Chapter Nine Ashley
Chapter Nine
Ashley
Pulling into the parking lot of Grizzly’s, there are plenty of vehicles, which means we won’t look out of place having a meal with the bar almost empty.
I can tell Jake is still finding his feet in Abbey Falls by the way people are staring at him, curious to know more about this man. They would’ve all seen him at the town square that day and I’m sure the gossip mill has been running rampant ever since.
Waving to Regina behind the bar, she raises her eyebrows at me, giving me that smirk she wears so well, and we head to an empty table at the back.
Heads turn in our direction as we make our way through, and I can feel the sweat prickle on my back from the anxiety of everyone’s interest. I am so not looking to get back onto the Abbey Falls gossip chain.
I feel myself tense up when I see women leaning across tables to their spouses or friends and then looking pointedly back to us.
I want to stand up on a chair and get everyone’s attention, yelling out the word “Friends!” just to stop the whispering, but what’s the point.
“Is it just me, or do you also feel like we are in a fishbowl tonight?” Jake whispers into my ear as he leans around me to pull out my chair. Tingles rush down my body at the warmth of his breath on my skin and the familiarity of his body being so close to mine.
“Welcome to Abbey Falls, where everybody knows everything about you—whether you like it or not.” I can’t help but giggle as I sit down and he takes the seat across from me.
“I thought it was only the oldies, Gran’s friends, you know, that era.” Picking up a laminated menu from the table and passing it to me, he rolls his eyes. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll go up and order. Are you a beer or wine drinker?”
Thinking back to the first night I saw him here and the amount of alcohol I had consumed, plus my adrenaline is still running from my phone call, I decide that sticking to a light beer tonight might be the right choice.
“Just a light beer would be great, thanks. And I don’t need a menu; I’ll have the veggie burger with fries, please.
It’s one of my favorite things here, and as much as I always think I’ll try something different, I never do. ” I shrug. “Creature of habit.”
“Nothing wrong with that, and what better recommendation is a meal that you can’t stop eating.
I think I’ll get one too. Back in a minute.
” He pushes his chair back from the table then stands, and I’m watching him walk over to place the order at the bar with Regina.
I can see her smiling at whatever he said, which weirdly makes me feel annoyed.
I’m not jealous. Who am I kidding? Even though I know I can’t have him, that doesn’t mean I’m happy for anyone else to have him either.
Shit, I really am in trouble here.
Jake’s loud laugh has a few people in the room looking toward the two of them chatting at the bar. This is good, surely. They will see that he talks to many women, not just me. Jake flirting with Regina confirms to the room that we aren’t together. So why am I still pissed?
Arriving back at our table, he looks so relaxed and still has that smile where his lips are parted and the corners of his mouth are pulled up, causing his cheeks to jut out a bit, with a sparkle in his eyes. “Regina has a wicked sense of humor,” he comments as he places the beer in front of me.
“Yes, she does. She’s great, until you piss her off and the tough bitch in her comes out. Be careful of that one.” I can’t help it, but I don’t want him getting too cozy with her.
“Oh, I don’t doubt it. You can’t run a bar and not have people scared of you in some way. But don’t worry, she’s got your back over there.”
He’s taking his first long sip of beer from his glass and I watch his throat flex with his swallow. Then his tongue is swiping the residual beer froth off his top lip, and the vision’s doing things to me it shouldn’t.
“What do you mean, she has my back?” My brain is now catching up to what he just said.
“She was commenting how the whole room is looking at me like I’m fresh meat for the poor, lonely vet.
They already have us married off with two kids and driving a minivan.
So, she told me if it looked like I was flirting with her at the bar, then it would throw them off the scent.
” He looks at me, satisfied that he played his part well, and I can’t help but burst out laughing.
“Enough of the lonely vet, thanks. I’m perfectly fine on my own.” I don’t like that tagline when anyone is describing me and tonight it feels especially raw. Maybe I’m trying to remind both Jake and me that I am indeed okay being single.
“Seriously, though, this place is crazy, and the people that live here are next level sometimes.” Shaking my head and taking a sip of my beer, I didn’t realize how much I needed it until now.
“Yeah, I’m starting to learn that. But I did make sure Regina understood that we are just friends.” His face turns serious as he looks at me. And I know I should be happy about that, but I’m finding it harder and harder to turn my feelings off when I’m around him.
His face changes a little as he focuses intently on me.
“Are you okay, Ash?”
“Yeah, why?” I’m trying not to give away how much my stomach is churning from Jeremy’s phone call earlier and that it’s now mixing with the growing desire I have for Jake that I’m struggling to ignore.
“You just look a little preoccupied. Anything I can help with?”
I wish. I’m sure if I told Jake, then he would be ready to hunt Jeremy down, because he has already shown how disgusted he is with what Jeremy did to me.
Although I could do with that feeling of protection if Jeremy does decide to turn up back in Abbey Falls.
But it’s not something I want to share with Jake right now.
Plastering a smile on my face, I reply, “No I’m fine, thanks.
Just tired and you have already helped me plenty since my fall.
So being here for a nice meal and good company is what I need and gives me the chance to say thank you for everything you’ve done.
” I lift my beer glass up and clink it against his.
He seems to accept my response so I change the subject.
We fall into general talk about the barn apartment reno he has just finished, and Jake shuffles his chair around the table closer to me so he can show me the photos on his phone.
“They look awesome. I thought they were just meant to be temporary, but you could live permanently in those. The only thing missing now are your cousins.” I don’t know why I’m surprised the barn conversion is so good. He’s a builder, after all.
“If I had the money, I would employ you to fix up my house. I have the vision, just not the time nor the budget.” Handing his phone back, I see him looking agitated.
“Sorry, I wasn’t hinting for your help. You’ve already done more than enough with the fence and driving me around.
” Dropping my gaze to my hands where I’m suddenly so fascinated by my fingernails, I start picking at them.
“Ashley.” His anger is evident in his voice. “Look at me,” he demands.
I raise my head and try to act like I don’t have anything to be embarrassed about, but I’m crap at lying.
“I’m not pissed at you. I’m sorry if you thought that. The asshole who left you in this situation, that’s who I want to have serious words with. I know what it’s like to be stripped bare when someone walks out and takes everything with them.”
Reaching over and placing his rugged hands on top of mine, in such a gentle way, is completely in contrast with his demeanor right now. “He better not show up while I’m in town, because he won’t like what I have to say to him.”
Tingles run up my arms at the thought of Jake protecting me from Jeremy and making him pay for the douchey thing he did to me.
Little does he realize that Jeremy is not as tall as him, and there are no bulging biceps like Jake’s that constantly peek out from under his shirt sleeves.
They are nothing alike, and I’m looking back now wondering what I ever saw in Jeremy, but of course, hindsight is a bitch.
“You don’t have to worry. Jeremy drove out of town and never looked back.
I can’t imagine there is any reason for that to change,” I reply, hoping that is the truth.
Surely, after what I said tonight, Jeremy won’t show up here.
Instead of letting it get to me again, I concentrate on the warmth of Jake’s hands on mine.
It’s so comforting, safe, but I know I need to move because this intimacy is enough to keep fueling the rumor mill.
“Well, isn’t this cozy.” Tiffany’s voice makes me jump in my seat, and our hands separate instantly.
“Tiff, w-what are you doing here?” I stumble over my words, trying to sound casual, as though I’m not expecting her.
“You told me to come, or to quote your exact words ‘be there or I might kill you.’ Yeah, that sounds about right.” She has the stupidest smile on her face as she pulls over a chair from a spare table next to us.
I can feel my cheeks burning as Jake starts chuckling so loudly that people start turning around and looking in our direction.
“Ooohhh, I wasn’t supposed to repeat that. Oops.” Her hand hovers over her mouth, but I can still see the joy she’s getting out of this.
“There is no might in that sentence now. I will be killing you tonight, the moment we walk out of here where there are no witnesses.” I reach over and push her a little in the shoulder, which just makes her grin back at me.
Offering her hand to Jake, she says, “Hi, I’m Tiffany, the best friend. I’m sure you’ve been avoiding meeting me, or she’s keeping you hidden. Either way, I’m here now.”
Jake takes her hand and looks back at me, where I can see the amusement in his eyes. The frustration and anger from a few moments ago is gone, and all I see now creeping in is intrigue.