by Tia Siren
“Leslie, if the prospect of losing the farm bothered you so badly, you should have done something about it,” Ashley said in a voice so quiet that everyone had to stop talking to hear her.
Leslie’s jaw dropped. “What? I did do something. I called you!”
I had to stop myself from laughing. Leslie’s husband made damn good money. I had a feeling they could have helped Tanner out before he’d ended up getting so far behind on his mortgage. Leslie’s idea of helping was to call her little sister. I admit I’d been pissed at Ashley for stopping my deal, but I was also proud that she had managed to pull it off. My girl was a fighter.
I leaned close to Jasper’s ear. “Want to show me that rock collection?” I asked.
Ashley looked at me and gave a slight nod of approval, and I quickly left the dining room with Jasper in tow. I had a feeling those meatballs were going to be going airborne very soon. I wanted no part of a food fight. I did have some standards. But mostly I didn’t want Jasper having to hear it.
Behind us, I heard the shouting. Even the kids were shouting at each other, defending their parents. I was so glad Jasper had better manners than his cousins. Once again, I was thankful Ashley had done such a great job raising him.
“Guess they are all really mad, huh?” Jasper asked.
“Yes, they are. I think it’s best if we let them work it out.”
“How come Aunt Leslie doesn’t like you, Dad?”
I had no idea what to tell him. “It’s adult stuff. You don’t have to worry about it, kid. All that matters is that you and I like each other.”
“And Mom. And Grandpa,” he added.
I chuckled. “Yeah. I think they may like me, which is a good thing.”
We headed outside with Jasper leading the way.
“Grandpa said I can play out here since we don’t have any animals,” he said as we walked to the old barn at the back of the property.
The barn held many memories for me. It hadn’t been a barn for animals in all the time I remembered. Ashley and I used to sneak out here for a little privacy. For all I knew, it could very well be where Jasper was conceived.
I pulled open the heavy door. Jasper flipped the light switch on with practiced ease and led me to an empty stall he had transformed into a play area.
“Wow. You’ve been busy,” I told him, looking at the Hot Wheels collection scattered about.
He nodded. “Yep. I’m building a town for my cars. I come in here because Mom says I can’t be in the sun a lot.”
“Your mom is a smart lady.”
“Do you want to help me build the town?” he asked.
“Sure.”
I plopped down on the dirt, not worried about getting my jeans dirty. It had been a long time since I had played with cars. I loved that Jasper was so willing to invite me into his world. It meant a lot to me, and it was these moments I would cherish forever. Once again, a bit of regret creeped in as I thought about all the moments I had missed in his young life. I didn’t get to see his first smile or see him take his first steps. I had missed out on a lot, but I planned on making up for it now.
We played and talked for a while. He told me all about school and what the first grade would be like. He was expecting a lot of homework. I hoped he was wrong, but it had been a long time since I’d been in school. He asked about my job and wanted to know all about where I lived. I told him I would like to have him over one day, which seemed to make him happy.
I thought about telling him I was already planning a bedroom for him but figured I better wait until Ashley said he was ready for that big step. I agreed with her that baby steps were the way to go. At first, I had resisted, but now I could understand her reasoning. Jasper was mature for his age, but he had just gone through some pretty big changes in his life. I didn’t want to give my five-year-old any stress or anxiety, and I was willing to put my own desires aside. I guessed that was what being a parent was all about.
“There you guys are,” Ashley said, coming toward the stall. “I had a feeling you two would be hiding out here.”
Standing up, I walked out to meet her, leaving Jasper in the stall by himself.
I chuckled. “It seemed a lot safer than in there. Is the coast clear?” I asked in a low voice.
“Yes. Everyone has gone home.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “I didn’t think that was the best environment for him to be in. I don’t want him hearing things he shouldn’t.”
“You’re right. Thank you for getting him out of there. Can you believe those kids?”
“No problem. I am so glad our son didn’t jump into the fray like that. I can’t say I have a lot of experience with big family meals, but that seemed a bit of a circus.”
She laughed. “I promise you it didn’t used to be like that. I guess I was wrong to think we could go back to the old days. My sister said some things that were completely uncalled for. I can’t believe she said anything in front of the kids. I blame the wine. I should have never busted out the alcohol.”
“I didn’t want him to be guilty by association. Figured we’d hightail it out of there while the getting was good. I don’t see any blood or scratch marks, and there’s no food in your hair. I take it things calmed down a bit?”
She rolled her eyes. “There was a lot of yelling, but it didn’t come to blows. My dad kicked the kids into the living room while us adults misbehaved.”
“Smart man,” I replied.
“What a mess. I am so sorry that happened. It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for,” she joked.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I suppose I had it coming. I should have known better than to show my face around here. I swear your dad invited me, and he was very persistent.”
She smiled. “He tends to be a stubborn man and doesn’t take no for an answer. It isn’t your fault. It really isn’t any of her business what happens out here or who we have over. She had her chance to make it her business and she chose not to.”
“Do you think she’ll be mad forever?”
“Ha! I wouldn’t doubt it. The woman can hold a grudge, but don’t worry about it. I’m not.”
I hoped she was right. Jasper yawned, and Ashley checked her watch.
“How long have we been out here?” I asked.
“Almost two hours.”
“Wow! I didn’t even realize that much time had passed. It’s probably way past his bedtime.”
She nodded. “Kind of, but it’s summer so I’m not too worried. He can sleep in tomorrow.”
“I’ll take him,” I said, walking over and picking up the sleepy child.
I carried him inside, where Ashley put him to bed while I waited.
“Good night, Dad,” Jasper said in a sleepy voice.
“Good night, Son.”
The words were foreign on my lips, but I liked the way they felt.
I walked into the living room. Tanner stood up from where he had been relaxing in his big recliner.
“I’m really sorry about all that, Brock. I promise you, I taught my children better than that, but, well, sometimes they just don’t listen.”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
Tanner shook his head. “No, it isn’t okay. I’ve forgiven you, and they should too. Ashley was right when she said it was none of their business. It isn’t. Between her and myself, we are going to get this place back in shape. I hope the others will help out and support us, but if they choose not to, that’s their decision. Don’t let them scare you off.”
“Thanks, Tanner, and I won’t. I may give it some time though before I show up to any more family dinners. I think it’s safer for all of us,” I joked.
He chuckled. “You may be right about that. Take care of yourself and have a safe trip home.”
I said my good-byes and headed out the door. The night hadn’t gone great, but it had gone as expected. At least I’d gotten some time alone with Jasper. I’d say the night was a success.
Chapter 29
Ashley
I never felt more alive than I did when I had a camera in my hand. I was alone and in the great outdoors with no one nearby. It was just me, God, and the trees. And my favorite Nikon. The weight of the camera in my hands was familiar and comforting. It helped wash away the stress of the last few weeks.
When Janna had called this morning and asked if I was interested in a job, I had jumped at the chance. The client wanted some natural shots of farmland. I was surrounded by farms backed up by hills and mountains. There were some of the most stunning landscapes a person would ever see. I couldn’t wait to share them with the world, and it certainly didn’t hurt that I was going to get paid for it. I knew, without a doubt, these pictures would sell. There was no way the client would pass them up. Plus, I could market them on the website Janna was building for me.
It was a little different than what I was used to, but I liked the idea of working when I wanted to. I could take pictures as I saw them and people could buy when they wanted. It was a little risky, but I had to try. There was always a risk with anything new.
Jasper was spending the morning with his grandpa. Dad had seemed to turn the corner. He was getting his energy back and was eating and sleeping better. I felt completely comfortable leaving the two of them alone. Jasper was fairly self-sufficient and could take care of himself if Grandpa needed a short nap in his chair after working the farm.
I had finally managed to get a couple guys out to help with the bean harvest. They would be coming back the following week to help with the tomatoes and then the corn. Jasper insisted on helping, and of course Dad wanted to assist. I made him promise to take it easy and not stay in the field too long. The fact that he was out there at all was amazing, and I was so happy to see a spark of interest in the farm in his eyes.
I walked along the creek bed, dropping to my knees on occasion to take pictures from a lower angle. I took hundreds of pictures, knowing only a quarter or less of them would be worth posting and selling.
It was close to noon by the time I made my way back to the truck and headed home. When I pulled up in front of the house, I noticed Brock’s truck right away. He hadn’t mentioned he was coming by to see Jasper. I figured he would have kept his distance after dinner last night.
“Hey,” I said when he came out onto the porch.
“Hi. Get some good pictures?” he asked.
“I did. It is so beautiful here. I found this gorgeous stream surrounded by tall grass and trees.”
He was smiling as I talked. “It is very pretty around here.”
“I’m going to go get these on my computer to see if I need to get more. It’s supposed to rain tomorrow. This is my only day to shoot,” I said, climbing the steps up the porch.
“Oh,” he said, looking a little disappointed.
“Why? What’s up? What brings you out here?” I asked.
“I was wondering if you would like a job.”
I laughed. “Have you already fired Anna?”
“No. Not that kind of a job. A photography job.”
“You want me to take pictures?”
He nodded.
“Of what?”
“Land. I have a property I’m going to be selling. I need pictures that really sell the place,” he said.
I assumed it was a favor and reluctantly agreed.
“It pays five hundred dollars,” he added.
“What?” I asked, stunned by the number. “How many pictures do you need?”
He shrugged. “It’s about a hundred acres. There are some heavily wooded areas and a stream that cuts through the area. I don’t know how many pictures. I assumed I would leave that to you. The only request is you photograph the natural beauty of the property. The idea is for someone to see their dream home on the land.”
I nodded. “Got it. I can do that. When?”
He grimaced. “I was hoping for now?”
“Can it wait, like, ten minutes while I review these pictures real quick?”
“Oh, yeah, that’s fine. If you don’t mind, can I see the pictures you took?”
I shrugged. “Sure. They may seem boring to you since you see this scenery every day, but to people that live in the city or other climates, it’s beautiful.”
“I think it is beautiful. I could never get tired of looking at the trees.”
“Good. I’ll grab my laptop. How about you pour us a couple glasses of lemonade and I’ll meet you at the kitchen table.”
We walked in the house and checked on Dad and Jasper. They looked beat. Even Jasper was mellow.
“Hey, guys!” I greeted them. “I need to download these pictures and then Brock has a photography job for me. Dad, are you okay to watch Jasper?” I realized I had no idea where this property was. I turned to Brock. “What time do you think we’ll be back?”
“It should only take about an hour,” he said.
“Of course I can. I think it’s more like he watches me anyway.” Dad winked, smiling at Jasper.
Jasper puffed up with pride. “Yep. I take good care of my grandpa.”
“Perfect. I’m going to grab my laptop,” I said, leaving the men in the room. At least I knew it was safe to leave the three of them alone. I didn’t have to worry about any fighting.
Brock was in the kitchen when I returned. He looked right at home, pouring a couple glasses of lemonade for us and then pouring two more for Jasper and Dad. It was such a normal thing to do. It seemed comfortable. I sat down and opened the laptop before ejecting the memory card from the camera.
“I’m excited to see your work,” Brock said, coming back into the kitchen. “It’s like meeting a celebrity.”
I laughed as he pulled his chair around the table and sat next to me so he could see the laptop screen.
“Don’t get too excited yet. It’s been a long time since I shot landscape. For so long, I’ve been in a studio or working on sets that have been perfectly staged. This is all very raw. The sun can be a fickle beast,” I said.
He shrugged. “I take pictures with my cell phone. That’s the extent of my photography. I’m pretty sure these photos are going to be great by my standards.”
Once all the pictures were downloaded, I opened the file.
“Wow!” Brock exclaimed when I pulled up the first picture.
I studied it and was not impressed. It was not a great picture. It was good, but it wouldn’t make me a thousand dollars. I clicked to the next one, which was similar but taken at a slightly different angle.
“Ash, these are amazing,” Brock said, leaning closer to the laptop.
I laughed. “You should see my work that has made me some money. I’m glad you like these, but I’m not seeing the wow factor. Not yet. Hopefully I have something in here or I’m going to need to try again.”
He was shaking his head. “I would buy this. Who wouldn’t buy this?”
“You’re very sweet. The trick is finding the picture that hasn’t already been taken a million times. There needs to be something that grabs the eye.”
I continued to scroll through the pictures. Brock made sounds of approval as each one popped up.
“There! That’s the one,” I said, excited to have finally found one that was worthy of submitting.
He looked at me, back at the picture, and then leaned over, studying it. “How is that one different than any of the rest?”
“What’s the first thing you saw when you looked at the picture?” I asked.
He shrugged and shook his head. “The water?”
“Okay, and what is it about the water that caught your eye?”
“That rock and the way the water rippled out in perfect circles.”
I smiled. “Exactly. There is something unique about the picture. The scenery and background are gorgeous, but there needs to be something that draws you into the picture.”
Before I knew what he was doing, he leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.
“You’re absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to show you thi
s land. I know you are going to sell it with your pictures. You are going to capture the essence of the land and make people want to build their homes out there,” he said.
I nodded, still stunned by the kiss.
“Okay. Let me get through the rest of these and then I’m going to send them to Janna. It should only take a couple minutes and then we can go.”
He smiled. “Take your time. I could look at your pictures all day.”
That made me laugh. “If you did that, we’d never get the land sold and you’d be yelling at me for ruining another one of your big land deals,” I teased.
“That is true. I can’t afford to lose another one.”
We finished browsing the rest of the pictures in the file. Brock insisted I send along a couple that I didn’t feel were all that great. He said he knew a good picture when he saw one. I sent the photos just to satisfy him.
“Let me grab my bag with my other lenses and we can go,” I said, heading for my room.
I needed to put some distance between us. Ever since the kiss, my heart had been beating wildly. Sitting in such close proximity to him and inhaling his cologne was making me a little crazy. If my son and father hadn’t been in the living room, I probably would have climbed on top of him and let him fuck me right there on the kitchen table.
I stopped to splash cool water on the back of my neck and my face. I felt flushed, and it had nothing to do with the heat. It was him. He was making me hot and very bothered. I secretly wished I was dressed a little better, but I hadn’t expected to see anyone, and especially not him. I couldn’t change now. That would be too obvious. We were developing an actual friendship and I didn’t want to risk that for another quickie.
I took a few deep breaths and declared myself ready to go with the man who was making me a little wet and sticky.
“Okay, guys, we’re leaving. Stay inside until I get back,” I ordered them both. “It’s hot out there and you two have spent enough time outside today. Drink water and stay cool.”