Up The Ante

by Trebelhorn, PJ

  “It can wait until later.” She rested her forearms on her knees and clasped her hands together. She really wanted to go after her, but this didn’t seem like the right time. She needed to be with Matt for now.

  “Like hell it can. At least call her. That way she won’t spend the next few days wondering how you’ll answer her question.”

  Jordan sat up straight and looked at him, not believing what she’d just heard. “Did she call you?”

  “She came by here after she left you at the hotel to let me know what happened and to thank me for trying to help. You can be so damn stubborn sometimes, Jordan. Call the woman. Tell her you love her.” Matt laughed as she sat there staring at him in disbelief. “And shut your mouth. You’ll end up swallowing a fly.”

  Jordan waited a few more minutes until the doctor came by, then she left Matt to fill out the forms they needed and to make arrangements for their mother’s body to be picked up by a funeral home. Jordan hurried outside to call Ash, hoping it wasn’t too late.

  “Jordan?” Ash said when she answered the phone.

  “My mother died about thirty minutes ago.”

  “Oh, Jordan, I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”

  “I’m okay.” Jordan said, feeling at peace again. “Are you still driving?”

  “Yes, I’m almost home.”

  “If I leave first thing in the morning, I can be there by noon.” Jordan hesitated. When Ash didn’t say anything, she started to worry. “That is if you want me there.”

  “That depends. Do you have an answer to my question?”

  “Yes. No.” Jordan sighed in frustration and raked her fingers through her hair. “I mean yes, I have an answer, and the answer is no. I would not have left you when I was diagnosed.”

  “So what does that mean for us?”

  “I love you, Ash. I always have, and I always will. I want to give us a chance if you’re still willing.” Jordan held her breath as she waited for a response.

  “Of course I am,” Ash said, sounding relieved.

  Jordan felt as though her heart might burst from joy. She didn’t trust herself to talk at the moment because she was sure she was going to cry.

  “Jordan, are you there?”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  “Trixie and I will both be waiting for you.”

  Jordan disconnected and let out a relieved sigh.

  “Everything okay?” Matt asked from behind her.

  “Everything’s perfect,” she answered as she turned to face him. “You done here?”

  “Yeah. Let’s get something to eat.”

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Jordan made it to Henderson in just under three and a half hours. Her heart was pounding as she walked up to Ash’s door at eleven thirty. She hesitated before she reached out and pushed the doorbell. She knew it was only a few seconds, but it seemed like an eternity before Ash opened the door and threw her arms around her, causing her to drop her duffel bag. Jordan didn’t care though. Her arms went around Ash’s waist and she held her close.

  “I never want to spend another night without you,” Ash said into her ear. “I hate not having you in the bed with me when I wake up.”

  “Me too,” Jordan said. This feeling was more amazing than she thought it would be. The feeling of being loved by the person she loved. One-night stands had nothing on a committed relationship. At least that’s what Jordan was hoping they were going to have. They’d need to have a talk about what was expected.

  Ash pulled her inside and closed the doors from any prying neighbor’s eyes. She motioned for Jordan to follow her to the kitchen, but Jordan had other ideas. She grasped her wrist and pulled her back to kiss her.

  Ash’s hands moved slowly up her arms until they reached her shoulders, then her arms went around Jordan’s neck. Jordan’s hands found the hem of Ash’s T-shirt and started to pull it up over her head, but Ash broke their kiss and shook her head.

  “There’s plenty of time for that, lover,” she said. Jordan grinned. “I’m guessing you left in such a hurry this morning you didn’t eat anything, am I right?”

  “Yes,” she said sheepishly before following her into the kitchen. “But you never have any food here.”

  “After you called last night, before I came home, I went to the grocery store. There’s so much food here, we probably wouldn’t have to leave for days. Months, maybe.” Ash looked proud of herself, and Jordan laughed.

  Jordan came up behind her and slipped her arms around Ash’s waist before pulling her back against her body and holding onto her tightly. Ash’s hands covered hers and she leaned her head back against Jordan’s shoulder.

  “What if I want waffles and sausage?”

  “Got it.”

  “Pancakes and bacon?”

  “Check.”

  “A Southwestern omelet and buttermilk biscuits?”

  “Yep, and I even got English muffins, ham, and everything you need to make hollandaise sauce so you can have eggs Benedict.” Ash turned in her arms and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I’m pretty sure I thought of everything. Of course we’ll be eating breakfast three times a day for the foreseeable future.”

  “That sounds wonderful to me.” Jordan pressed her lips to Ash’s jaw before moving her lips to her ear. “And you feel wonderful to me. Life is wonderful.”

  “We’re really doing this, aren’t we?”

  “God, I hope so,” Jordan said. She closed her eyes and breathed in the intoxicating scent that was uniquely Ash. The mixture of strawberry and sunshine with a hint of musk. “Let’s go upstairs, baby.”

  “So, how is this going to work?”

  Jordan took a step back and raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure you aren’t referring to sex, because I happen to know for a fact you’re quite good at it.”

  Ash swatted her playfully on the butt before heading to the living room.

  “I’ve elected you head chef, but we need to talk before we can eat. There are some things we need to figure out.”

  “Okay, I sleep on the left side of the bed,” Jordan said with a grin. They sat side by side on the couch and Ash leaned into her when she put an arm around her shoulders.

  “I already know that. I was thinking about more serious things. Like do you want me to move to Philadelphia?”

  The breath caught in Jordan’s throat. Just the fact Ash would even suggest it spoke volumes about how much she loved her. She slowly ran her fingers through Ash’s hair as she tried to gather her thoughts.

  “It means the world to me for you to even consider that,” she said after a moment. “But I don’t want you to have to uproot your life again. I can move out here.”

  “Are you sure?” Ash pulled away and turned on the couch to face her. She held onto Jordan’s hands as she spoke. “I would never ask you to do that.”

  “You didn’t ask. I offered. And let’s consider this rationally for a minute. You have a job you like,” Jordan said, holding up a finger for each point she was making. “You have friends you consider family. I’d be closer to my brother. I proved I can hang with the big dogs in a poker tournament, and what better place for a poker player to live than Las Vegas? That’s four things just off the top of my head in favor of us living here.”

  “And what about Philadelphia?”

  “I can’t think of a single reason to live there. If I hadn’t transferred to the field office there I never would have moved to the East Coast.”

  “But you have a neurologist there. Are you sure you want to have to find a new one?”

  “I don’t care. They can transfer records. I’m sure there are some fine doctors out here. I assume Maria likes her doctor?”

  “She can’t say enough good things about him.”

  “Well then, there you go. I think it’s settled.” Trixie jumped up into her lap then and curled up into a ball. “Trixie doesn’t want to move either, so if you don’t mind having another person invade your space, I think we’re going to live here.”
/>
  “Cool,” Ash said before turning serious. “I’m really sorry about your mom. I know you weren’t close, but I’d think it would still have to be hard.”

  “It is a little tough,” Jordan said. She told Ash the things her mother said to her before she died. It all seemed so surreal to Jordan that she might have actually had some semblance of a relationship with her mother if she’d been able to pull through.

  “When do you have to go back to Arizona for the funeral? I might be able to get a couple days off to go with you if you want.”

  “Matt’s having her cremated and decided against a funeral. Honestly, she didn’t have any friends, so Matt and I would probably be the only people to show up. He’s taking her ashes back to Phoenix with him.”

  Ash nodded. Jordan wasn’t sure if she truly understood how difficult it would be for Matt if no one showed up to pay their respects. Jordan had been the one to suggest cremation, and he had readily agreed it would be best.

  “I want us to be exclusive, Jordan,” Ash said after a few moments. “Is that a problem?”

  “I don’t like to share, so it works for me.” Jordan was relieved and she was sure it was obvious. Ash leaned forward and kissed her. She tried to pull away again but Jordan grasped her shoulders and held in place. “I love you, Ash, and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you every day exactly how much.”

  Jordan sunk into the cushions of the couch when Ash straddled her lap, causing Trixie to jump down and meow indignantly.

  “You can start showing me now.”

  Jordan smiled. She was hungry, but food could wait until later.

  About the Author

  PJ Trebelhorn was born and raised in the greater metropolitan area of Portland, Oregon. Her love of sports—mainly baseball and ice hockey—was fueled in part by her father’s interests. She likes to brag about the fact that her uncle managed the Milwaukee Brewers for five years, and the Chicago Cubs for one year.

  PJ now resides in western New York with her wife, Cheryl, their four cats and one very neurotic dog. When not writing or reading, PJ enjoys watching movies, playing on the Playstation, and spending way too much time with stupid games on Facebook. She still roots for the Flyers, Phillies, and Eagles, even though she’s now in Sabres and Bills territory.

  Other PJ Trebelhorn Titles Available Via Amazon

  Other Bold Strokes Books You Might Also Like

  Books Available from Bold Strokes Books

  One Last Thing by Kim Baldwin & Xenia Alexiou. Blood is thicker than pride. The final book in the Elite Operative Series brings together foes, family, and friends to start a new order. (978-1-62639-230-4)

  Songs Unfinished by Holly Stratimore. Two aspiring rock stars learn that falling in love while pursuing their dreams can be harmonious—if they can only keep their pasts from throwing them out of tune. (978-1-62639-231-1)

  Beyond the Ridge by L.T. Marie. Will a contractor and a horse rancher overcome their family differences and find common ground to build a life together? (978-1-62639-232-8)

  Swordfish by Andrea Bramhall. Four women battle the demons from their pasts. Will they learn to let go, or will happiness be forever beyond their grasp? (978-1-62639-233-5)

  The Fiend Queen by Barbara Ann Wright. Princess Katya and her consort Starbride must turn evil against evil in order to banish Fiendish power from their kingdom, and only love will pull them back from the brink. (978-1-62639-234-2)

  Up the Ante by PJ Trebelhorn. When Jordan Stryker and Ashley Noble meet again fifteen years after a short-lived affair, are either of them prepared to gamble on a chance at love? (978-1-62639-237-3)

  Speakeasy by MJ Williamz. When mob leader Helen Byrne sets her sights on the girlfriend of Al Capone’s right-hand man, passion and tempers flare on the streets of Chicago. (978-1-62639-238-0)

  Venus in Love by Tina Michele. Morgan Blake can’t afford any distractions and Ainsley Dencourt can’t afford to lose control—but the beauty of life and art usually lies in the unpredictable strokes of the artist’s brush. (978-1-62639-220-5)

  Rules of Revenge by AJ Quinn. When a lethal operative on a collision course with her past agrees to help a CIA analyst on a critical assignment, the encounter proves explosive in ways neither woman anticipated. (978-1-62639-221-2)

  The Romance Vote by Ali Vali. Chili Alexander is a sought-after campaign consultant who isn’t prepared when her boss’s daughter, Samantha Pellegrin, comes to work at the firm and shakes up Chili’s life from the first day. (978-1-62639-222-9)

  Advance: Exodus Book One by Gun Brooke. Admiral Dael Caydoc’s mission to find a new homeworld for the Oconodian people is hazardous, but working with the infuriating Commander Aniwyn “Spinner” Seclan endangers her heart and soul. (978-1-62639-224-3)

  UnCatholic Conduct by Stevie Mikayne. Jil Kidd goes undercover to investigate fraud at St. Marguerite’s Catholic School, but life gets complicated when her student is killed—and she begins to fall for her prime target. (978-1-62639-304-2)

  Season’s Meetings by Amy Dunne. Catherine Birch reluctantly ventures on the festive road trip from hell with beautiful stranger Holly Daniels only to discover the road to true love has its own obstacles to maneuver. (978-1-62639-227-4)

  Myth and Magic: Queer Fairy Tales edited by Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman. Myth, magic, and monsters—the stuff of childhood dreams (or nightmares) and adult fantasies. (978-1-62639-225-0)

  Nine Nights on the Windy Tree by Martha Miller. Recovering drug addict, Bertha Brannon, is an attorney who is trying to stay clean when a murder sends her back to the bad end of town. (978-1-62639-179-6)

  Driving Lessons by Annameekee Hesik. Dive into Abbey Brooks’s sophomore year as she attempts to figure out the amazing, but sometimes complicated, life of a you-know-who girl at Gila High School. (978-1-62639-228-1)

  Asher’s Shot by Elizabeth Wheeler. Asher Price’s candid photographs capture the truth, but when his success requires exposing an enemy, Asher discovers his only shot at happiness involves revealing secrets of his own. (978-1-62639-229-8)

  Courtship by Carsen Taite. Love and justice—a lethal mix or a perfect match? (978-1-62639-210-6)

  Against Doctor’s Orders by Radclyffe. Corporate financier Presley Worth wants to shut down Argyle Community Hospital, but Dr. Harper Rivers will fight her every step of the way, if she can also fight their growing attraction. (978-1-62639-211-3)

  A Spark of Heavenly Fire by Kathleen Knowles. Kerry and Beth are building their life together, but unexpected circumstances could destroy their happiness. (978-1-62639-212-0)

  Never Too Late by Julie Blair. When Dr. Jamie Hammond is forced to hire a new office manager, she’s shocked to come face to face with Carla Grant and memories from her past. (978-1-62639-213-7)

  Widow by Martha Miller. Judge Bertha Brannon must solve the murder of her lover, a policewoman she thought she’d grow old with. As more bodies pile up, the murderer starts coming for her. (978-1-62639-214-4)

  Twisted Echoes by Sheri Lewis Wohl. What’s a woman to do when she realizes the voices in her head are real? (978-1-62639-215-1)

  Criminal Gold by Ann Aptaker. Through a dangerous night in New York in 1949, Cantor Gold, dapper dyke-about-town, smuggler of fine art, is forced by a crime lord to be his instrument of vengeance. (978-1-62639-216-8)

  The Melody of Light by M.L. Rice. After surviving abuse and loss, will Riley Gordon be able to navigate her first year of college and accept true love and family? (978-1-62639-219-9)

  Because of You by Julie Cannon. What would you do for the woman you were forced to leave behind? (978-1-62639-199-4)

  The Job by Jove Belle. Sera always dreamed that she would one day reunite with Tor. She just didn’t think it would involve terrorists, firearms, and hostages. (978-1-62639-200-7)

  Making Time by C.J. Harte. Two women going in different directions meet after fifteen years and struggle to reconnect in spite of the past that separated them. (978-1-62639-201-4)

  Once The Clouds Have Gone by KE Payne
. Overwhelmed by the dark clouds of her past, Tag Grainger is lost until the intriguing and spirited Freddie Metcalfe unexpectedly forces her to reevaluate her life. (978-1-62639-202-1)

  The Acquittal by Anne Laughlin. Chicago private investigator Josie Harper searches for the real killer of a woman whose lover has been acquitted of the crime. (978-1-62639-203-8)

  An American Queer: The Amazon Trail by Lee Lynch. Lee Lynch’s heartening and heart-rending history of gay life from the turbulence of the late 1900s to the triumphs of the early 2000s are recorded in this selection of her columns. (978-1-62639-204-5)

  Stick McLaughlin: The Prohibition Years by CF Frizzell. Corruption in 1918 cost Stick her lover, her freedom, and her identity, but a very special flapper and the family bond of her own gang could help win them back—even if it means outwitting the Boston Mob. (978-1-62639-205-2)

  Edge of Awareness by C.A. Popovich. When Maria, a woman in the middle of her third divorce, meets Dana, an out lesbian, awareness of her feelings brings up reservations about the teachings of her church. (978-1-62639-188-8)

  Taken by Storm by Kim Baldwin. Lives depend on two women when a train derails high in the remote Alps, but an unforgiving mountain, avalanches, crevasses, and other perils stand between them and safety. (978-1-62639-189-5)

  The Common Thread by Jaime Maddox. Dr. Nicole Coussart’s life is falling apart, but fortunately, DEA Attorney Rae Rhodes is there to pick up the pieces and help Nic put them back together. (978-1-62639-190-1)