All Chapters of After Three Years: She Wakes Up: Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

As soon as we stepped out the door, the late afternoon fog had started rolling in and I shivered once the cool air hit my cheeks. Still carrying me, Connor shifted his position to wiggle out of his jacket and drape it over me like a small blanket. “Just set me down,” I insisted as I looked around and saw a small group of tourists pointing and staring.Connor rolled his eyes. “No.” “But…” “You’re drunk and Ally is waiting at Pier 39 with Josh,” he explained. “And the car is too far away for you to walk.” “I can walk,” I insisted, huffing even as I snuggled into his soft jacket. It smelled spicy, like him, and was so cozy I could almost fall asleep. “Sure you can,” he chuckled, amused. “Just keep telling yourself that.” It was embarrassing being carried like a bride along the Embarcadero. Today was a balmy 68 ℉, warm by San Francisco standards, although several out of town tourists were wearing thick, oversized sweaters over their ill-planned shorts and swimsuits. A nearby tourist

[Connor]I hadn’t expected her to kiss me. It was an accident. Ariana was angry and drunk. It meant nothing. It had to mean nothing. “Come, let me help you to the car,” I placed a steadying arm around her shoulders as we made our way back to my car currently parked haphazardly in the middle of the intersection. “I don’t need your help,” Ariana snapped, flinching away from my touch. I tried again, and she let me guide her to the car, but her body remained rigid, stiff with anger and embarrassment where only a moment ago it had been yielding and soft under my touch. This was my fault too.I shouldn’t have let myself get so close. But it felt natural, holding Ariana close to my heart. Feeling her body relax as the rapid drumming of her heart. We both needed to calm down, and in that shared moment, rocking back and forth, we both found peace. Her, from all the hurt and pain she was feeling. And me, from the rage I was still feeling, even now as we sit calmly in my car.. Seeing her

I’m sure that when the city planners put the cobblestones along the pier, they were thinking about how charming it would be. There was, after all, a wide sidewalk–no need for accessibility. Unfortunately, with vendor stalls and food trucks taking up most of the cement walkway, and tourists jamming up the rest, there wasn’t much room for a woman in a wheelchair. We could have made room, I guess, but Connor wanted to get us to the other side as quickly as possible, where there was more open room. So stubbornly, he decided to push along the cobblestone path. “This wheelchair has good tires,” he shrugged. “We should be able to make it.” At first he was careful, pushing the wheelchair slowly over the uneven stones. It was uncomfortable, being jostled around, but manageable. Not wanting to be a bother, I didn’t complain. But after it took us 10 minutes to make it only a few hundred feet, Connor began pushing faster. And faster. Soon Connor was pushing me forward with all his might, and

[Allison]“What are you doing, Josh? What if someone sees you here?! With me?!” He was looking up at me, his blue eyes full of love and vulnerability, the last of the day’s sunlight shining through his golden strands making him look every inch the fallen angel set to Earth to kneel at my feet. He was so beautiful.“Then let them,” His strong jaw was set with determination, his usual boyish charm replaced with something far more serious. “I’m done hiding. I want to be with you, Ally. Just you.” He opened the box. Inside was a ring with a large, pear-shaped, yellow diamond. “We can’t do this,” I shook my head. “Remember our deal? We had an agreement.” No love. No commitment. No strings.Why was he breaking the rules? I wasn’t ready to give him up forever. But was I ready to keep him? “Contracts can be negotiated. Terms can be changed. I don’t want this to be a series of one night stands unless you can be my one night stand forever. Please Ally, we’ve already lost three years…” _

[3 and a half months ago–continued]“Right now?” I hissed, lowering my voice and covering my phone with my hand. “You’ve got to be kidding.” “I wish I were,” she apologized, even though none of this is his fault. “But he’s got a flight to Toronto leaving in an hour. He can’t wait any longer.” “Call him back,” I ordered, looking at the time. “Tell him to wait before signing anything. I’ll be there,” I looked at my wrist, frowning, “as soon as I can!” I didn’t want to tell her the truth–that it would take me almost 45 minutes to make it across town. “He isn’t going to like that answer,” Dani warned. “He said....” “Yeah, well I can’t teleport,” I snapped back. “Sorry, Dani, I know you’re right, but I’m all the way over at Columbia University. Just…offer him a favor. Or, you know what, tell him he can use my private jet for his trip. I can have it ready to fly in 2 hours. Just for him. All he needs to do is wait. I’ll even throw in a complimentary case of champagne.” Technically, it