Freedom to Surrender [Freedom, Colorado 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Melody Snow Monroe

  “I do, but I’ll work on the expense report after I take a nap.”

  “And I’ll shop at some thrift stores for good finds on furniture. I thought it might be a cool place for local artists to display and sell their artwork.”

  The idea perked her up. “I love it. That will save us money, as we won’t have to buy stuff to decorate. Having a changing décor will make the place fresher.”

  “Totally.”

  They finished their drinks and hugged good-bye. She and Sharon had accomplished a lot in those three hours and Ashley could really tell that her dream would soon come true. Then why did she feel so bad?

  * * * *

  When Drex entered the hospital room, Larry Eldridge was by his dad’s side. The white-haired man had taken over Drex’s position at the company and was now his father’s right-hand man. Drex’s gaze shot straight to his father, and he winced at his gray pallor. His less-than-robust appearance scared the shit out of him.

  Larry turned around and smiled. “Drex! Glad you could make it.” He twisted back to the bed. “Ambrose, your son is here.”

  His dad opened his eyes and smiled. “You didn’t have to come.” He held out his hand.

  Like hell he didn’t. His father needed him. “Hey, Dad.” He took his hand, leaned over, and gave him a light embrace.

  Larry stood and moved the chair he’d been sitting in closer to the bed so that Drex could be near his dad. Once Drex was seated, Larry then placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll let you two talk. It’s good to see you, Drex.” He looked over at his dad. “Ambrose, no business talk.” He winked at Drex, but as he turned, he caught the worry lacing his face.

  “You, too. We’ll be in touch.” Drex wanted to learn how the company was coping without him near the helm. He hoped well.

  Larry left and his heart turned even heavier. He could see the wear and tear on the older man. Now things would only get worse as he’d have to carry the whole load by himself for a while. Part of Drex wanted to apologize to both of them for leaving Portland to pursue his dream, but when they’d parted, his father hadn’t tried to stop him—much.

  “How are you feeling, Dad?” He really just wanted to know if his father was in pain. If so, he’d insist the staff provide him with something to make him more comfortable.

  “Not so bad. Tomorrow, the doctors are going to do angioplasty and then put a stent in my heart to help prop the artery open. That should fix my issues.”

  “That is good news.” He’d have to find the doctor in charge and see how long his dad would be out of commission.

  Drex’s eyes were gritty from the three-hour flight. He hadn’t slept much the night before worrying about losing Ashley. She didn’t seem to want much to do with him anymore, so maybe he should be a man and come back to work here. As much as he liked working at Wilkerson’s, he was a Ford, and Fords never abandoned someone in need.

  “Has Lee been by?” He was almost afraid of hearing the answer.

  “Once, but your brother isn’t very good at being a caregiver.”

  “Ain’t that the truth.” That got a laugh out of Dad.

  “How long can you stay?” The worry in his father’s tone cut him to the core. Ambrose Ford was never one to beg.

  He didn’t know what to tell him. “I’m not sure.”

  “Oh.” His father fiddled with the sheets. “I was hoping you’d come back and take your rightful place in the company. I’m close to retirement, you know.”

  That was about as close to begging as he’d ever heard. Drex really had hoped his brother would have shown more promise, but clearly that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. One thing he did learn in Freedom was that keeping a secret was damn hard. “I’ve met someone.”

  His father tried to sit up, but Drex stopped him and he lay back down. “Tell me about her.” His father always worried that he wouldn’t live long enough to hold any grandchildren.

  How could he begin to sum up Ashley in a few words? “She’s smart, talented, and keeps me in line.”

  His dad’s smile was weak, but it was there. “She sounds like a keeper.”

  “Yeah.”

  Drex sat there for another few hours and watched his dad fall asleep, rouse, then fall asleep again. During one of his sleep times, Drex located the doctor, who said he’d know more once he looked inside his father’s body. His prognosis was good though.

  That made him feel better, but it still meant he needed to stay.

  When his stomach rumbled, he told his dad he needed to eat then unpack. He never had put his condo up for sale, as he wanted to have a place to stay when he returned to visit. “I’ll stop back later.”

  “Glad you’re home, son.”

  “Me, too.”

  He was glad. It felt good and right to be Drexel Ford again. The problem was that his best friend along with the woman he’d fallen in love with seemed to like Drex Ford—Mr. Everyman.

  * * * *

  Ashley was watching television when her cell rang. Sharon had called twice already with more ideas and Ashley was almost too tired to answer it. At the last minute, she decided to just turn off her cell. As she picked up the phone to press the off button, she saw it was Drex and her pulse raced. Was she ready to grovel and ask his forgiveness for being so snooty, or did she need more time?

  Because she wouldn’t sleep without speaking with him she answered. “Hello?”

  “Ash, it’s Drex.” His voice sounded hoarse and full of strain. Her heart tore.

  “I’m glad you called. I wanted to—”

  “Let me say what I have to say then you can hang up on me.”

  “I won’t hang up. I’m listening.”

  There was silence for a moment. “Am I glad to hear that. I called for a few reasons. One is that I’m in Portland because my father had a heart attack last night.”

  She sucked in a breath. “Oh, Drex. I’m so sorry. Is he going to be okay?”

  “Yes.” He told her about tomorrow’s operation and that his father would be out of commission for a while, though he didn’t know how long. “Which means I need to stay here for a bit.”

  Her stomach flipped. “You have to be there for your dad.” If something happened to her father, she’d do what it took to take care of him. “Do you want me to tell Carl? Or do anything else?” Since he lived with Tatum, she assumed everything at the house would be taken care of.

  “No. I’ve asked Tatum to notify Carl. My phone’s been off most of the day as I’ve either been in the air or at the hospital. I’m guessing if you didn’t know about my dad you haven’t spoken with Tatum.”

  “No. I think he knew I needed some space after my tantrum.”

  “Your tantrum?” He sounded so surprised.

  “It’s not every day a man buys a building for me so I can start my own business. I think I was in shock.”

  “No.” She could picture him shaking his head. “It was my fault for not consulting with you. I was being my usual controlling self. I’m sorry.”

  Now he sounded like the old Drex. “Well, if you’re willing to give me a fair price for the rent, I might know of two women who’d like to rent the bottom floor from you.”

  “That was my plan for the start.”

  “Oh.” Whoops.

  “How about I let you decide what’s a fair price?” Some excitement had returned to his voice.

  He was being a little unrealistic, but she appreciated his willingness to give her the choice. All of a sudden the air seemed thinner and she could breathe—that is, until she realized Drex might choose to stay. “You are coming back to Freedom, aren’t you?”

  She could hear the long exhale. “Honestly, I don’t know. I want to, but—”

  “That’s okay. You do what you have to do.”

  They talked some more, but the longer he was on the phone, the more depressed she became. Why in the world would Drex want to come back here? Sure, he liked her and was close to Tatum, but with his father’s health being what it was, she w
ouldn’t be surprised if he chose to stay and help run the business. It was in his blood.

  “I’ll call you when I know more about Dad.”

  “Please do, and again I’m sorry.”

  “Back at you.”

  He disconnected and she didn’t know whether to cry or cheer. She was pleased they seemed to have patched their issues, but now he had to choose between her and family. Throw in being able to live a luxurious lifestyle or be stuck in a tiny two-bedroom one-bath rental, it was a no brainer which he’d choose.

  She really needed to see Tatum and get his take. Though if she believed Drex, even he didn’t know which way he’d go. If his father weakened, he’d have no choice but to keep Ambrose Auto Parts afloat for a very long time.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Tatum was worried. Sure he missed Drex, but ever since the big announcement about the Templeton building now belonging to Drex and his quick departure, Ashley hadn’t been her usual bubbly self. The only time she seemed to come alive was when she talked about her new business. While he understood why she was sad, he thought the two of them should try to pick up where the three of them had left off. It could be months before Drex returned even for a visit.

  Drex might only have been gone a few days, but not having Ashley in his arms was beginning to wear him down. He’d had to check on another altercation at the Last Opportunity School and was now on his way back to town. As he neared Wilkerson’s Automotive, he decided to stop in and see her. He parked in the side lot and headed into the garage where a pneumatic drill reverberated in the area. One man was fiddling with an engine and another changing a tire, but the owner was nowhere to be seen. Tatum didn’t flag down anyone and walked straight to the office.

  When Ashley looked up and smiled, his heart soared.

  “Well, well. This is a surprise. Don’t tell me the cruiser needs some work.”

  He pulled up the chair in front on her desk. “Nope. Just missing you.”

  “I miss you, too.”

  He looked for the old spark in her eyes, but truthfully, she looked tired. “I was wondering if I might interest you in helping a poorly equipped male take two young boys out horseback riding on Sunday.”

  Now she grinned. “You want to borrow a few horses from the old homestead?”

  “Yes, but it’s more to find time to be with you. Between your job and your new business venture, we seem to miss each other.” While she’d told him she and Drex made up, that didn’t mean the three of them could be together. Drex might never return.

  “I know.” Her gaze dropped and she let out a long exhale.

  “You’re worried Drex won’t come back, aren’t you?” That had been the unspoken issue.

  He caught the slight jerk to her body as if he’d punched her. “Yes. Aren’t you?”

  “I think I’ve been avoiding asking myself that question. His dad’s procedure went well and Drex said by the end of the week his father should be back at the helm of Ambrose’s Auto Parts.”

  “Are you thinking dear old dad won’t try to convince him to stay?”

  Should he tell her the truth or sugarcoat it? Drex was an integral part of their lives and they needed to be honest with each other. “I’m sure he will.”

  “What are the odds that Drex will agree to run the business?”

  Tatum shook his head. “I wish I knew. When he first arrived in Freedom, he seemed happier than he’d ever been. He loved working here, and he seemed to enjoy the people but…”

  “He missed being in charge.”

  “Yeah. Running a marketing plan and expanding a company is in his blood.”

  She leaned back in her seat looking more defeated than he’d ever seen her. “We need to love him enough to let him go.”

  Ashley was truly one of a kind. “I agree. Not unless he can find something here to run.”

  A small smile crossed her lips. “Well, I’m not letting him run my business.”

  Tatum laughed. “No, I suppose not. Speaking of which, how’s it going?”

  “Sharon and I both thought twenty-five thousand would be enough to start the business.”

  “It’s not?”

  “It would have been had we stuck to our initial plan of opening only two days a week, but when we crunched the numbers, we realized that most people will probably want to come for dessert during the week.”

  He saw the problem. “But you can’t quit your jobs.”

  “Precisely.”

  There had to be a solution. “You worked at an investment firm. You could always try to find backers and perhaps give them a percentage of the profit, at least until you pay them back the money with interest.”

  “I won’t ask my father.”

  “I’m not asking you to. From what I’ve been able to tell, there are quite a few wealthy families around here. Most are ranchers and probably know your dad, but you wouldn’t be asking them to help on his behalf.”

  “Can I think about it?”

  He held up his hands. “It’s your decision one hundred percent, though I’d get Sharon’s opinion, too.”

  “I plan to. As long as I have you here, after we take Andy and Savon horseback riding, would it be too much to ask after you drop the kids back in Boulder if you’d be interested in coming to dinner at my parents’ ranch? Mom has been asking me for weeks to invite you.”

  “Angel, nothing would please me more.” That and getting you in bed.

  * * * *

  Even though Dad had come back to work today, Drex thought he moved a little slower than usual. At first he thought his father was acting frail on purpose so that Drex would agree to move back to Portland, but when he walked into his father’s office and his back had been turned, Drex could detect some weakness.

  “Hey, Dad.”

  His father turned around. “Thanks for coming. Have a seat.” He returned to his desk.

  Drex knew that look. His dad would make his plea, but Drex had had an epiphany last night that he hoped would solve all of their problems.

  “Take a look at this.” He handed Drex a folder. “These are our recent financials.”

  Drex studied them. The trends had some positives and negatives. “Looks like we can’t keep up with demand. That’s good, right?” He leaned back and tossed a fake smile. “Means my marketing plans are working.”

  “Yes, but it also means that the customer will become angry if we can’t deliver on time.”

  While he had an idea that might help solve part of the problem, he wanted to hear what his dad thought. “What do you have in mind?”

  He chuckled. “I was thinking of retiring and letting you take over the company. Then it would be your problem.”

  He hadn’t expected that. For days now he’d been wrangling with all the issues of family loyalty, his need to be in control, and his love of Ashley. He’d never been happier than when he’d been in Freedom with her, but he also realized now that he couldn’t pretend to be someone else and be truly content. Freedom had taught him that. So last night he’d come to a major decision.

  “I might have a solution.”

  “I’m listening.”

  * * * *

  Since Tatum had to drive to Boulder to pick up the boys, Ashley told him she’d meet him at the ranch. She had several issues she wanted to discuss with her parents—her dad particularly, so the timing worked out well. She’d only mentioned she wanted to start her own bakery, not that she actually had made some plans.

  She knocked on her dad’s office. He practically lived in there during the day, running his ranch.

  He looked up. “Hey, stranger. Come in.”

  As soon as she sat in her usual spot on the sofa, Ashley felt like she was ten again. “I wanted to let you know that a friend of mine, Sharon Ward, and I are in the process of starting our own bakery.”

  He chuckled. “Oh, really?”

  She didn’t like his tone. It smacked of disbelief, but she forged ahead anyway. “In fact, yes. We’ve rented the bottom floor of t
he old Templeton building.”

  He shook his head, clearly disapproving. “That place is over a hundred years old. You’ll have to rewire the whole damned thing. That will cost a mint.” His lips pulled back close to a sneer.

  She wasn’t going to tell him that Drex already had a plan to do just that. “We’ve considered that.” She told him about how they’d drawn up their business plan and had a good handle on their start-up costs. What she didn’t mention was that Sharon’s twenty-five thousand wouldn’t be enough.

  He pulled out his desk drawer and extracted a checkbook. “How much do you need?”

  God. She shook his head. “No, Dad. I don’t want any money.” Especially yours.

  He jerked his head. “What do you want? You want me to look over your spreadsheets?”

  “No. I want you to be happy for me.”

  “I am.” He leaned back and studied her. He drummed his fingers on the desk. “You’ve grown up.” Sadness tinged his tone.

  Her heart pulsed hard. “Yes, I have.” It was about time he realized it, too. “You act surprised.” Something was going on.

  He shrugged. “You’re my little girl. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “Dad. You’ll never lose me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m just branching out a bit.”

  If she didn’t know better she could have sworn his chin wobbled.

  He nodded. “Since you don’t want me to help financially, may I make a suggestion?” He held up his hand as if he knew she wanted to say no. “It’s only a suggestion, not my usual dictum.”

  “Sure.” She didn’t want to act like he did toward her and not hear what he had to say.

  “Boulder has a business owners association that gives free classes to entrepreneurs. It’s where I learned how to run this ranch.”

  That news shocked her. “You did?”

  “You can’t do something like this on your own.” He waved his hand to indicate his massive holdings. “No one can. I’ve raised you to be independent, but don’t let your stubbornness get in the way of being smart.”