Some Cowboys Brave the Flames (Keagans of Copper Creek #10)

Chapter 28

28

Charlie

C harlie saw the lone figure the second her home came into view. Her initial excitement of seeing Ash immediately shifted into anxiety. He was here to see her—again. The last time he’d come, he’d tried to convince her that they should work things out.

She should have listened to him.

Her hands tightened on the reins she held.

“Is that…” Emma came up beside her.

“Yeah,” Charlie said quietly.

Emma grinned almost wickedly. “Well, if that isn’t kismet, I don’t know what is.”

Charlie snickered despite herself.

“You wanted to talk to him, right?”

She glanced at her sister-in-law. “Yeah.” That seemed to be the only word she was capable of saying at the moment.

Emma glanced over her shoulder at the rest of their group, then swung her focus back to Charlie. “You might want to ride ahead. There’s no telling what the others might do when they notice him.”

She made an excellent point. Ash showing up when everyone was present wasn’t exactly a good idea. And yet she wasn’t sure she was ready to speak to Ash as it was. To ride ahead would only make the inevitable conversation take place sooner. She hadn’t prepared what she wanted to tell him. Chances were high that she would end up falling all over herself and acting a fool.

Perhaps she deserved to make a fool of herself after she’d been so blinded by her own fears. It felt like a fitting consequence.

Charlie nodded. “Maybe you’re right.” Without waiting for a response, she nudged her horse forward, leaving all the cowboys in her family in her wake. Her heart rate accelerated more than it probably should. It felt like she was that teenager six years ago as she neared him.

But she wasn’t that teenager anymore. And she’d been miserable enough without Ash in her life for the last couple of weeks to know that she was willing to risk a great deal more just to get him back.

By the time she reached the barn, her hair was windblown and her cheeks flushed. She pushed aside the dismal thoughts of what she must look like and slid from her saddle. Ash stood in the barn doorway, his eyes locking with hers.

Charlie resisted the instinct to glance back to where her family approached. She could tell Ash right now that they should leave to have this conversation, but she didn’t want to lose her nerve.

“Charlie, I know you might not want to see me?—”

“We need to talk.”

They both froze after speaking at once. Charlie blinked, trying to compute what he’d just said to her. Then she offered him a shy smile, relieved when he gave her the same. She laughed and looked away.

“Charlie,” he whispered this time, taking a step toward her. He reached a hand out to touch her but then pulled it back.

Her heart stuttered. She’d made so many mistakes when she’d told him she didn’t want to see him again. So many regrets from their past conversations. “Why are you here?” she whispered back.

Ash searched her eyes. “I wanted to see you. I couldn’t…” his voice broke. “I tried, but I couldn’t leave everything the way it was.”

She knew exactly how he felt. Heat seared her cheeks, the embarrassment of the apology she needed to give him flooding her chest. Now was as good a time as ever. “I need to apologize.”

He stilled, his eyes raking over her as he waited for her to speak.

Charlie closed her eyes tight, not caring that a tear slipped out from one of them. “I was wrong.”

Still, he didn’t move. He didn’t speak. She’d caught him off guard.

When she opened her eyes, another tear slipped down her cheek. “I shouldn’t have asked you to quit your job. It wasn’t fair. You’d been working toward that career long before we ever became an item. I… it was selfish… to ask.” Her lip trembled no matter how hard she attempted to keep it in check. “I should have never tried to take away something that brought you joy. I want you to be happy—even if it means you’re doing something as dangerous as you are.”

Simply making this confession eased the pressure in her chest. She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. This wasn’t to say that she was okay with his career choice. She knew she’d have to deal with a great amount of anxiety, but it would be worth it just so she could have him back.

If he wanted her back.

Ash brought his hand forward to gently palm her face. “You’re too late.”

Once again, she felt like she was falling, her heart stumbling and crashing within her. “I… what?” she asked in a whisper.

“You’re too late. I already told Tanner I want to quit being a smoke jumper.”

“Ash,” she blustered. “You can’t. You love that job. It’s what you’ve always wanted to do. You can’t just quit. Call him back. Tell him you changed your mind.” She moved closer to him, her hands shaking as she reached for his back pocket, where he usually kept his phone.

He grasped her hands in both of his and held them firmly, lowering his head so it touched hers. His eyes locked on hers, forcing her to slow her desperate movements. “I’m still going to be a firefighter.”

She blinked and pulled back to get a better look at him. “You are?”

Ash nodded. “I told him I want to stay local. I can help out with house fires, car accidents, and other emergencies just as well as I did as a smoke jumper. It’s still dangerous…” he hedged, “but it’s not as bad as jumping out of a plane and into the fray.” He watched her. It was almost as if he were holding his breath as he waited for a response. He hadn’t quit his job. He hadn’t completely given up what he loved for her.

Relief crashed into her. She would have never forgiven herself if she’d been successful in forcing his hand with such a request. She loved Ash for who he was. She didn’t want anything about that to change, and she got a feeling if he walked away from being a firefighter, something would.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel conflicted about what he was giving up. “But you love being a smoke jumper.”

“I love you more.”

Her lips pressed together. “Ash?—”

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s okay, Charlie. Really. I’ve had plenty of time to think about what I want and where I want my life to go. I’ve realized something really important. I don’t want to do any of it without you.”

She blinked back the tears. “Are you sure?”

He nodded with a chuckle. “I haven’t been surer about anything in my life. You were right about one thing.”

Charlie tilted her head as she peered up at him. “What about?”

“If I want a family… if I plan on being a father… I need to make sure I do everything in my power to make sure I’m there for them. I need to be present. I need to be safe. I can’t be any of that if I’m traipsing off to other parts of the state to fight fires.”

She didn’t miss the way his voice had softened when he mentioned starting a family. Her stomach swirled with a new sort of delight. She might be young, and she was still learning how to communicate better. She wanted to improve in putting Ash first, too. She didn’t have the words to tell him as much. Anything she might be able to say would likely fall flat.

Instead, Charlie pulled up against him and wrapped her arms around him. “That’s… a great plan,” she whispered.

His arms slipped around her, slowly at first, hesitantly, almost. He pulled her tight against his body and rested his chin atop her head. She could feel his heart beating in his throat as she snuggled closer to him. He ran his hands up and down her back, setting off a fresh wave of shivers. “I’m starting to realize that I need to prioritize things a little differently. I don’t want to be a single bachelor forever.”

She smiled into his neck at that. A man like Ash wouldn’t remain single for long—not if he wanted to settle down.

“I love you, Charlie,” he whispered. The sounds of hoofbeats drew closer. Her family would be at their sides in a matter of seconds. Ash’s arms tightened around her as if he feared that someone would take her from him. “I’ve loved you longer than you will ever believe.”

She withdrew just enough to peer up at him, question and amusement in her gaze. “Oh? I seriously doubt that.”

The corners of his lips quirked upward, but then they faded as his gaze shifted to what could only be the arrival of her family. Charlie wasn’t sure she wanted to turn around and face them. She’d caused so much drama in the last couple of months, and she wouldn’t have been surprised if any of her brothers told her she was making a mistake. Nor would she be surprised if they sent Ash on his way.

“Ash,” one of them said low enough that she wasn’t sure which one it was.

Ash’s short nod preceded his response. “Daniel.”

No one else spoke. Shuffling sounds of those dismounting were followed by voices growing quieter as half of the group headed for the house. The other half led the animals into the barn. Charlie only caught sight of Mason’s curious gaze briefly before he disappeared, holding the reins of two horses.

Daniel grabbed her horse’s reins and gave her a firm stare. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was trying to warn her—or perhaps he was trying to push her to some outcome she wasn’t aware of. He didn’t say anything. Instead, he too disappeared into the barn.

Charlie looked up at Ash, marveling and in utter disbelief over what had just happened. “They didn’t tell you to leave.”

Ash shook his head. “No, they didn’t.”

She grinned. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

He turned his eyes to her, his smile matching her own. “That your brothers are finally staying out of your business? I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it for myself.”

Charlie chewed on the inside of her cheek. “So, what now?”

Ash pulled her close again, his grip so strong she knew she wouldn’t be able to escape even if she wanted to. “We’re going to try this again.”

“Try what again?”

He lowered his face to hers, his warm breath brushing against her cheek as he whispered close to her ear. “I’m going to make you fall in love with me.”

She exhaled. “I’m sorry, Ash, but you’re too late.”

He stiffened, drawing back and staring at her with a new sort of ache in his eyes.

Charlie placed a hand to his cheek. “I’ve loved you since before I can remember. I don’t think I ever stopped loving you. And I don’t think I ever will.”

Ash didn’t move for a few moments. It was as if he needed to take a moment to soak in what she’d just said. Then he let out a laugh and scooped her into his arms before spinning her around. When he placed her on her feet, he leaned down to kiss her. It was a deep, scorching sort of kiss—one that demanded all of her.

She wasn’t naive enough to believe she was ready for marriage. She needed to grow and mature a little more before she’d trust herself with that sort of commitment. The mistakes she’d made had settled deep in her heart. A small part of her knew that the memories would linger there, reminding her of how close she’d come to losing the one person who had loved her when she didn’t even know who she was yet.

“I love you, Charlie,” he said.

Her smile broke their kiss. “I love you, too,” she whispered.

“And I hope you know that eventually, I plan on making you mine.”

Her brows lifted. “Ash?—”

He placed a finger to her lips. “It doesn’t have to be today. Or this year even. I waited for you for six years, and I’d happily wait for six more—just so long as I never have to go another day without being able to kiss you, to hold you like this.”

She wanted to laugh and cry and dance all at once. But all she could do was nod as she placed both hands on either side of his face to kiss him one more time.