Chapter 3 #2
“How can I help?” I asked as I went to his side of the desk.
He hunched over a folder, a frown on his face. “I’m having trouble with this one account. Nothing is adding up. I know that they’re not money laundering or anything, but I always want to double-check things.”
My brows shot up, and I looked down at the Ashy Buns folder.
I tried not to smirk, considering that meant I would be a little too callous when it came to that woman.
Still though. Having Fiona go to jail for money laundering would be quite nice.
No, that would be a little too much. Sure, she was rude, and yes, she had infiltrated my sex dream with Callum, but she wasn’t evil. At least, I didn’t think so.
“I’ll take a look. Is there anything specific you want me to look for?”
“I took a few notes for you. Take your time, and maybe get it back to me by Friday?”
“I can totally do that.”
“You’re heading out with Keely for lunch today, right?” he asked, and I grinned.
“I am. But do you want me to cancel, though? Do you need me for something?”
He waved me off. “It’s good you’re getting out there. You young people need to get out and enjoy life. Not everything is about the numbers. I know. Shocking that I just said those words. But it’s true.”
I smiled. “I will get my work done, don’t worry. We’re only heading to Summit Grill together for lunch.”
“Oh? Going to hang out with your brother? I thought maybe you would go for The Range.”
The Range was a higher-end restaurant on the north end of town that was run and operated by Finnian Ashford, Callum’s youngest brother. “I think that’s a little too fancy for a lunch date.”
“You never know. You young people always surprise me these days.”
“Keely is just a friend. At least I hope she’ll be a friend. She seems nice and new.”
“And she runs the restaurant at Hill Country Bed and Breakfast. Perhaps you’ll end up there for lunch for another lunch date.”
“They’re not serving lunch right now, but I know it’s something that Promise wants to add. Maybe that’s what Keely’s here for.”
“Well, as we do their books, we’ll be able to tell them exactly what timing is good for them money-wise. Now, I need to head to my doctor’s appointment.”
I stiffened. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m seventy-three. Nothing’s exactly okay. But I’m just fine. It’s a normal appointment. I promise.” He patted my cheek like he had when I was a little kid and went to pick up his cane. “I will see you after your lunch. You text me if you need anything.”
“Because you’re so fancy with the texts these days,” I teased.
“I may be old, but I’m up with the youths and their technology.”
I threw my head back and laughed, and he skipped out of the office, not leaning on his cane at all.
I seriously loved that man.
I worked for a couple more hours, and then it was finally time for lunch with Keely. I put on a little lip gloss, fluffed my hair, and then realized that it felt like I was getting ready for a date.
I used to be great at making friends. It had just been long enough that I wasn’t quite good at it yet. But I would learn. Right?
It didn’t help that my brother and all of his friends and most of the people that I knew around town were just a little bit older than me.
Usually, it wouldn’t matter, but many of them were single parents or happily married parents as well.
Meaning they were in different stages of their lives than I was.
While that really didn’t bother me, in some aspects, though, it meant that finding time to hang out or interests that we could both have didn’t always work out.
And Keely was new in town, meaning she wouldn’t have all of the cute yet annoying and invasive stories from my youth because I was the oops baby, the youngest, and had always traveled behind my brothers, wanting to be part of the group.
So, this was just for me.
I practically skipped into Summit Grill, belatedly realizing that if I wanted to have something just for me, maybe I shouldn’t have lunch at my brother’s place of business, but thankfully he wasn’t behind the bar.
I spotted Keely already at a table, and I moved towards her with a bright smile on my face.
“Hi! I’m sorry I’m late.”
Keely looked up, a wide grin on her face. “Oh no, I’m early. You’re right on time.” She stood up and hugged me, and I quickly hugged her back, immediately feeling at ease.
“I just got us waters. I wasn’t sure what to get. Your brother is in the back, and he glared at me for a minute. So I assume that means he’s in a good mood.”
I rolled my eyes. “Who knows with that man. He’s always grouchy. Atlas is the one that isn’t quite as grouchy. But that’s not saying much.”
“Atlas is the goalie in the NHL, right?” she asked, and I tensed.
“Yes. He plays for the Portland Gliders.”
Keely smiled, pushing her hair back from her face. “He’s amazing. I’m a hockey fan. I can’t help it. But don’t worry, I am not usually a hockey player fan, if that makes sense.”
“I have no idea what that means,” I said with a laugh.
“Meaning, he does great at his job, but I’m not going to fan girl. Nor will I ask you for details about your brother. Because that just seems weird. And now I’ve made things awkward.”
“Not at all. Honestly, that makes me feel better. You have no idea how many people would come up to me in college just to try to be my friend so they could get to know Atlas. Atlas doesn’t even live in the same state. Or the same time zone, for that matter.”
“Well, they’re just rude. I may not have any famous siblings, but I do know how not to be a jerk. At least, I hope so.” Her cheeks pinked, and I grinned.
“Same here, at least, not to be the jerk part.”
“Well, that sounds like a perfect way to begin a friendship. I’m so glad that you weren’t scared away from when I first said hello that first day. I’m so awkward sometimes when I’m nervous, and I still can’t believe I moved to a small town in the middle of nowhere.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. I may have been born here, but most of my friends ended up not coming back after college. Which sucks.”
“And making friends as adults is so hard. When you don’t have kids, and when you work in an isolated place, sometimes you don’t have time to make friends.”
“Exactly.”
“Exactly what?”
I blinked and looked up at Bodhi Ashford and grinned. A couple of years younger than Callum, he looked just like his brother. But his beard was a little bit darker, his eyes a little more jaded. And considering everything he had gone through, I didn’t blame him.
A couple of regulars glared at Bodhi’s back, stood up from the bar, and walked out. I narrowed my gaze, opened my mouth to say something, and he held up his hand.
“They weren’t that quiet. Don’t worry about it,” he whispered.
Keely frowned at me, but I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say. It wasn’t my story, and frankly, Bodhi had to deal with enough as it was in this small town. No wonder the man preferred to stay up in his cabin.
I cleared my throat and put on a bright smile that I knew didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Bodhi, Thatcher, this is Keely. She’s new to town.”
Bodhi lifted his chin, and Thatcher smiled.
Thatcher was around Callum’s age, if I remembered correctly, and the fire captain for the entire town.
I still couldn’t quite believe that he had gone up the ladder, pun intended, so quickly, but he was damn good at his job.
He also was raising three kids on his own, so the fact that he was out here at lunch, even in his uniform, surprised me.
Though the kids were at school at the moment and for all I knew, he was done with his shift.
“Keely. Welcome. I hear you’re working with Promise?”
Keely’s eyes widened. “I am. I guess the small-town rules really do apply here.”
Bodhi just snorted, but Thatcher continued to grin.
“Yes, and you’ve just been featured in the Ashford Gazette.”
I cursed under my breath as Keely paled. “What does that mean?”
“It means that our lovely small town wanted to announce that you’re here,” Bodhi growled. “They do love their gossip.” Bodhi tilted his chin at me. “It’s good to see you, Squirt.”
I narrowed my gaze. “You only call me Squirt when you’re trying to annoy me.”
“Is it working?”
My lips twitched, but Bodhi just smiled, and I would take him making fun of me until the end of my days for that smile. Considering those smiles were few and far between.
Thatcher grinned, his eyes dancing, as he looked between Keely and me.
“It’s good to meet you, Keely, and good to have you home, Felicity.
I know you’re an adult now with actual money and a full-time job, but if you ever find yourself in the mood to deal with two fifteen-year-olds and a seven-year-old for an overnight, we’d love to have you back. ”
“I can probably make it work in an emergency. I do love your kids.”
“And they’ve missed you. Welcome to town, Keely.”
And with that Thatcher went to the corner to have lunch with Bodhi, and Keely just shook her head. “I’m never going to remember everybody’s names.”
“It’s really okay.”
“Thatcher has three kids? And two of them are fifteen? He doesn’t look old enough to have a fifteen-year-old, let alone two.”
I shrugged. “It’s a long story. And yes, he does. A few of my brother’s friends are all single dads here. So there are lots of children around. Meaning I had tons of babysitting money growing up.”
“And I take it the mom’s not in the picture?”
I winced, grateful that she was whispering. “No. His parents help him out, though. They sort of have to with his hours.”
“I noticed the badge. Fire captain? That’s a lot of responsibility. And well, a man in uniform.” She wiggled her brows, and I knew she was trying to lighten the mood, and I was grateful for it.
“I said something along those lines to my brothers once, and they promised to lock me in the closet.”
“I guess dating in a town where everybody knows you as the Carter little sister isn’t easy.”
I rolled my eyes. “You have no idea. But I’m trying. In fact, I’m going to do this thing called online dating.”
Keely shuttered. “I used to do that in my old town, and it sucks. However, if you’re going to try, let me know, and I can help you. At least to wade through the initial parts. And to be your backup. You know, the person to call you during the first course for help?”
“Deal.”
I grinned and sat back as our waitress came and we ordered our lunch.
People in town came by to say hello, and I introduced them to Keely.
Apparently, the Gazette hadn’t been too thorough in their introduction of her, and so everybody was curious.
Keely took it in stride and was still bubbly and happy by the end of our lunch.
“When you’re ready to online date, let me know, and I will help you through the app.”
“I have no idea what I’m doing, so yes, I’m going to need your help.”
“We can work on your profile tomorrow if you want?”
“Done.”
We said our goodbyes, and I headed my way back to the office. Gregory should be back, and I had a few things to do before I called it a day and began my apartment search.
I turned the corner and ran into a full body. The man gripped my arms, and I looked up and froze.
“Well, hello there, little girl.”
I swallowed hard and pulled away from Matthew Ashford, Callum’s father. “Excuse me. I didn’t see you there.”
“Too high and mighty to look where you were going. Such a Carter way. You guys were nothing when my family built this town. But then again, you’re still nothing.
” The whiskey on his breath filled the space between us, and I tried not to retch.
I pushed past him, ignoring him and making my way to the office.
That man had always startled me. It never quite clicked in my mind that he was the father of some of the kindest and most driven people in town. But you couldn’t choose who your parents were. I was so damn lucky, and I knew it. But the Ashfords hadn’t been.
I got to my office, sat down at my desk, and let out a breath. Gregory had worked at this office for years on his own. And it wasn’t lost on me that one of the last people to sit at this desk and work alongside him was Matthew Ashford’s first wife. Eve Ashford.
She’d had the same job as me when she wasn’t at home raising Callum and the rest of his siblings.
Eve Ashford had once sat at this desk. Had once worked her hands until they ached in order to keep her babies fed.
All while Matthew Ashford had been the town drunk.
And then she’d died. I hadn’t even known her.
All I knew was the town lore.
That Matthew Ashford had killed his wife and gotten away with it.
And now I sat at her desk.
And dreamed about her son.