A Beautiful Struggle Read Online Free PDF Page A

customers were probably getting annoyed with me but I didn’t give the smelliest of shits. I couldn’t believe that that was what Ash was so worried about.
    I felt Ash slap me on my shoulder . “What the hell are you laughing at, Derrick Miles?”
    Sucking in a breath , I held onto my stomach. I couldn’t believe how bad it hurt from laughing. With my other hand, I wiped the tears falling from my eyes. Ash was back to sitting in her comfy chair across from me.
    Slowly breathing in and out to get back to normal , I let out one more chuckle. “That’s what you were so worried about, Ash?” Breaking up with me?”
    S he nodded her head and I couldn’t help it—I swear!—but I broke out into another laughing fit. That time I fell to the floor and laughed as hard as I could in a fetal position. No, I actually did. People were staring at me. They probably thought I was on crack—I wish.
    Leaning over in her chair , Ash ground out through her teeth, “Get up, you idiot! People are staring at us!”
    Rolling over onto my back , I barely got out, “I’m sorry! It’s just too damn funny, Ash baby!”
    S he stomped her feet on the floor. “That’s it! I’m leaving.”
    I waited for her to step over me because I had barricaded her in . As she did so, I grabbed her around her knees and down she fell. Rolling over to my side so she laid down next to me, I looked at her. I thought for sure she would be pissed, but Ash fell onto her back, closed her eyes, and burst out laughing.
    “Excuse me!” It was the same annoyed barista from earlier. Quickly getting up from the floor, I gave her my best panty-dropping smile and huskily said, “I’m so sorry.” I knew I had her exactly where I wanted her. I could tell her legs were trembling, her breath was shortening, and her lips were puckering.
    S he shook her head back and forth. Introducing herself, she said, “I’m Leslie.”
    I nodded. “Nice to meet you. I’m Derrick.” I made eye contact with Ash lying on the floor then looked back at Leslie. “I need to help this hot mess of a friend I have right now.”
    Looking down at Ash, Leslie broke out laughing . “Yeah, good luck with that,” and walked back to the counter.
    Turning back to Ash , I saw her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were glaring at me. Snickering at her, I bent down and wrapped my hands around her arms and picked her up. Nodding towards her seat, I said, “Sit your ass down, you hot sexy mess.”
    She shook her head. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Der-bear.”
    I waited for Ash to plop back down in her chair then I asked, “You were really that nervous to tell me?”
    Shrugging her shoulders , she said, “Well, yeah, Derrick. I just don’t want to disappoint you. I know you’ve struggled a lot through this whole process.”
    “Thanks , Ash baby, but you could never disappoint me.” I paused a moment. “But I have to ask, why now?”
    Taking a sip of her tea , she swallowed and said, “I’ve just come to the realization that nothing will happen between Jason and me, so I just think I need to move on. Plus you need to move on, too. The guys aren’t giving you shit anymore.” Shrugging her shoulders Ash shook her head. “I just think we both need to move on with our lives. We’ve both struggled in different ways, but I think we deserve some happiness. What do you think, Derrick?”
    Lips forming into a smile I nodded . “Sounds like a plan, babe.” I noticed she was giving me an odd smile. “What are you smiling about?”
    She smiled again and whispered, “I love you , Derrick Miles.”
    I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. No one outside my family had ever told me that before. Closing my eyes, I dropped my head and just took steady, even breaths. I didn’t want to have a mental breakdown in front of all of these coffee fanatics.
    I felt someone wrap their hands around one of mine. Opening my eyes , I looked over and saw Ash kneeling down in front of me with tears in her