Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Ben
Ican’t help but grin as I stand just outside Ash’s classroom, listening to her sing,
completely off-key, to some country song.
It’s terrible, but I love seeing her so carefree.
The past few days have been rough since the dinner at her parents' house and the argument with her brothers.
She's been quieter than usual, and I can't help but worry about her. Even though she swears she doesn’t care what her brothers think, she isn’t fooling me.
When the song ends, I set my bag down and lean around the doorway, clapping loudly. She jumps at the sound, then bursts out laughing.
“Oh, God,” she groans, dropping her head into her hands. “You heard that?”
I chuckle. “Every single word.”
I step inside the room and pull her into my arms. The kids are long gone, as well as most of the staff.
“What are you doing?” she asks, looping her arms around my neck.
“Kissing my girlfriend,” I say softly.
She smiles, though there’s a flicker of hesitation. “What if someone sees?”
“I don’t care who sees, Ash.”
Her smile grows, and her eyes lock onto mine.
Slowly, I lower my head and press my lips to hers.
It starts gentle, but it doesn’t stay that way for long.
She melts into me, her mouth parting as our tongues tangle, and when she lets out a soft moan, I have to force myself to pull back before things go too far.
“You’re still coming over tonight, right?” I murmur against her lips.
She sighs and steps back, slipping out of my arms. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
I thought I’d convinced her to come to dinner tonight. Laney’s going to be there, and I get why Ash is nervous about seeing her again, especially after how things went down at Eden. But we can’t avoid this forever. Laney needs to see us together if she’s ever going to accept us.
“Yeah, I am,” I say, giving her hand a squeeze. “Laney’s under strict instructions to behave. Plus… I want you in my space.”
She gives me a small nod. “Okay. I’ll come.”
I smile. “Thank you.”
My gaze flickers to the scattered papers on her desk. “You about ready to head out?”
She shakes her head. “Not quite. I still have a few things to finish.”
“You work too hard.”
She smirks. “Tell my boss that.” She sticks her tongue out at me, and I laugh.
“I’ll see you at six-thirty.”
“Six-thirty,” she echoes with a grin.
I kiss her softly before stepping back, giving a wave to Eddie, the janitor, on my way out.
Despite reassuring Ash that Laney would behave, I can’t shake the feeling of unease as I drive home. Laney wasn’t exactly thrilled when I told her Ash would be joining us for dinner, but I know if I can get them to spend more time together, she’ll see how incredible Ash really is.
When I pull into the driveway, I’m relieved to see Laney’s car. She’d threatened not to be here at all after hearing Ash was coming.
“Hey, Laney,” I call out as I step inside. “I’m home.”
“In here,” she shouts back from the living room.
I drop my bag by the door and head in, collapsing onto the sofa beside her.
“Good day?” I ask, leaning my head back against the cushions.
“Not really. Just school,” she replies flatly.
I frown. “You loved school back in Phoenix.”
She shrugs. “That was Phoenix.”
I sit up a little. “You want to talk about it?”
“Nope,” she answers quickly.
I hold up my hands. “Okay. But you know I’m here if you need me.”
She rolls her eyes. “Sure. When you’re not busy with your girlfriend.”
I sigh, dragging a hand through my hair. “I’m always here for you, Laney.”
She gives a noncommittal nod, but I’m pretty sure my words didn’t sink in.
“I’m gonna jump in the shower before Ash gets here,” I say as I stand. “You remembered she’s coming for dinner, right?”
She lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Like I’d ever be lucky enough to forget."
I close my eyes briefly. “Please, just give her a chance, okay?”
Silence.
“Laney?” I prompt.
“Fine. Whatever.”
I head toward the door, ignoring her attitude. “I’m making fajitas for dinner. Your favorite.”
When she doesn’t respond, I leave her in front of the TV and head into the kitchen, tossing my keys and phone onto the breakfast bar. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. Ash is already dealing with pushback from her brothers, and if things go south with Laney tonight, it’ll crush her.
I’m debating whether to call Ash and suggest we go out for dinner instead when Laney appears in the doorway.
“I can start dinner while you shower, if you want,” she says quietly.
Hope sparks in my chest. Maybe this won’t be as bad as I thought.
“Uh… yeah. Thanks, sweetheart. Everything’s in the fridge. I’ll be down to help when I’m done.”
She crosses the kitchen, opens the fridge, and pulls out a pack of chicken breasts.
“Take your time. I’ve got this.”
I smile, watching her for a beat before turning and heading into the hallway, taking the stairs two at a time.
A few minutes later, I’m standing under the shower, letting the hot water pour over me.
I stay longer than I probably should, my mind spinning with thoughts of Laney.
I know she never wanted to move to River Falls.
Starting over at a new school in her senior year can’t be easy.
Add in how much she misses her mom, and it’s a lot for her to carry.
I’d hoped that by now she would’ve settled in, but from the way she sounded earlier, it’s clear she’s still struggling, and I hate that for her.
It’s a good twenty minutes before I make it back downstairs. The smell of Mexican spices drifts through the house as I step into the kitchen.
“That smells amazing, sweetheart,” I say, walking over to where Laney stands at the stove. She glances at me over her shoulder, and I smile. “Need me to do anything?”
“Yeah, can you grab the salsa and guac from the fridge?”
“On it.”
“Oh, and there’s a salad in there too,” she adds.
I nod, pulling everything out and setting it on the breakfast bar. There’s an open bottle of wine tucked in the door, and for a second, I consider offering her a glass. But then I remember how things went last time she had a drink around Ash, and I think better of it.
“Soda?” I offer, holding up a can.
“Please,” she says, still focused on what she’s doing.
I slide it across the counter and grab a beer for myself before shutting the fridge. A glance at the clock tells me it’s nearly six-forty. Ash should be here soon. Hopefully, she won’t be too late. Dinner’s almost ready.
“When can we go see Mom?” Laney asks suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“What?” I ask, caught off guard.
She turns from the stove, her expression stormy.
“Mom,” she repeats, her voice sharp. “Remember her?”
“Laney,” I say, a warning in my tone.
She spins back to the stove, stiffening her shoulders.
“I want to visit her,” she says, her voice tight.
“Okay,” I reply carefully. “But it’ll have to wait a couple of weeks. I’ve got that work conference coming up, remember?”
“Oh, right,” she snaps. “A weekend away with your girlfriend.”
I exhale slowly. “Ash isn’t even going to the conference.”
“Sure she’s not,” she mutters under her breath.
I let her comment slide, not wanting to start an argument right before Ash gets here, but I’m definitely going to have words with her later. I’m running out of patience with her attitude. I get that she’s upset, but that doesn’t mean she can keep speaking to me like this.
“I turned the heat down,” Laney mutters, motioning toward the pan on the stove as she walks past me and out of the kitchen.
I groan, dropping onto a stool at the breakfast bar and grabbing my beer.
Taking a long drink, I try to shake the tension from my shoulders.
This isn’t how tonight was supposed to go.
I didn’t want an uncomfortable vibe hanging in the air, but clearly, I’m not getting a choice in the matter.
The mood is already off, and there’s no way Ash isn’t going to pick up on it the second she walks through the door.
Glancing at the clock again, I frown. It’s creeping toward seven. Ash should be here by now. She knows we’re having dinner. A knot forms in my stomach, and I get an uneasy feeling I can’t shake. I need to check on her.
I reach for my phone, frowning when I realize it’s not on the breakfast bar. I could’ve sworn I left it there with my keys. The keys are still here, but the phone’s gone.
I jog upstairs. In my room, I grab my work pants off the chair and dig through the pockets. Nothing but my wallet. Frowning, I check the nightstand, then the dresser. Still nothing.
Heading back downstairs, I search the kitchen counters again, then walk into the living room, where Laney’s curled up on the sofa.
“Have you seen my phone?” I ask.
She doesn’t even look up from the TV. “No.”
“I’m sure I left it on the breakfast bar with my keys, but it’s not there now.”
She rolls her eyes like I’m crazy. “Are you sure you looked properly?”
“Yes,” I say, trying not to snap.
“Maybe you left it in the car.”
I frown. “Maybe. I’ll go check.”
I grab my keys off the counter and head outside. As I approach the car, it unlocks automatically, sensing the key nearby. I open the driver’s door and search around, even though I’m pretty sure I didn’t leave it out here. Sure enough, the phone’s nowhere to be found.
“It’s not there,” I call as I step back inside.
Laney appears in the doorway, giving me a smug look. “I think you’re losing your mind.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, not in the mood for her sarcasm.
She crosses her arms. “When are we eating? Dinner’s going to be ruined.”
I sigh, scrubbing a hand over my face. “Ash should be here by now. I’m starting to get worried, but I’ve got no way to call her. I don’t even know her number without my phone.”
“She’s probably just running late,” Laney says, her tone dismissive.
“Maybe,” I reply, though I’m not convinced. “Go ahead and eat. I’m going to drive over to her place and make sure she’s okay.”
“Fine,” she huffs, stomping back into the kitchen.