“Great. Why are you calling me?”
“Damn, Ledger, chill out. I was just curious.” He barely holds in his laughter.
“Sure. Is that why our lovely sisters had you call me? Because they thought you could get more information out of me?”
His belly laugh makes me reluctantly smile.
“Willow and Marina should know better than that.” I tsk at him.
Our parents had a unique theme while naming the four of us. They named us all after the places they conceived us. It’s a fun fact I think the four of us could live without knowing, but our parents never let an embarrassing detail go to waste. My brother, Lennox, was the “oops” child, so they named him after the bar they were at before the deed was done. A fact the three of us tease him endlessly for. Although mine wasn’t much better, on the ledge on the outskirts of town, overlooking the little valley we live in. I hold back the shiver that runs down my spine every time I think about it.
“They do, but you know they’re nosey as hell. How is Ainsley, anyway? The rumor mill is buzzing in town about her. Old Man Walter was at the diner yesterday and is making up all sorts of shit.”
“Of course, he is.” I roll my eyes. Walter is known for telling tall tales and making up obscene stories. I think it’s just because he gets bored and likes to stir the pot, but everyone is convinced he believes the baffling rumors he spreads.
“Ainsley is good. She’s entirely more capable of this job than I anticipated, so I’m trying to come up with more things for her to do. Use her skills to benefit the company more.”
“That’s good. You know…”
“Nope. Don’t even go there. I don’t need your advice on women. Lord knows the ladies of this town have enough to say about you.”
He chuckles. “You’re too easy to rile up, man. Well, I’ll see you at dinner tomorrow night.”
He hangs up unceremoniously. It’s not uncommon. We see each other almost daily, so the need for formalities isn’t there.
I’m distracted thinking about how I’m going to navigate our weekly family dinner tomorrow when I run right into someone.
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry!” I grip the person’s arms and pull them back to make sure they’re okay.
Ainsley.
“Oh!” she squeaks.
“I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
“Totally fine. I didn’t realize there were more people that lived out here, so I wasn’t paying attention.”
“I’m about three miles that way.” I point to my left. “And there is another house, over there, that’s been empty for a while.”
I’m not sure why I felt the need to tell her that.
“Well, that’s good to know.”
I realize I’m still gripping her arms, and I awkwardly let my hands drop and take a step back.
“I’m Ainsley, by the way.” She holds out her hand, with a small smile on her face.
I panic. That’s the only way I can describe it.
She clearly doesn’t know who I am, and all my insecurities from when I was younger rear their ugly head.
“Dean. Nice to meet you, Ainsley. If you need anything, now you know where to find someone close.”
Dean? Why the fuck did I give her my middle name?
There is seriously something wrong with me. How did I just revert back into a damn teenager around this woman?
“Well, I’m going to head back in now. I’ve got to start work soon.” She takes a step back but not before I see her eyes trail down the length of my body.
