Homecoming Hearts Series Collection

by HJ Welch

  Which is what he needed to do now for Trent, Maeve, Mr. Charles Sr. and all the other new friends he had made over the past week and a half. He wasn’t sure how, but there had to be something they could do to stand up to that douchebag Kiefer.

  He expected there to be some activity in the main lodge when they returned. Perhaps Dez still stirring up trouble with the crowd, or Kiefer handing out last paychecks to everyone. Instead, when they reached the main lobby, several people were running around frantically.

  Ashby blinked as they whistled and checked behind the sofas and underneath the front desk. When Kadie spotted him, he raised his eyebrows at her. She ran over to him awkwardly in her bulky clerk’s uniform.

  “Ashby, Trent,” she gasped. “Have you seen Merlin?”

  “Merlin?” Ashby repeated, immediately concerned. “No – I – I mean I left him with Darnell when…” When he first saw that terrible article full of lies about him and Trent.

  Kadie clutched her chest. “Darnell thought Skye had him, but she thought Darnell had him.”

  “What are you saying?” Trent asked. His gaze was darting around the room.

  “Uh,” Kadie said. “Merlin is missing. And your dad is a wreck.”

  28

  Trent

  “Where is he?” Trent demanded, immediately in crisis mode. “Where’s my dad? Who saw Merlin last?”

  “Darnell,” Kadie said, wringing her hands. “He’s so upset, poor love. He threw that hideous reporter man out the front door. Then by the time he came back to the bar, Skye was already looking for him.”

  “Merlin’s probably just in the kitchen or something,” Ashby said, reaching out to rub her arm. It was only then Trent realized he and Ashby were still holding hands. Well, fuck it. He wasn’t letting go now. He needed his boyfriend’s strength.

  If Merlin was missing because of the shithead paparazzi Trent had brought to the resort, he’d never forgive himself.

  “He normally turns up by now,” Kadie insisted, shaking her head. “Maeve got us checking all the usual places. I think she’s with your dad now at the bar. He’s worried someone walked off with him or something.”

  “Dez didn’t take him?” Trent asked, already marching toward the bar with Ashby right next to him.

  Kadie scuttled along beside them. “No, definitely not,” she said. “Darnell put that guy in a cab and told him if he came back Darnell would call the cops.” She sounded proud of him.

  Trent glanced at her pushing her short blonde bob back again and again behind her ears as they walked. She was clearly upset. He had no idea Merlin meant so much to her or anyone else. Or that his dad did, for that matter. His heart ached.

  “He’s somewhere,” Ashby said resolutely. “He’s small and fat, he won’t have gotten far.”

  Trent nodded. If he was honest, he was stunned his dad was upset enough to whip the whole resort into a frenzy. Even guests were joining in whistling for Merlin. As they entered the bar, Trent spotted the little girl with the hazel eyes from the gift store and her family, the grandparents with their bespectacled grandkid, and the three middle-aged cosmo-drinking women, all in their own little search parties.

  Trent’s dad was sitting in the deserted restaurant with Maeve the housekeeper rubbing his back. A woman with curly chestnut hair in a beautician’s blouse and Darnell, the bartender, were sitting at the same table. Trent stopped walking when his dad looked up at him.

  He was crying.

  Trent thought he was going to be the only Charles man to break down today. He’d been wrong.

  “Dad,” Trent said. Ashby naturally let his hand go as Trent dashed over to pull his dad in for a hug. To his astonishment, his dad hugged him back, just as fiercely. “Hey, it’s okay, what’s going on?”

  “Merlin ran off in all the upset,” his dad grunted.

  He was trying his best to keep it together. His voice was reasonably steady, but tears were streaming down his leathery face from under his glasses. He never looked so old as he did in that moment.

  “Is it true they’re demolishing the resort?” the beautician asked. Beneath her heavy makeup, she looked very pale.

  “One thing at a time,” Trent said firmly. “You guys last saw Merlin here?”

  They nodded. Trent felt Ashby come stand beside him as Kadie positioned herself standing between where Darnell and Maeve were sitting. Trent noticed that when his dad sat again, his shoulders hunched in defeat, Maeve began rubbing his back once more.

  “I’m so sorry,” Darnell said shaking his head. “I thought Skye had him. It’s my fault. I should have made sure.”

  “I should have had him,” Skye, the beautician insisted.

  “No, no, it’s no one’s fault,” Kadie said. She went to awkwardly touch Darnell’s arm, then apparently thought the better of it.

  Trent scowled. “It’s my fault,” he said. “Dez was here because of me, and Kiefer is punishing the resort to get back at me.”

  “Oh bugger them both sideways,” snapped Ashby, quivering with rage. “We’ll deal with those little scumbags after we’ve found our puppy. Maeve, you said you’ve checked his usual hiding places?” The older woman nodded, her eyes wide behind her colorful glasses. “Right. You and Mr. Charles check the ground floor. Knock on every door if you have to. Darnell, you and Kadie double-check with the kitchen staff. He could very well be searching for food. Then you can go through the lobby again. Skye, can you go through the spa and make sure he’s not asleep in a nice warm cupboard of towels?”

  The faces around the table were a little taken aback, but they all nodded. Trent’s heart swelled with pride as he turned to Ashby. “Where do you want us to look?”

  Ashby’s face was grim. “The second floor,” he said. “We’ll also go door to door.” He turned back to the group. “I’m sure he’s fine. But the real concern here is that he got outside. There’s a real blizzard gaining force out there and he’s too young to survive for long on his own. I’m sure he’s fine. But let’s get him reunited with Mr. Charles sooner rather than later.”

  Kadie looked scared. “He’d know not to go outside alone, wouldn’t he?”

  Trent’s dad shook his head as he hurriedly got to his feet. “He’s nothing but trouble. He’ll run out in traffic or get lost in the snow. Goddamn it.” His voice choked with worry. Trent had known all along that deep down, of course, his dad loved his new dog, no matter how naughty he was.

  Trent rested his hand on his dad’s shoulder, making him pause. “We’ll find him,” he told him. “We won’t lose anyone else.”

  His dad clasped his hand over Trent’s. “No,” he said determinedly. “We won’t.”

  Then Trenton Sr. turned and looked directly at Ashby. For a second, Trent’s heart threatened to stop. There was probably no mistaking their body language. His dad had already intimated he knew Trent had been close to breaking Ashby’s heart. How would he react now they were actually together?

  Trent’s dad clasped Ashby’s shoulder, bulky with Trent’s coat. “Thank you, son,” he said. “You boys stick together.”

  Ashby blinked, then smiled. “We will, sir,” he said.

  “Okay,” Maeve said loudly as they began to spread out. “Whoever finds that little scamp first, brings him back here to the bar for a spanked bottom.”

  “You’re not fooling anyone,” Kadie said with a tut. “He’ll get nothing less than half a chicken and a cuddle if you find him first.”

  Maeve raised an eyebrow at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said as she bustled after Trent’s dad.

  “Thank you,” Trent said as they left the others and began to climb the stairs. Ashby glanced over at him, a questioning look in his eyes. “For taking charge,” Trent elaborated. “For understanding that he’s not just a dog.”

  Ashby scoffed. “Of course he’s not just a dog,” he said. Like there could ever be such a thing.

  “You boys aren’t talking about that adorable little fellow with the floppy ea
rs, are you?”

  Trent came to an abrupt halt with Ashby and tried not to grind his teeth too hard. They turned to see Kiefer behind them in the hallway on the second floor. No doubt he had followed them up the stairs. He must have been loitering around the bar.

  For once, he wasn’t wearing his Stetson, so he became immediately that much more forgettable. Objectively speaking, he really wasn’t as handsome as Trent had first given him credit for. He was pretty plain despite his dazzling teeth and expensive clothes.

  “Fuck off, Burton,” Trent growled at him.

  But Ashby raised his hand up to Trent, his eyes trained on Kiefer. “Why do you ask?” he enquired sweetly.

  Kiefer’s gaze swept disgustingly up and down Ashby. Trent could just imagine him undressing Ashby mentally and wanted to smack that smug look off Kiefer’s face. But then he remembered what he’d told Ashby back at his cabin and reined in his temper. He wouldn’t give Kiefer the satisfaction of seeing him lose his temper again.

  “Well,” Kiefer said. He rocked on his cowboy boots and imitated concern. “Only there was a chubby pup who was awful keen to be let outside by the pool a while back. He obviously needed to do his business, so I opened the door for him. I do hope that’s not a problem?”

  Trent really did almost lunge for the asshole. But Ashby was already hauling him past the slimebag, back down the stairs. “No, no problem at all,” Ashby called back. “Thank you so much, darling!”

  “Why would he tell us what he did?” Trent snarled as they made it back to the first floor and ran toward the pool.

  “Because he’s a sociopath who needs everyone to know how clever he is and just how much power he has over them,” Ashby said, quite succinctly considering how fast they were sprinting. “I can’t wait to deal with him. I’m going to disembowel him. It’ll be fun.”

  Trent glanced at his lover as they burst out into the snowstorm, unable to stop himself smiling despite the dire circumstances. “I really do love you,” he said.

  Ashby smiled bashfully back at him.

  29

  Ashby

  The weather had rapidly deteriorated. Considering it had almost frozen Ashby’s balls off twice in the last hour, he couldn’t say he was thrilled as he and Trent stepped back out into the howling wind and thick, heavy snow.

  “Merlin!” Trent bellowed.

  The door to the resort slammed shut behind them. Ashby couldn’t really make anything out in the flurry. It was too early in the day for the lights to be on around the pool. The sky was a dark iron gray, hardly letting any sunshine through to help with visibility.

  “Merlin!” Ashby also yelled at the top of his lungs. “Shit, Trent,” he said, trying not to become panicked. “We’re never going to find him in this weather.”

  “Yes, we will,” Trent said. “We have to.”

  He reached out and took Ashby’s hand so they could slowly move through the snow together. Ashby could just about make out the sauna building to the left, but it was difficult to see where the swimming pool was.

  “Should we text the others and let them know he’s definitely outside?” Ashby called over the wind.

  “Let’s just look a minute,” Trent called back.

  Fuck Kiefer. What kind of bastard put a puppy in danger just to spite someone? The old Ashby might have fallen into a pit of guilt that Kiefer was essentially doing this because Trent stopped him from ‘having’ Ashby. But the new Ashby didn’t have a single fuck to give about that. He absolutely should not have shagged Kiefer for any reason when he didn’t want to. It definitely wasn’t his fault that the twisted psycho was now trying to hurt him, Trent and Trent’s family anyway he could. He was a maniac and deserved to be behind bars.

  Ashby’s ears just caught something that made him stop. He tugged Trent so he would pause too. “Did you hear that?” he asked.

  “What?” Trent asked, shaking his head. The wind was roaring and howling like a wounded beast. Or…was that whimpering Ashby could just make out?

  “I think he’s close,” Ashby cried, trying not to get emotional. He needed to concentrate, not panic. “Merlin? Merlin! Good boy, come here!”

  Trent shook his head. “I don’t hear anything?”

  But Ashby knew there was something drifting on the violent winds. He lifted his arm up to try and stop the snow from flinging into his eyes as he moved to the left where he thought the sound might have come from. He wished he had his ski goggles on.

  “Merlin? Good boy, come here, sweetie!”

  Both he and Trent froze at the same time. “There!” Trent cried, pointing. Ashby had to agree. There was definitely a yowling sort of whimper coming from in front of them. They hurried forward. Trent only just pulled Ashby back before he ran over the lip at the edge of the pool.

  “Oh, shit!” Ashby said, clinging to Trent to stop himself from falling. Then he gasped in realization. “You don’t think…?” he said, looking up at Trent.

  The yelps came again. This time, Ashby could make out a faint sound of splashing.

  “He’s in the pool!” they cried together.

  Ashby didn’t even think. He let go of Trent, unzipping the big coat he’d borrowed and throwing it to the ground. “Wait, Ashby,” Trent said. But Ashby was already running down the steps into the heated water.

  “Merlin!” he yelled, dragging him and his saturated clothes further into the pool. The steam and snow made it impossible to make anything out. “Merlin, baby, come here!”

  Splashes from behind told Ashby that Trent had followed after him. Ashby waded on, only able to see about a foot in front of him in any direction. The warmth of the water was a sharp contrast to the evil, icy winds cutting through the top half of his body. Where the water splashed up and made his clothes and skin damp, the air was even more biting. Ashby sunk down further to try and stop his teeth from chattering.

  The splashes in front of him were getting louder. Ashby lifted his feet and swam blindly toward the noise. Then the steam parted to reveal poor Merlin, soaked to the skin, struggling desperately to keep his head above water.

  “I’ve got him!” Ashby screamed. He lunged forward, kicking and thrashing until he scooped the little guy into his arms, holding him to his chest and taking his weight.

  Within seconds, Trent’s muscular arms were wrapped around Ashby and Merlin both, supporting them as they huddled together in the rippling water sloshing around their shoulders.

  “Oh, good boy! Good boy!” Ashby said. He allowed himself a little sob as the puppy wriggled in his grip, whimpering and licking his and Trent’s faces.

  Trent kissed Ashby’s temple, pressing his lips to his skin for several seconds. “Well done,” he said. “Let’s get inside.”

  They began the difficult task of pushing their way back through the water. Merlin wasn’t exactly convinced about venturing back out into the biting cold and begin squirming, trying to stay in the warm water.

  “Come here, dude,” Trent said affectionately as Ashby almost lost his hold on him. Trent easily cradled the fat puppy against his chest as they hurried up the pool steps.

  Immediately, Ashby was so cold he saw stars. But Trent didn’t pause as he marched back toward the lodge door. Ashby only hesitated long enough to pick up Trent’s leather jacket as well as his ski jacket that they’d discarded in the snow.

  It felt like an eternity to get through the frenzied snow. But eventually, Ashby was following Trent and Merlin through the door into the side corridor that led back into the belly of the lodge. “F-fuck me,” Ashby stammered. It was undeniably warmer inside, but the chill from the wind clung to their sodden clothes and Merlin’s thick fur. He was yowling and grousing in distress. Poor thing was probably going to be averse to baths his whole life now.

  “Bar, go,” Trent grunted. “Phone, in pocket.”

  Luckily, Trent had left his important possessions in his leather jacket, just like Ashby had moved his stuff to the coat pockets when he’d put it on. Neither of them had destroyed t
heir phones by jumping in the pool. As they squelched their way down the hall, Ashby fumbled with trembling hands to remove Trent’s phone, presumably so he could call his dad.

  He didn’t need to, though. As they rounded the corner, they were met with several gasps. Maeve and Trent’s dad were crossing the lobby toward the bar. As the guests nearest Trent and Ashby cried out, Maeve and Mr. Charles turned their heads to see them.

  “Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” Maeve shrieked. She grabbed Mr. Charles’s hand and the two of them joined the small crowd thronging around Ashby, Trent and Merlin as they shivered.

  “He was in the pool,” Trent managed to grunt as he handed the puppy over to his dad. Mr. Charles apparently couldn’t care less that he was getting wet. He looked so happy, laughing with tears of relief in his eyes. “That asshole Kiefer Burton let him outside on purpose.”

  “No!” Maeve gasped, scandalized.

  “Here, boys, here.” Ashby looked around as he realized Skye had appeared from nowhere with an armful of towels from the spa. “We saw you coming in from the bar window,” she explained as she wrapped them both and Merlin in thick, fluffy towels. “I can’t believe you got in the pool in this weather!”

  “What else would we have done?” Ashby said with a laugh.

  Before he knew what was happening, Trent pulled him into a fierce, sodden hug and kissed his damp hair. People around them stilled in surprise.

  “My boyfriend,” Trent said with emphasis to no one in particular as he looked Ashby in the eyes, “was the one who jumped in and saved Merlin. He’s a hero.”

  Ashby could feel the blush rising on his face, a sharp contrast to his still-freezing skin. “Oh, uh, no, not really,” he stammered.

  “Of course he is,” Maeve said. She wagged her finger in Trent’s face. “And don’t you forget it.”