Chapter 9

The atmosphere around the dinner table later that week was bright with laughter despite an underlying prickle no one could quite identify. For her part, Ash thought maybe it had to do with Jaycen sliding into the seat across from her with a smile cast in her direction. She might have resolved to change her immediate impression of him, but it wouldn't happen overnight. Or even in five days. It was the first time she'd seen him since they'd had dinner at the Rosewood. Ash pretended she didn't notice, hadn't been looking for him, even when Davi mentioned something about him being away.

"I thought you weren't here today," Bianca said, eyeing Jaycen with a frown.

"And miss roast night?" Jaycen's voice and expression were appalled. "Not a chance. Your roast is the best in four counties."

Bianca shook her head even as she smiled. "Flattery, Mr. Trask."

Silverware clinked in tuneful staccato with the buzz of conversation while Ash considered the man sitting across from her. He spoke quietly to Fallon, then let his attention wander to Ash, acknowledging her with a slight tilt of his chin. He laughed with Benj, then gave Ash one of his charmingly crooked grins to let her know he was still aware of her. Ash's fingers tightened around the handle of her fork. The man didn't even need to touch her to make her flush.

Just when he looked like he would lean forward and say something, Fallon stood up and cleared his throat. Jaycen's smile instantly grew when he glanced at his friend, and Ash thought this new smile looked rather mischievous. The burble of talk in the room slowed and silenced as everyone looked at Fallon. Ash glanced at Davi, who seemed to be alternately blushing and beaming. Her eyes slid to Jaycen, who winked at her.

"Davi and I have an announcement to make," Fallon began.

The air stilled as the people in the room held their breath expectantly. Fallon looked at Davi, as though for confirmation, and when a radiant smile lit up her face, it transferred to Fallon's. Not for the first time, Ash felt the tingle of jealousy at the easy nature of their relationship.

"Seeing as how y'all are family, we thought you should be the first to know…we're getting married."

"Oh, praise the Lord!" Bianca slumped back in her chair, throwing her hands up toward the ceiling before clutching them to her chest. "I thought it would never happen!"

The room exploded with joy. Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone got up to shake Fallon's hand, hug Davi, and laugh with each other. Amid the cacophony, Davi leaned over and rested her shoulder against Ash's.

"You'll be my bridesmaid, right?" she asked. "I promise not to make you wear something awful."

Ash laughed and pulled her friend into a hug. "Of course! Oh, Davi, I'm so happy for you! And you can make me wear tangerine tie-dye and I won't complain."

Davi made a disgusted face, but was interrupted by more congratulatory hugs and handshakes before she could reply.

The only stillness was across the table from Ash. Jaycen wore a winsome smile as he watched the commotion, then met her gaze. He gave her another wink, nodded to her dishes, then toward the door. After slipping away into the kitchen, Ash rinsed her dishes off and handed them to Jaycen to put in the dishwasher.

"Did you know they were going to announce their engagement?" Ash asked.

Jaycen shrugged as he accepted the silverware from her. "Tonight? No," he said. "I knew it would come eventually. I went with him to get the ring. 'Bout time it happened, though," he added with a laugh.

Ash was silent for a moment, listening to the delight in the next room, remembering how Davi had nearly glowed with serene happiness. She looked at Jaycen again, who was drying his hands with the tea towel kept by the sink. Everything about him was so easy and relaxed—the way he moved, the way he smiled, the way he spoke. After replacing the towel, he leaned down to rest his forearms on the counter. The thought of how she really wished she could experience the feeling of being with someone like that flashed through Ash's thoughts.

"I wonder what that's like," she mused out loud before she could stop herself.

"What's that?"

She laughed and waved away Jaycen's inquisitive expression. "Nothing. I think Davi lent me too many novels filled with foolish ideas."

"Nothing foolish about wanting to be safe and happy." When she averted her eyes, Jaycen straightened and reached for her. "Ash—"

The commotion from the dining room spilled into the kitchen as everyone began cleaning up dinner. Someone stepped between her and Jaycen, and Ash blew out a breath. Grateful for the interruption since it saved her from spouting unrealistic romantic fantasies, she navigated her way toward the door and upstairs to her room. She took a moment to stare out the window, appreciating how the rolling bluegrass fields mimicked the serenity of ocean waves. She let the scenery calm her mind, allowed the worrisome thoughts crowding together drift away on the soft breeze. Feeling a little more at peace, she started pulling clothes from the closet. It was her last night on the farm. The last night to pretend she was just an ordinary woman with ordinary problems like dishes in the sink or the annoyance of using communal laundry rooms.

"You can't go."

Ash paused in her packing and glanced toward the door. Jaycen leaned against the jamb, his arms crossed. His statement sounded more like a plea than an order.

"Missing me already?" she asked with a teasing smile. When his expression remained somber, she sighed. She knew what would come next.

"I don't like the idea of you going back to…any of that."

Just yesterday, Ash had the same discussion with Davi, who'd eventually shook her head. "You call, y'hear? Night or day. I don't care if it's two in the morning."

"I have to," Ash said to Jaycen, turning back to her suitcase.

"You don't have to."

"I have to go back to work." Jaycen waved that aside as though it wasn't important, which made Ash curious. "What would I do if I didn't go back? Live off Davi and Fallon's generosity? Not happening."

"You could work here."

Ash snorted as she folded a pair of jeans. "Can you honestly see me working with horses?"

"I guess not. You are pretty terrible with animals."

"Thanks," Ash said, glaring playfully at him.

Silence filled the bedroom as Ash finished packing. When she zipped up the suitcase and began to haul it from the bed, a warm hand gently swatted hers away and Jaycen lightly bumped her aside with his hip.

"Let me," he said. He easily deposited it on the luggage rack next to the door. Then he said, "Come stay with me."

Ash stared at him. "What?"

"I'm not sure how much simpler I can make that invitation," Jaycen said with a chuckle.

Ash shook her head. "I understood. I just…" She took a deep breath and put her thoughts in order. "It's not really as bad as it seems. And just because I'd be at your place, I'd still be relying on someone. I can take care of myself."

"A sentiment I fully understand. But I'm sure I could scare up something for you to do to earn your keep."

"Oh, yeah?"

Jaycen licked his lips, ran his eyes slowly over her, and took his time meeting her gaze again.

"There's no way I'm paying you like that." Except every time he gave her that look, a pleasant shiver tingled through her.

The grin on Jaycen's face blossomed into a full-fledged smile as he shook his head. "Mind out of the gutter, darling," he admonished. "I was just wondering how you'd look—"

"Don't say it."

"—holding a brush," he finished smoothly.

Ash blinked at him, nonplussed. "What?"

Jaycen's smile hitched up higher on one side. "The jobs, or one of them anyway, would definitely require a paint brush."

"I'm not sure I want to know."

Jaycen sighed. "I live by myself, in an old house falling apart faster than I can keep it together. Most of the major stuff is already done. But there's a lot left, and I can't do it on my own."

"I don't know how to renovate a house. Besides, aren't there people you hire for that?"

"Nothing you can't learn. And paying for your room and board would be much cheaper than a contractor. Besides, this way you wouldn't have to go back to…" Jaycen waved a hand, a disgusted expression crossing his face. "And you'd be earning your keep."

Ash contemplated him for a moment. Nothing he said was untrue, but she wondered why he was saying it at all. He had no reason to do any of this; if he let her walk away, he could easily pretend she'd never been here. "I don't know…"

"Okay, how 'bout this, then? I have tomorrow off. I'll give you directions to the house. You can come by and see if it's something you think you're interested in. If not, it's on your way out of town."

Ash nodded, slowly. In the back of her mind, she noticed the easy way he managed to talk her into things she wavered on, but it didn't alarm her as it once might have. "Okay," she finally said.

Jaycen smiled, not one of his salacious or teasing smiles, but one of the rare ones that could truly get a woman in trouble. "I look forward to it."


Ash leaned forward over the steering wheel, peering through the windshield. Good, God, this place was…Her eyes scanned the lush grass spreading out from the dark gravel road. She hadn't even made it to the house yet. Trees with dark, massive trunks lined the road, their branches bowing overhead and creating a thick canopy. Sunlight dappled through the leaves, pinpoints of yellow shifting in the breeze. Ash rounded the bend, broke free from the shade—

—slammed on the brake so quickly she bumped her chin against the steering wheel.

The house sprawling at the end of the drive was possibly as old as Jaycen claimed, but it didn't look like it was "falling apart." Smooth, round, white columns vertically framed a long front porch ending in rounded gazebo-like seating areas. A balcony trimmed with elegant white balustrades ran the length of the second floor, and several chimneys jutted up from the roof. When Ash imagined a southern home, this was what came to mind.

The red front door opened, and Jaycen stepped out into the deep shadow of the porch. He waved a hand as he sauntered down the cobblestone steps, indicating she should park behind his silver truck. When she got out of the car, Ash turned to find him leaning against the other side, arms crossed on the roof. She pushed her sunglasses on top of her head, then mimicked his pose, squinting at the pale brick house behind him.

"You're a liar, Mr. Trask," she said.

He had the nerve to grin. "How so, Miss Carlisle?"

Pushing away from her car, she came around to stand beside him, looking from the house to him with pursed lips. "This place is hardly the dump you made it out to be."

"It's not as pretty on the inside."

"Promises, promises."

He led her from the drive curving gently in front of the house and along the stone path to the front door. He was right, the house wasn't as pretty on the inside. But it wasn't exactly in shambles, either. The hardwood floors were dull with wear, and old paper flaked from the walls on its own. The molding around the floor-to-ceiling windows needed sanding and new stain. The fireplaces needed new mantles and brickwork. But the kitchen held sleek new appliances, fashionable counter tops, and the new cabinets managed to blend perfectly with the old woodwork. As he led her through the rooms, Ash noticed everything was smartly furnished. No frills but not overtly masculine is how Jaycen had decorated. It was grand and homey all at once.

"This is beautiful."

The smile on Jaycen's lips was another one of those Ash thought of as dangerous because it was genuine. "You think so?" When she nodded, his smile widened, and Ash felt another part of her protective wall crumble. "I think it really will be once it's finished. So," he said, leaning against the railing curving along the stairs to the second floor, "what do you think? Want to help me?"

Ash's eyes wandered up to the high ceilings, then toward the sunlight pouring in through the huge windows in the living room and lingered on the grand piano there polished to a high shine. Out back, there were three other buildings—the old smokehouse, icehouse, and butler's house—and the rough outlines of garden beds slanting leisurely down to the bank of a small lake. She couldn't believe one person could live in a place like this.

"I can't," she said. "At least, I can't right now. I have a lease I would have to figure out—"

"What if I took care of that for you?" Jaycen asked, with an easy air.

Several things suddenly clicked into place. She'd thought Jaycen was just a farmhand who did hard labor and slept in hay piles. She thought he was a friend of friends, a working-class person like her. But his comments, this one and the one last night, the enormity of the house and the elegance of the property it sat on, made her realize Jaycen Trask didn't need Brier Wood.

"Why do you work there?" she asked.

Jaycen tilted his head to the side, contemplating her, maybe contemplating how much to tell her. Then he shrugged. "Because I love it. Because I'm good at it."

Something in his tone kept Ash from pressing further. She nodded, then spread her hands out before her. "Well, you can't buy out my lease," she said. "That's too much, and I won't be in debt like that. Let me at least go back, see what I can settle."

Jaycen pushed away from the railing and walked over to her. He peered into her eyes with such intensity Ash felt her cheeks heat. He leaned closer, close enough to kiss her, and Ash held her breath. When he suddenly moved away, holding up a thin black phone between them, Ash blinked.

"I'm going to give you my number," he told her. She realized he'd pulled her phone from her back pocket without her noticing. Sneaky, that's what Jaycen Trask was. He held it out long enough for her to unlock it, then held his phone over hers. "Call me anytime, from anywhere, if you need me, and I'll come to you."

Ash pulled in a soft breath. She wasn't sure how she felt about all these people suddenly wanting to come to her rescue as though she was a helpless damsel.

Let's be honest. In the face of someone twice your size, you usually feel pretty helpless…

She should stay here, where the most complicated things would be learning how to peel wallpaper and navigating the charms of the man in front of her. She should take some time to really think about this. She didn't have to go back to talk to anyone; she could make the appropriate phone calls and get answers now. She could wake up every day without worrying if the locks were still secure, without dashing through the people on the sidewalk to stay as anonymous as possible, and stop looking over her shoulder every time someone raised their voice. She should take what was being offered; a chance at safety and maybe some happiness…

But she stepped away from Jaycen. "I will," she said in response to his expectant look.

As she drove down the tree-covered path winding away from the house, Ash wondered how many times she'd make a bad decision before she learned better.


A/N: Well, hello there. It's been a while. Things happened. I lost myself for a bit, but I'm finding myself again, finding these characters—finding other characters, as well—again, and though the writing is kinda shaky compared to what it used to be, I'm so happy to be doing it again. Enjoy.