First Last Chance, page 20
“Good.” Jason held the door for her as they went in.
“Here you go.” Cody came into the reception hall with two coffees. Ashley took one and let it warm her to the core. Then she took Gabe’s.
“I’ll go hand him this.”
“Tell him Ruth sent you,” called Jason. “If you’re struggling for a reason to see him again so soon…like.”
Ashley buried a smile, then flipped Jason the bird without turning around.
“Language,” shouted Jason. “From such a lady too. The shame of it. Watch you don’t spill that coffee there.”
***
“Ah.” Gabe steadied Ashley as he knocked into her in the hall outside of his office.
He’d just come out, so she handed him his coffee before anymore ended up on the floor and gave Jason more fuel to play with. She buried a groan with that thought.
“Sorry,” he added.
She sucked at a burned finger, and he shook his head, making her narrow her eyes at just how low his mind seemed to go.
“Any news?” she said into the smile he gave.
“Not much.” He gave a sigh. “According to Logan, so far there’s been no sighting of Darrell, the redhead, Sam’s foreman, or our Coulter Creek vehicle. He also spoke to Sam. He’s adamant he doesn’t know anyone called Darrell, but from what you were saying last night, those who took you weren’t too smart. Darrell could have worn a mask with Sam. It could tie in with how he knew about the area and us. He just didn’t know us well enough to know know Sam’s in financial difficulty and couldn’t pay a ransom.”
“So not tied to these development people?”
“I don’t know for sure, but the two don’t match up. Not with how Max has disappeared.”
“The kidnapping could have been a distraction.” Ashley took a sip of coffee. “They’ve all disappeared, right? What if they wanted focus on Sam and his kidnapping in order for it all to go through, like they wanted to use me to distract you looking for them?”
“Maybe,” he said quietly. “But something feels off with connecting the two.” Then he shook it off. “When’s Nathan’s anniversary event again? I’m losing you this time, right?” He seemed so sad.
“Oh, the twentieth.” She took a deep breath, blushed. “I was wondering if you’d like to come?”
He grinned. “To Cincinnati? With you? As a…friend?”
She laughed and measured it up. “A small one, with benefits.”
He chuckled and kissed her, sharing coffee and heat. “God yes. Then you could show me around.” He cupped her chin. “Thank you for inviting me. I was worried about losing you.” He ran a thumb across her cheeks. “After that, maybe you could come back to the ranch for a while longer as—”
“A friend?” She winced.
“However you’ll have me,” he said gently. “Just put a copy of your schedule for the anniversary trip on my desk? I’ll arrange all the flights.”
“Oh wow.” Ashley batted her eyes. “From friend to lover to…I’ll pencil you in, in just a few short breaths.”
“Hey.” He feigned hurt, a hand on his heart. “Everything else is written here, but—”
“But you need a little help from time to time to remember the fine detail, huh?”
“Maybe,” he said, kissing at her lips. “It’s the company. She makes me forget things.”
“Good recovery.” She patted his chest. “Damn good recovery. Gabe.” She headed off with a soft smile.
“Before you go…”
She glanced back, and he came over.
“There’s a Rancher’s Ball later this month. Will you come with me?”
“This an official date?”
“By that time, I’m hoping it’s just us doing the normal stuff together.”
She brushed a touch to his cheek. “In that case, I think I’d love to.”
Gabe caught her hand and held it down by his side. “Then get going. Go call your daughter too. Let her know your safe.”
Christ. Ashley hadn’t even… Giving a frown, she turned away into Gabe’s office and tugged out her phone.
Waiting for her call to be picked up, she sorted through the drawers for Gabe’s diary. He seemed the type to back up what he had on his iPad with a paper record.
As her fingers brushed a file, she came to a stop, a frown creeping in as she read the name across it.
***
Gabe headed down the hall, and Jason looked up from talking to Cody. “Everything all right?” Jason shifted a look around, no doubt searching for Ashley.
Gabe nodded as he took a sip of his coffee and stopped by them. “I’m taking some time away with her for this anniversary.”
“What? You and Ashley? Seriously?” Cody widened his eyes. “Dude.” He offered a fist bump, and Gabe took it with a proud grin.
“Go.” Jason turned him away. “Find that studio of yours.” Cody did, still managing to throw in a double thumbs up Gabe’s way. Gabe laughed and Jason shook his head.
“Don’t encourage him. Lisa’s enough to handle.”
Gabe lost his playful side. “You and her okay?”
Jason sighed. “She didn’t want to talk, so I took the hint and sat through a movie with her instead, all fleece blanket and popcorn.”
Gabe cupped his neck. “Next best thing, bud.”
Jason nodded. “So, a trip away?” He waggled his eyebrows. “You and Ashley?”
“Yeah.” He let a grin ease in. “She’s just in my office, sorting—”
Gabe stilled, his coffee mug frozen before it touched his lips.
The files Clay had put there this morning.
“Gabe?”
“Fuck.” He pushed the coffee at Jason. “No, no no no. No.”
***
Gabe skidded around his office door, coming to a stop as Ashley stood looking down at the file she held.
“Ash.” Christ. He ran a hand through his hair as he took a few steps over. “You—”
“A background check?” Ashley looked up. “You had Clay run a background check on me?”
“After… Christ, I swear it was just after I met you, after—”
“A fucking background check, Gabe.” The file landed at his feet, paper scattering over the floor. “I’ve known Susan most of my life. I’ve known Jason—” She stopped herself. “You know what, the hell with this, and the hell with you.”
She shoved him off as he tried to catch her arm.
“Ash?” Jason blocked her way, but as she looked at him, he backed off, raising both hands. “What the hell’s gone on?”
“Ask him.” She flicked her head back Gabe’s way. “Better still, get Clay on the line and ask him to check CCTV to give you the rundown. Why you’re on, you better ask him if I’ve picked a few pockets or stolen the silverware from Ruth’s underwear drawer whilst you’re on.”
“Ash—”
“No,” she shouted at Gabe. “You don’t get to question my integrity. You don’t get to question my principles around friends. You sure as hell don’t get to run a background check on me as if I’m that one hired hand you’ll never really trust.”
She pushed past Jason, and as Gabe tried to follow, he got shoved back in to the office by Jason as he came nose to nose close.
“What the hell have you done now?”
“Get out of my way.”
“Tell me.”
Gabe eased him aside. “I will, I promise. I need to talk to her first.”
***
Gabe took the stairs two at a time and didn’t bother knocking at Ashley’s door. It stood open, and as she shoved clothes into her case, he went over and tugged her around.
“Back off.” She shrugged out of it and grabbed her jumper. “You don’t get the final bullheaded word here.”
“Ash, I swear to God I did that before I got to know you. I—”
“Goddamn it, Gabe.” She slammed the lid shut and looked at him. “You don’t get to do that period. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I wasn’t, all right?” He let out a frustrated sigh and threw out his arms. “I haven’t been thinking right since you came here.”
She shot him a hard look. “Don’t you damn well blame me for that.”
“I’m not. It’s all on me, I know that. But dammit. You felt so good that night I kissed you, when there was no complications. Then I thought…I thought you and Jason were together, and it took me bad places. I wanted a reason for you not to be his, even of that meant stopping you from being his.”
Ashley screwed her face in distaste. “And what? You think that alpha bullshit is sexy? In whose world other than Stockholm Syndrome county did you ever think that was okay?”
“Ash, please.” He stepped a little closer, then pulled back in the next breath. “In my world if a fence is broken, I drive a car out to fix it, then wait around for the next fence to fall. There’s no great plan, no grand scheme, just ticking over until the next storm that takes us under. I didn’t think, and that’s the whole goddamn issue here, Ash. I don’t have a hammer to fix it this time. I don’t know where to start trying other than to say I wish to God I’d never done it.”
Ashley tugged the case off the bed. “Ask Clay. He’s your foreman around here, right? I’m sure he’ll know how to run a search to find a How-To for you.”
He took her arm, pulling her to a gentle stop. “Stay. Let me find a way to make it right.”
Ash frowned and looked around her bedroom, back out into the hall. “Too much hurt, Gabe.” She looked back at him. “Too many ghosts throwing us all out of the game. You’re not ready.” She shrugged and a tear fell. “I don’t think I am anymore, not with you. Let me go, please.”
Searching her eyes for a moment, Gabe let his world fall as he let go of his hold. He loved her, he knew that, but never to the point he was the one hurting her.
She turned away, and he could do nothing but watch her leave.
Chapter 31
Staring out of his office window, Gabe sat at his desk, losing track of what Sheriff Logan said on the other end of the line. “Sorry, what was that?”
“I said we found your SUV and ran some prints. Darrell turned out to be Lonnie Tucker, a friend of Megan’s ex-husband. The ex was the one who set up the kidnapping and ransom scheme, although at this time we have no proof. But as he’s been out of the loop for a while, it stands to reason he won’t have known about Sam’s financial difficulty. I want him for the kidnapping of your friend, but Sam has said he’ll ID them to save dragging her through anymore unless we need to.”
Gabe rubbed at his forehead. “Thank you for that. She’s been through enough.” He looked back out at the patches of snow. “Anything on the foreman, Banks? Pam’s managed to get an order to stop any development on the land, but I’d love for him to be picked up for his part in skimming money from Sam too.”
“Still can’t find him. But Evans Development has closed their office here, and I’ve sent a report to the attorney general’s office in Cheyenne, listing Banks and that Harris man you mentioned. Maybe they will have more luck.”
“Thanks, Matt. I’d appreciate you keeping me updated on this.”
“You’ve got it.” The call was cut and Gabe let the silence crawl over him. It seemed that’s all there was around here lately. Silence.
Jason’s anger and quiet he could put up with. Cody’s…Lisa’s.
But Ashley’s?
Gabe frowned.
She’d refused his offer to fly her home, and the best part of him wished to God he knew what she was doing.
He ignored the worst part of him that needed to find out, because too much damage had been done for him to look its way anymore.
***
Nathan met Ashley at the baggage carousel, giving her a hug before grabbing her luggage. “Kathryn would have met you, but she’s busy getting ready for the party. I didn’t realize this thing was going to be such a big affair. But you know Kathryn. She loves to entertain.” He smiled. “Jason mentioned Gabe might be coming with you when I last called.”
Ashley stood looking around the airport, everything coming full cycle, and she frowned at Nathan. “He couldn’t make it.”
Nathan gave her an odd look, then took her cases. “C’mon. Let’s get you home, yeah? Then you can let me know why Jason had to call and tell me about the kidnapping.”
She hadn’t told him, but then everything felt too close.
Jason sighed as they headed outside. “Or we’ll just get you home, no pressure.”
No pressure she could handle, and she settled into the car, her head resting against the window as he pulled away.
The drive into Cincinnati didn’t take long, and Ashley didn’t realize how much she needed to be home. She’d drop by the university later in the week, maybe have lunch with a few friends. Patch work. It’s what she’d called it after her ex-husband left: patching the dead space with different colored fabric to fill the void, get through it, and she didn’t think she’d be sitting here again, forced to go through the motions again. “I’ll get through it,” she mumbled.
“What?” Nathan pulled the car into the driveway of her modest two-story home.
She shrugged. “Nothing.” She gave him a smile. “Do you mind if I just head on in with no interrogation? I’ll give you a call later.”
“You sure you want to be alone?”
“I’m sure I don’t want to talk, not just yet.”
He nodded and helped her get her luggage out of the trunk before taking them to the door. “Thank you. For coming to get me.” She hugged him, but he hugged her more.
“Anytime. You know that. Give me a call if you need someone to sleep on the couch tonight, watching the door.”
Odd, but today she felt safer being back home in a city of strangers compared to the expanse of nothing Darrell had exposed her too. “I’ll be fine.” She gave a deep sigh, then watched him head back for his car. Then she pushed on through and left her bags in the foyer as she started to check her mail. More patch work, but it was a distraction.
The doorbell rang, and she put the mail on the table and reached for the door.
“Flowers for Ashley Roberts.” The man offered over a large bouquet of red roses. Frowning, she took them, but before she could respond, he was gone and her phone was ringing. She took the flowers into the kitchen and left the, on the unit before picking up her phone.
She let out a long sigh.
Kathryn.
Jason hadn’t been gone five minutes and he’d called in the patch work troops. She called her back. “Hey.”
“Hey you. You coming by the house later? I have wine, lots of it.”
She snorted a smile. “Nathan said you’re busy getting things ready for the party. You need to focus, and I’m too tired after the flight. I’m having an early night. Keep the wine on hold, though? I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You sure?” Quiet. “I can come over, bring it with me. Order in more?”
She laughed softly. “I’m good, just really tired.”
“Okay. Come by in the morning after Nathan’s gone to work. About midmorning?”
“Bit early to drink wine, you think?”
“My anniversary with your brother’s coming up. I need to commiserate—I mean celebrate. I meant to say celebrate with the only other woman who knows my hell.”
That one won more than a chuckle. “Oh sure you did.” She said her goodbyes and hung up, her look on the roses. After pulling the small envelope from the holder stuck in among the flowers, she opened it and took out the card.
I miss having you with me, Ash. So damn much. I’d take friends, even just small ones.
Love,
Gabe.
Love.
“Christ.” Ashley let her hand fall into her lap as she shook her head and looked around the kitchen.
She couldn’t do this. She really couldn’t do this. Not anymore.
Leaving the card and flowers there, she took her cases through to her bedroom and patched up life by throwing a few things into the washer, then looking through the cupboards as she pulled a pen and pad from a drawer to make a list of items she needed to pick up. She was distracting, more building up the nerve to call Abby and let her know she was okay without breaking down.
She slumped on her bed eventually and pressed Call.
“Mom? You gonna tell me why I heard off Uncle Jason about what’s gone on? Why the hell didn’t you call me?”
Ashley closed her eyes and lay back on the bed, all fight draining from her body.
***
Rubbing at her head after a rough night, Ashley sat in Kathryn’s kitchen, hugging a cup of hot coffee. She didn’t need any wine to add to this.
“You all right?” Kathryn pulled out the chair across from Ashley. “I know you’re not and it’s a stupid question, but…?”
Ashley nodded. “It was a gorgeous place to stay until…” She frowned, then offered a shrug. “All that.”
As Kathryn sipped her coffee, she tilted her head slightly. “But you’re okay, though? Really?”
“Getting there.”
“Because Abby called this morning. She mentioned something about Gabe. About you and Gabe.” Kathryn put her mug down. “This isn’t just about what went down with this Darrell, is it?”
Ashley shrugged. “It’s about me always trusting the wrong sort.”
Kathryn nodded, and for a moment she ran a finger over the rim of her mug. “You both went through a lot, you know that, right? From what Abby said, there was the land bill the ranchers were trying to get passed, you getting grabbed, Lisa’s pregnancy possibility and Cody’s fall, a brother who was still grieving the loss of his wife. A friend—”
Friend.
Ashley raised a finger, stopping her there, not wanting to step so close to the details. “It’s still you back to making excuses for him,” she said flatly. “It’s still me sitting here on my own, talking for hours on end trying to reason why it hurts so much without him being here. I know I care for him, I know I want more than friends, but every goddamn time I try, he pulls some other stunt that thumps me in the stomach.”
