Chapter 11
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Ash
As Ash drove away from the jobsite where Ker was working, he realized that this encounter had changed how he thought about Ker. Sure, he was still the same guy Ash had spent time with on Saturday mornings, volunteering at the community kitchen, but after seeing Ker at work, he’d gained a new perspective.
Today he’d gotten to see Ker as a confident, knowledgeable guy who clearly knew his job. He wasn’t wearing a suit but nonetheless looked quite professional in chinos, work boots, and a long-sleeved navy polo with the company logo stitched on the left breast.
Everything that he and Hank had chatted about not all that long ago suddenly clicked. Yes, Ker had some issues with opioids, but he was so much more than just that part of him. This chance meeting at Ker’s workplace had opened Ash’s eyes, and he was a much better person for it.
Ker was absolutely someone he wanted to have a deeper relationship with, and based on how Ker had been acting, Ash was sure he felt the same way. Maybe it was time to take this friendship to the next level.
Ash woke early on Thanksgiving morning and quickly got ready for the day. He’d promised Joyce at A Helping Hand that he’d be there to help serve the midday meal before heading to his mom’s house to eat with his family.
When he arrived at the facility, there was a flurry of movement everywhere. Grabbing an apron, he jumped into the melee, helping out wherever he could. It had only been a couple of months since he’d started volunteering, but he knew his way around and felt like he was making a real contribution there.
“Hey, Ash,” Ker said when they found themselves elbow to elbow at one of the prep stations. “How’s it going?”
“Great,” Ash replied. “Happy Thanksgiving!”
“And to you as well. You said you were going to your mom’s after we finish serving lunch, right?”
“Yeah. We’ve always had Thanksgiving there, but it’s become even more important since Dad died. Spending holidays together is just what the Reynolds clan does. Plus, this year Clay will be there now that he and Finn are seeing each other. What about you?”
“I told Joyce I’d hang around here for the afternoon. Folks tend to linger on the holidays, and we’ll be serving leftover turkey sandwiches for dinner tonight. I figured they could use the help.”
“That’s really nice of you.”
Lunch went off without a hitch, and before he knew it, Ash was back in his SUV, on his way to his mom’s. He felt bad he really hadn’t had a chance to talk to Ker more, but they had been slammed with serving dinner, and he really hadn’t wanted to be late getting to his mother’s place. He walked into her house and heard talking from the kitchen, so he headed that way.
“Hey, Mom,” he said, hugging Muriel Reynolds.
“Ash! So glad you’re here; we were just about to sit down to dinner.”
He took a moment to hug his brothers and Clay, wishing them all a happy Thanksgiving, then picked up a couple of serving platters filled with food and followed them into the dining room.
Once they were all seated, Muriel tapped her water glass with a fork. “I know we get together almost every Sunday, but today’s a special day. And I’m especially thankful that Clay is joining our family this year.” She lifted her wine goblet. “Happy Thanksgiving!”
“Glad you made it, brother,” Mitch said to Ash after the toast. “What kept you? All Mom said was that you had another commitment earlier.”
“I’ve been volunteering at A Helping Hand in Plymouth,” Ash replied. “It feels good to help out with such a worthwhile cause.”
“Oh, that’s the place that Joyce Riordan helps run, right?” Mitch asked. When Ash nodded, he continued, “The Cask & Larder has made a few donations there,” referring to his shop.
They spoke more about the shelter, then moved on to other subjects as they shared their delicious meal.
After dinner, they all made care packages of leftovers to take home, stashed them in the fridge for the time being, and helped clean up. Then they retired to Muriel’s sunroom for an after-dinner drink and some family conversation.
“Another fine dinner, Mom,” Ash said to Muriel. “Thank you for doing it all.”
“My pleasure, son. I love cooking, and it’s so nice to have everyone together, especially on holidays.”
At one point, Ash felt his pocket vibrate, so he pulled out his phone to check his messages. He wasn’t working, but as a police officer, you never knew when something might happen. It could be a text from Hank, so he always checked. He smiled at his screen, then returned the phone to his front pocket.
“Work?” His brother Mitch asked, sipping his wine. He, Clay, and Finn were standing near the bar, chatting.
“No,” said Ash. “That guy Ker I met at A Helping Hand. Another volunteer. I think I mentioned him earlier. Just asking how my Thanksgiving dinner with family was.”
“Yeah, you did mention him before,” Clay chimed in. “You get a weird look on your face when you talk about him. Is he a ‘person of interest’ to you?” Clay air quoted.
“I love your directness, Clay.” Ash chuckled. “You’d make a great detective.”
“Thanks, but you didn’t answer the question.” Clay looked directly at him.
“He’s got you there, bro.” Mitch laughed.
“Well,” Ash replied, “I think it’s a bit too early to say whether or not something’s going on, but we did go out for dinner several weeks ago, and we’re going to Cuppa Joe’s tomorrow evening for the open mic night. He’s a nice guy. I’m kinda hoping it’ll turn into something good for both of us.”
“Excellent!” Clay was enthusiastic. “We talked about going to Cuppa Joe’s too, so we may see you there. And let me know if you want to double date with Finn and me sometime. It would be fun.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ash replied, knowing full well that now that Clay knew he and Ker would be there tomorrow night, he and Finn would definitely show up.