12. Knowledge Bomb
KNOWLEDGE BOMB
“I’m crazy. Stupid, freaking crazy to do this,” she muttered, moving around her small apartment and checking to see if anything needed to be straightened or wiped down.
Kind of ridiculous considering she didn’t own much. She even had to buy a chair because her living room looked funny with just her couch in it.
The couch that was crammed into her last apartment.
She stood in place, her head swiveling like the teacups at a day carnival. Not steady. Not stable. Ready to break free and hit a wall.
Exactly how she was feeling over the fact Ash Ridgeway was coming here in—she looked at her watch—ten minutes.
She yanked at her hair that she’d left down. Better than the messy ponytail she always threw it in, then marched to her kitchen, opened the oven and checked on the lasagna that had been baking for close to an hour.
She’d pull it out soon and let it rest.
One more pop into her bathroom to make sure that was set, then stopped in front of the mirror in the bedroom for a quick glance at her attire.
Jeans, a cotton long-sleeved top fitted a bit more to her body than she was used to wearing. Or used to wearing around other people.
But it wasn’t like she had a huge wardrobe to choose from. She never did. Never had and didn’t care about those things.
She had a lot more now than she ever did before and she was pretty content... kind of.
When the buzzer went off, she jumped, slammed her hand to her chest like a lunatic and told herself, “Just calm down. It’s Ash.
You’ve known Ash since kindergarten. Knew more about him in those last two years of school from Corbin.
Coming,” she said into the speaker, then made her way out the door and down the stairs to let him in.
“Hey,” he said. “You dressed up for me. I feel honored.”
She lifted one eyebrow. “I’d hardly say this is dressing up.”
Even if she was touched that he’d noticed she’d put a bit more effort into it.
“No sweats and your hair is down. I’d call that dressing up.”
She was climbing the stairs, him behind her. “Are you one of those guys who likes a woman to be all fancy and polished?”
“If I did I would have gone home with Bree tonight. Or at least taken her card and number.”
She held the door open to her place for him, trying to figure out how to address this.
“Joke or not?”
“Unfortunately, not.” His shoulders twitched as if he had a gag he was barely holding in place.
“I think I might need a better explanation.”
“Oh, you’ll get it. For a number of reasons. One is it will prove to you I’m not who you think.”
“I’m already realizing that.”
Like that knowledge bomb he’d dropped on her last night.
She’d replayed it in her head all night and was going to find a way to bring it up to her mother. To find out if it was true. If they did reach out because Corbin asked them too.
And that Ash had asked Corbin.
“Shoes on or off?”
“It’s not wet out. You can keep them on.”
He took his jacket off and handed it over, she hung it on the hook behind the door.
She had to keep her eyes off his face, the rough growth of beard that was sexier than she’d thought it’d be.
His T-shirt that was snug on his body, showing off some pretty large biceps.
She highly doubted he spent a lot of time working out, but he had a couple physical jobs so he probably didn’t need to hit the gym.
“I worked at the barn today for an event with Clay.”
Once it was brought up at the family dinner the other day, she’d looked into it more and saw how beautiful the place was.
“A wedding?”
“No. Some work event. It was to bring two businesses together. Half were happy, half pissed, most kind of wary on how to move forward. The more they drank, the more I heard.”
“And someone named Bree was gabbing your ear off?”
“Yeah. She wasn’t talking about work though. One word. Cougar.”
She couldn’t keep the grimace from her lips. “Is that your thing?”
He laughed and pointed at her. “I wish you could see your face. I bet it’s what I was trying to hide while she was talking to me. If it were my thing, I’d have her number. Well, I do but not that I wanted it.”
Her tongue rolled over her teeth while she thought of the next question.
In her mind, she had wondered if this might be kind of a date. Like a real one even though Ash had joked about it.
Now she wasn’t so sure.
“How did you get it then?”
He held his fingers up. “She pulled her card out of her purse and held it in front of me. When I didn’t take it…” He reached for the front pocket of her jeans and pulled it out just a touch. But a touch was enough to light her on fire. “She slid it in there.”
Her eyes dropped to what his hand was doing, then back up to his face to see his grin still in place.
Oddly, she found herself matching it. “That’s a bit intrusive.”
“No bit about it. It was a lot.”
Yet he did it to her, and she didn’t seem to mind.
“What did you do with that card?”
“It’s in the trash so I didn’t wash it with my jeans. Either way, it would have been destroyed. Not interested in the least. She’s not my type either.”
“I’m being rude, but come in. What exactly is your type?”
“You,” he said.
She turned from where she was moving into her living room. “Joke or fact?”
“Fact. I like to joke, but I don’t about everything. I’m not into fancy and never have been.”
“Well, there aren’t all that many fancy girls around here. Or there weren’t when we were in school.”
“There are more than you think now, but still not my type. Smells good in here.”
“Oh, crap. I need to take it out and let it rest. Have a seat.”
“I’ll stand for now. Anything I can help you with?”
She found that sweet he was asking. “I’m cooking for you. If I remember correctly, you said it’d go a long way with me apologizing to you.”
“That is all this is to you?”
“I really don’t know what it is.”
“Liar. But we’ll let it go. Your place is nice. My style too.”
She looked around. “What? Minimalist?”
“Yep. I’m not much into decor or anything.”
She had a few pictures on the wall. Things she’d already had and figured she might as well hang.
A few throw pillows that added a pop of color to her otherwise gray furniture. Another throw blanket over the chair.
“I’m not either. I never had much growing up and it’s kind of a waste of time and money, but I do want my place to feel comfortable and lived in at the same time.”
“Looks like you’ve accomplished it.”
“Thanks. I made lasagna. Hope you like it. I should have asked.”
“I like anything I don’t have to cook and even more that has a lot of leftovers.”
“I planned on sending you home with some,” she said. “I can only eat so much of it.”
“Perfect. I’ll bring it to the firehouse with me tomorrow.”
“You’re working?”
“Yep. Got to be in bright and early.”
“We didn’t have to do this tonight,” she argued. “We could have done it when you didn’t have to work. And I didn’t know you had something to do earlier either.”
“Oh, I wasn’t passing up the offer. You might have changed your mind then.”
She might have. Or come up with a way to get out of it.
“Can I get you something to drink? I did buy some beer.”
Which would just sit there if he didn’t drink it because she wouldn’t, but she wouldn’t be rude and not have what he liked on hand.
“I’ll pass. I don’t drink before I go into work. Not that one is a big deal, but just got into the habit of it.”
“I’ve got the same tea and water then.”
“Tea is good.”
She pulled out a bottle for him and then filled a glass of water from a pitcher for her.
“Tell me, why did you really want to come here tonight?” she asked. Might as well put it right out there for him.
His lips disappeared as if he had to think it through. Or think of the best way to answer her.
“Why did you ask?”
“Are we going to play it that way? You’re the one who brought it up.”
“And you said yes.”
Guess they were. Time to redirect. “Why did you ask Corbin to ask his parents to take me in?”
“Damn. I should have known you weren’t going to let that slide.”
She’d absorbed the information last night but didn’t ask anything else after he’d said it.
“I can’t.”
“I’ve always liked you,” he said.
“As a friend?”
“Of course. We were friends for years. It was hard not to be friends with our classroom size. Though it grew once we got to junior high and high school.”
Because they were blending in with other smaller towns. Busing those kids in.
“Not everyone got along,” she pointed out. “But you did with most.”
“I’m a likeable guy,” he said. “What can I say?”
“That still didn’t really answer my question.”
“And with your background you’re going to keep asking until you get the answer you want, right? Why don’t you tell me what you want?”
“Just the truth is enough.”
He scratched the side of his nose, then took a drink. “I liked you as more than a friend, but you weren’t interested. I get it. It doesn’t mean I’d just turn away. Did I hear maybe you didn’t have the best home life? Sure. When I heard about the fire, I was thrilled you were okay.”
“I busted my leg and needed surgery,” she said.
“You were alive,” he corrected.
“Yeah,” she mumbled.
“And then when there were rumors you had no family, I’d heard you were going into foster care. You could have ended up anywhere in the county. Wouldn’t it have been better to stay where you knew people?”
“It was. I guess. So that’s why you did it?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure what you want me to say, Skye.
My heart went out for you. Did I have a childhood crush and didn’t want to see you leave the area?
Yeah. Did I think maybe I could be a shoulder for you?
Sure. But you didn’t want any part of it.
I’m just glad that Carrie and Jim could give you that. ”
But she might not have had any of that if it wasn’t for the man in this room.
The one who thought enough of her to put her comfort first.
She went on instinct. She crossed the room and put her arms around his waist.
She held him tight, and she accepted his warmth. His comfort. His nearness for the moment.
But a moment was all she was going to allow herself.
“Thank you for that. I’m not sure anyone has ever cared about me before then.”
She stepped back, his finger came out and moved down the side of her cheek, brushing her hair behind her ear.
“You’re welcome,” he whispered.