She's..." I trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence. What was Alyssa to me now? The love of my life? The woman I'd hurt beyond measure? Both?
"She's the past, Sage," Zoe said, her voice softening slightly. "Sugar Rush is your future. Our future. Don't throw away everything we've worked for because of some misplaced nostalgia."
I knew Zoe was right, at least in part. I had responsibilities, commitments. A whole team of people counting on me to make Sugar Rush a success.
But the thought of giving up on Alyssa, of leaving Maple Grove again without making things right... it made my chest ache in a way I couldn't ignore.
"I hear you, Zoe," I said finally. "I'll be there for the call. Just... give me a few minutes, okay?"
She sighed again, but I could hear the resignation in her voice. "Fine. Ten minutes, Sage. Not a second more."
The line went dead, and I let my head fall back against the headrest, closing my eyes. What was I doing? Had coming back to Maple Grove been a mistake?
Maybe Zoe was right. Maybe Alyssa was better off without me barging back into her life, stirring up old hurts.
A tap on my window startled me out of my thoughts. I opened my eyes to see a familiar face peering in at me, concern etched across his features. Ash.
I rolled down the window, forcing a smile. "Hey, man. What are you doing out here?"
Ash raised an eyebrow. His messy black hair was even more disheveled than usual, and his arms, covered in intricate tattoos, were crossed over his chest. "I could ask you the same thing. You look like hell, Sage."
I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Thanks. I feel like it too."
Ash's eyes softened. He jerked his head towards the passenger seat. "Move over. I'm coming in."
Too tired to argue, I unlocked the doors and slid over to the passenger side. Ash folded his lanky frame into the driver's seat, his familiar presence already making me feel a little more grounded.
For a long moment, we sat in silence, the muffled sounds of the bar behind us providing a strange sort of soundtrack to my tumultuous thoughts.
Finally, Ash spoke. "So, you want to tell me what's going on? Or should I guess?"
I sighed, running a hand over my face. "It's Alyssa."
Ash nodded, unsurprised. "Figured as much. What happened?"
I told him everything – the disastrous encounter at Sweet Dreams, following Alyssa to The Rusty Nail, the stolen kiss that had felt like coming home and losing everything all at once.
When I finished, Ash let out a low whistle. "Damn, man. You really know how to complicate things, don't you?"
I groaned. "Tell me about it. I don't know what to do, Ash. Every time I try to make things better, I just seem to make them worse."
Ash was quiet for a moment, his fingers drumming a thoughtful rhythm on the steering wheel. "Can I ask you something?" he said finally.
I nodded, bracing myself.
"Why did you really come back to Maple Grove?"
The question caught me off guard. "What do you mean? I told you, it's a great opportunity for Sugar Rush to—"
Ash held up a hand, cutting me off. "Save the corporate speak for Zoe, man. I'm asking you, as your best friend, why you're really here."
I opened my mouth to protest, but the words died on my lips. Ash had always been able to see right through me, even when I was trying to fool myself.
"I..." I started, then stopped, swallowing hard. "I came back for her," I admitted finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "For Alyssa. I thought... I don't know what I thought. That I could waltz back into town, show her how successful I'd become, and she'd fall into my arms like nothing had changed."
Ash snorted. "Yeah, because that's totally Alyssa's style."
I couldn't help but laugh. "God, I'm an idiot, aren't I?"
"Little bit," Ash agreed, but his tone was fond. "But you're an idiot in love, which I guess is a little more forgivable."
I sobered at that. "It doesn't matter. She hates me, Ash. And I can't blame her. I left her. For four years, I didn't call, didn't write. I broke her heart."