Chapter 9 Allie #2
“You’ve already been more than generous,” she said. “But I couldn’t ask for anything more. And honestly, I wasn’t planning to hold you to what you already offered with the greenhouse. I know times are tight right now, for everyone.”
“What are you talking about?” Ash asked, frowning.
“I get it, that’s all,” she said. “You’re a single dad, trying to do it all, and you’re in the service industry. You should be saving whatever you can for you and Maya.”
He blinked at her in a confused way for a moment.
“Allie, what do you think I do for a living?” Ash asked, a crease in his brow.
“Maya said you make drinks for people,” she said. “So, I’m guessing you work in a café, or maybe a bar?”
Ash stared at her, speechless.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” she said right away. “No one should be ashamed of an honest day’s work.”
His eyes lit up at that, like she’d made some kind of joke.
“Allie, have you ever had a TBC cream soda?” he asked.
“Sure,” she replied. TBC made the best microbrewed soda. When she and her brothers were little, it was a real treat to get a TBC root beer or cream soda if they went out for a family dinner. And her dad usually kept a six-pack of the stuff out on the porch during the cold part of the year.
“Well, I’m the T,” he said.
“The tea?” she asked, more confused than ever.
“Tailor Beverage Company,” Ash said simply. “I own it.”
She blinked at him, completely thrown. Ash Tailor. Of course.
“Allie?” he said softly.
“You… you own TBC?” she asked. “Like the TBC?”
How had she not known this? How had no one thought to mention it to her when they were gossiping about his good looks or congratulating her on her… engagement?
“Yes,” he said with a smile. “That’s me.”
“My dad loves that cream soda,” she said. “Everyone does. You’re a legend.”
“Maybe on the east coast,” he said, looking a little uncomfortable.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, shaking her head.
“I don’t really like to talk about it,” he said. “Maya and I just want to fit in.”
Allie suddenly realized what he’d been trying to tell her all this time.
Ash Tailor was rich, probably more than rich—wealthy—or whatever those people with more money than they could ever spend would call themselves.
And if he wanted to fit into a rural town like Sugarville Grove, he was right, maybe his financial situation shouldn’t be the first thing people knew about him.
From what she’d read, his financial situation was about to get a whole lot better, too.
“Are you really making those Turbo Tailors?” she asked him before she could stop herself.
He nodded, but he didn’t look too happy about it.
Well, he shouldn’t look happy, she thought to herself. Those high-caffeine drinks are horrible, and the weird colors can’t be good either. Plus, they’ll attract little kids…
“So,” she said, forcing herself to stop spiraling. “I guess you’re not actually stretched, financially, I mean.”
“Not at all,” he said with a half-smile. “So take your time, think about what you want.”
“Well, what do you want?” she asked him, still trying to get used to the idea of being pretend engaged to a rich man.
“I’d like to keep this going for the holidays,” he said immediately. “And I’d like for it to seem very, very real.”
“Um, what would that entail?” she asked, swallowing hard.
She was willing to play along, but only so far. And a guy with his kind of money might not be used to hearing the word no very often.
“We need to be seen together,” he said.
“Like… on a date?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said, his eyes twinkling like he was trying not to laugh at her. “Multiple dates, I hope.”
“My family is kind of freaking out,” she said.
“Then why don’t I meet them first?” he offered. “When can we arrange that?”
“They actually told me to invite you and Maya to dinner tonight,” she remembered, stunned that she wasn’t having to convince him.
“Perfect,” he said.
“But what about Maya?” Allie asked.
“She knows I want to date you,” Ash said. “She likes the idea a lot.”
“She does?” Allie asked.
“In fairness, her main criteria seemed to be that you like to play games,” he said with a funny smile.
“I do like to play games,” Allie said, smiling. “I’m glad that comes in handy for something.”
Ash gazed down at her and there was such warmth in his dark eyes, almost like he was smiling without smiling.
It made her heart ache and she tore her eyes from his.
“Speaking of games,” she said quickly. “I did promise her that I would play hide-and-go-seek tag.”
“Of course,” Ash said.
“Do you… want to join us?” Allie wasn’t sure what made her ask the question, but she was pretty sure he would decline.
“Do you need another player?” he asked right away. “Or is four too many?”
“More is always better,” she told him.
“Great,” he said, heading for the steps with her.
“You really want to play?” Allie asked him, surprised. Ash seemed so serious. It was funny to think of him running around the park with the kids.
I run around with kids all day, she reminded herself. Among other things.
“Honestly, I don’t even know how to play,” Ash admitted. “But I used to like hide-and-go-seek and tag when I was a kid, so I assume it’s fun. And I know it will make Maya happy.”
He held out his hand to her.
For a moment she hesitated, as if taking it would be crossing a line she couldn’t come back from.
But that was ridiculous. She had already lied to her own parents. Holding his hand wasn’t going to change anything.
Plus, she had kind of been dying for him to hold her hand again since pretty much the second she let go of his last night.
She slipped her hand into his before she could overthink things any more.
Even through their gloves, she could feel the heat of his fingers wrapped securely around hers, and her poor heart gave another helpless flutter.
“Daddy, Miss Lawrence,” Maya yelled happily. “Do you want to play with us?”
“Yes,” Ash said right away.
Maya squealed with delight.
Eloise got a funny look on her face and mouthed something that Allie was pretty sure was the word wow.
“I’ve never played this game before,” Ash said. “So you girls might have to explain it to me.”
Eloise smiled with pure joy, almost like she couldn’t believe that grownups were going to play too. Maya began shouting out instructions, her feet marching and hopping in place like she couldn’t wait to get started.
Allie laughed, and realized she really couldn’t wait to play hide-and-go-seek tag with her new crew.
It might not be real, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun.