“That is great. How much did she lend you?”

  It was a simple question asked in a casual tone of voice, but Ashley reacted to it as though she’d been burned. She sat up straight, breaking the contact she’d maintained with Josh, and looked away. As soon as she moved, she felt ashamed of herself, but it was an instinctive reaction, and she hadn’t had time to think it through.

  She opened her mouth to explain, but Josh stood up. “No worries,” he said lightly. “You don’t have to answer—it’s really none of my business.”

  “Josh, wait,” Ashley said, reaching out to catch his hand, but he took a step away.

  “It’s been a long day, and I think we both need to get some sleep. Goodnight, Ashley.” He walked down the porch steps, but then turned back to add, “They’re going to discover that I’m innocent. Because I am.”

  Before she could come up with a reply, he’d disappeared into the darkness, and Ashley was devastated. What had she just done? Why couldn’t she school her emotions better? She leaned her head against the back of the swing and let the tears flow. It was stupid, stupid, stupid.

  ***

  A knock on the front door woke Ashley up just after dawn the next morning. She’d only been asleep for a couple of hours and it was hard to drag her eyelids open, but the sudden thought that it might be Josh had her leaping out of bed and running down the hall as fast as she could without running into walls.

  When she opened the door, she was disappointed to see that it wasn’t Josh, but she was equally surprised at who it was. “Tasha?”

  The young woman on her porch shifted from foot to foot. “Um, hi, Ashley. I hope it’s okay, me coming here.”

  Ashley let the girl in. “Of course it’s all right. I wouldn’t have given you my address if I didn’t want you to stay in touch. What’s up?”

  Tasha sank onto the couch, looking wilted. “Do you . . . do you remember that situation we talked about last month?”

  Ashley raised an eyebrow. “You mean, the jerk you were dating and all his jerkiness and the fact that he was a big, big jerk?”

  A faint smile crossed Tasha’s face. “Yeah, that. Um . . . you were right and I was wrong, and now I’m got a problem. It’s a little problem right now, but it’s going to get bigger and bigger until I give birth to it in about six months.”

  “Oh, wow.” Ashley sat down next to her friend. “Does Sports Illustrated know?”

  “Yeah, I had to tell them. So much for that job, huh?” Tears rolled down Tasha’s cheeks. “The thing is, Mr. Jerkface doesn’t even care. He was all, ‘You deal with it,’ like he had nothing to do with it.”

  “Jerkface,” Ashley muttered.

  “I figured I’d come here so you could lecture me some more, and then I’d figure out what to do next. Some people think I should get an abortion, but no way, no how. I knew as soon as I found out—I’m keeping this baby. There’s a reason for it. I just don’t know what it is yet.”

  “I think you’re really brave,” Ashley replied.

  “I wish I’d been brave enough to get myself out of that relationship a lot sooner. You know, he cost me a couple of jobs—he punched me right in the jaw once, and makeup couldn’t cover it, and they had to get someone else last minute. They were so steamed at me, they canceled everything else I was going to do. A whole product line gone because of that man. But no more—I’m getting smart.”

  “You can stay here as long as you need,” Ashley said. “There are two bedrooms here that are totally empty, and my aunt’s a sweetie and will love having you around. I’ll love it too—I’ve missed you.”

  “Thanks, Ash,” Tasha said. “Right now, I really need to get some sleep—I drove all night. Is that okay?”

  “Of course it’s okay. Grab your stuff and let me show you a room.”

  Tasha draped herself over the first bed she saw and didn’t even bother to grab a blanket before she was asleep. Ashley smiled, then closed the door softly. Tasha was one of those girls who didn’t seem to have a direction of her own, who constantly needed a boyfriend to feel like she had any kind of self-worth. Modeling hadn’t helped her with that because it only saw what she was on the outside and didn’t validate who she was on the inside, so she’d spiral downward between relationships and then pop back up when the next one began. Ashley had done what she could to help and they’d even roomed together for a while, but nothing could really help Tasha until she chose to be helped.

  And whether she knew that yet or not, Ashley believed that this baby just might be the thing Tasha needed to help her learn those important life lessons.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Thanks for meeting me, Phee,” Ashley said, giving her friend a big hug. “I know you don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll try to be quick.”

  “I’ll always make time for you, but I do have to ask why we’re meeting in the plumbing section of the hardware store,” Phoebe said, motioning around them.

  “I’m killing two birds with one stone. I need your advice on stuff for the salon, but I also need to cry on your shoulder and have you kick me in the pants and tell me how to fix what I did wrong.”

  “Uh-oh,” Phoebe said. “It sounds like this might take longer than just my lunch hour.”

  “I’ll talk really fast. Okay.” Ashley pulled in a deep breath. “Everything was going really well between me and Josh, and he kissed me and it was wonderful, but then he got accused of larceny by the FBI, and when he came home, I sort of freaked out when he asked me how much money Vi gave me, and now he hates me forever. Walt has pancreatic cancer and is dying, and Tasha—you remember me talking about her—she’s at home with Vi right now making cookies. And she’s pregnant.”

  Phoebe cocked her head to the side. “I’m not sure that talking fast is such a good idea. What on earth is going on in that crazy brain of yours?”

  “I’ll try to slow down. It’s just . . . everything has changed since last week. It’s like we stepped through a wormhole or something and got spit out in an alternate reality.” She updated Phoebe on everything that was going on, ending with, “And that’s why I needed you to sit with Vi, and thank you for doing that, and she doesn’t know about the whole FBI thing yet, and telling her is going to be interesting.”

  “Okay. Wow. A step at a time. First off, do you believe Josh is innocent?”

  “Yes, I do. I really do. I don’t know why I had that reaction—it’s not how I feel deep down.”

  “If that’s how you feel, there will be a way to work it out. I believe in love. Call me crazy, but when two people are supposed to be together, I believe there’s a way.”

  “But how do you know if you’re meant to be together?”

  Phoebe shook her head. “You sure like to analyze things, don’t you? And question them, and pick them apart, and tear them limb from limb . . . What about faith? What about trusting?” She rested a hand on Ashley’s shoulder. “I know you’ve had a rough go of it and those things don’t come naturally to you anymore, or maybe they still come and you’re scared of them, but they really are essential.”

  “You and Vi have been hanging out too much,” Ashley replied, chuckling. “Either that, or you’re both fairy godmothers in disguise sent to deliver the same messages. Wait. Do fairy godmothers deliver messages or grant wishes?”

  “The godmothers grant wishes and the guardian angels deliver messages. I think,” Phoebe replied.

  “Either way, I’m grateful for both of you.” Ashley wiped a tear from her cheek. She hadn’t realized she was crying until then. “What about all the rest?”

  “You let God worry about all the rest,” Phoebe replied. “Your job is to hang in there and have faith. It’s His job to work the miracles—and He’s the only one who can.” She gave Ashley a hug. “All right now, we have some decisions to make. Starting with colors, I think.”

  ***

  Josh had been working out in the fields with Walt all afternoon, and now the sun was beginning to set, sending a riot of colors across the sky. Orange, pink, yellow spread out across brilliant blue—it was breathtaking.

  He turned in a circle to take it all in, and his gaze landed on something else that took his breath away—Ashley. She was walking toward him across the field, her hair loose, and his heart wrenched. He wanted to be angry with her. He wanted to say something snide and walk away, but he couldn’t. Instead, he waited until she was a few yards away, and then he said, “Hey, Ashley.”

  “Hey.” She looked up into his eyes. “I’ve been preparing a speech, and you need to stand right there and listen to it without interrupting me or I’ll lose my nerve, okay?”

  “Okay,” he said, wishing he had some indication as to whether this would be a good speech or a bad speech. All he could read from her body language was that she was nervous. Not enough to go on.

  “All right. Here it goes.” She braced herself, then plunged in. “Josh, you and I have both been through a lot in our lives, and those things have shaped who we are today. When I lost my parents, I chose to turn inward, and I became scared. When you lost your wife, you chose to stay vulnerable, and you reach out and give of yourself. I admire that in you more than you’ll ever know.”

  Touched, Josh opened his mouth to reply, but she held up one finger. “Wait—I’m not done. Because I chose fear, I allowed my doubts to take over for one second before I pushed them away, and that one second was long enough to hurt you. I’m so sorry for that. I know you’re innocent, and I’m going to stand up for you every chance I get. I will be in your corner, if you’ll let me be.”

  She paused again, but it was only to draw a breath, and Josh wondered if she was ever going to let him talk. “The fact is, I’ve been scared to let myself be vulnerable because I don’t want to get hurt. You allow yourself to be vulnerable despite the fact that it hurts. I want to be more like you, and so I’m going to take a page out of your book and be vulnerable. Josh Wright, I think I’m falling in love with you, and I’m telling you that out here in the middle of a field with mosquitoes starting to come out and with your brother over there wondering what’s going on and without even knowing how you feel about me. I’m telling you right now because I’m willing to show some faith and take a risk. And now it’s your turn to talk, and I need you to do it really fast because this was hard.”

  Josh didn’t say anything. Instead, he took the three steps necessary to close the gap between them, slid his hand behind her head and the other arm around her waist, and brought her in for a kiss. She gave a tiny “ooph” when he pulled her close and he realized that he probably grabbed her a little too suddenly, but she didn’t seem to mind as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Kissed him good. He grinned against her lips—he’d never been kissed so thoroughly in his life.

  “So, I’m guessing that means you sort of like me too?” she asked when he finally let her go.

  “Yes, I sort of like you too. And thank you for your honesty and for making yourself vulnerable. You’ve never been more beautiful to me than you are right now, just so you know—you and all that vulnerability all over the place.”

  “Thank you,” she said, tracing his lips with her finger. “Thank you for thinking I’m beautiful when I have mascara running down my cheeks and my nose is starting to get red and . . .”

  He silenced her with another kiss. He kind of liked runny mascara and red noses.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “This! This right here!” Ashley ripped open the envelope, pulled out the contents, and waved them around. “All my licensing to practice cosmetology and receive actual money for it.”

  “And this means no more free haircuts for me,” Josh said from the kitchen table. “How is this good news?”

  “Oh, hush,” Ashley said. She sat down next to him and handed him the license. “This is the last thing I needed before I could open.”

  “Um, are you forgetting the sinks and the counters and the . . .”

  Ashley cut Tasha off before she could continue. “The last of the paperwork, okay? Of course there’s still a ton of work to do in the shop, but we’ll get it done. You.” She pointed to Tasha. “Don’t even think of going out there while we’re painting—we do not need the baby breathing fumes. You.” She pointed at Vi. “I don’t want you gallivanting down that lane by yourself, so we will give you rides when you want to check on our progress.”

  “Rides? You mean like, piggyback rides? Because Josh is the only one here strong enough to do that, and I don’t think he’s here all the time.”

  “I mean in our cars,” Ashley said, laughing at her aunt. “You knew that.”

  “I knew that, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop bucking for a piggyback ride. Those things are remarkably fun, I’ll have you know. Make me feel six years old again. Of course, I don’t think my arthritis would like it, but you don’t generally have arthritis when you’re six years old.”

  “True.” Ashley took her license and slid it back in the envelope for safekeeping, then paused to smile at Josh and touch his hand. “Any word yet?”

  Josh nodded. “Walt texted that they should be on their way home in the next hour or so.”

  “And that means they’ll be home around eleven tonight, right? Do you want me to come over and wait with you?”

  He caught her fingers in his and squeezed them. “I’d love that.”

  Walt and Debbie had agreed to visit one more doctor to put an end to the nagging concern that they hadn’t done all they could. This man came highly recommended by many others in his field, and they were ready to accept what he had to say, whatever it might be. They’d been gone for a few days, long enough for test results to come back, and they’d told Josh they wouldn’t deliver any news by phone. They would only share it face to face. That seemed right to Ashley, more personal.

  “Let’s see if we can get the painting done today,” Josh said. “The sinks are being delivered tomorrow, right? I bet we can have everything in place when they get here.”

  Yes. Hard work was a perfect distraction. It had gotten them through this last week of waiting for the FBI to call—which they still hadn’t. It seemed to Ashley that everything was about waiting right now.

  “Since I’m forbidden to enter the cave of noxious chemicals, let me make dinner and run some laundry,” Tasha said.

  “I’m not going to argue with that,” Ashley started to say, but she was interrupted by a text coming in on Josh’s phone. His face went pale as he looked at it.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked, her stomach clenching.

  “The FBI wants to know my current location. They’re at the house right now, but I’m not there, and they want to talk to me.” He stood up. “I’ll tell them I’m on my way.”

  “I want to come too,” Ashley said, the words escaping before she even knew she was going to say them.

  Josh looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “All right. I’ll let them know I’m bringing you.” He sent a reply text, and then they headed out the door.

  The road between Ashley’s property and the Wrights’ only took a few minutes to drive, but it seemed that with each rotation of the tires, it became longer and longer. “I think I might throw up,” she gasped, and Josh looked at her with concern.

  “I can pull over.”

  She pressed a hand over her mouth and shook her head. She just needed to get there, needed to find out what was going on. And why was this happening today, when they were already on pins and needles waiting for Walt and Debbie to come home?

  Josh pulled the truck into the drive next to a black SUV, and Ashley stepped into his arms when he came around to open her door. Two FBI agents stood on the porch, their hands crossed in front of them.

  “Agent Todd,” Josh greeted the first.

  “And this is Agent Becker,” Todd replied.

  “Let me unlock the house and we can go inside,” Josh said. “My girlfriend needs to lie down, too.”

  “Are you all right, miss?” Agent Becker asked.

  “Just stress,” Ashley managed to say as she climbed the porch steps on wobbly knees.

  They all sat down inside, and Josh got Ashley a glass of iced ginger ale. She sipped on it, and it helped, but nothing would really help until she knew what was going on.

  “Mr. Wright, we won’t take up any more of your time than necessary, but we needed to tell you that we made an arrest this morning. The accountant at the art dealership, to be exact.”

  Josh looked back and forth between the two agents, his eyes wide. “Bryce?”

  “After we questioned you, the puzzle pieces fell into place rather quickly. We’ve just been waiting for him to make his next move, and as soon as he did, we made the arrest.”

  “What was his next move?” Ashley had closed her eyes, but now she was studying the agents intently.

  “Covering his tracks by erasing specific bits of data off the computers at the office,” Agent Todd said. “He knew he’d gone too far a few weeks back when he siphoned off ten thousand dollars rather than his usual thousand here and there, and he decided that the best way to handle it was to frame Josh. The missing money had been noticed by the partners, and it was too late to put it back without some kind of explanation—anything he attempted would have made him look like an idiot, and that was something he couldn’t afford. He waited until the heat had died down a little bit, and then he started tampering with the files. We’d already hacked into his system by that point, and as soon as he started, we were there.”

  “We had also found a partial print of his left index finger at your apartment,” Agent Becker added.

  Josh passed a hand down his face. “You’re saying that I’m clear.”

  “Yes, you are,” Agent Todd said. “You are no longer a suspect—we have our man.”

  “Thank you,” Josh said as the agents stood up, reaching to shake hands with both of them. “Thank you so much.”

 

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