Ashley looked over her shoulder and stared into the eyes of the man she hadn’t expected to see.
News traveled fast in Bozeman.
***
Matthew walked into Angel Wings Café and stopped. He blinked a couple of times before realizing that the woman sitting with Logan was real.
Ashley was supposed to be in Washington, D.C., not drinking coffee in downtown Bozeman.
Logan looked at him, then said something to Ashley.
Her eyes widened when she saw him. “Matthew? What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you the same question. Did you get my messages?”
“That’s partly why I’m here.”
Logan cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you two to sort out your lives. Give me a call, Ashley, when you’ve made a decision.”
“I will. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“You’re welcome. See you, Matthew.”
“Bye.” He stood beside the table, not knowing what to say to Ashley.
She pointed to the chair beside her. “You could join me if you like? I have to meet dad in twenty minutes, but it would give us a chance to talk.”
“Your dad’s here as well? Is everything okay?”
“More okay than it’s been in a long time. Dad wanted to see me, so we decided to meet in Montana. I didn’t see your first message until I landed in Washington, D.C. I didn’t call you because I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“I called Bonnie. She said you had an interview for a job atThe Washington Post.”
A blush skimmed Ashley’s face. “The editor of the investigations team offered me a job.”
His heart pounded. “Are you going to take it?”
“I don’t know. It’s a great job and the team is really nice. But Washington, D.C. is almost as expensive as New York.”
“What did Logan think about the job?”
“He thought it was a wonderful opportunity.”
“When would you start?”
“In six weeks.”
Matthew felt like a ten-ton weight had landed on his shoulders. Ashley would be mad not to accept the job. It was everything she’d ever wanted.
“Jasmine Alfredo was released on bail a couple of days ago. She’s resigned as chairperson of The Reaching High Foundation.”
“Have you heard what’s happening with Congressman Welsh?”
Ashley frowned. “He’s at home with his wife, waiting for his trial date. I spoke to Anita, the youth center manager. Someone has made an offer to purchase the warehouse. Everyone’s hoping the youth center will remain open.”
Matthew waited for Ashley to ask if he knew who was behind the offer, but she didn’t. “If the warehouse is sold, the new owners would be heartless if they closed the center.”
“Maybe, but the warehouse is in an area that’s being redeveloped. The building might be too valuable to keep as a youth center.”
