CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ashley spent the first hour of her flight to New York crying, the second hour giving herself a pep talk, and the last four hours calling herself an idiot.
Matthew loved her and she loved him. The job with Logan was better than being a society reporter in New York. The job in Washington, D.C. was everything she’d ever wanted, but what she wanted had changed. If she accepted the position, she would be starting a hectic, high-pressured job that could easily take over her life.
Congressman Welsh and Jasmine Alfredo had given her a taste of what investigative journalism involved, and she wasn’t sure she was the right person for the job. No one had won when the story about Gareth Welsh’s fraud had been exposed. Jasmine’s misdirected trust in a crooked congressman had cost her everything she’d worked toward. The Reaching High Foundation’s integrity had been compromised, and the young people who used the youth center could have lost everything.
If she hadn’t written the articles about the impact the youth center had on the local community, there would have been no feeling of satisfaction, of a job well done.
And that, above everything else, was what Ashley wanted. She needed to know that what she was doing was making a difference. Matthew had found that sense of satisfaction from working on his family’s ranch. Tess had found it in her café, and Bonnie and Harry had found it in each other and the careers they’d chosen.
Matthew had asked her what she wanted, and she’d told him she didn’t know. She did now. All she had to do was work out how she could make it happen.
***
Four weeks later, Ashley was still in New York, working for the society editor atThe Daily Timesand feeling more and more worried about the decision she’d made.
“You need to look at this.” Bonnie turned up the volume on her TV and pointed to the screen. “Can you believe the cheek of the man? He has to be the biggest con-artist in Washington, D.C.”
Ashley sat on Bonnie’s sofa and listened to the speech Congressman Welsh was making on the steps of the courthouse. “What does he mean, it was all a conspiracy to intimidate him? He stole thousands of dollars from The Reaching High Foundation.”
Bonnie sat on the arm of the sofa, peering at the TV screen. “His wife isn’t beside him. That tells you how she feels about everything he’s done.”
“They aren’t living together. Stephanie took their children to Oregon and started divorce proceedings.”
“I hope she’s got a good lawyer,” Bonnie muttered. “She needs to take every last dollar that’s left to his name.”
“I don’t think there are many dollars left. Stephanie’s sister said their house was mortgaged to the hilt.” Ashley frowned as more words spilled out of the congressman’s mouth. “I wonder what his lawyer thinks of his speech.”
“He’s probably hoping it will change people’s perception of the congressman. I can’t believe he hasn’t been booted out of Congress.”
“If he’s convicted of everything he’s been charged with, he will be. Whoever posted his bail should be worried. I wouldn’t trust him to stay in New York.”
Bonnie turned down the volume when the news story finished. “Jasmine has been keeping a low profile.”
“She’s got more common sense than Congressman Welsh.”
“Have you heard from her?”
Ashley shook her head. “No, and I don’t expect to. I’m just relieved that I don’t have to testify at their court cases.”
“I don’t blame you. Being cross-examined by Congressman Welsh’s lawyer wouldn’t be great. Have you heard from Matthew since you’ve been back?”
“Not a word. He’s probably getting on with his life.”
“He wanted you to stay in Bozeman. Have you told him what you’re doing?”
Ashley bit her bottom lip.
“You’re kidding! How is he supposed to know how you feel if you don’t tell him?”
“I want it to be a surprise.”
Bonnie’s eyes widened. “You did that once before and it nearly backfired on you. What if he’s dating someone else? You can’t expect him to wait around for you.”
“I thought you were my friend.”
“I am your friend. And as your friend, I’m telling you to get your butt to Montana and speak to Matthew.”
