However, she did need to get to the bottom of something. She drizzled olive oil over the egg noodles and brought the pasta bowl to the table. The oldest boy, Erin, licked his lips as Josh banged on his highchair. Esther, the Finn’s little girl, sat quietly and patiently in the high chair as Sylia scooped smashed brussels sprouts onto her tray.
“Peter,” Ashley began. “Did you have Austin North reach out to me via the speed-dating coordinator?”
Peter’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and his wife chuckled.
“Sounds like something Peter would do.” Sylia pushed her lips into a playful scowl.
“I’d never do something like that.” Peter scooped the pasta on his plate and reached for a chicken breast. “Not unless you were onboard.”
Sylia chuckled. “Since when have you ever cared about people being onboard?”
“I might be one of those rare romantic men, but I do have scruples. It didn’t sound to me like Ashley wanted any interference.”
“So, you’re saying you’re not involved in this?” Ashley was stunned, but she wasn’t sure she believed it.
“Not at all.” Peter sliced his chicken. “I don’t even know what this is. Did you get a call from Austin or something?”
Sylia and Ashley stared at Peter in disbelief. This act had Peter written all over it.
“No. I got an email from Beth, the coordinator, and she forwarded an email Austin wrote.”
“Wow.” Peter smiled. “I had nothing to do with it.”
Sylia immediately turned to Ashley. “So, what did you say? What did the email say?”
Ashley chuckled. “Not much.”
“Oh, come on.” Sylia nearly squealed, which in turn made Esther squeal. “It had to have said something.”
“He didn’t want to go viral.” Ashley grinned.
“Huh?’ Sylia asked, brows raised.
Ashley shook her head. “Never mind. Inside joke.”
“That’s a good sign.” Peter wiped his mouth and helped get a brussels sprout into Josh’s mouth before he banged on the tray again. “Inside jokes with a man you’re dating.”
“You’re worse than your wife.” Ashley laughed.
“When it comes to love,” Sylia sighed, “Peter is hopeless.”
“Now you guys are going over the top. I’ve never even gone out with the man. We are not dating.”
“L.O.V.E.,” Josh chanted, and Esther tried to join in with her own babble.
“Yes. L.O.V.E. is a wonderful thing,” Ashley assured Josh while playfully giving Peter the side eye.
“When are you going out? Should we do a double date?” Peter asked, spooning more brussels sprouts into Josh since he refused to do it himself.
“I haven’t even responded,” Ashley confessed.
“Are you serious?” Sylia’s eyes widened. “You didn’t respond to Silver Ridge’s most eligible bachelor?’
Ashley laughed. “I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
Sylia threw her head back in giggles and Esther did the same.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m leaving town in a month.”
Peter turned to face Ashley. “Don’t overthink it. Maybe just go out, have some dinner or whatever he asked about, and just go from there?”
“But I need to watch the kids.” Ashley grinned, beaming at her little excuses.
“Please, within a month, we’ll be taking over completely. Might as well get our practice in now.” Sylia patted Ashley’s hand. “Go for it. You might have some fun.”
“Exactly. Don’t treat it as anything more than fun.” Paul nodded. “But I wouldn’t leave him hanging like that. It can’t be good for his ego.”
“Oh, please. Austin has a big enough ego for us all.” Sylia smiled, and Ashley pointed at the Finns.
“Precisely my concern.”
“Do it for the family.” Peter grinned. “Take one for the team.”
“Yeah, take one for the team,” Erin repeated, and Ashley had to laugh.
Peter looked at the clock and then at his kids. “Who here wants ice cream in Silver Ridge?”
All six little hands shot up as they waved them in the air. Ashley spotted Sylia raising both her arms as well, and all Ashley could do was shake her head. Eight hands in the air with only four people sitting in the room.
“I’m really outnumbered here. Not fair.”
“Love isn’t fair.” Sylia chuckled.
“This isn’t love.” Ashley stood up. “I only thought he was a little cute.”
“Honey, no one can think Austin North is only a little cute.” Sylia beamed at her husband. “Of course, no one is as handsome as my Peter, but still . . .”
“That’s it. We’ve decided. I’ll call Austin and see if he’s up for some ice cream.”
“And if he isn’t, we still have to drive twenty minutes to get there so the kids can have their treat.” Ashley laughed. “Didn’t think that one through, I bet.”
“Oh, I thought it through. This dad needs some rocky road.”
“I doubt Austin will be able to drop everything in the next half hour to meet you guys at the ice cream shop. He’s a single guy.” Ashley took a bite of her chicken, but she was suddenly not hungry. In fact, her entire stomach was knotted so tightly she wasn’t sure she could move. She had no idea what she would say to Austin.
“So, Austin doesn’t know I’m your nanny?” Ashley whispered to Sylia as Peter waited for Austin to pick up.
“Not that I know of. It never came up, and I believe it when Peter says he didn’t reach out to him.”
Ashley tried to push down her nerves. It was so easy to ignore an email. Now, there was no turning back. It was like the world—okay, the Finns—had set something in motion that she couldn’t control.
And she couldn’t actually resist.
Ashley wasn’t looking for love, or a man, or a one-night stand, or a four-night stand.
She wasn’t looking for anything but a family to take care of.
The moment Peter said hello into the phone, it was like Ashley’s world went into slow-motion. All the noise the children were making fell away, and she only heard Peter, and it went something like this.
“Hey, it’s Peter.”
Silence.
“Doing great. How about you?”
More silence.
“Well, this is going to be completely out of left field, but does the name Ashley Malone ring a bell to you?”
An awfully long period of silence.
“Really?” Peter asked, followed by more silence.
“Uh-huh.” Peter continued.
“Well, I happen to know her very well.”
Silence again.
“We know her really well, in fact, and had to convince her that you’re worth driving over for an ice cream.”
Even longer silence.
“Ouch is one way of putting it.”
Ashley cringed and wished she’d just emailed Austin herself.
“Okay, see ya in a bit.”
Ashley stared at Peter, who happily hung up on Austin as if this sort of thing happened every day.
And maybe it did.
In fifth grade.
“What did he say?” Sylia asked, unable to wait for Ashley any longer.
“It wasn’t really what he said. More like what he didn’t say.” Peter eyed his wife before looking at Ashley. “He sounded relieved. Hugely relieved.”
“Relieved?”
“I doubt the guy has ever been stood up, to be honest.” Paul smiled. “And I’m sure whatever he wrote in that email warranted a response either way, so when he didn’t get one . . .”
“Oh, dear.” Ashley let out a sigh. “This has got to be the most awkward first date in the history of—”
“I doubt that,” Sylia interrupted. “I think Peter and I claimed that victory years ago.”
The sudden admission was just enough to get Ashley distracted from her own worries of having to meet Austin in person where con
versation was expected.
“Seriously? You two?” Ashley grinned, and Peter nodded.
“Let’s just say a Porta-Potty was involved.” Sylia laughed.
“You can’t tell me that and not confess the rest.” Ashley shook her head. “Spit it out.”
“Nope.” Peter unbuckled Esther from her highchair while Sylia did the same with Josh.
“Porta-Potty. Porta-Potty,” Erin started singing as he climbed out of his booster seat. “Mom and Dad love Porta-Potties.”
“No secret is safe.” Sylia rolled her eyes as Esther clung to her.
“Okay, Erin. Get your coat and boots,” Peter called after his son, who’d already made it to the mudroom.
“I hope you know this conversation is far from over.” Ashley grinned as she stepped into the powder room. She was wearing a grey cashmere turtleneck sweater, a black pair of jeans, and didn’t have a stitch of makeup on.
Just perfect, she thought to herself. Might as well just scare him off right now.
“You look beautiful, as always.” Sylia had popped her head into the powder room. “Now, let’s get going.”
“Why are you all excited while I’m about to jump out of my skin?” Ashley teased.
“Because I love ice cream.” Sylia pulled Ashley with her free hand as Esther slapped her mom’s cheek, babbling away.
Regardless of how tonight turned out, she was really going to miss the Finns and their shenanigans.
By the time they all piled into the Finns’ SUV, they were running late, but thankfully, with Josh’s tantrum for the first half of the car ride, Ashley had very little time to let herself get nervous about what was ahead of her.
She thought back to Austin’s brilliant blue eyes, and within seconds, she felt butterflies in her stomach. He was, by far, the most attractive man she’d laid eyes on, but Ashley also knew he was entirely out of her league.
“Just remember to breathe,” Sylia nearly hummed from the front seat.
“Sorry. Can’t hear you,” Ashley teased from the backseat.
The Finns’ SUV had two rows of backseats, and Ashley sat all the way in the back with Erin, who was still in his booster.
“I said, just remember to breathe. Remember, Austin is the one instigating this.” Sylia flipped her visor down so Ashley could see her.
“He was until tonight. Now, it looks like I’m the one reaching out.” Ashley groaned.
“Are you in love, Ashley?” Erin said with his green eyes wide.
“No. Not at all. I don’t even know Austin,” Ashley assured her little man.
“Then why are we meeting him?” Erin asked. “For ice cream? Boys only take girls for ice cream if they like them.”
“Is that so?” Ashley asked.
Erin nodded.
“Well, it’s your dad taking your mom and all of you for ice cream, so that makes sense.”
“I know Austin.” Erin beamed. “He’s nice. He taught me how to stand on skis.”
“That’s impressive.” Ashley tried to remain calm, but the moment Peter found a parking spot, her hands dampened, she felt flushed, and every nerve in her body was on salute.
“Peter and I will take the kids and duck out so you two can be alone and—”
“No,” Ashley interrupted. “No need. This is just a getting-to-know-you thing.”
“I can guarantee you that there’ll be absolutely no getting to know anyone with these little squirts around,” Sylia said as she flipped up the visor.
Esther giggled, and Josh started squirming in his car seat while Erin was suspiciously quiet until Ashley followed his gaze.
“There’s Austin,” Erin yelled, pointing at a man walking up the sidewalk toward the ice cream store. “Austin. Austin. L.O.V.E.”
“No L.O.V.E.” Ashley cringed and prayed she’d make it through the next month at the Finns’.
The snow was starting to slowly fall again, which made Silver Ridge sparkle even more. The town proper, below the actual Silver Ridge Resort, where the ice cream store was located was as quaint as any mountain town could be.
There was a main street where the ice cream store, along with several cafes and boutiques, lined the streets. Bright white twinkle lights adorned the buildings, lamp posts, and street signs. There was no doubt about it. Silver Ridge was as cute as Cherry Hill, possibly more so, and she kind of kicked herself for not spending time up here while she’d had the chance.
“This is incredible,” Sylia gushed as she climbed out of the SUV while Erin and Ashley were stuck in the back. “It feels like high school all over again. Isn’t it great? Oh, my gosh. So much fun.” Sylia shut the front door and opened the rear door to unbuckle Esther while Peter undid Josh.
“Yeah. Just like high school.” Ashley laughed uncomfortably. “Lucky me.”
Peter flashed a wicked grin before flipping the seat up for Erin and Ashley to crawl through.
As Ashley was crawling out of the SUV rear-end first, she heard Austin’s familiar voice and every part of her warmed instantly. How could a mere sound do that? She swore the masculinity of it reverberated through her entire body and made her rethink her idea of having a little fun.
And then it occurred to her which end of her was probably facing Austin, and she quickly leaped backward to get out of the vehicle. It didn’t matter that it made her slight limp turn into a full limp as she turned around to see Austin watching her carefully.
“Uh, hey,” Ashley said, cringing internally.
It was as if her geeky junior high self was coming out of nowhere to ruin her chances with the sexiest man on the planet.
Her cheeks reddened the moment she remembered that there were children around.
Austin stepped forward and reached out his hand. “I’m still waiting for a reply from my email,” he joked, and she quickly shook his hand.
“Sorry. I guess this is it? Ice cream in your town?” Ashley smiled, and before she knew it, Austin laughed and slipped his arm around her waist.
“I’ll take anything I can get.”
She instantly wanted to melt into him as the Finns all took off toward the ice cream store.
“Sorry about not answering.” She tried to stay focused on the conversation, but it had been so long since she’d been in a man’s arms that she’d forgotten what it felt like. How comforting it was to be touched, even as innocently as this.
He looked down into her eyes, and her stomach stirred with something she hadn’t felt in a long time, if ever. “I kind of thought I’d never hear from you again.”
“Really?” Ashley asked, shocked.
“Sending random emails to gorgeous women isn’t my normal style of making introductions, believe it or not.” His grin threw her into another orbit.
She wanted to pinch herself, but she knew it was only ice cream. She needed to calm down.
“Anyway, I had no idea you worked with the Finns.” He looked like he wanted to say something else as they moved along the sidewalk.
“It’s been a lot of fun.”
“I wish I had known sooner.” He touched the small of her back, and a jolt of electricity ran through her. She hadn’t felt this kind of lust—and she was sure that was all it was—since . . . well, never.
“And why’s that?”
“Well, you’ve intrigued me, and I’m not really great at the whole dating thing. This seems like it could have been straightforward.”
“As opposed to that dating nightmare I went to.” Ashley laughed, wondering what his normal style was. “You don’t strike me as a speed dater either.”
“You got me there, but seeing you that night had me wondering if I’d made the wrong choice.”
“You are a smooth operator.” She chuckled as he opened the door and let his arm fall away from her waist.
She glanced back at him as she walked into the ice cream store and noticed his eyes running along her body. She saw a glint of heat in his gaze, and her entire body lit up with possibilities. Had she really seen that look,
or did she imagine it?
Maybe Austin had been thinking of something sinful at that moment like chocolate turtle ice cream or something.
“Look what I got.” Erin held up his kid-size cone with bubblegum ice cream to Ashley. “Want some?” He took a gooey lick of the pink ice cream, and she laughed.
“I think I might get my own. You deserve every ounce of what you’ve got there.”
Ashley wandered along the counter, peering at the colorful tubs behind the glass, and wondered what she’d gotten herself into.
Austin North was going to be very difficult to resist, even in the short term.
“Come up with anything?” he asked, walking up behind her.
“I think I’m going for peppermint, two scoops.”
“Nice choice.” He leaned over her to peer into the glass, and a shiver ran through her from mere proximity. It was as if he had some sort of forcefield that pulled her in. She hadn’t had feelings like this for ages, and now all the man had to do was breathe on her, and she was ready to fall over.
The Finns had ushered their kids into the far corner where there were toys and books for them to look at while they ate their ice cream, but she saw them both stealing looks in her direction, which made her smile.
Austin ordered their cones and then turned to her. “Thanks for not running away. I only showed one other person that email, and she thought it could go either way.”
“She?” Ashley asked.
Austin nodded and paid for their ice cream as Ashley took her cone.
“Yeah. Erika. I think you might have met her? She’s the bartender back at the resort.” Austin’s eyes connected with hers and she felt another jolt of electricity.
“Erika’s really nice.” Ashley licked her cone and realized how that might have looked and instantly blushed. There were no secrets when a person was as fair-skinned as Ashley.
“She’s a great person. Keeps us all in line.” His eyes stayed fastened on hers.
“I can only imagine how difficult that could be,” Ashley teased, and Austin shrugged in agreement.
“So, you work for the Finns,” he stated. “Do you plan on sticking around for a long while, I hope?”
A Surprising Fact About Love: Small Town Romance (Silver Ridge Series Book 4) Page 6