by Lisa N. Paul
by
Storm Front
Book Two
The Charistown Series
Copyright © 2014 by Lisa N. Paul
Cover Design by Mae I Design and Photography
Super Dandy Publishing
First Edition January 2014
All rights reserved.
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Part One
Chapter One – Something New
Chapter Two – Familiar and Decadent
Chapter Three – She’s Still My Sister
Chapter Four – I Know You Do
Chapter Five – Devil Himself
Chapter Six – Tramps, Actually
Chapter Seven – Awful, Plastic Smile
Chapter Eight – Do Ya, Punk
Chapter Nine – Good, Then I’m Doing It Right
Chapter Ten – Sweet Ashley
Chapter Eleven – She Let Go
Chapter Twelve – Stubbornness Works Both Ways
Chapter Thirteen –…As A Friend
Chapter Fourteen – Don’t Try, Do
Chapter Fifteen – Has. It. Snapped?
Chapter Sixteen – What Good Are You?
Chapter Seventeen – Leo
Chapter Eighteen – Freight Train
Chapter Nineteen – Windmilling
Chapter Twenty – I’ll Never Let You Go
Part Two
Chapter Twenty-One – Danny’s On Main
Chapter Twenty-Two – Lucky Charms
Chapter Twenty-Three – Stud Named Reagan
Chapter Twenty-Four – Wrinkle-Lover
Chapter Twenty-Five – We Are Just Friends
Chapter Twenty-Six – Burnt Cookies
Chapter Twenty-Seven – Single and Available
Chapter Twenty-Eight – You Hurt Me First
Chapter Twenty-Nine – Don’t Wait Up
Chapter Thirty – Chucks Not Heels
Chapter Thirty-One – Rainbow Brite
Chapter Thirty-Two – Hurricane Weather
Chapter Thirty-Three – There’s Juice In It!
Chapter Thirty-Four – She Likes Bribes
Chapter Thirty-Five – Answer the Call
Chapter Thirty-Six – Into the Light
Chapter Thirty-Seven – Wilma and Fred
Chapter Thirty-Eight – Destruction And A Bet
Chapter Thirty-Nine – REALLY Thankful
Chapter Forty – Unconditional Love
Chapter Forty-One – Queen of Hearts
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
For Jon ~
It doesn’t matter what the weather is…
You pack up the shovel, the umbrella, the coats, boots, and sunscreen and make certain we are always prepared. Your presence in my life is the calm that never allows the storm to consume me—for that, I am grateful.
I love you…
Early November
RYAN TURNED UP the radio to drown out the awkward silence. It pained him that it was slowly becoming the norm for him and Ashley. The short car ride to Max and Janie’s house for Sunday dinner was torture. He chanced another quick glance and saw her hands knotted together in her lap. Ryan sighed inwardly, frustrated with the fact that other than cordial conversations the past few months, their friendship had been reduced to this. Quick glances, hurried hellos, and niceties. He wasn’t sure how they’d gotten to this point…again, but he hated it with every fiber of his being. Something needed to change before he lost her again.
“We’re here,” Ashley announced walking into Max and Janie’s house. Her skin prickled at the fake cheer in her voice. God, I sound ridiculous, I need to tone down the Mary Sunshine act before I make myself sick.
Sunday dinner was a tradition that the group had come to love over the past six or so months. Ashley looked around. This was the one time during the week when true peace filled her soul. She watched while everyone stuffed their faces with homemade lasagna, salad, and garlic bread.
Ashley glanced at the couple across from her, and a mixture of happiness and something else, unnamed, churned in her gut.
A few weeks after they’d become an official couple, Janie had moved into Max’s house and wasted no time making Max’s bachelor pad into a cozy and inviting home. Now that they were together, Janie worked during the day as a middle school teacher. Max finally made the decision to give up his bartending shifts at Danny’s and work full-time at Gage Garage. It was the finest full service auto-repair and motorcycle rehabilitation garage in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. It was also the business that he co-owned and operated with Sebastian Gage. Max spent his days working with his hands alongside his best friend, and his nights curled up with the love of his life. Yep, life was pretty fucking great for them.
After dinner, everyone settled in the family room to watch the Eagles game. During the halftime break, Janie, Lyla, and Julie went to the kitchen to get drink refills. Ashley sat quietly on the floor waiting for the women to return. She hadn’t been feeling like herself lately. Pretending to be someone she wasn’t was taking a lot more effort than it used to. If she were being honest with herself—something she tried extremely hard not to do—she was getting really fucking sick of the charade. The people in this house were her friends…no, her family. They would love her even if she stopped pretending, but the real question was could she love herself? Could she ever forgive herself for all of the pain she’d caused? Did she deserve to be happy when he no longer could?
“Every time I see you guys together, I feel so…overjoyed.” Julie sounded choked up as she continued her thought. “It’s like seeing my kids growing up. You guys are a good pair.”
Even from the family room, Ashley could hear the gushing tone of Janie’s voice as she replied, “Thank you, Julie. We wouldn’t have come this far without each of you.”
The three women walked back into the family room just as the meteorologist spoke on the television:
Tropical Storm Leo is gaining strength in the Atlantic as we speak. We are expecting it to morph into a hurricane by Tuesday possibly hitting landfall as early as Wednesday night. Get ready, people. This is going to be a big one.
The world went silent. Ashley’s body went rigid and her heart began to thud quickly in her chest. The thundering of her heart and the whooshing sound of blood through her ears were the only two noises that infiltrated the complete stillness of the space around her. She looked down at her hands—completely powerless to stop the fierce tremble of her interlocked fingers.
Out of the corner of her eye Ashley saw Ryan’s head pivot down to hers and immediately felt the burn of his gaze. Not wishing to acknowledge him she trained her eyes back to her knotted hands. Her shaking was obvious to her, but she hoped no one else had noticed. Ryan would. Of course he would. He knew her body’s reactions before she did. They were that in-tune…or at least they had
been. Was it still the same? She didn’t know and right then, she didn’t have the mind space to care.
Strong, tattooed arms wrapped around Ashley and a scent that was everything Ryan engulfed her senses. His denim-clad legs moved to either side of her, locking her in place. Giving her comfort that she so desperately needed in a moment when her world was spinning off its axis. She knew she shouldn’t let him do this. His behavior was reminiscent of a past she spent years trying to forget, but she couldn’t bring herself to push him away.
Ashley moved slightly and Ryan’s strong arms tightened in response. Biting down on her tongue, she prayed that her instincts were wrong, but even as she tried to convince herself that everything would be okay, every fiber in her being told her that the coming storm would bring a whole lot more than just rain.
Something New
Six Years Before – Miami, Florida
“I CAN’T BELIEVE you guys are leaving me here in this hellhole for the next two weeks while you go off to be rock stars. It’s not fair.” Ashley scooped her long blonde hair into a high ponytail as she watched her brother and his best friend grinning behind her in the mirror.
People always assumed Leo was her twin. It was an easy mistake to make. They shared the same silky, golden hair, the same hazel eyes flecked with green, the same copper skin, and the same megawatt smile. The fact that Ashley had been born a mere eleven months after Leo meant they even spent a small amount of time being the same age. The physical resemblance, however, was where their similarities ended.
While Ashley tended to be quiet in public, Leo loved the spotlight. Ashley excelled in all things textbook related, but to Leo school was a place to socialize. If it weren’t for Ashley’s patience and persistence Leo would never have even donned his cap and gown last week.
“Sorry, sis, you’re the one that chose to be all responsible and accept a job the week after school let out.” Leo’s brows furrowed and he shrugged his shoulders. “Who does that?” He asked of Ashley and Ryan, his teasing tone indicative of the close relationship he had with his sister and best friend.
“Your sister does that,” Ryan answered. His sexy warm voice felt like caramel sundae topping sliding over Ashley’s skin. Their gaze locked just a fraction longer than usual before he turned to address his best friend. She had noticed more of his prolonged glances lately, but had been too afraid to hope that there was any meaningful reason behind them. There was no way that Ryan would ever see her as more than just a friend.
Running her hand over her long, smooth ponytail, Ashley turned her back to her tormentors and laughed. “Not all of us have musical talent oozing from our pores. Some of us have to work real jobs.”
Noticing her tennis shoe laces were loose, she bent down to tie them. She knew no good would come from building her hopes up, but she couldn’t help but wonder if she may have caught Ryan checking her out in the same way she had been doing to him. With slow, calculated movements she reached for her toes. Without being conceited, she knew her body had changed quite a bit over the past year. She knew those changes had guys looking at her differently. Up until recently, the attention just wasn’t coming from the one guy she really wanted it from. She could have plopped down and bent her knees—which would have made tying the laces easier—but where was the fun in that? So instead, she perched her foot on the side of her bed and leaned over, just so… She looped and threaded the fabric with her lithe fingers until she had the perfect bow. Pausing just a heartbeat too long, she raised her eyes and found Ryan staring. BINGO.
“Busted,” she teased. Her voice was low as to not gain any attention from her brother, but she knew Ryan heard her when his jaw went tight.
“Oh, shit,” Ryan quickly shifted his eyes to the window, but it was too late. Self satisfaction filled Ashley in a way she had never felt before. Ryan Baker found her attractive. She had to bite her lip in order to keep from squealing.
She’d been crushing on Ryan since her freshman year when he’d moved into the cul-de-sac. While he was always kind and looked out for her, he’d always treated her like his best friend’s sister. Nothing more. As they got to know each other, their relationship shifted and they became friends in their own right but recently things had started to change once again. She felt differently when he looked at her. She felt it on her skin when he touched her. Yep, there was definitely something new. Something raw.
Ryan and Leo had become fast friends the minute they’d discovered their shared opinions on life’s most important issues—school, girls and music. Leo had practically been born with a set of drumsticks in his hands and his voice made all the girls swoon. Vocals and percussion weren’t a typical combination and he’d laugh when people told him that drummers didn’t sing. “Haven’t you heard of Phil Collins?” He would ask. The response was more often than not a puzzled look with a whispered, “no.” Leo loved the non-believers. In fact, he lived for them. It gave him the opportunity to prove how good he really was. And he was really, really good.
Ryan played guitar. Well, he played several different instruments, but that was his favorite. His nimble fingers could coax wonderful rhythms and melodies out of both acoustic and electric guitars. While Leo’s voice was smooth and soothing, Ryan’s voice was sultry, seductive and sexy as all hell. His voice along with his incredibly good looks made for a lethal combination. Add to that a killer sense of humor and Ryan Baker was the trifecta of male perfection. The two friends had girls and grown women alike chasing after them wherever they went. What Ashley admired and respected about her brother and Ryan was that they never let the over abundance of attention go to their heads. They were grateful and respectful—never cocky and obnoxious.
The tension in the air was palpable as Ashley watched Ryan visibly swallow. His eyes sparkled and Ashley began to wonder if it were possible that the attraction went both ways.
Not wanting to break their connection, she watched him watching her. She studied his face. His eyes milk chocolate with golden flecks, his lips plump and pink, and his jaw covered in stubble. So sexy, she thought.
Leo gazed out of the window, lost in his own thoughts and seemingly unaware of the lightening storm of emotions swirling around him. His words broke the tense silence that had fallen over the room. “Look, Ash, you know we’ll always come back for you.”
“Um, yeah”—her brows pulled together in mock irritation—“but only because you have to, Leo. Don’t try to sound all magnanimous about it!”
Leo laughed. “There you go, always using the SAT words. Can’t you talk like a normal person?” He teased.
“Ok, big brother let me rephrase,” Ashley beamed. She had recently gotten her braces off and the novelty of flashing what she knew was now a perfect smile had not yet worn off. “I know you will come back for me because I write the lyrics to your songs. Without me”—one perfectly arched eyebrow lifted—“no songs!” Ashley giggled and grabbed her messenger bag from the hook on the back of her bedroom door.
“Now wait just a minute, Princess,” Ryan scoffed. With her back turned, she let her smile grow large. She knew exactly what Ryan was going say, and by his term of endearment she knew he was going to give her earlier sass back to her on a silver platter. “Who writes the lyrics for Storm Front?” His voice was laced with sarcasm but she could practically hear the grin that perched on his sexy lips. She knew he was anything but irritated. Turning around to face him, the challenge in his eyes sent shockwaves up her spine. God, he was hot. She could stay and trade sarcastic insults with him all day, but she had to get to work.
“We write the songs together, oh great one!” She conceded. Hugging her brother, she shot Ryan a flirtatious wink over Leo’s shoulder. He made no response but if the pounding of her heart was any indication of the change in their relationship, she knew things between her and Ryan were about to get complicated. What would Leo do if something happened between his sister and his best friend? Ashley shook her head. That was one question she truly had no answer for.
; Familiar and Decadent
One month later
“HEY, BABY SISTER.” The voice was like a cold glass of lemonade on a hot humid day—soothing, sweet, and impossible not to embrace.
“Leo! You’re back!” Ashley dropped her empty serving tray on the counter and leaped into her brother’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso. He laughed as he hugged her tight, her muscles relaxed. She felt the vibration of Leo’s laughter vibrate through her as she hugged him harder.
She had been missing him like crazy over the past month, he wasn’t just her brother. He was her best friend. The open display of affection may not have been appropriate for the middle of a pizza place, but Ashley didn’t care. It was only a job and she finally had her brother home. People often told them it was weird how well they got along, but to Leo and Ashley it wasn’t weird. It was just how it was. It was life.
Their parents were well-respected surgeons in a prominent Miami hospital. Known to the community as decent people, they were very important and very busy. The doctors Kynde made sure that Leo and Ashley were provided for financially, and that their physical needs were always tended to, but it stopped there. Emotionally, the Kynde doctors were unavailable. Despite the abundance of faceless nannies and babysitters, Leo and Ashley had effectively raised themselves. The siblings had coped with this lack of involvement in differing ways. Ashley lived her young years striving to gain just a moment of her parent’s attention, to show them who she really was. Leo on the other hand, grew in the opposite direction. Ashley swore he used indifference as a shield to hide the pain of their parents neglect. Not that he would admit it.
The two of them learned to depend on each other. Over time, their parents became no more than warm-blooded ATMs and signatures on sick notes.
“I missed you too, Ash.” Leo laughed as he untangled himself from his sister’s embrace.
“Hey, Scott, I’m going to take a break, can you handle my tables?” Ashley asked her co-worker.