“We tried before. It didn’t go well.”
“I won’t ask what happened. I will say that relationships have good times and bad. You have to decide if the good times outweigh the bad. Do they with her?”
He thought about the way she’d fought for him since he’d come to Hilton Head. How she’d planned the celebratory barbecue after the meeting with Bryce to get his mind off things. Her smile after surviving the first board meeting. The way her eyes filled with love and the softness of her voice when she uttered those words.
The corners of his mouth tilted up. “Right now they do.”
“Then you’ve got that, too. I’ll tell your mom to hold off on wedding plans, but know that we like her.”
“Is she still inside?”
He hadn’t seen Ashiya since they were in the kitchen earlier. Foolish as it was, he hadn’t wanted her to see him cry again. She’d held him when he’d sobbed the day they’d found Rodrick. She had enough on her plate without worrying about his emotional support. He hadn’t wanted her to worry about him, but he also hadn’t been able to send her away. Her being around was the one thing that made this easier.
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll go check.” Russell stood. He took a step toward the door, then turned around. “Love you, Dad.”
His dad smiled. “Love you, too.”
Russell smiled and went in. Most of the people had left. He found his mom and her two sisters sitting at the kitchen table. He glanced around.
“Where’s Ashiya?” he asked.
“She left a few hours ago,” his mom said.
“Why?”
Why would she leave without saying goodbye?
“I don’t know,” his mom said. “She just told me she’d washed the dishes in the kitchen and straightened up, but that she had to get home to pack before going Hilton Head. You didn’t know?”
Russell shook his head. “No, I didn’t know.” He crossed the room and snatched his keys off the hook next to the door. “I’ll be back.”
“Hold up,” his mom said. She stood and went to the fridge. She pulled out a plate covered in aluminum foil. “I fixed her a plate. She saved all the stuff we liked from the rest of the family. I don’t think I ever saw her eat anything when she was here. Make sure she eats all of this.”
Russell thought about what his dad said as he took the plate. In all his life, his mom had never sent him to one of his girlfriends’ houses with a plate. She’d liked the women he’d dated okay, but she’d also given him a look that told him she wasn’t exactly impressed.
“You like her, huh,” he said.
She lifted a shoulder. “She might be a Robidoux, but she’s okay. Tell her thank you and that I’ll cook for her the next time she comes.” His mom raised a brow. “There will be a next time?”
He nodded. “Yes, Mom. There’ll be a next time.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
THE SUN WAS setting when Russell arrived at Ashiya’s place. Her car was parked in the drive, but the house was dark. The blinds were open and no lights shone behind them. He hoped she hadn’t gone somewhere with her cousin India or someone else. The funeral was done. His brother was laid to rest. His parents were going to be okay.
On the drive over, he’d thought about what his dad said. He still had a lot to be thankful for. He hopefully had a long life ahead of him. He didn’t want to spend the rest of his life being afraid to move forward because of the problems in his past. He loved Ashiya, and he wanted to step out on faith that their love was a strong enough foundation for them to build a lasting relationship.
He rang the doorbell and waited. After a few seconds, he rang the bell again and knocked on the door. He glanced at her car in the drive. If she had left, no problem. He’d go to her.
He pulled out his cell to call her when a light became visible behind the glass panel of her door. The door opened, and Ashiya squinted up at him.
“Russell? What’s wrong?” Her voice held the huskiness he was used to when she just woke up. Her hair, which had been curled cutely earlier, was now disheveled.
He stepped over the threshold. “You were asleep?” It was so early, he hadn’t expected her to be down for the night.
She shook her head and reached for his hands. “It’s okay. Did something happen? Are your parents okay?”
“They’re fine.” Russell smiled at her concern and took her hands. They were clammy and shaky. He looked at her closely. Her breathing was ragged, her pupils were dilated, and a sheen of sweat covered her forehead. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
He pulled her into his arms, and she squeezed him tight. Her body trembled as she pressed her cheek against his chest.
“Nothing. I just fell asleep on the couch. It was a... I had a nightmare. It’s silly. When the doorbell rang, it jerked me out of it.”
“A nightmare? About what?” He pulled back so he could look into her eyes.
She continued to stare at his chest and lifted a shoulder. “Nothing, it’s nothing.” She briskly wiped at her eyes.
“It’s not nothing. What was it about?”
She lifted a shoulder. “I was in the closet and I couldn’t get out.” She waved a hand. “No big deal. I’m okay now that I’m awake.”
Russell felt like the world’s biggest ass. Of course she was having nightmares. She’d gone through something traumatic. Something so similar to what she’d gone through when she was younger, it would have triggered those bad memories. He should have realized she would have nightmares afterwards. He’d gotten so wrapped up with finding his brother that he’d taken her everything-is-alright facade as the truth.
He bent, put his arm behind her knees and swept her up into his arms. Ashiya took in a quick breath before her arms wrapped around his neck. She was light against him, lighter than she’d been when he’d carried her to the bedroom what felt like forever ago, back in Hilton Head.
“What are you doing?” she asked, some brightness coming back into her voice as she smiled at him.
“I’m taking care of you for once,” he said. He strode down the hall to her living room. The inside of her place was dark. He sat on the couch with her in his arms.
“I’m fine,” she said even though she leaned her head against his shoulder.
He reached for the lamp next to the chair. Ashiya’s palm pressed against his bicep, and she pushed downward. “No. Leave the light off.”
“I didn’t think you’d want to be in the dark.”
“The dark doesn’t bother me. Not when I’m in your arms like this.” She sighed and snuggled closer to him.
Russell wrapped his arms around her and settled back on the chair. “How long have the nightmares been back?”
“They never went away,” she said in a soft voice. Her fingers pulled the chain with the gold cross out of his shirt, and she ran her fingertips around the edges. “I’ve had them off and on since I was a kid. They get better and I think they’re going away, and then bam, they’re right back.”
“But with what happened with Melissa, that made them worse.”
Her head shifted on his chest as she nodded. “It did. Now they’re blended together. I’m a kid when I’m locked in, and then I’m an adult with a bloody bump on my head. The ending doesn’t change. No one finds me. I’m stuck and alone.”
His arms tightened around her. He brushed his lips across her forehead. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice. I should have been there for you.”
“You had your own stuff to deal with.”
“I know, but I still shouldn’t have taken advantage of you after what happened.”
Ashiya’s head tipped back, and she frowned up into his face. “Take advantage of me? How did you do that? You’ve been so busy with the funeral and taking care of your brother’s remains that you barely bothered me.”
Even though she
hadn’t said it in an accusatory tone, he still felt worse after hearing the words. “I know that I pulled back after Rodrick’s rem...” He cleared his throat. He still had a hard time thinking of that day. “After they found my brother. I didn’t know what else to do. I was in so much pain. It hurt so much, I didn’t want to drag you down into the dark place I was in, but I also couldn’t push you away when you came around. I accepted every bit of help you offered. Accepted and appreciated every meal you dropped off, every note you left telling me to eat and drink something, every phone call you made to the funeral home to help my mom make the arrangements, every dish you picked up at the house today to put things in order and keep my parents from having to deal with a mess.”
“You did?” The surprise in her voice sliced him. He hadn’t realized just how much his pulling back must have affected her.
“I did. You were the only light in my life these past few weeks. You’re the reason I made it through the day when the hurt and the rage made me want to go find Melissa and Bryce and bury them under a shed for fifteen years.”
“But you seemed so... I don’t know. As if I was in the way.”
“You weren’t. I tried to protect you from my feelings but also relied on you being there. Instead of doing that, I should have checked in on you, too. I should have made sure you were okay. I should have noticed you were losing weight, the dark circles under your eyes, the troubles you were going through. I’m sorry.”
“I’m so used to getting through things myself, I didn’t even expect more from you. I got through the incident when I was a kid alone, and I just planned to get through things this time alone as well.”
He sat up and turned on the light before she could stop him. She squinted and blinked several times to adjust to the light. He waited for her gaze to clear up and meet his. He wanted her to see him and know exactly what he meant.
“You don’t have to get through anything alone anymore. Not while we’re together. I guess we both have a lot to learn about sharing and relationships. After Rodrick died, I was afraid to get attached to anyone again. I didn’t want to hurt like that, and watching my parents’ pain made me not want to burden them with my own feelings. I pulled back after asking you to be open and trusting with me. I’m sorry.”
Her eyes lowered, and she laced her fingers with his. “My parents came by today. They’re getting a divorce. It’s a long time coming, and I’m happy for them, but it also made me wonder.”
“About what?”
“About life, love and relationships. Holding on to things you should have let go of. Russell, I don’t want you to feel guilty about mourning the loss of your brother because I was also reliving something awful in my past. Your grief and my trauma don’t outweigh each other. We both were dealing with something hard the best way we knew how. You don’t have to use it as an excuse...” Her voice trailed off.
“An excuse to do what?”
“An excuse to keep this going if it’s not what you want,” she said in a rush.
Her words were such a surprise, he nearly dropped her off his lap. “What? Why wouldn’t I want to keep this going?”
“Your cousin Isaac said I was a burden. That I didn’t need to try so hard. I didn’t do all of that to make you stay with me. I did it because I wanted to help. If you don’t want to keep—”
“I’m going to fucking kill Isaac.” He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger so she could look him in the eye. “Ashiya, I love you. I loved you before everything happened with Melissa and my brother, but I was too afraid to say it because I thought you’d leave again. I was going to say it when you were in the hospital, and I realized being afraid of you possibly leaving me didn’t compare to the terror I felt when I literally almost did lose you, but the detective came in. I came here tonight, not knowing about any of the bullshit Isaac said you to, because I wanted to tell you how much I love and appreciate you. I want to spend the rest of my life making sure you understand you’re not alone. If you have a nightmare, I’ll be there to hold you. If you’re lost, I’ll find you. I don’t care about what happened between us in the past. All I care about is our future.”
Her lips parted, and tears glistened in her eyes. “I love you, too.”
He pulled her against his chest in a tight hug. Ashiya’s trembling laugh lifted him to new heights, and she squeezed him back.
“I love you so much,” he said, then kissed her. Her stomach growled, and he jerked back. “Oh crap.”
She frowned. “What? Did you change your mind?”
He shook his head. “Never that. I left your plate in the car. My mom sent you a plate.”
Ashiya’s bright smile made his stomach flip. “She did? For real? I think your mom likes me,” she said with the cutest of smug smiles.
“She does. She’s already talking weddings and grandkids.”
Ashiya’s eyes widened. “Grandkids?”
He laughed. “We’ve got plenty of time to worry about that, but I kind of like the way she’s thinking. I like the idea of you and me together forever.”
Ashiya gently tugged on the front of his shirt and pulled him closer for a kiss. “I like that idea, too.”
* * *
Want to spend more time with the Robidoux family
and see how the Jackson Falls series began?
Read on for a peek at Forbidden Promises
When her brother needs her help with his high-profile political campaign, India Robidoux has no choice but to stay and face the one man she’s been running from for years—Travis, her sister’s ex-husband. One hot summer night when Travis was still free, they celebrated her birthday with whiskey and an unforgettable kiss. The memory is as strong as ever—and so are the feelings she’s tried so hard to forget.
Travis Strickland has one regret. Impulsive and passionate, India always understood him better than anyone else. And the longer they work together on the campaign, the more torn he is. Coming between her and her sister is out of the question. But how can he let love pass him by a second time?
Forbidden Promises
by Synithia Williams
Chapter One
A LARGE CALLA LILY bouquet came entirely too close to slapping India Robidoux in the face the moment she entered her family’s home for the first time in four years. Only a quick slide to the right saved her from that indignity.
The woman carrying the flowers rushed by with a barely audible “excuse me.”
India jumped back to avoid being hit by another bouquet as a different woman with an equally large arrangement hurried by. The ornate oak-and-glass front door swung open behind her. India stutter-stepped to the right to avoid being hit. Maybe she should have taken up dancing instead of the violin. She clearly had the footwork down.
The front door opened again, and a man carrying a large box rushed through. “Where do you want these?” he asked her. He shifted and the sound of glasses clinking together came from the box.
India’s mouth opened, then closed. She glanced around in the hope he was talking to someone who had some clue what was going on.
The man loudly cleared his throat. “Ma’am?”
Blinking rapidly, India pointed down the hall where more noise came from the back of the house. “Um...the kitchen?” That had to be where glasses needed to go.
The man nodded and hurried on his way. Yet another woman carrying a huge bouquet, roses instead of calla lilies, rushed by.
India moved out of the entryway and the line of people going back and forth. She pulled her cell phone out of the back pocket of her jean shorts and checked the date. No one’s birthday, no anniversary and no major holiday. Why were there dozens of people zipping around making the already impressive interior of her family home even more extravagant?
People were everywhere, placing flower arrangements, hanging decorations, carrying crates and cleaning every nook and c
ranny. The effort put into whatever was going on wasn’t surprising. Her family didn’t do anything half-assed. It was as if four years hadn’t passed and she was back home in time for another Robidoux Family production.
“I told the caterer there were to be no oysters, at all. If my brother dies from an allergic reaction to oysters at his own party because the caterer is too dumb to remember my instructions, there will be hell to pay.” Her sister’s cool Southern accent was laced with frustration.
India rolled her eyes and sighed. Apparently, Elaina’s tendency for overdramatic threats hadn’t diminished recently.
The quick apologetic reply of the unfortunate assistant her sister spoke to accompanied the sound of heels clicking along the marble in India’s direction. For a second, she considered hiding, but dismissed the urge. There was no reason to hide from her sister. Their relationship wasn’t the closest, but neither were they enemies. Elaina always viewed India as the annoying baby sister in need of her guidance. Adulthood hadn’t changed that perception.
Elaina and a woman India didn’t recognize came into view. Elaina’s deep sepia skin, dark almond-shaped eyes and perfectly flat-ironed hair hadn’t changed at all. Even though Elaina was thirty-two, India swore her sister had stopped aging at twenty-five.
Elaina’s furious pace didn’t slow down even though the other woman struggled to keep up with her. Seeing they would continue right by her—probably assuming India was just another person helping with the party, which apparently was for her brother—India sighed and stepped away from the wall. “Byron isn’t going to die from eating an oyster, Elaina, and you know it.”
Elaina froze midstride. Surprise registered for a millisecond before her gaze traveled over India’s body.
India automatically stood straighter. She was considered the artist of the family, and her brother... Well, he was the son, which made him their father’s pride and joy. Everyone agreed Elaina was the beauty, but that didn’t stop her big sister from quickly sizing up India every time they were together. That didn’t make her sister’s scrutiny any less annoying. So, India wasn’t dressed to impress. She’d come straight from the airport, leaving her luggage in the car in her rush to get inside and figure out why there were so many vehicles in the long drive. She wore jean shorts with a white tank top that sported the words Plays Well With Others beneath musical notes. Elaina’s peach silk blouse and tan pencil skirt easily outshone India’s wardrobe, but India had traveled all day and opted for comfort. That had to count for something, right?
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