He gently brushed a peach and yellow lock of hair back. "Because we don't always win. Look, that hillbilly who keeps giving you crap was wrong. He can't just have your taxes raised. There's a process for that, but it's not all good news. In order to get Southwind approved as an alternative to juvenile detention, there's still a few hoops with the state and justice system. There's no way around that, but we have help. Then there's the city, and we both know that's going to be a mess. I just don't know if it's a fight you really want to pick. Might mean giving up on modeling, selling your half of the company, and making an attempt to look normal."
"Yeah," I grumbled. "But I promised Gran I'd take care of this, and that's what I'm going to do, no matter how hard it is."
"That's my girl." Slowly, he turned me back to the mirror. "Now try that again. Smokey eye is out this season, and you look so much better with a cat eye."
"Fake lashes?"
"No," he scoffed. "Not for this, but do the ruby lips. Those will go perfectly with the polka-dot lingerie I want to shoot you in next."
"Just don't tell me we're heading back outside. Even at this hour, it's still hot as hell out there, and I don't want to think about the mosquitos."
He just pointed at my bed. "Nope, right here. This is just for the catalogue, sweetie, so nothing fancy. And no chance of your boyfriend walking in on us and thinking the wrong thing, ok?"
"Sounds like a plan." I paused, then giggled. "Ashton, I kinda like how that sounds."
"Boyfriend?" He nodded as if thinking it over. "The guy would be an idiot to turn you down. You know that, right?"
"Or too proud."
"Hell, I wouldn't let my pride get in the way of something I wanted like that. Never met a woman I've been willing to go stupid for, but I would."
I harrumphed playfully. "Gee, thanks!"
He just waved me off. "You're different. I meant girlfriend material, not the type of woman who I consider family." He dipped his head and met my eyes in the glass. "Because that's what we are. Me, you, and all of Gran's little Shades of Trouble. We're family, and we stick together no matter what. Even if that means I have to apologize to the asshole who almost kicked my ass."
"I think you were winning," I pointed out.
Ashton just shrugged. "I assure you, sweetie, it's not winning if my best friend is the one getting hurt because I was an idiot. I'll fix this, I promise."
Chapter Ten
Yeah, I was a chickenshit. Seeing Violet with that man was more than I could take, so I decided to avoid having another crappy encounter in one day. Instead, I waited until almost ten that night, parked my truck down by the gate, and walked up to take care of my horses. The lights were on in the house, but from the sound of music inside, no one noticed I’d come and gone.
The next morning, I got out of seeing her by showing up before dawn. At least this time, the lights were off. I convinced myself that I didn't want to make any problems for her with her boyfriend, so I was just staying out of her way. The truth was that I’d known it was too good to be true, and it was going to take me a bit to stop feeling like an idiot. My pride hurt, and until it healed a little, I didn't need to make any bigger messes. So while my horses ate, I walked the pasture behind the pool, making sure the fences were all in place. By the time I was done, so were they.
My mare and gelding were bucking across the grass when I pulled out of the drive, and the first pink of dawn was just tinting the sky. Since I’d started my day early, I was gonna get a few extra things done. I’d neglected a bit when Violet had shown up. I shouldn't have spent so much time with her. What I should have been doing was making sure I didn't get behind, because the cows didn't care how damned nice she looked in those brightly-colored boots and that pretty little dress. They didn't care if I loved the way she smiled. All the cows cared about was if the minerals had been refilled and how many cubes were in the bin.
Paul Simmons had at least three different properties. I had been working for the man since I turned eighteen, and now I was in charge of the stock. Ironically, it was Vera's girlfriend who'd gotten me the job. When my parents had kicked me out, Vera had put me up in their house, but Bea? She'd put me on a horse. She'd been an old woman, even back then, but she'd known a few things about quite a few things, and she'd taught me as much as I could handle.
And that was the only reason I wouldn't just walk away. When I’d finally told Bea about knocking up my girlfriend, she'd told me to talk to Vera. I couldn't remember how many hours I’d spent pouring my soul out to that woman. She was also the only reason I didn't end up married. Everyone in town had told me that was what I should do, but not Vera. She'd explained that being a father had nothing to do with being a husband, and that an unhappy marriage wouldn't do my little girl any good.
By the time Faith had arrived, I’d actually been excited - and terrified. The first time I’d gotten to take her home? Those two ladies had made sure I got her diaper on right and showed me how to fix her formula up properly. The strangest thing was that Violet hadn't been there.
She said she'd grown up at Southwind, but I’d spent half a year there trying to get my act together. I remembered the women talking about their granddaughter, and I’d figured out that she was Vera's relation and not Bea's, but I couldn't remember at all why she hadn't been there. Maybe it was just another sign that this wasn't meant to be. Violet said she didn't want kids - and that still bothered me more than I wanted to admit - but my little girl deserved to have a family who loved her. Nothing else mattered. If Violet couldn't accept my daughter, then she couldn't accept me, and I wasn't going to fight her about it. At least, that was what I tried to tell myself.
Never mind that she had a disgustingly pretty asshole ready to keep her occupied. I wouldn't say happy, because treating her like a piece of meat certainly didn't qualify as that. But it wasn't my business. I was just going to get my work done, repay my debts to a pair of women who'd bailed me out when I needed it most, and hope that God really did work in mysterious ways. Right now, I could use a little divine push in the right direction.
And hopefully, if I reminded myself enough that I didn't care, then eventually I wouldn't.
It was lunchtime at the grill when small-town gossip finally started to catch up with me. Waiting in line for a cheap and easy meal, I noticed the girl behind the counter kept looking at me. Mandy was cute and all, but she wasn't really my type. Girls like her had a tendency to break easily, and I didn't need any more projects. Thankfully, all she did was look, until I made it up to order.
"Hey, Luke, missed you at the barn this morning." She ducked her head but kept looking at me through her lashes.
I nodded. "Moved my horses. Found someplace with better prices."
"Oh?" She didn't even ask what I wanted, just rang it up. "They have any more room?"
"Not sure, but I can ask next time I run into the owner. Wouldn't count on it, though. What do I owe ya, hun?"
