Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68456 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“I should’ve called. I’m sorry that I didn’t. I see now that not wanting to worry you was no excuse to delay the inevitable.”
He stares into my eyes for a few seconds. I can tell that he’s satisfied that his point was made and understood when he nods.
“Nothing like this better fucking happen again but if it does, you call me. Hell, if you get a hangnail, you call me. I want to know, Ash.”
I raise my good hand. “I promise.”
Lifting his chin, he gives me a pointed look. “You shouldn’t be up and walking around,” he says, his voice gruff.
I grimace as I look over at Tyler who’s giving me a told you so look. He wanted me to lie on the couch propped up on pillows but I think that’s silly. I’m standing in my house—it’s not like I’m about to do a 5k.
“I’m okay,” I argue. “Everything is fine.”
He frowns at me as he shakes his head. “No, it’s not. Coming here was supposed to make you safer, but Jesus… you got fucking stabbed, Ash.”
“Trust me, I know. I was there,” I joke.
He winces like my saying that is painful, and I feel like a total idiot for trying to make light of things. If the situation were reversed, I’d be freaking out. Instead of making bad jokes, I need to reassure everyone that I am really, truly okay.
“What happened, happened,” I say, addressing Rob, Tyler, and Karen. “Given the choice, I obviously wouldn’t want to repeat it, but the reality is that life doesn’t have a reset button.
“When the store was held up back in LA it was a wake-up call about how things can happen in the blink of an eye. That experience caused me to take stock and make changes because it was time. I don’t feel the same way about what happened with Rita yesterday. The bottom line is that some people are no good. She was a rotten apple when we were kids and that only got worse as she got older. What she did doesn’t change how I feel about living here. This is my home now.”
After assessing me carefully for a few seconds, Rob lets out a long exhale.
“You’ve always belonged here,” he says. “I can tell it’s been good for you to be living here full-time. God knows the Cove is safer than LA can ever hope to be.”
“That’s true,” I agree, “which is why I’d love it if you’d move here. Don’t ever think that I’m not as worried about you and Karen as you two are about me.”
He lets out a bark of laughter and shakes his head. “I should’ve known you’d start angling for us to pick up and move.”
I shrug unapologetically. “All I’m saying is stop being so stubborn and think about it. After the last robbery, Uncle Charlie would’ve been the first one to tell you to pick up sticks and get the hell out of dodge. LA isn’t getting better—it’s getting worse.”
Rob exhales slowly. “Karen and I talked about that on the plane ride. I’m not saying it’s a definite that we’re going to move here… but I am saying it’s a possibility.”
Over Rob’s shoulder, Karen winks at me and then silently mouths ‘definitely’.
“I’m going to be all over you about this until you do it. Just give in now,” I tell Rob.
“It’s just a maybe,” he cautions.
I smile and nod like I agree but inside my head I’m dancing a jig. It’s happening. With Karen solidly on the side of moving to the Cove, I know that sooner rather than later my family will be living here.
I’m visualizing that outcome at this very moment.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
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ASHLEY
I’M SO HAPPY that Tyler brought me back to Leavenworth for the weekend to see the Christmas Lighting Ceremony. He says I’m more excited than I would be if he took me to the Jennifer Lopez show in Vegas. I love J-Lo, but I have to admit that he’s right. What can I say? I’m a girl who loves the magical sparkle of a bazillion lights.
Sitting at the small table in front of the large window in our suite, I stare out at the beauty of the town. It’s been snowing for days, so it truly looks like a winter wonderland. The cold and snow haven’t stopped tourists from coming, though. Every hotel in the area is at capacity, which means everything is extra busy. Thus, when Tyler tried to make an early dinner reservation at our favorite Bavarian restaurant, he was told there’s a three-hour wait. Rather than miss out on dinner, he went to pick up a to-go order. I wanted to go, but he’s got it in his head that it’s too cold for me out there. I’m not sure how he thinks I’d freeze now but not later tonight—when the temperature goes down—when we go to see the lights. Men. Sometimes even the best of them make no sense.