by Livia Lang
A new feeling of respect bubbled up in Ace's chest. He had always envied Martina's successes, but now he could only admire her tenacity. The even-tempered animal keeper had a much stronger core than Ace would have ever guessed. She wasn’t coasting through life; she was taking tragedy and making herself stronger, better. He’d never been so attracted to a woman before.
His father continued on quickly. "So, I hope you understand why I don't want you or your dumbass friend harassing Martina. That night with her mom was one of the hardest of my career. I don't want to see anything more happen to sweet, kind Martina. End of story." Clete's voice was firm and commanding, but for once Ace wasn't bothered by that. “Got it?”
"Yeah, I get it. Thanks for telling me." He meant it, too.
Ace looked out the window and saw Martina outside of the shed, already loading up the golf cart for the morning chores. He and Martina might never be friends, not after what he had done to her. She had every right to hate him, and he knew it. But Ace hoped that he could at least try to make up for all the stupid rumors and the teasing he had started in school. He was going to help her, one way or another.
It was the first time in years he felt like he had something positive to contribute to someone else, or had felt the need to really apologize. His chest tightened as he watched her move with ease around the sanctuary – something about her brought out so many firsts for him.
CHAPTER 6
A t noon, Martina drove the golf cart out to check on Ace. The guy had been working on the fence all morning without any breaks. It was now lunchtime, and Martina wanted to make sure he stopped to rest. Not because Martina particularly cared, she told herself, but because heat stroke would mean an inconvenient trip to the emergency room and most likely a lot of paperwork.
"Hey, Martina," Ace yelled as she drove up, throwing up a hand in greeting.
Martina frowned in confusion. Ace had been extra friendly all morning, and it made her suspicious and a little uneasy. Did Ace want something? Was he trying to trick her into some con?
She hung an arm on the cart’s steering wheel and sighed. "I just wanted to make sure you stopped for lunch. It’s hot out, so you should take a break in the shade."
Ace nodded and wiped his brow with an arm. "Yeah, it's pretty brutal out here." He paused and shifted his weight as if trying to come to a decision. "I'm going to have lunch by those trees over there. Do you want to join me?"
Martina was pretty sure her mouth had dropped opened like a cartoon character’s, but she had no control over it; the request completely bowled her over. Ace Bennett was being nice? And wanting to eating lunch together? What. The. Hell.
"Well, I do have a lot of work I need to be doing today, so I don't really think –"
"You can't do work on an empty stomach. Come on, it'll do us both some good." Ace flashed a big white smile before grabbing his lunchbox and walking towards a small group of trees several feet away. He didn't even look behind him to check if she was following. The conceit of the man made Martina want to snort and roll her eyes, but somehow – against her better judgment – she found herself grabbing her own lunch and going after him.
He shows one kind gesture and I'm following him around like a damn puppy? I feel like I'm in high school all over again, giddy at the idea of sitting at the 'cool kid' table. I thought I had grown past this stupid infatuation, she thought grimly. She couldn’t stop her feet from moving in Ace’s direction, however.
Ace reached the trees first and flopped down with a happy sigh. He smiled up as Martina approached and patted the ground next to him. "Feels about ten degrees cooler in this shade."
Martina gingerly sat down at the edge of the shade, leaving at least three feet of space between her and Ace. Her employee noted the distance with a raised eyebrow, but didn't comment directly on it. Instead, Ace busied himself with opening his black lunchbox and pulling out a pile food.
"Another peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I should really get more creative in the mornings. What do you have?"
"Are you asking so you can take it?" Martina replied dryly, pulling out a Tupperware container filled with homemade enchiladas.
"I'm not in high school anymore. I'm not a bully who is going to steal your lunch money."
Ace's voice had an affected humor to it, as if he genuinely found the idea of him still being a bully funny. But underneath that, she could detect the smallest trace of embarrassment that stood out like an untuned guitar string. It was a small sign of growth on Ace's part, and it genuinely surprised Martina. She found herself relaxing a little bit in his presence.
Maybe this lunch won’t be too terrible.
"Yeah, this definitely isn't high school anymore," Martina agreed, popping the lid off her lunch and digging in. "The food is way better now."
"Speak for yourself! I'm not a gourmet chef over here. I'm still eating peanut butter like a twelve-year-old.” He jabbed a finger at her enchiladas. “Those look amazing, by the way. Did you make them yourself?"
"Yeah, I cook big batches of food on the weekend, then freeze separate portions. That way I have meals finished and ready to go for the entire week."
"That is ridiculously efficient. You’re like a cooking machine, but then I expected nothing less from you."
Martina looked up, expecting to see malice on Ace's face. Instead she was met with a friendly openness that was almost worse. When Ace smiled like that at her, it was strangely hard to remember why she hated the guy. He was all charm and sexy smiles when he wanted to be.
Ace continued on smoothly, covering up the awkward silence that had stretched between them. "Do you remember Mrs. Cox?"
"How could I forget? The name that launched a thousand jokes. She was a brave woman, teaching biology to bunch of hormonal teenagers with that name. The days where we talked about reproduction were especially bad."
"I remember them being some of the best days," Ace said, smirking roguishly. "Biology was one of the only classes I enjoyed. You must have felt the same way, because I remember you giving some very impassioned speeches about animal conservation and ecology whenever the subjects came up."
It was another statement that Martina expected to be laced with a taunting cruelty, but instead appeared to be just an assertion of fact.
"Well, it was an issue I cared, and still care, a lot about. All those speeches in class led me here, after all, running my dream sanctuary! On the other hand, what I remember about you from class is you throwing spitballs at me whenever I talked." She gave him a pointed look, letting him know she wasn’t going to let him off the hook for his dickish behavior.
Ace’s face fell. "I was an asshole."
Martina nodded and stuffed the last enchilada into her mouth. Ace squirmed in front of her while she took her time chewing. Only when she had finished swallowing did she finally answer. "I survived."
Another awkward silence stretched out between them, and Ace began to fidget with his shoelaces. Martina tidied up her lunch supplies and prepared to get back to the cart. She had work to do, and having confusing conversations with Ace wasn't on the itinerary.
"Wait," Ace said just as she began to go.
Martina frowned and sat back down. "What?"
"I am really, really sorry for being a jerk in school. I know it doesn't make up for anything, but I wanted you to at least know that I regret being an asshole. That's the first time I've apologized to anyone in years, by the way."
Martina tried to get her mouth to work. On the one hand, she was getting an apology that she never thought she'd receive, and that was gratifying. On the other, Ace was kind of making it seem like a favor instead of being genuine. Could she really trust him?
"I…thanks, I guess?" she managed to stutter out at last.
He gave her another wide smile that made her stomach flip. "Your talks were pretty interesting, actually. I liked hearing about the animals. It was a thousand times better than learning about the structure of cell for the fourth year a row."
&nbs
p; "The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell," Martina said without thinking, copying Mrs. Cox's voice.
Ace cracked up, his handsome face becoming bright with an inner light. Martina was transfixed by how handsome he looked when he let his guard down, allowing something besides angst to color his expressions. He was dangerously attractive and her head felt like it was spinning all of a sudden.
"That's a pretty damn good impression there," he said, looking genuinely surprised that she could be funny.
"Secret talent," Martina replied, smiling slightly to herself. "One of many secret talents, actually. However, now I've got to actually get back to work, and so do you."
Ace nodded and stood up, brushing the dirt off his pants. "Those holes won't dig themselves, I guess. Thanks for chatting with me though, this was fun."
She blushed and nodded, but didn’t reply. Instead, they separated silently, with Martina walking back to the golf cart and Ace wandering slowly to the fence. After sliding into the driver seat, Martina spent a second staring at Ace. The man's broad shoulders rippled with muscle as he picked up the shovel as if it were as light as toothpick. He then stood for a moment, looking at the fence with his hip jutted out in contemplation. Martina couldn't see his face, but something about the way Ace stood screamed loneliness.
The soft spot in Martina's heart, which often led her into trouble, throbbed unexpectedly. Yes, Ace was a jerk, but he also had seemed to try extra hard to be polite that day. Maybe he was lonely – after all, he was twenty-years-old, trying to avoid jail, and didn't seem to have a close relationship with anyone besides other troublemakers.
Martina dithered for a second, and then let her conscience win. "Hey, Ace!" she called, gripping the steering wheel. Ace turned and cocked an eyebrow. It only made him look more handsomely roguish than normal. "Thanks for inviting me to sit with you. I enjoyed it."
A slow smile spread across Ace's face. It seemed genuine, as he flashed a neat row of perfectly white teeth. "Anytime, Mar Gal."
Martina rolled her eyes and started the cart. Mar Gal? That might be the lamest nickname she had ever received. However, it was definitely better than some of the terrible things she had been called in high school – The Ugly Duckling and Nerdy Werdy were some of the worst choices from that time period.
She drove along, passing pens of animals sleeping in the noon sun. Perhaps having a cheesy nickname was a small sign of endearment from Ace. She wasn't sure if that made her happy or not. She still felt like she should be mad at Ace for all the bullshit bullying and meanness he put her through. However, having a friendly face around the sanctuary was a lot nicer than the normal days of silence, she'd admit that.
Maybe it won't be so bad if we chat every once in a while at lunch, she thought as she pulled up to the house. Nothing serious, just a way to pass the time. And if he acts like a jerk for even one minute then I’ll kick him to the curb.
CHAPTER 7
A fter nearly a week of working at the Sanctuary, Ace arrived one morning to find his boss sitting despondently on the porch, her unruly hair even more frazzled than normal. Ace hopped out of his father’s car, then approached her cautiously. He had never spent much time around Martina's house, and he was surprised to see the woman sitting there in front of the door rather than making her normal rounds around the park.
"Hey," he called as he sauntered up. Martina raised a hand in greeting but her eyes stayed locked straight ahead. "Is everything ok?"
Martina nodded and sighed. "Sure."
Ace dug his hands into his pockets and shifted his weight uncertainly. "Ok, well, do you want me to start work on the fence? I'm making a lot of progress on it."
"Sure."
"Alright, then I'm going to load up the tools. I'll let you know when I'm ready to head out."
Ace cast a final questioning look at Martina before heading to the tool shed. He began pulling out the shovel and other tools he'd need for the day, then stacked them orderly into the golf cart. It was only halfway through that he paused to chuckle in surprise. Just a few days around Martina and he was already becoming a go-getter, eager to get out and start his day's work. He was doing chores without even being asked!
Wonders never cease, he thought, putting the final bucket into the cart.
"Hey, Martina. I'm ready to go. Do you want me to drive the cart out myself today?"
"Sure."
Ace sucked in a breath and chewed his bottom lip. Martina's voice sounded dead and flat, and her eyes continued to stare ahead with a creepy lifelessness. Ace knew he was probably the last person on earth that Martina would want comfort from, but he couldn't just walk away.
Ace wasn't sure what continued to propel him to try and befriend Martina. He wasn't exactly getting warm feedback from the slender young woman. Even after apologizing during their first lunch, Ace didn't feel any closer to gaining Martina's trust or forgiveness.
Normally, Ace would have just given up and chalked it up to another fuck up on his part. He would have then acted out and been the worst employee imaginable. However, for a reason he didn't fully understand, he had no urge to be his normal, petulant self. Maybe it was guilt. He had, after all, made Martina's life a living hell all through high school. Maybe it was pity. Martina didn't need any more shit in her life after what she'd been through. Or maybe it was the desire to get to know the type of woman who had been through hell and yet still spent all her time trying to make the world a better place.
Whatever the reason, Ace kept trying. He wanted to be close to her, to know more about her.
He walked over to the porch and sat down heavily next to Martina. She barely flinched, so Ace took that as a good start. It was better than being told off, that was for sure.
"So, what's happened?" he said softly, watching Martina's face in profile.
"I'm running out of funding," Martina managed to spit out at last, every word pulling from her painfully. "I've borrowed every single dollar I can and maxed out all my cards. I haven't been able to get the big grants I expected, and there aren't many other options left to get money."
"Well, shit," Ace responded, slouching a little as well.
"Yeah, it’s shit," Martina agreed, rubbing her hands over her delicate face. "Don't worry, I've got enough to keep running a few more months. Long enough for you to work off your probation. And I guess long enough to figure out what to do with the animals."
The final words seemed to break Martina, and she put her head down on her knees. She looked so sad and shrunken like that; Ace's heart broke. He had never loved anything like Martina loved those animals. And, though Ace thought of himself as a cold bastard, even he wanted the best for the bunch of innocent, fuzzy little creatures who lived in the sanctuary.
"It's going to be ok," he said, summoning up his bravado. "Something can be figured out. The animals will be able to stay here, where they belong."
"You sound so sure," Martina said, her voice muffled.
"Yeah, well, I've never seen a problem that Martina Fierro can't handle. You are the smartest person I know. Just give it some time, and you'll figure out a new way to get funding. Maybe you can get a city tourism grant or some shit?"
Martina perked up a bit at his words, and looked over for the first time. Her eyes were bloodshot and looked tired, but the smallest ghost of a smile hung on her lips. Ace's breath hitched a little when he saw it, feeling an overwhelming urge to press their mouths together, kissing away all of Martina's sadness.
Before he could move, however, Martina broke the spell. "Grants or some shit? That sounds very eloquent."
Ace rolled his eyes. "Are you making fun of me? You know I was never good at school or speeches like you were."
Martina shook her head. "Nah, I not making fun of you.” She paused and her smile got bigger. “Ok, maybe I am just a little. But thanks for trying to make me feel better. That's really nice of you."
He patted her shoulder, enjoying the way it felt to briefly touch her. "You know, you could always sell
your body for money if you get really desperate."
Martina sighed elaborately, but she was now having to hold back giggles. "I take it back. You aren't being nice at all!"
"Or maybe you just aren't accepting my wisdom. I'm giving you free, valuable life advice here," Ace teased, standing up. "So, are you going to drive me out to the fence?"
He put down his hand, offering it to Martina. The small woman paused and stared cautiously, then grasped it and allowed herself to be pulled up. Their contact was brief, but it sent a shiver down Ace's spine. His cock was stiffening in his pants, even from their brief touches; how did this girl drive him so crazy? He tried to play off his horniness by coughing and turning around quickly.
"I never thought you'd actually be excited to work," Martina said dryly, walking past and making her way to the golf cart.
"Yeah, well, I'm surprising." He walked behind her, making sure to adjust himself and the monster that was awakening in his pants.
* * *
Ace grunted as he slammed the shovel down into the dirt. Normally, hard work cleared his head. Any type of physical activity did – it was why he’d loved football in high school. Nothing had kept his mind off of his mother's death like flinging himself down the field, pummeling anyone who got in the way. Every mile that he ran, every time his lungs worked until they hurt, was a way to numb the pain.
However, it wasn't working that afternoon. He had been in a frenzy for hours, hauling dirt and cutting fences until his arms were screaming out, but he still didn't feel any better. If anything, his head seemed even more troubled than when he’d started.
Martina was going to lose the animal park.
Ace threw his shovel in the dirt in frustration, growling. He hated the idea of the sanctuary being shut. He had seen first-hand how wonderfully the animals were cared for, and how much of an improvement it brought to their lives. Just the day before, Martina had shown him pictures of what some of the creatures had looked like when they were first rescued. The wolves, pigs, and coyotes all had big sad eyes, sores on their bodies, and visible ribs. The sanctuary had changed everything for those beasts, and now every animal that lived there was happy and healthy. Ace didn't like thinking about what would happen to the animals if the park closed.