“A cab? Seriously? I could drive you,” Vance said, his voice tinged with confusion.

Ashley shook her head, firm. It wasn’t about Vance, and it wasn’t guilt—it was that gut feeling telling her she needed to go alone.

The air shifted, heavy and awkward. Vance went quiet, a little hurt by her refusal, and even more by the fact that they were about to part ways.

He still had to head back to the office, finish up work before the weekend—and before what he secretly hoped would be a ...