Chapter Seventeen Ashley
Chapter Seventeen
Ashley
“Have you heard from him?” Tiff asks me as I take a seat at the counter in the teahouse.
“No, but I’m not expecting to.” Which is total bullshit because I have slept every night since he left with my phone right next to me.
“It’s been four days and still nothing. You wait until I see that big arrogant dickwad.” She’s busy pulling out my iced tea cooler from under the counter.
“What are you doing?” Because how stupid am I to think that I get to choose what I want to drink in the morning.
“It’s too hot for tea this morning, or coffee for that matter, so iced it is.” She’s distracted today and busy with her jars of tea leaves, concocting some mixture that I’m sure is supposed to heal all my hurt, but nothing has worked the last few days, so I’m not sure today will be any different.
“Yeah, summer is here. I can’t believe how hot it was last night, and this morning isn’t any better. They are talking about a thunderstorm later today, but sadly, not much rain to go with it. Which means all it does is annoy the animals while leaving us no water for the grass.”
In these storms I have to lock all the animals up in the barn, otherwise I spend hours having to round them all up, usually from the pastures at Heatherbrae.
The loud noise of Tiff mixing the iced tea in the glass cooler is driving me insane.
“Could you do that any quieter?” The words slip out of my mouth, and I regret them immediately. The death stare I get from Tiff could make a baby cry.
“Just because you’re touchy doesn’t mean you can take it out on me.
I’m just as tired as you from lack of sleep.
This bad vibe that is hovering over the town is scaring me, and I just can’t get it to move on.
I have tried everything I can think of, including dancing under the moon, and even that didn’t work.
I don’t know what’s coming, but it’s freaking me out. ”
Banging my iced tea down in front of me, she then turns away and clears up the containers of tea leaves that she keeps spread across the shelf behind her. Which, as soon as I notice the tea leaves strewn everywhere, it hits me that she’s never that messy with her precious brew mixes.
What an awful friend I am, wrapped up in my own selfish dramas that I haven’t noticed my best friend is in a spin.
“Tiff, whoa, come here.” I stand and rush around the counter.
“I don’t understand what you are talking about, as per usual, but you look like you are at breaking point.
What can I do to help?” I notice the black circles under her eyes and that she doesn’t have her usual sparkle. How did I miss this?
“You can find that stupid man of yours and sort this shit out. Then maybe the universe will go back to normal.”
Pulling her toward me and wrapping her in a big hug, I try to reassure her that everything is okay. “I’m fine, Tiff, you don’t need to worry about me.”
She pulls back and looks me in the eye with daggers as I continue.
“I’m serious, I’ll be fine. And as for Jake, I’m sure he will be too, eventually, after I castrate him or something to the equivalent.” And my stupidity finally brings a weak smile to her face.
“I suppose that’s better than digging a hole for him.” Tiff pushes me away and starts shooing me back to my side of the counter.
“Better for whom, him or his balls?” I smile as I take a seat and sip today’s brew. “Oooh, that’s sweet.”
“Yeah, well, I figured you could do with a bit of an energy boost for what’s to come, whatever that may be.” She’s now concentrating on wiping down the counter.
The bell on the front door dings, and I can hear her before I see her.
“I knew I would find you here. How is my girl?” Betty is beside me quicker than I was expecting for an older lady, with two ladies tagging along behind her.
“I’m doing great. How has your morning been, Betty? Hello, Lesley, Margie.” I give Betty’s friends a wave as they hover nearby.
“Find a table, girls, I won’t be too long.” Betty waves them away, and I try not to laugh as they sit at the closest possible one to Betty and me. Obviously, they don’t want to miss a thing.
Betty sits down next to me at the counter, and I’m about to tell her I must get to the clinic for an early appointment, but the moment I make the slightest move, her hand is on my thigh, and I’m anchored to the stool.
“I’m sure you have time for a cup of tea with me, sweetheart.
I’ve been calling you on the telephone over the last few days, but you must be so busy that you haven’t had time to call me back.
” Betty knows full well I’ve been avoiding her.
“Anyway, it’s all good, you’re here now, so we can chat.
Now, Tiffany, be a good girl and go clean a table or something over in that back corner of the store. ”
Trying not to choke on my tea, I watch Tiff’s face at being told what to do in her own teahouse.
“Surrreee, Betty. No problem,” Tiff says, rolling her eyes. “It’s not like I need to serve customers or anything.”
But in true Betty fashion, she gets her way, and Tiff does as she asked. I love that she doesn’t care if her friends are listening in on our conversation, but mine can’t.
“I just wanted to check in that you are okay. I know what it’s like when your man is away. It can get mighty lonely. But he is due back today, so I expect you both home for dinner tonight. I’m sure he won’t want to let you out of his sight either.”
Oh no, she has no idea there is a problem between us. I don’t know where she thinks he is, but it doesn’t sound like she knows the truth.
“Sorry, Betty, I’m on call tonight, but thank you for the invitation. I’m sure Jake will be looking forward to one of your home-cooked meals.” This woman is so sweet and important to not only her family but this town as well, I don’t want to upset her.
“Of course he will, but he will be looking forward to seeing you more. That’s okay, I’ll wait until tomorrow night for family dinner.
I’m making meatballs. I think you will both enjoy them again.
And it’s time for you to meet Declan, Jake’s other cousin, who arrived yesterday.
I’m so happy to have most of my boys home with me for a while.
Not that I think Jake will be living on Heatherbrae for much longer. ” Betty winks at me.
I need to get out of here.
“How are you coping in the warm weather, Betty?” Yes, if all else fails go to the weather.
“I’m okay, dear, but I don’t want it much hotter because it’s not good for the grapes.
And this will be the first good harvest in a few years.
Declan is going to try to make our first batch of wine instead of selling the grapes to another winemaker, which we’ve had to do since we bought the place, which has been a real shame.
But it’s time for a new beginning, so I hope for his sake that the weather is kind to us, and he can try his hand at wine making. ”
Her face lights up when she talks about any of her grandsons and I soften toward her again. God, this is how this woman gets everything she wants around here.
My phone starts buzzing in my pocket, and when I pull it out to see Tiff’s name, I look over to where she’s pretending to clean a table that is already sparkling. She gives me a hand signal to answer my phone.
“Hello,” I say tentatively.
“I’m pretending to be Beau and need you,” she whispers into the phone, and I can only just hear her, so there is no way Betty will be able to.
“Hi, Beau, do you need me in the clinic already?”
Tiff is trying hard not to laugh on the other end of the call.
“No, that’s no problem. I’m just at the teahouse so I’ll be right there. See you soon.” Ending the call, I stand and look at Betty.
“I’m so sorry, Betty, I must run. Duty calls. But enjoy dinner with your boys tonight, and I will see you another time.” I avoid promising to be there tomorrow night, or ever, depending on what happens when Jake returns.
I take my iced tea flask with me because I could use a bit more of Tiff’s calming sweet mixture. “Thanks, Tiff.” I wave to her as I pretend to rush out of the door.
As I walk around the corner toward the clinic, Betty’s declaration that Jake is due home today rocks me.
I’m not sure I’m ready to see him, but on the other hand, I want to finish our conversation.
Because the fact that he raced off to Sacramento without speaking with me first is really playing with my head, and my heart.
With Jeremy, I was never given the chance to have it out with him and tell him how much he hurt me when it happened.
He just disappeared from my life, and while I’m glad I got my chance to say my piece to him on that phone call when he came groveling back for a job, it would have done so much for my mental health if I could have done it at the time.
So the fact that Jake is coming back to face the music, to talk this through, well, I have to give him points for that.
Off in the distance I can hear the first rumbles of the thunderstorm heading our way. It won’t be long before it’s time to batten down the hatches.
Both literally and figuratively, since there are two storms brewing. One in the town of Abbey Falls and the other on Windemere Farm.
And I’m ready for both of them. Bring it on.
Jake
Rosie’s nose is pressed against the passenger window as she flinches at every flash of lightning and jumps with the loud bang of thunder that follows it.
“It’s okay, girl, we’ll be home soon, and you can cuddle up with Gran. I know she will have missed you.”
Turning her head, she looks at me and barks in agreement.
“Looks like the storm has passed over Abbey Falls, so we will be driving out of it soon enough.” Laying eyes on the hills in front of us, I can see the sun peeking through the clouds and, like most storms, it is passing as quickly as it came.
It’s one of those annoying dry storms where it’s one big light show with loud bangs and just a few spots of rain that are almost gone before they hit the ground.