Starcrossed Colorado (Hart County #1)

3. Ashford

THREE

Ashford

I had been in some intense situations in my life. Like deployments to war zones. Teaching martial arts to a room of five-to-ten-year-olds didn’t rank at the top. But it wasn’t for the faint of heart either.

And yet, aside from any moment I got to spend with Maisie, this was the brightest part of my day. Teaching these wild hooligans to focus their intention. To be strong, but also peaceful. Ready for anything.

Lessons I still needed to practice myself.

I took the kids through today’s lesson. An older boy from the teenage class assisted me. It was all going fine until little Ollie Carmichael said, “Mr. Ashford, watch this!” And proceeded to jump in the air, kicking wildly. His foot caught me in the crotch.

Thankfully I was wearing a cup. Because safety first .

But still. Ow.

“You okay, sir?” my teenage assistant mumbled. Most of the kids had gone quiet. And the parents were probably watching in the lobby through the one-way glass.

“Sorry, Mr. Ashford.” Ollie looked terrified, but it had been an accident. Mayhem seemed to follow that kid.

I cleared my throat. “I’m good. Ollie, we need to go over the safety agreement. We can discuss it later with your mom. Let’s wrap things up, kids. Closing circle.”

The world had it out for me today. And it was so far from over.

When I dismissed the class, my brother was the first smirking face I saw in the lobby. He edged past the stream of children to reach me. “You all right?” Callum asked. “Looked like Ollie’s ready for his black-belt test. He almost took you down.”

“Almost doesn’t count, Uncle Cal,” Maisie chimed in as she dashed by.

I scratched my forehead with my middle finger. “I’m just peachy. Thanks.”

Callum snickered like the annoying little brother he would always be, even though he was only two years younger than myself. “And I almost feel sorry for you.”

“You’re still taking Maisie after this, right?” I asked. “I have to check out that equipment I found on clearance.”

“’Course. I wouldn’t miss getting ice cream with my favorite niece. And all the toppings. We’re walking straight over after this.”

I decided not to complain about ice cream being a poor dinner choice. “I just can’t handle any more changes of plan today. I’ve reached my limit.”

“Ah.” Callum nodded sagely, hands in the pockets of his ripped jeans. “This about the music teacher?”

“How do you know about that?”

“Heard Dixie telling some of the moms.”

Wonderful. The news had hit the Silver Ridge mom network. By tomorrow, everyone in town would know I couldn’t afford my rent.

I spent a few minutes chatting with parents of my students. But soon, the space had cleared out, leaving only Callum, our sister Grace, and our friend Piper Carmichael, who was Ollie’s mom. Maisie and Ollie played with their little action figures by the window. Well, Maisie played, while Ollie was dancing like fire ants were crawling up his legs.

Secretly, I wondered why Maisie couldn’t have picked a sweet, quiet kid for a best friend instead. Kidding . Except not really.

Piper, who was almost as tall as me if you counted the blond bun atop her head, leaned in with a smile. “Sorry about my child today. Glad to see you’re walking upright.”

“I’m fine,” I grumbled.

Callum snorted. “It wasn’t as bad as that day Ashford was babysitting us at the library. Remember the skateboard trick he tried to do on the front railing?”

Piper laughed. “Oh yeah. That was epic.”

“I hate you both,” I deadpanned.

Grace nudged me with her arm. “Whatever, big brother. You love us.”

“I love you , Gracie. Because you’re nice. Most of the time.”

“And you, Ashford, are an incurable asshole to everyone except Maisie and Grace,” Callum said, still grinning. “Most of the time.” Luckily, the kids weren’t listening.

“But he’s our asshole,” Piper quipped. “He always took care of us.”

“Tried, at least.” A smile creased the corners of my mouth.

Grace was the baby of the O’Neal family. Then Callum was next youngest, then me. Eldest was our brother Grayden. Yes, I could admit I had a soft spot for my youngest sister, but Piper was like a sister to me too. She and her older brother Teller had lived across the street when we were kids, and they’d been there for us through everything my family had gone through—my mom’s death, my dad taking off.

Then Grayden’s issues. Hadn’t seen or heard from him in over a decade.

My point was this: I had reasons for my asshole tendencies.

Once we’d reached adulthood, we’d scattered for a while. But except for Grayden, we’d all made our way back home.

One night, wasted on tequila and sharing our tragic heartbreaks, Piper had dubbed our friend group the “Lonely Harts” club as a joke. H-a-r-t because we lived in Hart County. And the unfortunate name had stuck. Probably because it was accurate. We all had terrible luck with romantic relationships. Happily-ever-afters belonged in movies, not reality.

But we had each other. I could trust each of them with Maisie. If I hadn’t had their support through the last several years? I had no idea what I would’ve done.

Yeah, I loved this family. Even crotch-kicking Ollie.

It was my job to protect them.

Before I said goodbye, I gave each of them a hug. And then an extra-long hug and kisses for Maisie, who jumped into my arms like a tiny koala bear.

“I love you bunches, Daddy.”

“I love you bunches too, monkey. Even more than yesterday. I hope I don’t run out of room in here.”

That made her giggle, like it always did. I cherished every one of those moments. Because you never knew if this goodbye would be the last one you got.

The rest of my afternoon was a bust.

I trekked forty minutes out to another town to check on some used equipment and supplies. A martial arts school was going out of business, which was depressing as all hell. Like a nightmare vision of my possible future. The owner refused to negotiate on price, so I left with only a few training mats that I could’ve gotten elsewhere. Waste of my time.

Then I stopped at a mega-chain grocery looking for Maisie’s favorite granola bars, and the place didn’t even have them. I grabbed a tub of the protein powder Callum liked instead.

Now, I was driving back toward Silver Ridge as the sun was setting. Mountains zig-zagged across the horizon. Twilight shadows spread across the valley on either side of the two-lane highway. Aside from a dark abandoned car by the side of the road, my truck was the only vehicle in sight. I just wanted to get home.

Dammit, I was tired.

My phone rang, and I glanced at the number on the screen. Discomfort tingled up and down my limbs.

I knew that area code.

Didn’t matter if I blocked this number, because another would inevitably call again. Always the same person who I didn’t intend to speak to. I never answered.

The ringing finally stopped.

Then, because the universe had a sick sense of humor, I realized where I was. Almost to the mile marker where Lori had died on that awful night three years ago.

Figured, didn’t it?

I still didn’t know what she’d been doing out here that night. Or what secret she’d been keeping. I probably never would. But the sympathetic faces of those deputies reappeared in my mind. Their words echoed.

There’s been an accident .

I rubbed my forehead. A headache throbbed between my eyes.

Then I saw a figure up ahead by the side of the road. Long legs, long hair. Like a ghost appearing out of the past, if I’d believed in things like that. But this person was real.

Real stupid for walking along the shoulder where she’d easily get hit.

Carrying something bulky, too. She’d have trouble getting out of the way if a car came toward her. It pissed me off so much my vision feathered.

What did this girl think she was doing, being so careless?

Then she turned and stuck her arm out, thumb pointed up. Hitchhiking, of all the idiotic things. Did she have a death wish?

Nope, I wouldn’t let that happen. Not on my watch. Not tonight.