Walking was therapeutic. It helped ease his mind, cleanse his thoughts, and get him ready for the next day. He enjoyed his walks in the evenings, enjoying watching the sun begin to set. He had been at the beach, surfing. But when he began to have trouble seeing the shore in the dark, he began to head back to his modest home.
He lived pretty close to the beach, so it didn't take long. He dropped his board and showed, putting on a simple pair of jeans and a button-down shirt. It was a bit formal for a walk, but it was comfortable, at least to Ashton. He walked nowhere in particular, his thoughts resting on just about anything. He was restless tonight and he couldn't figure out why.
It was surprising that he recognized the blur of a woman as she ran past him. He called out her name, wondering if she had even heard him. Heck, did she even recognize him? It had been too long. After that awkward surfing lesson at the beach, Ashton had avoided seeing her, regretfully. The thoughts she caused and the physical reaction he had when he was close to her scared him. He felt like he was losing himself when he was around her, but he couldn't shake the affection he felt for her.
Thankfully, she did recognize his voice and nearly hit the pavement trying to slow herself down. He offered her a smile as she came up to him. "Just out on a walk. I could ask you the same question." His question was still laced with that thick southern accent. No matter how long he stayed in Sacrosanct, the accent remained the same. "How have you been?" He supposed he was at fault for being the reason they hadn't had any conversations recently. After all, he had been freaked out by his attraction to her. It was just attraction, it wasn't really anything to fear. And yet, his experience had shown and he began to wonder if he was the right person for her. He supposed he would just be friendly and hope she had forgiven him for ghosting her.