"Do you need me to explain myself?" Ashton asked Elaine seriously as soon as he saw her.

"No, I don’t," Elaine replied with a calm smile. "There’s no need for explanations."

"Then you’re not upset or misunderstanding anything?" His tone carried a slight curiosity as his eyes searched hers.

She could see the worry in his gaze. After all, he’d been calling and texting her, only to get no response. It was natural for him to ...