"So casual. Got it." I heaved another pile of crap into the bucket, well aware that it was a pretty good metaphor for my life right now.
"Non-existent," Ashton corrected. "Not happening. No action. Well, not with her. Got about twenty models that want to jump on my dick who won't ruin the company if they dump my ass. Who the hell do you think I'm gonna choose?" He let out an angry sigh. "What I'm trying to tell you, cowboy, is that she's been a bitch this last week because you've been avoiding her. I'm not here to be a live-in dildo. I'm just here to help her pack and store Gran's stuff, and to give her a shoulder to cry on when she can't keep up the facade." He paused to let that sink in. "She's not as tough as she wants everyone to think."
"She's pretty close," I said, finally looking at the guy. "Still not sure why you're telling me this."
"Because I leave in the morning, and she may need a shoulder to lean on." He clenched his jaw and glanced away. "And because she likes you."
"Mm." I sifted through the shavings looking for another pile of crap. "And I'm still a single dad, so that's a big ol' road to nowhere."
"She likes kids, too. Said Faith reminds her of herself."
I almost dropped the rake. "Huh?"
"You ever see what she looked like when she was thirteen?" He reached for his back pocket, working his phone out of the tight jeans. A press and a couple of swipes later, he turned the screen to me. "That right there is the face of Violet Dawson before she grew up."
The girl was round and happy. I stared at it for a moment, but I couldn't believe that nerdy-looking kid had grown into the same woman I knew. From the pigtails to the Wranglers, it had to be impossible.
But Ashton wasn't done. "This town made her life hell. The girls in school picked on her so much that she cried every day when she was in public school. Trying to make it better, she picked up a few bad habits."
He had my complete attention. "Like what?"
Ashton dimmed the screen and put his phone back in his pocket. "Ever heard of anorexia nervosa?"
"Maybe."
"No urge to eat," he clarified. "She wanted to be pretty and popular so bad that nothing would stop her. Not even passing out. She spent her last month of eighth grade in the hospital, and that summer in rehab. She may not have been a juvenile delinquent like the rest of us who passed through here, but she has her own issues."
Which was why I couldn't remember seeing her at Southwind. "So how does that remind her of Faith?" I asked. "I take good care of her."
"And you still can't stop the kids at school from picking on her, right?" Ashton lifted a brow, proving the question was rhetorical. "Violet can teach her how to ignore it. She can show Faith that it really does get better." Then he dared to reach out and clasp my shoulder. "And she's willing to do the same thing for Faith that Gran did for the rest of us. She'll listen. I swear to God, Luke, she doesn't care at all that you're a single dad." He shrugged. "She's actually kinda proud of you, much as I hate to admit it."
"I'm not hugging you, man," I grumbled, twisting my shoulder out of Ashton's hand. "But fine. Whatever. If she really wants to spend time with Faith, then I'm cool with that."
"Jesus Christ," Ashton mumbled, turning to take three steps across the aisle before he stopped and turned back. "I'm trying here, cowboy. I came out here to make sure you knew how things are between Violet and me, and all you can hear is that she had some guy crash at her place for a week? Well, get the fuck over it."
"Or what?" I asked. "She gonna kick my horses off? Nah, she needs me to cut her hay."
"And you?" Ashton crossed his arms over his chest. "You need her for cheap board? Is that it? You're seriously going to let that woman slip away because your damned pride's a bit bruised? Suck it up, buttercup. The girl likes you." He paused. "She has for a while, and I'm sick and tired of hearing about how amazing her cowboy is."
He didn't wait for a response. Flinging an arm out in frustration, Ashton stormed out of the barn. I could hear the asshole growling under his breath. The guy was seriously done, but he'd also kinda been right. A little.
"Hey?" I called out the door.
"What?" Ashton snapped.
"Figured a woman like that didn't need some hanger-on like me."
Ashton slowly stepped back into the barn. "A woman like that is a viper. She learned to strike first. She's learned to make people want to do every single thing she desires. There's only one thing she can't make people do." He leaned, resting his weight against the massive door frame. "She can't make people leave her alone. A woman like Violet needs a man who's willing to throw a few punches to defend her honor." He paused. "Which is why I'm not even pissed that you sucker punched me."
"Thought you'd drop. Didn't know a pretty boy like you worked out."
"Yeah, well, I got a few lessons in what happens to pretty boys that can't fight back, so I fixed that." Ashton paused again, dropping his eyes to inspect the concrete. "Look. She's tough as nails, pretty as a wet dream, and as smart as they come, but that's not all. She's also broken. She's been on rock bottom and swore she'd never be there again, and she won't. Nothing stops Vi.Nothing,Luke, but that doesn't mean she can't hurt when people try. Be kinda nice to know there's someone besides me willing to stick his neck out for her."
I chuckled and held out my hand. "Yeah, I can do that. Sure not gonna let anyone treat her like crap, especially not you. We good?"
"Yeah." Ashton took it. "Just take care of her, because I can't always do it. She told me about the pool."
"Ah, hell."
