by Elsie James
She smiles at me, gently biting her lower lip. “I have to get home and shower before anyone sees me.”
I’d like to see her in the shower, but I respect her father too much.
Chapter 3: Ainsley
Even though I’m running late for our debrief, I stop to kiss Duchy. When I finally arrive at the boardroom a few minutes after it begins, Shane is sitting in my seat. My seat. The seat I have sat in since I was sixteen. It’s a power play. I consider stopping the whole meeting to make him move, but that’s what he wants. So, I choose a seat by the door and pretend it’s what I meant to do the whole time. Amelia stands at the front of the room. Without Daddy here, she heads our weekly meetings. I haven’t quite gotten used to it.
“Ainsley. You’re here. Wonderful. We’re looking forward to hearing details about the charitable donation we will be making in Dad’s honor.”
Oh no. I’ve planned so much of the party. The food, the entertainment, even the exotic flowers that Jessa is moving heaven and earth to find. But I completely forgot about the philanthropy project. The board wants to surprise Daddy with the presentation of a huge donation made in his honor.
That’s fine. I am a pro. I stand and clear my throat. “Yes. The donation.” My pulse quickens as I rack my brain. A charitable cause...hmmm??? I can do this.
I clear my throat. “We will be hosting a pampered pet fashion show in Daddy’s honor. You know, not all pets live in a home where they have appropriate outfits for every season. All of the proceeds will be used to purchase seasonally appropriate outfits for pets.”
Whew, what a relief. I know I sold the concept! I look around the room. Mostly neutral faces; that’s ok. They probably weren’t prepared to hear an idea so brilliant this early in the morning. I sense I should possibly stop talking, but I continue anyway.
“Duchy will be the mascot for our event.” The room falls completely silent.
“Alright. Thank you. Um… Let us know what you need to move forward with the, uh, pet…fashion show.” Amelia looks uneasy, but that’s her. She’ll come around once she sees how beautiful it all looks.
“Seriously!” Shane balls his fists and pounds them on the table. “You’re all agreeing with her? A pet fashion show? Leo has built an empire and done so much for so many people, and you’re honoring him with a fashion show for pets?”
Sheepishly, I sink back into my seat. When he puts it like that, of course it doesn’t seem like enough. I’m mortified.
“Ainsley, you clearly made that up just a few minutes ago. This is ridiculous. Are you so entitled that the most marginalized group you can think of are the pets that don’t have costumes? Leo deserves so much more.” He shakes his head in disgust.
My blood boils at his show and I tap my heel on the floor. “Thank you for your opinion, Shane.” He has been in his job for less than seventy-two hours and now he knows what is best for Daddy? This is what Amelia and Hunter were talking about. Shane is sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong already. “I will let you know when the event planner position here at Bellissima Vineyard becomes available. Until then, we are moving forward with…”
Amelia holds her hand up in my direction. “Ainsley, let’s hear him out.”
What? My own sister is turning on me? She doesn’t even like Shane. But I’m not one to show defeat.
I smile at him. “Yes, Shane. Please. Tell us your idea.” This ought to be good.
“There is a non-profit organization downtown called Mary’s Daisy. They provide a safe place for kids to spend time. Some are kids in foster care, others have single parents who work long hours. There are probably 200 kids that use the facility after school everyday. They need a playground. I’m proposing that we build them one in honor of Leo and the good he has done in our community.”
Grudgingly, I can admit it’s a good idea. Of course, outfitting pets seems silly next to helping actual children. But it’s the principal of the thing. I’ve put all my time and energy into making this event for my Dad. Now, Shane is taking it at the last minute. And anyway, what does Shane know about the good he has done for the community? I don’t buy it. Not for one minute. Shane was really sweet yesterday, carrying me out of the vineyard when I fell. And he is handsome, there’s no doubt about it. But I’ve seen guys like Shane before. Charming, collected, smoking hot, and practiced. They train their whole lives to get into a room like this with a person like me. They want money and power. Shane’s nice guy act is not fooling anyone.
Only…it does. To my horror, every member of the board nods along with his plan. Amelia suggests we put it up to a vote. What is even happening here? I’m the event planner. Why are we voting on anything? What I say goes.
“Those in favor of the Pet Fashion Show,” Amelia says.
Committed, I raise my hand and my chin proudly. Not a single hand joins mine.
“Alright,” she continues. “Those in favor of building a playground.”
The traitors raise their hands in unison. That’s fine. Side with the gold-digger. They’ll see. I didn’t want it to come to this, but I have no choice. I leave the boardroom and head to the huge corner office at the end of the hall.
“Daddy, we have a huge problem. Shane is terrible. Amelia and Hunter were right. Something is off about him, and I don’t trust him. You’re giving him too much power. At the very least, you have to get him off the planning committee.”
He looks at me. “Pumpkin, Shane is a good man. If you can’t trust him then trust me. He will bring so much to our company. He already has. He’s not going anywhere.”
Frustrated, I stomp off. Nobody is on my side. If we’re going to do a playground, it’ll be the best playground Peony Pointe has ever seen.
◆◆◆
My townhouse is one of the properties on our family’s ranch. We live at the top of “Snob Hill” as they call it. When I get the call that the playground has been fully installed at Mary’s Daisy, I call our driver, Jeffery. I need to make sure I look immaculate. The team wants to do a photo shoot of us at the playground. The photos will be used at the retirement party and then shared with our social media team. I put on a purple strapless dress that flares under the bust paired with gold heels.
We pass through our town’s tiny, dusty main street lined with shops beneath tiny apartments. Including my friend Juni’s just up above the bakery. We continue past rows of bungalows on the outskirts of town. I wonder where we are headed. Jeffery pulls into the parking lot of a huge, blue building at the end of the road.
Living in Peony Pointe all of my life, you would think I had seen every inch of this town. But to be honest, I haven’t spent that much time off of the hill. And I’ve never seen anything like this before. The paint peels at the corners of the monstrous blue building, revealing a gray cinder block beneath.
Jeffery opens my door and I step out of the black SUV. The camera crew is already here. Shane is too. He’s in black athletic pants and a gray t-shirt with the Mary’s Daisy logo on it. A black brimmed baseball cap casts a shadow over his light blue eyes. He wears the same gold chain necklace with a round pendant on the end that I noticed the last few times I saw him.
How is he this sexy in sweatpants? And why is he dressed in such casual clothing? Doesn’t he know we are shooting press today? He saunters around the parking lot. Shaking hands, he greets the crew like this is his event. I roll my eyes behind my giant black sunglasses. Dammit, he’s charming.
“Shane. Good morning. Nice of you to dress up for the occasion.”
“Good morning. Nice of you to dress to remind these kids that they’re poor.” His comment is snarky but his eyes give him away as they run slowly up and down my body. I get the feeling it’s not my clothing that makes his eyes light up.
My face flushes with a hint of embarrassment. Ugh, Shane. Of course that’s not what I’m trying to do. Sure, I stand out a little against this backdrop, but I'm a Romano. It’s part of who I am. Not to mention, we did just donate a six-figure sum to make this playgro
und happen. Who cares if I’m a little overdressed?
A woman from the center greets us at the front door. She’s also wearing a gray t-shirt with the Mary’s Daisy logo on it. We walk with her into the cold building. She introduces us to the staff. It’s a kind-hearted and humble group. They all wear matching shirts and thank us for our generosity. Uncomfortable, I fidget in my dress and take it all in. The sound of kids playing vibrates between the building’s concrete walls.
“The kids are here everyday after school?” I ask, anxious to move this day along.
“That’s the minimum. Most of them spend almost six hours a day with us, more during school breaks. They don’t have anyone at home during the day so we make sure they get a meal and we help them with their homework.”
Suddenly, I feel a tiny bit uneasy in my gold shoes that cost what must be a fortune to some of these kids. A pang of guilt runs through me. She leads us down the halls decorated with kid art. It’s clear that the children who come here love it. We pass a homemade poster with a large drawing of a bonfire. The flames made of cellophane move as we walk by, making a light crackling noise.
“How creative.” I second-guess my tone and wonder why my comment sounds so awkward.
“Oh yes! The kids made that. Our annual bonfire is in just a few days. It’s our biggest event of the year. It gives our community the chance to spend time together outside. We sing songs, tell stories, roast hot dogs, and of course Shane says he will make his s’mores. You should come. Really, we would love to have all of you. Everyone is welcome here.”
Shane is going to make his s’mores? When did he volunteer for that? How early did he get here? It’s been years since I had s’mores and allowed myself to be free like that. I don’t even let myself think about it too often. It makes me miss the freedom I had a child and lack as an adult.
“Thank you. I’ll consider it,” I say. And to my own surprise, I actually do.
The woman smiles at me. She leads us through the back door and onto the playground. “Shall we meet the children?”
Joyful kids bounce with high energy from one inch of the playground to the next. They slide, swing, climb, and run in chaotic bliss. Unsure, I take a step back toward the wall. I’ve never been in a setting like this before. The kids I know are always ordered, controlled, and wildly outnumbered by adults.
But these kids look so happy. My eyes find Shane in the crowd. It’s not difficult; he’s more than a foot taller than most of the kids. He walks through the sea of disorderly little people like this is his home, passing out high fives to every kid on his way to the playground.
With a graceful leap, he pulls his body up onto the play structure. Kids cheer him on. He makes eye contact with me, and I can’t help but smile at him. He smiles back. Shane is different here. There is nothing disingenuous about the way he interacts with the kids. I laugh to myself when I watch his huge body get stuck halfway down the slide.
It’s not often that I feel like a wallflower, but I’m completely out of my element. And I don’t feel good about it. Am I really that removed from the realities of life off of the hill? I always thought that the huge fence and secured gate around our ranch kept people out. I never considered that they might be keeping me in.
Shane startles me when he places a hand on my lower back. “It's ok. Come on, I’ve got you. They want to get to know you.” Shane steers me effortlessly to his side. For once, I’m happy to follow.
He leads me to the swings where a group of little girls look at me out of the corner of their eyes.
“Hi there. I’m Ainsley. What’s your name?”
“Hi.” The girl, maybe eight years old, stares at me with huge eyes. I wonder what I must look like to her. This tall, out of place woman towering above her in gold high heels and standing on a playground. With elaborate makeup and all of my jewlery, I must look incredibly strange to her. Her long eyelashes blink back a shy smile.
She opens her mouth to speak and the words come out in a gentle whisper. “You’re so beautiful. You look like princess Jasmine.” My heart melts. She’s not judging me at all.
Shane turns to the girl and gives her a wink. Then he gestures at me and says, “She is beautiful, isn’t she?”
He turns toward me and hits me with his blinding white smile that warms my face like the sun. I know that he’s a seasoned charmer, but that smile was real. Not calculated. Not for an audience. That smile was just for me. And I felt it in every part of my body.
Shane is an absolute natural here. The kids play basketball with him. He outruns them. He even blocks their shots, and they love it. I’m taken aback by the way he befriends them so quickly. They trust him. They ask him questions and hang on his every word. I guess I can see why. Shane is a pillar of strength. Unfazed by their circumstances, he treats them like old friends. Maybe this is the real Shane. Was Daddy right? I think I judged Shane a little too harshly.
I smile at the girl, but she looks away. “Thank you, but you’re the one with princess hair.”
“No. I don’t know how to make it fancy.” She gestures to the bun on top of her head.
“What? You are the fanciest. Let’s just give your hair a little update.” When I remove the tight bun, her hair cascades in messy waves all the way down her back. I braid it intricately to one side. I take off my gold beaded bracelet and wrap it around the bottom of her long braid to fasten it. She looks at me, absolutely glowing.
“I love it!” She jumps up and down grabbing her braid with both hands. “Thank you! Thank you!” She catches me off guard when she hops into me and wraps her arms around my waist for a hug.
“Easy there.” Shane laughs as he steadies me with a hand on my waist.
The girl darts off toward her friends. Shane tells me that she’s in her third foster placement after losing her mother. I lost my mother at twenty and still am not sure I’ve recovered. I can’t imagine. A new feeling washes over me, but it’s not guilt or pity. I want to take action. There’s so much more I could be doing. I want to help. I have a responsibility to help.
We finish shooting the promotional photos with the kids on the playground. I stand next to the plaque that reads, “Dedicated to the work of Mr. Leonardo Romano.” Shane and the teenage boys flexing their biceps on the basketball court. Everyone on the playground equipment, even me. What we did here today matters. Shane was right. Daddy is going to love it.
As we leave, Shane makes a production of hugging, fist-bumping, and doing special handshakes with every single kid. He calls them each by name. Has Shane been here before?
We walk back into the parking lot. Shane passes his gray truck and walks to the SUV where Jeffery waits for me. He taps on the driver’s side window.
“Jeff, what’s up brother? How are things with the Mrs?” Shane asks. Jeffery mumbles in response. So, Shane knows everyone now huh?
“Listen, man, why don’t you take off? I’ll get her home.”
Jeffery looks at me, conflicted. “It’s alright, I…” Jeffery protests weakly.
Shane cuts him off, turning to me. “It’s his kid’s birthday and he’s sitting in a parking lot all day waiting for you. He needs to leave, Ainsley. I’ll drive you home.”
Shane opens the back door of the SUV and grabs my giant bag. He tosses it carelessly into the cab of his truck. “Get in.”
Jeffery pauses, waiting for my approval.
I hesitate, trying to choose my words carefully. “I...didn’t know you had children,” I say to Jeffery. I am absolutely not ok with Shane dismissing my staff, but I feel absolutely terrible. Jeffery is always so quiet around me. I haven’t made the effort to get to know him, and I really should have. If Jeffery has a child who has a birthday, then he should be there, celebrating the day with his son. Daughter? I don’t even know. “Okay then. Jeffery, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
As Jeffery drives off, I stare at Shane. He unapologetically holds open the passenger door to his truck. Flustered by the speed of this interaction, I take a step tow
ard him.
“I see why you did it, but never do that again. If you want to correct me on something, please don’t do it in front of the people I manage.”
“I’m proud of you today,” he replies. He catches me off guard. “You really made some connections with the children.”
“Well, they were adorable. You may have been right about this place.”
“Oh, I’m right? Say it again,” he shouts. Laughing, Shane wraps me in a bear hug so tight I couldn’t get out of it if I wanted to. Luckily, I don’t. In fact, there is nowhere else I’d rather be right now.
I let him hold me, my face buried against his rock hard pecs. I move my arms around his trunk and squeeze back. Shane’s hands wander to my ass and give it a squeeze. Shocked, I look up at him.
“Shane!”
“Oh please, you like it.” He’s not wrong. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”
Shane places his hand on mine as we make the drive up the hill. I let him keep it there. Shane might not be a just gold-digger; he might also be really thoughtful when he wants to be. His irresistible, natural smile settles onto his face.
“You helped me today. Thank you. I didn’t know you could be so genuinely sweet. But it made all the difference.”
“Well, I learned something about you today too. You care about more than just yourself and Duchy.”
“Hey, that’s not fair. I care about plenty.”
“I’m teasing you, Ainsley. But, honestly, every time I’m with you, I learn something else about you that impresses me.”
When we park in front of my townhouse, the tension that has been building between us for weeks erupts. He puts his truck in park and wordlessly his mouth lands on mine. Electricity courses through me as my tongue dances with his. Every part of my body vibrates with longing. I run my fingertips down the back of his neck, underneath his necklace, and around the collar of his shirt. His big hands roam my body assertively. He explores each curve with expert precision.