In Love, Never Say Never

Everyone froze. After a few moments, Ashton coldly surveyed our ensemble. His gaze landed on John’s hand, maintaining its tight grip on mine, and lingered. Without betraying any hint of emotion, Ashton said coolly, “Wasn’t it enough for you to take Audrey away? You had to come back and take Scarlett too, hadn’t you? Did you think I’d stand idly by and let you do that?”

John laughed in derision. Narrowing his eyes, John looked at Ashton with evident contempt.

Ashton, however, did not take the bait. He slowly shifted his gaze to Audrey, who was still perched on John’s arms. Ashton’s gaze softened. Gently, he cooed, “Audrey!”

Audrey’s face burst into an expression of rapturous joy. Squirming in John’s arms, she proclaimed, “Mr. Fuller, you’re so handsome!”

We were all rather nonplussed by Audrey’s sudden confession. Bemused, I reflected, Is this really the best time to be talking about looks?

The charged atmosphere was abruptly reduced to a state of awkwardness.

John’s face looked glum. Meanly, he snapped at Audrey, “Audrey, what did I teach you?”

“I remember now!” Audrey’s features were squished in a moment of intense concentration. Suddenly, she raised her finger and intoned, as if she was reciting her lessons, “Other than Uncle John, any other men who are handsome are bad men!”

dismissively at Ashton, then turned to look at Audrey solemnly. “I’ll

mouth rounded into a perfect O. Proudly, she

said approvingly. Even as he teased Audrey, however, his eyes never once left Ashton’s face. The two men continued staring defiantly at each other, neither

 Does this mean

egos can really manifest in the

he’d just witnessed. Beaming brightly at Audrey, he said

to intervene, but

Wide-eyed with delight, she exclaimed, “Are you

“Of course.” “No!”

between the two men could not be starker. John had spoken vehemently, his eyes wild. He looked as if he was on the verge of erupting

given his answer confidently, with a look of serene assurance on his face. Entirely blasé about John’s indignation, he continued, this time extending both

spoke, Ashton threaded his arms beneath Audrey’s, coolly lifting her out of John’s arms