Loving Ashley

by Lauren Nicole

  “So, I was thinking we could just hang out around the house today or if you want to spend all day in bed, I’m good with that also,” I say with a wink.

  “That sounds good, I am beat from a long week and don’t want to really go do anything at all this weekend. Are you working tonight?”

  “Nope, since I worked last night, Thomas is tonight.”

  We both clean up from the food and get cozy on the couch. We spend all day watching movies like The Fast and the Furious and Pitch Perfect. I haven’t had a day like this in forever. It’s nice to just hang back and have a low-key day. Ashley is curled into my side while the movie plays. At eight we plan on putting on the Gators’s game. Even though I went to Duke, I will still root for University of Florida during football season.

  We invite some people over to watch the game with us. It works out nicely because everyone brings a dish so there is plenty of food and beer. Thomas wanted to be here, but since he’s working the bar he couldn’t. I’m surprised Nancy is here; normally, she would be at the bar waiting for him to get off. I am still not quite sure what is going on with those two. One minute they seem fine and then the next, they hate each other.

  Toward the end of the fourth quarter, just my buddy, Josh, is left, Nancy went to Thomas’s room to sleep. Ashley dozed off about twenty minutes ago, so I pick her up, taking her to my bed. I gently lay her down, pulling the covers over her, then give her a kiss on the forehead. Grabbing a beer from the fridge, I join Josh back on the couch.

  “You’re different with her.”

  “You normally are when you meet the one.”

  “No shit?”

  The dude is a true bachelor; he never wants to get married. Ever.

  “Yes, one day she will be completely mine.” He doesn’t understand, but I know one day he will. He will meet the girl that will knock him on his ass. He stays for about another hour or so before he heads off to do God knows what. He gets around, he is worse than I was. Walking into my room, I see Ashley curled in the middle of the bed with my pillow wrapped around her body. She looks so peaceful I don’t want to wake her. I strip down to my boxers and crawl in behind her. Her warm body is snug tight against mine as I close my eyes to the world.

  We spend Sunday going to the farmer’s market looking at all the local artists and their crafts. As long as I have lived here, I have never been. Ashley stops at a local lady who makes wind chimes. She has a bunch of different ones—some football team ones, very colorful ones, and others made out of household items such as cans.

  “Look at this one, Taylor. I love it.” She pulls out one that is purple and pink with butterflies. I hand the vendor some money before we continue our trek down the street for the rest of the afternoon. Never did I see myself doing things like this, but meeting Ashley and falling in love with her has changed my views on everything.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  ASHLEY

  Thanksgiving break is next week and I must say, I have never been happier. These kids are ready for a break as much as I am. I love my class, don’t get me wrong, but hell I’m ready for a few days off. I am also looking forward to my parents coming down; Taylor’s parents are coming as well. We are doing dinner at his house because it’s bigger than mine. My parents fly in Saturday and his come down Monday.

  My relationship with Taylor is amazing. After our breakup and then getting back together, I feel that we are stronger than ever. He doesn’t get as angry or jealous anymore like he used to, but I also haven’t had anybody really come on to me like that one night. I shudder thinking of John, I never did find out who told him where I worked.

  Jacob still walks his son to class everyday but doesn’t say anything to me, just gives me a once-over and walks out of the room. He still makes me uncomfortable. I found out that Michael’s mom died about two years ago in a tragic car accident. My heart breaks for him, I guess her parents and Jacob are in the middle of a custody case with the courts.

  I planned a potluck feast for our lunch the Friday before vacation begins. We are dressing up as pilgrims. My little students look so cute in the outfits they made. I am busy sitting at my desk when the door to my room opens. Looking up, I’m surprised to see Taylor walking through with a dozen roses. Rising from my seat, I meet him halfway.

  “Hey, baby. What are you doing here?”

  “Hey, gorgeous. I figured I would come spend the day with you and help with your feast thing.” He smiles, showing his dimples.

  “Awe, thanks. Shouldn’t you be sleeping though? You have to work tonight.”

  “Yes, but you’re worth it.” He winks.

  He takes a seat in my reading chair and rolls it over to my desk, where he quietly watches me get everything together. One by one my kids start to trickle in, all excited for their last day for a whole week. Of course they all have to say hi to Taylor since they have only met him once. When Jacob walks into the room, Taylor automatically stands up like he’s protecting me. Jacob stops midstride and they just stare at each other, having a pissing contest with their eyes. He looks over to me and runs his eyes down my body, then turns and walks out of my room. What the fuck is with this guy?

  “I don’t like him,” Taylor says quietly so the kids can’t hear him.

  I walk around my desk and begin teaching the students their math lessons for the morning. Taylor is a great help, helping the kids solve the problems and making it fun for them. By the time lunch comes around, the kids are super excited. Parents begin to arrive with some of the sides, such as mashed potatoes, corn, and bread. Taylor and I made the turkey and ham last night. I get all the kids dressed in their outfits for the parents to see and take pictures. It turns out to be one of the best days we have had since school started. After our feast, we clean up and watch a movie for the rest of the afternoon until dismissal.

  “Are you going to come to the bar tonight?” he asks when we return home.

  “I planned on coming for a short time.”

  He seems to like my answer and pulls me into the shower with him. After he has me up against the wall, screaming his name in pure ecstasy, we wash off quickly and he heads out to work. I don’t want to go there until later and plus, I need to get the spare room ready for my parents and sister. It takes me about an hour or so to clean the place. Once I have finished, I throw on some jeans and a tank top. Nothing fancy. My hair is up in a bun and I have hardly any makeup on. I text Nancy to see if she will be there tonight but her parents and sisters came down today for the week and she is showing them around town, possibly making a stop at the bar later.

  When I arrive at the bar, the place is packed. I have only ever seen it like this once before and that was the night of the live concert. I squeeze my way to the bar and sit at the last open seat near the back. I rest against the brick wall, feeling the roughness through my shirt. Kaylee hands me my usual—a vodka and Red Bull.

  “Hey, girl, what’s up?”

  “Not much. Came to see Taylor for a little bit. My parents are coming in early tomorrow so I want to get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Oh, awesome, I leave Sunday to go home, but I’ll be back Friday to work that night. He’s up in his office if you want to see him.”

  Nodding, I grab my drink and make my way to the back staircase so I can avoid people. Rounding the corner to the back, I see a figure standing there but don’t think much of it because, let’s be honest, this is a bar. Just as I am about to open the door to the stairs, the figure speaks.

  “Hello, Ashley.” I tense at that voice.

  “What are you doing here, Jacob?”

  I turn around to see him and am pushed against the brick wall. I yelp in surprise because that fucking hurt.

  “I came for you. I am tired of waiting.”

  I throw the drink I was holding in his face. He knocks the cup out of my hand, letting it fall to the floor and the glass shatter. He wraps his hand around my throat, and although he squeezes lightly it’s still hard enough to make me winded. I try to bring
my knee up to connect with his groin but he catches my knee with his leg. He uses his other hand to rip my shirt open and expose my bra.

  “Beautiful, just as I thought you would be.” The smell of stale cigarettes on his breath makes me gag. Looking around frantically, I’m hopeful someone will see me. His hand is slowly getting tighter, and I begin to see black dots.

  “Jacob, please stop,” I hardly get the words out, I don’t even know if he heard me.

  Just as my eyes begin to close, his weight is suddenly off me. I slide to the floor, scratching my back along the way. Slowly opening my eyes, I see Taylor on top of him, beating the shit out of him.

  “I am going to kill you, motherfucker,” he says before he lands one blow and Jacob goes limp.

  “Taylor,” I whisper. He looks back at me then rushes to my side.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  TAYLOR

  I have been working on this paperwork and ordering supplies for the last hour. We expect to be busy all next week. We are only closed on Thanksgiving. A lot of people like to go out and drink the night before and the night after. I thought about opening the night of Thanksgiving but I didn’t want to be a dick to my employees, plus my parents are coming in, as well as Ashley’s. So I plan to relax and enjoy my day.

  Looking at the clock I see it’s ten. Where the hell is she?

  Heading downstairs, I scan the area of where she might be but come up short. I don’t see her anywhere. Maybe she got tired and didn’t want to come. I check my phone to make sure I didn’t miss a call or a text but the screen is blank.

  “Hey, Kaylee, have you seen Ashley at all?”

  “Yes, I gave her a drink and she said she was going to your office.”

  What the fuck?

  I ask into my earpiece if anyone else has seen her but they all answer no. Where the hell did she go? I take a closer look at the people around me, but I could pick her out of a war zone.

  CJ, my head of security, comes over the earpiece. “Hey, boss, just wanted to let you know that guy, Jacob, is somewhere in the bar.”

  Fuck me, this is not good.

  “I need everyone available to help find Ashley, now!” I scream into the piece. I get back ten-four from everyone open. My heart is pounding so fast I might pass out, but I need to find her, to make sure she is fine. Everywhere I look I am coming up empty. Where the fuck could she have gone? Then it hits me that I didn’t look in the hallway to the back stairs. I yell in my earpiece to meet me there. What I see when I make it there has my blood boiling. He has my girl pinned to the wall with his hands around her neck. He doesn’t see me so I charge at him and knock him to the floor. I don’t even ask questions, I just begin punching him blow after blow.

  “I am going to kill you, motherfucker,” I say before I land one last blow that knocks him out.

  “Taylor.” I hear softly. Looking over, I see her sitting on the ground with her big brown eyes wide in fear. I rush over to her, lifting her onto my lap and begin to rock her gently, as if she were a baby. She has a death grip on my shirt.

  “Fuck, baby, are you okay?” Of course she’s not, asshole.

  “Yes, just shocked and my back hurts from the wall.”

  It takes about ten minutes for the cops to arrive. I have one security guard blocking the entrance to the main room so the noise is filtered. I carry her to the ambulance where they assess her injuries. Her neck is red and she has scrapes all over her back from the rough brick. Thank fuck I got to her when I did.

  We both give our statements to the police about what happened and how she knows him. Thomas takes over for the rest of the night so I can take her home. I keep a tight grip on her hand the car ride home but she never speaks a word. Once we arrive at her place, I draw up a warm bath. As I reach to remove my shirt I put on her at the bar, she tenses at my touch.

  “Ashley, baby, it’s okay. It’s just me. I’m going to take your clothes off and help you in the bath.”

  She relaxes and lets me undress her. After we’re both undressed, I help her into the tub, her back to my chest so I can gently wash her while still holding her.

  “I’ve never been so scared in my life,” she finally says, breaking the silence.

  “Me too, baby. When I heard you went to my office and never made it, I began to freak out. When I found out he was there, I knew something was wrong. If only I could have found you five minutes earlier, none of this would have happened.”

  “How did you know he was there?”

  “I have him on a watch list, my bouncers have to notify me if he comes in. Except now he’s on the ‘do not enter’ list.”

  “Thank you,” she says quietly.

  “Baby, you don’t need to thank me. I was just doing what I am supposed to do. I don’t know what I would have done if something happened to you.”

  She doesn’t say anything else. After the water turns cold I help her out, dry her off, and slide my T-shirt on her. Pulling back the covers, I help her in bed where she falls asleep within minutes.

  The next morning, her alarm goes off at eight. I don’t think we moved positions all night—I am still on my back with her curled into my side. Running my fingertips lightly up and down her arm, I try to wake her.

  “Come on, baby, time to get up.”

  Her eyes slowly open and she winces as she rolls on her back. I need to put some cream on that for her.

  “Ready to go see your mom and dad?”

  A single tear falls from her eyes. I roll onto my side and wipe it away with my thumb.

  “What am I going to tell them?”

  “Hey, baby, listen. You don’t have to tell them right away. If you want to wait a few days, then wait. I’ll be here for you the whole time. None of this was in any way your fault.”

  I help her out of bed and rub some ointment on her back. I try to be as gentle as I can. Thankfully, her neck has no bruising and is no longer red.

  “How’s your neck, baby?’

  “Okay, my throat is a little sore this morning, but other than that not bad at all.”

  After we finish getting dressed and ready, I make her a small breakfast that won’t hurt her swallowing. Once done eating, I drive her to the airport to pick up her parents. Parking in the short-term lot, we walk over to the baggage claim. We only wait for about twenty minutes before she starts walking fast, to whom I’m assuming are her parents.

  “Mom, Dad, I missed you guys.”

  She gives them a hug.

  “Honey, is everything okay?” her father asks.

  “Yes, just tired. Mom, Dad, this is Taylor.”

  I reach my hand out and shake theirs, her father gripping mine a little too strong, but I’m not scared.

  “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Williams.”

  “Oh, please call us Mark and Debbie. We have heard nothing but wonderful things about you.”

  We grab their bags and head back to Ashley’s house. I leave her to spend some time with them while I head to the bar for the truck that is coming in.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  ASHLEY

  Taylor leaves us when we get back to the house. He needs to head to the bar and wants me to spend some quality time with my parents. Unfortunately, my sister can’t come until Wednesday night; I guess she couldn’t get off work. So she is driving down Wednesday night and will leave early Friday morning. My back is still sore from yesterday but thank God I don’t have marks around my neck. My dad is going to fucking flip when I tell him what happened. I just hope Taylor is here when I do. My dad is taking a quick nap in the room, so this gives my mom and me some girl time.

  “He seems lovely, Ash.”

  “He is. I really do love him.”

  “I can see it on y’all’s face. I couldn’t be happier for you, baby. Now, tell me why you are walking slowly and all.”

  Fuck, not right now.

  I explain everything that happened from the beginning with Jacob—with his son in my class, the rose, and the bar. She cries, I c
ry, but I still have to face my dad.

  “I hope he left in handcuffs.”

  “Oh, he left on a stretcher. Taylor beat the shit out of him,” I say with pride in my voice. I don’t know what I would have done if he didn’t show up when he did. I can’t worry about the what-ifs; I need to focus on the positive side instead.

  “I knew I liked him for a reason. Now, tell me more about Taylor.”

  I spend the next hour telling her everything about him and us. I don’t leave a single detail out, I tell her about the vacation and even the breakup. The best part about talking to my mom about it is that I don’t have to lie about anything. She is and will always be my best friend.

  “Sounds like you love him.”

  “I really do, Mom, I can see myself spending the rest of my life with him and starting a family.”

  My dad comes out from his nap just then. “How about I take my girls to lunch?”

  We head out to the diner up the road that has the best home cooking. We take a seat in a booth and spend the next hour or so eating and catching up with my dad. After lunch, we head to the grocery store so they can get food they like and want for the week here.

  “How’s Liz?”

  “She’s good, I guess. She stated dating this guy that works at my law firm, he seems nice enough,” my dad answers.

  It would be nice if she found a good guy. All the guys she seems to date are losers and unemployed. I am hoping one day she moves down here, she has been talking about it. I want her to be closer so we can do stuff together.

  “So, your father and I have a surprise.”

  “Oh yeah? What?”

  “We are going to look at a condo to buy on Monday. We feel it’s time to move and retire. Plus, we want to be closer to our grandchildren, whenever you have some.”