Intent

by A. D. Justice

  “What are you doing, little girl?” Layne asks River playfully as she tweaks her nose.

  “Coming to see you.” River replies with a smile and wraps her arms around Layne’s neck.

  “Are you supposed to jump into the water alone?” Layne asks her.

  “No…” She draws the word out. “But you’re here.”

  Layne throws her head back and laughs. “Yes, I am. Don’t do that if I’m not in the water waiting for you, okay?”

  “Okay.” River nods excitedly. I’m sure she’s already picturing swim dates with Layne.

  “Can we start over?” I ask softly as I step closer. Layne looks up at me, uncertainty swimming in her eyes. “I’m Ace Sharp. It’s nice to meet you.” I extend my hand to shake hers.

  “Layne Elliott,” she replies, but she doesn’t say it’s nice to meet me. She finally takes my hand and gives it a single shake. She tries to pull her hand away but I hold it.

  “Welcome to Oak Grove, Layne Elliott. Will you be staying long?”

  Her eyes narrow and her lips form a thin line, but her gaze never wavers from mine. She doesn’t appear to back down from a challenge of any kind. “I’ll be here through the end of summer.”

  “Where’s home?” I ask, still holding her hand.

  She takes a deep breath and raises her chin as she contemplates her reply. “Somewhere far from here.” She pulls her hand back and I reluctantly release it.

  “How about I cook dinner tonight for you? As a welcome to the neighborhood and thank you for saving my daughter’s life?” I offer.

  “No, thank—” she starts but River interjects.

  “Yeah! Come over, Waynie. Pwease. For me.”

  An odd look crosses Layne’s face, but she quickly covers it with a smile. “You’re spoiled,” she says lovingly to River. “For you, I will.”

  “Yay!” River squeals and tries to jump out of Layne’s arms. Layne gets her to the bank just in time for River to take off running across the grass.

  “Ah, to have the energy of an almost-four-year-old again,” I chuckle.

  “We’d never have to work again if we could bottle it and sell it,” Layne quips.

  “Ace, now that you’re all set, I’ll be on my way,” Rose announces. “It’s good to see you again, Layne.”

  “You, too, Rose,” she calls back.

  When Rose is in her car, I turn back to Layne and extend my arm. “Need some help out of the water?”

  Her eyes drop to my outstretched hand, but she doesn’t take it. When she meets my gaze again, I’m sure she’s going to find an excuse to get out of dinner tonight. She doesn’t trust me and she’s not sure she wants to be in my company, but she feels obligated to River. I can see it in her eyes and read it in her body posture.

  “I can get out of the water on my own,” she replies. “I’ll have to get cleaned up and change clothes first anyway.”

  She turns her back to walk back across the river away from me. “Be careful on those slick rocks.”

  “Yeah, I found that out the hard way,” she laughs.

  When she reaches the bank on the other side, I feel the need to make a connection with her one more time. “Layne.”

  She turns her head and looks at me over her shoulder. “Yes?”

  “Don’t stand us up. Dinner will be ready in an hour. We’ll be waiting for you.”

  She clenches her jaw, no doubt biting her tongue from being told what to do. She tilts her head slightly and gives me a single nod of agreement before she turns and walks back to her cabin. I snatch River up from where she’s playing in the grass, toss her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and enjoy her squeals of laughter as I walk back to the truck with her.

  “What is wrong with my potatoes?” I ask, exaggerating my frustration. “They’re not supposed to move around like this. I’d better take them back to the store for a refund.”

  “Daddy!” she giggles. “It’s me, not taters!”

  “What?” I ask, faking surprise. “What are you doing in my sack of potatoes?”

  “I’m not!” She laughs at our game, and I put her in the front seat beside me.

  “Sit down beside me, baby. You can ride right here since we’re in the driveway.”

  River snuggles up to my side and I wrap my arm around her. If I’d lost her today, I’d have no reason for living at all. Layne Elliott saved my baby’s life, and I owe her a lot more than a dinner for that. She’s earned my respect for life.

  “Are you going to help me make dinner for Layne?” I ask River.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she chants. “I’ll help, Daddy.”

  “That’s my good girl.” I smile in response and tousle her hair.

  Chapter Five

  Layne

  “This is ridiculous,” I groan. “I’m only going for dinner because River asked me to.”

  I pace back and forth in front of the full-length mirror in the enormous master bedroom. After choosing a simple, summer T-shirt dress, I showered and got dressed, all the while trying to convince myself to just go and get it over with. Now that I have exactly seven minutes before the hour he gave me is up, I’ve changed my mind.

  I don’t want to go.

  The cabin landline phone rings and I pick it up hesitantly.

  “Hello?”

  “You have six-and-a-half minutes until dinner is ready. Come on over,” the sexy, deeply male voice commands.

  Ace Sharp. Fucking Ace Sharp.

  “I’m not so sure—”

  “River is mixing the salad for us now. She’s excited to have company.”

  Mentally sighing, I fortify my nerves and agree to his demands. “Using your daughter is coercion, you know.”

  “Is it working?” he asks lightheartedly.

  “It is,” I admit.

  “Then it’s an effective tactic. Get your ass over here and have dinner with us.” He chuckles and hangs up the phone.

  I can’t help but laugh, too, as I hang up the receiver and start my walk over to his house. It’ll probably take longer than the six-and-a-half minutes he insisted on, but it won’t hurt him to wait a few extra minutes for my arrival. It’s just an added bonus for me that it’ll make him wonder if I’ll actually show up or not. Can’t let him think he gives the orders and I jump, especially after what an ass he’s been to me.

  When I first saw him walking across the field toward me, I actually did the fabled double take. The first thing I noticed was the way his masculine, take-charge gait commanded everything else to move out of his path. His muscular arms swung easily at his sides. His steps were sure and steady under his thick thighs. As he neared, I noticed how his T-shirt, wet with sweat and streaked with dirt, clung to his chest and broad shoulders. When he reached me, I realized the state of his clothes was the result of hard work rather than that of an unkempt man. The subtle undertones of his clean, masculine scent were obvious.

  His beard had a slight fade to it, enhancing his looks even more. Judging from his tan skin, the natural blond highlights in his light brown hair were no doubt from the time he spent out in the sun. The anger and irritation were clear in his smooth, Southern drawl when he spoke, but it was the depth of his emerald green eyes that told me the truth. The rough exterior, the bristle in his words, and his gruff tone were all an attempt to hide a deep pain. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, his left no doubt he was still reeling from something.

  All the more reason why having dinner with him and River is a one-time deal. I can’t help him with his issues when I can barely help myself. My thoughts return to that day with Bobby and Cyndi, and my mood automatically darkens. I’m convinced I’ve conjured the devil himself when my cell phone rings and Bobby’s picture displays on the screen. My feet halt in place and I stop myself just in time from throwing my phone against the nearest tree. After I decline the call, I open his contact information and block him completely from calling or texting me.

  There’s nothing he can say that I’d want to hear now.
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  My feet move a little slower and my step has a little less spring in it as I approach Ace’s door. Before I can knock on it, the door swings open widely and an energetic little green-eyed girl flies out at me. She must have been born with springs in her feet judging by how high she can jump. My arms catch her just in time as she plasters her little body against mine and her little arms wrap around my neck. Exactly like my heart wraps around her little pinkie finger.

  “I have toys in my room. Do you want to come play with me? You can be Sparkly Susan and I’ll be Dazzling Diva. Then we can play dress-up. I have lots of pretend clothes.” She rambles on rapidly while I concentrate on deciphering her words. Every “l” sounds like a “w” in her sweet voice.

  “River, take a breath,” Ace chuckles from the foyer. “Are you going to let Layne come in the house?”

  River laughs, just now realizing that we’re still on the front porch. “Of course, Daddy. Let’s go inside, Waynie.” Without removing her arms from my neck, she uses them to tug on me, leans her body toward the house, and wills me to walk inside.

  Her adorable antics leave me no choice but to smile and walk into the house with her still attached to me.

  “You can put her down if you want.” Ace smiles warmly.

  “No!” River objects and squeezes her arms and legs around me even tighter.

  “I think maybe I’ll just hold her for a little longer,” I reply jokingly.

  “We thought for a minute there we’d have to come over and get you.” Ace slightly arches a single eyebrow. The shadow of a veiled threat lies in his statement, but so does an unspoken question. Were you thinking of standing us up?

  “I received a phone call on the way over here,” I reply vaguely and leave it at that. He doesn’t need to know the details…like the fact I didn’t actually take the call.

  He nods in understanding. “We’re glad you’re here now. Are you hungry?”

  “Actually, I am. I’m sorry I didn’t bring anything, though. When I went to the store earlier, I only got the bare minimum for me.”

  “This is completely my treat. All I wanted you to bring was yourself. We got the rest. Come on in the kitchen. Everything’s ready.”

  “I made the salad,” River brags.

  “I can’t wait to have some. I’m sure it’s delicious,” I reply.

  “Yep. It is,” she confirms confidently.

  “I’m afraid I need to work on her self-esteem. It appears to be lacking,” Ace deadpans.

  “She seems very shy and timid, too.”

  “She gets that from her daddy.”

  With that remark, I bark out a laugh that’s a little louder than I intended. “Oh, sorry.”

  The gleam in his eye is playful and it feels like we’ve turned a small corner. We’re not quite friends yet, but we’re not enemies either. We walk into the kitchen and I finally put River down in her seat. The food is ready and the table has been set, everything is prepared and waiting for us. As I take my seat beside River, I tamp down the urge to compare everything to Bobby’s presentation and cooking skills. Ace sits across from me and inclines his head toward the table.

  “Help yourself. Don’t be shy.”

  Ace picks up River’s plate and begins portioning the food onto it, knowing exactly what she likes and doesn’t like.

  I don’t think about how this meal feels simultaneously more intimate and more like home than any meal I ever shared with Bobby.

  River tries to refuse taking any vegetables by attempting to coerce Ace with her charms. Ace nods slowly at her attempts as he considers her protests, but after just a few words from him that threaten access to her favorite toy, River quickly relents.

  I don’t think about what a good father Ace is, how attentive he is to his daughter’s well-being, and how much she obviously adores him.

  “Waynie, you should spend the night. I never had a sleepover before.”

  “That sounds like a lot of fun,” I stall. “But since I just got here today, I’m not even unpacked yet. Maybe we can do it at my place one night this summer and give your daddy a break.”

  “Maybe.” She scrunches her little brow and purses her lips as she considers my idea. “But I want Daddy to play with us, too.”

  “Don’t worry about it right now, precious. We’ll figure it out later. You need to finish eating first,” Ace interjects and points toward her plate.

  I don’t think about all these beautiful moments others take for granted but are just out of my reach.

  “Everything smells so delicious.” The combination of the aromas makes my mouth water and I begin loading food onto my plate. The grilled chicken is covered in barbecue sauce. The baked potatoes are still steaming hot. The corn on the cob is slathered with butter and it’s dripping down the sides. And, of course, the salad looks too perfect to eat. “I hope you didn’t go to all this trouble for me.”

  “Honestly, it’s no trouble at all. I cook for River and me anyway. Adding one more person to the mix is just icing on the cake.”

  Ace’s smile is full of so much warmth it makes me question if this is the same man I met in the field earlier today. That man was gruff, rude, and condescending. The man sitting here now is definitely still in charge, but with a charming twist that is very unexpected. In the back of my mind, I can’t help but question the sudden change in demeanor.

  “Even so, I really do appreciate your hospitality.”

  “Layne, there is something I need to say to you.” Ace puts his fork down and looks me directly in the eye. “My behavior earlier today was completely uncalled for, and I’d like to apologize for that. You caught me off guard when I saw you in the pasture with the horses. Some of them are afraid of people and could be dangerous under the wrong conditions. But I was just rude, and you didn’t deserve that.”

  “Apology accepted.” I swallow past the lump in my throat, unable to resist the automatic comparison between Ace and Bobby that pops in my head. Bobby never would’ve admitted his fault so easily. “Are those your horses?”

  “Not exactly—not the way you’re thinking, anyway.” He cocks his head to the side and the muscles around the edge of one eye tighten. My eyes inadvertently follow his lips as he pulls one side up and considers how best to finish his explanation. “My best friend, Justin, and I own an equine rehabilitation facility. Those horses are part of our program.”

  “That sounds very interesting. I’d love to learn more about what you do there.” My instant mortification sets in when I realize how I just blurted that out without even thinking. I don’t know the first thing about rehabilitating a horse. “So, what was wrong with the horse I was petting?”

  “That was Frankie,” Ace replies. “Frankie is one of our rescue horses. He was in a very abusive environment—physical abuse, neglect, and starvation. When we first got him, he didn’t trust any human. Not that I blame him. But it took a long time with just him and me in the round pen, with hay and sweet feed in my hands, before I could even get close to him.

  “So, you can imagine my surprise when I walked through the pasture to get him today, fully expecting to spend half an hour chasing his ass around, but instead, I find you petting him. By the way, how’d you get so close to him? What’d you bribe him with?”

  “He came up to me while I was sitting on that boulder by the water. I didn’t offer him anything.”

  This really does catch Ace’s attention. Again, he puts his fork down, but this time, he leans back in his chair. His wrist is propped on the table by his plate and the other hand is on his hip. His eyes are wide and his lips slightly parted. “He came up to you? You didn’t call him or anything?”

  “Actually, he surprised me because I didn’t hear him walk up behind me. He put his muzzle on my arm. I jumped at first but then I stood and started petting him.”

  Ace’s bottom jaw drops to his lap. He’s still looking at me disbelievingly, so I keep explaining.

  “When I started walking away, he followed me and stayed right w
ith me. I thought he just wanted more attention, so I stopped walking, put my stuff down, and told him I’d pet him as long as he’d let me.” I chuckle and shake my head, remembering how I’d spoken to the horse. But in my defense, he seemed to understand me. “That’s when you walked up.”

  “Why’d you laugh just now?” Ace asks as he leans toward me and puts both elbows on the table.

  “Oh, I was just thinking about how silly you must think it is that I talked to the horse.” I shrug one shoulder dismissively but turn my face away from his penetrating green eyes.

  Calloused fingers, rough from years of hard work, touch my chin tenderly and turn my face back to his. “It’s not silly at all, Layne. It’s just the opposite, actually. It makes perfect sense, and just that little bit of information you shared helps me tremendously.”

  “Then I’m glad my trespassing on your property turned out to be helpful.” I smile teasingly. “Maybe I’ll vandalize your barn tomorrow and give you another revelation.”

  My poor attempt at a joke at least earns a real laugh from Ace. “I have a better idea. Why don’t you just come by the barn one day in the next couple of weeks? There are a couple of other horses I’d like you to meet, see if you get a similar reaction or if Frankie is just special.”

  “Sure,” I agree a little too quickly. “That sounds like fun.”

  “Waynie, you should take me, too,” River suggests.

  “River, try your l-sounds again. La-la-la.” He exaggerates the sound, and they go back and forth until the “wa” is replaced with “la.” “Try her name again. La-la-laaaaaayne.”

  “Layne,” River pronounces proudly. “Layne. Layne. Layne.”

  “That’s good, baby. I knew you could do it.” Ace praises her and her eyes light up. He hangs the moon and the stars for her.