Chapter Four Jake #2
“Wow, how dare you call me irresponsible! Might I remind you that this doesn’t have anything to do with you. Rosie and Betty are my clients, not you. So maybe you should just go along with your gran’s wishes. Damn and you almost had me fooled that you weren’t really the asshole I thought you were.”
Fire snaps in her eyes as I wish I had just kept my damn mouth shut.
But now I’m on a roll.
“Oh, don’t be fooled. I can be a great guy.
It’s just you that brings out the asshole in me.
Now stop playing games and take Rosie back.
Find some other home for her, just not Heatherbrae!
” I’m losing it again and I have no idea why it keeps happening around this particular woman.
Other women have called me charming, even attractive, but I just can’t seem to keep it together with Ashley.
“I think it’s time for you to leave, Jake.” She walks to the door and opens it for me.
Stalking out, I can’t help but think there is something weird about how this woman is constantly showing me the door.
Now standing in the reception area, I can feel the judgmental gaze of the receptionist as she looks me up and down. I seem to have a habit of giving very bad first impressions in Abbey Falls.
“Tell my client Betty I will call out and see her in a couple of days to check on Rosie. I recommend you aren’t there at the time.” Standing next to her receptionist, both of them are now giving me the death stare.
“Noted. I would say nice to see you but we both know that would be a lie.” As I open the front door of the clinic, I can’t help myself, “Oh and about that fence? I see nothing has changed . . . sometime this year would be great.” Turning and walking out, I refuse to look back.
I can hear her ranting loudly to her receptionist.
Ashley Alleyne might be jaw-dropping gorgeous, until she opens her mouth, when she becomes nothing more than annoying, annoyingly attractive that is. Damn this is going to be a problem.
Slouched on the sofa after dinner, I’m listening to some of Gran’s music, taking me back to our holidays here as a kid.
All of us knew the rules then. Dinner, showers, and then grab our own special blanket that Gran had made us, ready for quiet time, which was to either play a board game or a card game with Gramps.
The only other option was to read, but that was never my favorite pick.
Tonight, though, it’s much quieter with just the two of us in the house.
And the big elephant in the room, the hairy one that we haven’t discussed since I got back, because Ashley was right, I don’t want to upset Gran.
Looking over at Rosie lying on the floor at Gran’s feet, snoring peacefully, she’s looking like she belongs here, like she’s been part of the family for years.
Gran’s hands are moving freely with her crochet hook and wool, and I can’t believe how much of the new blanket she has added since yesterday.
“She’s a lovely girl, that one.” Her words break the silence.
“Who are you talking about, Gran?” Looking over at her, I see a dopey grin on her face.
“Ashley,” she replies, like she was innocently just dropping the name in there.
“I’m not sure about the lovely bit,” I mutter to myself before clearing my throat. “You mean Doctor Alleyne, the female vet you failed to mention was also your neighbor. All of which would have been handy information.”
A sneeze escapes me, which has Rosie jumping a little, and she lifts her head to glare at me for waking her up before settling straight back down on the blanket at Gran’s feet.
“Oh well, now you know.”
And I figure since she has brought Ashley up, now is as good a time as any to find out a bit more. “She sounds like she works hard. Does she have a partner to help her?”
“No, she’s single, and has been for a few years. Damn shame, though, because she’s a good catch.”
“I meant does she have a partner in the vet clinic, not her personal life.” I try to keep a straight face as Gran glances sideways at me, knowing full well what I was after.
“Mhmm, yes, she’s the sole vet, poor thing. Her partner was a vet also, but he left a few years ago, no warning, and she has been trying to manage on her own ever since. She works seven days a week and never leaves an animal without the care it needs.”
Gran continues telling stories of different miracles Ashley has pulled off, saving animals all over the town, but I tune her out.
Things are starting to click into place and make more sense.
Ashley’s farm is run-down and needs so much work. I would argue it needs even more work than Gran’s place, and that’s saying something. If Ashley is working so much, it wouldn’t leave her much time for repairs. Why didn’t she just say that? I would’ve offered to help.
Though Ashley’s right, I was acting like an asshole when I marched over to her farm that first day.
It’s on our boundary line as well. Maybe as an apology I could help to get it back up and secure.
I mean, I wouldn’t be doing it because I feel sorry for her or anything.
It would mainly be for our benefit. Keep the animals out of Gran’s gardens and away from me.
It’s the least I can do, you know, the neighborly thing.
Over the next few days, I’m up early to work on the sleeping quarters in the barn, and then after lunch, I work on a section of the boundary fence, making sure I’m gone by the time Ashley gets home from work.
She’ll know it’s me, but I don’t want her to feel like I’m overstepping or doing it to make her feel bad.
So avoiding her seems like a better idea.
I’ve always loved being outside, working with my hands and having something to show for a day’s hard work.
But nothing beats working in the fresh mountain air.
I had forgotten how clean and crisp it is up here, being so close to the ranges.
On the edge of Gran’s property, the land rises into the dense woodland area where the amazing Rock River splits in two.
The main river runs down into a neighboring farm, but we get the smaller Copper Creek.
It’s where we pump water from that helps to keep the dam full and plenty of water for the vines and Gran’s gardens.
She says it’s her secret to the gold ribbon at the Abbey Falls Town Fair every year.
Wiping my brow with a bandanna, I step back and survey the barn. It’s looking good, should be inhabitable in a few days, just need to finish off the bathroom and then I can move in. Live by myself for a little while, until the boys descend.
Draining my water bottle, I eye the woods.
I’ve been dying to go for a hike to the falls.
It’s cooler in there and would be a great way to escape this heat.
Hiking is one of my favorite activities back home in Sacramento.
There’s nothing like getting out there, breathing in the fresh air and pushing myself enough to enjoy the wind down from a busy week at work.
It’s been nearly a month since I stretched my legs properly like that.
It’s time. I can get on with the bathroom tomorrow.
Poking my head in the back door of the house, I call out, “Gran, I’m just going for a quick hike up to the swimming hole.”
“Take Rosie with you. She’ll keep you company. And remember to watch out for snakes. I don’t want her getting hurt,” she replies as I hear Rosie coming down the hallway at full pelt from the kitchen.
“Great, just what I need.” I roll my eyes and swap my work boots for my hiking shoes that are still inside the laundry where I set them optimistically when I arrived.
Striking out for the woods, my good mood crumbling, I look down at Rosie, who’s right beside me, tongue lolling happily at my annoyance.
“I love how Gran is more worried about you getting hurt than she is about me. I rank lower than a stray dog in this house. And who said I wanted company? The whole point of a hike is to get time on your own!”
As we arrive at the tree line, I stop and look down at Rosie, trying to control my grumbling.
“Look, here’s the rules, dog. If you get lost, I’m not looking for you.
If you get hurt and I have to take you to the vet, where I’ll be chastised for not taking good care of you, then I swear I’ll put you back up for adoption myself.
So, let’s just get through this walk without any drama, okay?
Then I might consider taking you with me next time I go for a hike. Deal?”
It dawns on me how stupid I must look, standing here talking to a dog. Seriously, how did I get to this point in my life? It’s almost as embarrassing as admitting you are nearly forty and just moved in with your grandmother.
A loud bark echoes around me and Rosie wags her tail, as though agreeing with my proposition.
“Okay, let’s do this.” And before long, I’m lost in the thrill of seeking out the trail to the swimming hole I remember spending hours in when we were kids.
What I hadn’t thought through properly is that it’s likely been at least fifteen years since anyone has walked these trails, so it’s harder work than I anticipated.
After spending an enjoyable hour clearing part of the trail by hand, I decide it’s time to turn back. Next time I’ll come prepared. Peeling off my shirt and tucking it into the back of my shorts, I head out of the woods and back to the house for a shower.
Luckily Rosie has stuck to our deal and is walking calmly beside me, but as soon as we get halfway down the pasture, she takes off running at full speed. It’s only then that I notice Ashley’s car parked at the side of the house.
“Glad you waited for me, Rosie,” I call out to her as I’m coming around the corner of the house, not wanting to give away that she has been so well-behaved with me the whole time.
“She can’t help it if you are so slow.” Gran pushes up off her porch swing, walking in the front door and calling Rosie in for some water. No offer to get me a drink, I notice.
“Hey there, are you checking to make sure I haven’t gotten rid of the dog yet?” I stop at the bottom of the porch steps and look up at Ashley, whose head is moving around while she tries to focus on anything other than me. Oh, I’m enjoying watching her embarrassment at seeing my bare chest.
“Betty says she’s doing well. So yeah, that’s all I need to know.” Ashley stands and walks toward me, heading down the stairs. She’s trying so hard not to make eye contact that she misjudges the first step and starts falling.
My arms are out and around her before I even have time to think about it.
But the momentum of her fall has me losing my footing too, and in one quick move, I’m flat on my back with Ashley on top of me, and her mouth has just brushed innocently against mine.
My lips feel like they are on fire, tingling for another taste.
Fuck, she tastes so good. Her hands freeze on my sweaty bare chest, her eyes level with mine, and I can see them getting wider the longer we remain there.
“Ashley, you should stay for dinner, oh . . .” I hear Gran as she comes out the front door.
“No, I need to leave.” Ashley rolls off me so quickly I don’t try to stop her.
Jumping up off the ground, she’s already on her way to the car before I can say a word.
Slowly I push myself to a sitting position on the grass and watch her with amusement as she makes it to the driver’s door.
“Oh, and thanks for the fence repairs, but I can do the rest. I don’t need you to fix it.
But yeah, umm, thanks.” And then she’s in her car and leaving with just a little wave to Gran.
“Looks like she’s allergic to half-naked men.” Gran looks down at me still on the grass. “Either that, or she liked what she saw. Might be something you need to look into, Jake.” Winking at me, Gran heads back inside the house with Rosie at her heels.
I lie back on the ground and look up at the sky.
“Great, not only do I have a semi after feeling Ashley fit so perfectly on top of me. Now I have my grandmother trying to do some matchmaking!” Pushing my hand into my crotch, I try to settle it down.
This clearly has disaster written all over it, both for my cock, that is banned from seeking attention, and for Ashley, who Gran now has in her sights.
To be honest, I’m not sure who’s going to be the hardest to control from chasing Ashley. Gran, or my now very awakened sex drive for the woman who drives me crazy every time I see her.
I haven’t even made it through the first month living in Abbey Falls, and I’m already getting myself into trouble.
Who knew a small town could be such a dangerous place for a single man? Is there anywhere to hide?
But more importantly, do I really want to?