10. Ashley #2
“It was cruel,” Tori said. “But I expect no less from the man who called us spoiled brats.”
“He was grieving,” Ashley said and caught Luca’s eye in the rearview mirror, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he gave her a nod.
“Doesn’t make it right,” Tori countered.
Taylor fidgeted with the fingers of her gloves. “I wonder what Grandma Lily would think of all of this.”
“She’d be devastated,” Ashley said, and Tori agreed.
“I’m surprised she hasn’t found a way to slap the shit out of Grandpa.”
“Taylor!” Tori exclaimed before they all fell into a fit of laughter.
Luca pulled the car to a stop and hurried out to open the door.
Ashley tugged her coat tighter as she stepped onto Greenwich Avenue.
Twinkling lights wrapped around every lamppost, and designer windows glowed with effortless perfection.
The sidewalks were clear with a trace of snow on the grass.
The storm hit harder inland. Winterridge got buried when the coast barely saw a dusting.
“Where to first?” Ashley asked.
“It’s been so long since we’ve been here. I don’t even know what’s open anymore.”
“Then let’s just walk and see what calls to us.”
“Now that we’re spending Christmas together,” Taylor said, “should we get gifts for everyone?”
“I hadn’t thought about that,” Ashley admitted.
“Grandma Lily always had piles of presents under the tree on Christmas morning. It just won’t feel right without them.” Taylor shrugged before picking a piece of fuzz off her coat.
“Does anyone actually deserve gifts?” Tori asked.
“I do.” Taylor didn’t even hesitate. “Can’t speak for everyone else, though.”
“Maybe we should do a Secret Santa so we don’t have to buy for everyone,” Ashley offered.
“But we’re already here, and what if I see the perfect gift? But I don’t get it because I don’t think that person will be my Secret Santa. I can’t expect Luca to drive me all the way back.”
Tori squeezed Taylor’s shoulder, and Taylor took a deep breath.
“I’m just saying.”
Ashley picked up on Taylor’s anxiety and smiled at her. “Buy as many gifts as you want.”
A huge grin spread across Taylor’s face before a squeal burst free. She bounced in place, her hands clapping together at rapid speed. “It’s been so long since I’ve done a big Christmas shop for people.”
Ashley’s eyebrow shot beneath her bangs.
“Every year, Tay buys gifts for all the animals at the local shelter, dresses up like an elf and delivers them.”
A laugh slipped from Ashley, and she covered her mouth with her hand. “That is very sweet of you.”
Taylor shrugged. “Christmas hasn’t been the same since Grandma Lily died. I’ve just been trying to find the joy in it again. Besides, I’d rather spend my trust fund on animals than myself. It’s not like I earned it.”
“That sounds exactly like something Grandma Lily would have loved.”
“She gave me the idea. One year, I went with her when we were at Winterridge. We visited the local shelter.”
Silence settled over their small group. Flurries began to fall from the sky, and Ashley watched as one melted on her boot.
“She’d insisted every dog needed a Christmas sweater, even the big scary ones.”
“They’re the ones who need them most,” Ashley said.
“That’s exactly what Grandma Lily said.”
“Then it’s settled.” Ashley adjusted the strap of her bag. “We’re all buying gifts.”
“You realize you just gave her permission to go wild,” Tori said. “She once spent six thousand dollars on a cashmere sweater for a goat.”
“He looked cold.”
A laugh burst from Ashley, and a few passersby turned toward them. God, she had missed her cousins. “How about we set a budget? No more than a hundred dollars per person.”
“That’s it?” Taylor pouted.
“It’s not the price tag that counts. It’s the thought.”
“But my thoughts are expensive,” Taylor countered, and Ashley couldn’t help but shake her head with a laugh.
“Okay fine, just no cashmere sweaters.”
“Deal!”
They walked the sidewalk, looking in windows and dipping into stores that caught their attention. Taylor found a store with pet clothes and couldn’t contain her excitement.
“You two go in. I’m going to walk a little more.”
The sound of the bell above the door rang out as Ashley continued down the sidewalk.
A blur of a man nearly knocked her over as he barged out of the drugstore. Ashley reared back, her heel catching awkwardly on the uneven sidewalk. Her body pitched sideways before a hand closed around her arm and steadied her.
“Thank you—” Her gaze lifted and caught a flash of familiar blue eyes. “Carter?”
His grip tightened for a second before easing. “Not the first time I knocked you off your feet.”
The low roughness of his voice dragged her straight to the corridor, his body pressed against hers as he’d asked whether she wanted to rethink her evaluation.
Ashley lifted an eyebrow. After everything they had said to each other, this was where he wanted to retreat? Childhood memories and harmless teasing. “Excuse me?”
A corner of his mouth twitched, but the amusement never reached his eyes. “The sprinklers. I ran into you, and you fell flat on your ass.”
“I remember.” She remembered him hovering over her in a panic, spewing apologies and begging her not to tell on him. “You felt so bad you begged me not to tell your dad.”
“I was afraid he wouldn’t let me play with you again.”
Back then, losing her had frightened him. Somewhere along the way, walking away from her had become easier.
Painfully aware that he hadn’t let go of her arm, she glanced down. His thumb rubbed absently over her sleeve, sending a warm flush straight through her.
His gaze followed hers. He released her as though he’d only just realized he was touching her.
The loss irritated her almost as much as the relief.
Her attention shifted to the drugstore bag clutched in his other hand. “What’s that?”
Surprise flashed across his face before he shoved the bag beneath his coat. “Nothing.”
Ashley stared at him. “You drove all the way to Greenwich for nothing?”
“Something I needed for the estate.”
She studied him, waiting for more, but he only held her stare with infuriating calm. He was lying. Just like yesterday. Had those two kids who ran through the sprinklers, laughing and moving to their own beat, really become strangers?
“Still lying, I see.”
His expression hardened. “Not everything is your business.”
“No. Apparently, almost nothing is.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
A humorless laugh burst from her lips. “You asked what would happen if things were different this time. I asked whether you would follow me when I left, and you walked away. Now you’re standing here pretending we never had that conversation.”
His jaw tightened. “I’m not pretending.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Trying not to make promises I don’t know if I can keep.”
The blunt answer struck her more deeply than another lie would have. “At least that’s honest.”
“You said you couldn’t survive wanting me again.”
It was already too late. As infuriating as he was, the fire that always burned brighter for him had reignited.
Her eyes returned to the bag hidden beneath his coat. Maybe it was condoms. Maybe someone was waiting for him at Winterridge while he stood here telling her that nothing was her business.
Her chest tightened at the image, unwelcome jealousy rearing to life. Ridiculous. She had no claim on him, but that didn’t stop it from rushing through her.
A gust of wind swept across the street, carrying the scent of snow and cedar. Carter stepped closer, his large frame blocking the cold from hitting her full force.
He always protected her. Even now.
His eyes flicked to her mouth for the briefest second before his jaw tightened.
“I should get going.”
“Of course.” Ashley stepped back, realizing how little space was between them.
Carter’s Adam's apple bobbed as if he had more to say but was swallowing the words. “Have fun shopping.”
Ashley stood on the sidewalk and watched him make his way to his truck, as if they were nothing more than two strangers passing in the snow.