"Well, I can tell you that Cy's grown up a lot since you two broke up. He's definitely a shrink. He also seems to be making friends with Luke, so I'm not complaining."
"So, you and Luke are good?" Ash sounded like he hoped the answer was yes.
"Kinda seduced him on our first date. Then again on the next night. So, yeah. Pretty good." I grabbed my lash glue again. "And I'm putting on lashes, so sorry about speaker phone."
"Which means Luke's not there," Ash teased.
"Nope, and Cy's out on the tractor. Ash, please tell me you're willing to make up with him? Not forgive, but at least be civil?" I asked.
"Kinda the reason I called. Wanted to let you know that I'm flying down Saturday afternoon. I hired a new administrative assistant. Her name's Leslie, she's nineteen and wants to work in fashion, and she's going to school. Gave her a test run this week, and she's already impressed the hell out of me."
"No shit?" I tapped the lashes onto my lid, then moved to the other side. "So, does this mean you'll get to stay a while?"
"Months," he promised. "Might have to fly back for a day or two to sign contracts, but if this works out, I'll be able to work from Southwind, Vi. So, yeah, I'll figure out how to at least be on civil terms with Cy. Can't promise I won't have a meltdown, but yeah. Time to get the old gang back together, right?"
"I hope so," I said. "So, do you want me to tell him you're coming?"
Ashton blew out a heavy breath. "Wing it, I think. I don't want to blindside either of them, but if it's easier not to say anything, don't worry about it. Don't really want to put you in the middle."
"Then I'll tell them," I said. "Ugh, Ash, I think I already made a mistake."
"How so?"
"Simmons came by again. Cy had just gotten here, and Luke was in the barn. Well, I stepped outside and told him to leave, but he upped his offer to two point two million. Of course I shot it down, but then he started going off on Cy being a faggot - his word, not mine. I kinda kissed Cy to prove he wasn't. Just a peck, but Luke saw."
"Is he avoiding you?" Ash asked.
"I don't know. I mean, he came back and we all had dinner last night. So I don't think so, but I haven't seen him today. I also haven't been up that long."
Ash murmured in a way that felt reassuring. "Does he know about Cy?"
"I honestly have no idea. I think he suspects something because it's like he relaxed last night." I shrugged, not caring that he couldn't see it, then checked my lashes again to make sure the corners were truly glued down. "But I'm putting in a little extra effort so he'll want to come back."
"Vi, you could wear a burlap sack and that man would want to get you out of it. If he hasn't disappeared again, then you're probably fine." He chuckled. "Guess this means screwing up with that photoshoot wasn't as bad as I thought?"
"Keep telling yourself that," I teased. "No, I think Luke's trying to figure us all out. He was a little jealous when he caught me curled up beside Cy talking. I was just catching him up, but yeah, I can see where he could think the wrong thing."
"Don't change for some man," Ash told me. "Not even me. Luke will figure out that he can either trust you or not - and if he can't, then it's his loss. I mean, sure, I'd be jealous about you cuddling up with Cy, but I'm not going to make you feel bad about it. I'd just man up a bit and realize that my girl happens to be that amazing."
"Not really how it works down here," I reminded him. "Luke kinda said something about how a guy acting like that is trying to steal his girl away, but Cy called him on it. Said that's objectifying women, basically. Treating us like an object. Assuming that we can't say no."
"Pretty sure that from Luke's point of view, they can't always," Ash countered. "C'mon, Vi. How many young girls are pressured to put out? And if they don't? How many boyfriends smack their girls around? And the less education they have, the higher the statistics. So, there's probably some validity there. He just hasn't realized that you're a bad-ass bitch with a set of heels."
"Only because Bea didn't want me alone in Germany and defenseless," I reminded him. "And you pointed out that self-defense classes count as cardio."
"And now my best friend can kick a little ass," Ash agreed. "So, anyway. I mostly just called to let you know that my flight lands in Dallas at ten after five. Should be up there before seven on Saturday. Any requests for a car?"
"Something Cy can fit in," I decided. "Hopefully all of us, because I'd love to go out and do something fun! Granted, my car works for that too."
"Well, your wish is my command," Ash assured me. "Now, I'd better get back to it. Gotta finalize the fall catalogue before I can get out of here this week. Oh! And the purple lingerie set with the truck? Yeah, I'm using the shot from when Luke walked around the corner. Turned out amazing."
"Least there's that," I said. "Might even get you out of trouble. Just a few more days and you'll be back. I miss you already."
"Sounds to me like you're up to your eyes in men, but thanks for trying. Love you, Vi. I'll be home soon."
I hung up with a smile on my perfectly painted face. It sounded good to call Southwind home. Made it feel right somehow. I let myself enjoy that while I finished getting dressed, then I headed downstairs. I could hear the tractor outside, but it wasn't close. Checking the front showed that Luke's truck was gone. Checking the back let me see a man in a straw hat just mowing away.
With nothing else to do, I headed back into the office and started organizing Gran's journals. Everything Southwind had ever done was written down in here, and her records would allow us to do it all over again. The hard part was not getting distracted by her comments about people I'd once known.
