Then: If you don’t want me to contact you, I’ll respect that. It was good seeing you. Take care of yourself.
Her heart dropped. He thought she didn’t care about him, that she wanted nothing to do with him.
Then again, why would he think otherwise? Just the day before she’d told him she only wanted to be friends, and then when he’d kissed her the night before, she’d run home, telling him she didn’t feel well. And today? Today she’d left town without so much as a good-bye.
If he’d done those things to her, she’d be devastated, crushed. Hurt beyond belief.
What was wrong with her? How could she do that to the man she loved?
Tears flooded her eyes and she let them overflow her lashes and slide down her cheeks.
She had to tell him how she felt, that she was in love with him, that she couldn’t live without him.
Then an image of Tommy, grinning with blackened eyes and a broken nose, filled her mind. Was it worth it to break her promise with him just to satisfy the longings of her heart?
Torn and confused, Ainsley headed to the beach, her mind in turmoil.
Chapter Eighteen
Brock was hurt. How could Ainsley leave town without saying good-bye? When had she decided to leave? Had she already made her plans when he’d kissed her the night before? Did she say she wasn’t feeling well so that she could get away from him and put her plan into action?
Why? Why had she left? Was what he’d done so unforgivable that she couldn’t bear the sight of him?
Hating himself for what he’d done, he set his suitcase on the bed. He’d finished packing up his dad’s belongings and he needed to get out of town, out of Rosebridge, away from any reminders of Ainsley Hunter. He had to get home.
His flight wasn’t scheduled until the next day, but he was ready to head to the airport now. There was no point in sticking around, no point in dragging out his anguish. He would get back to Sacramento, and then he would immerse himself in his training. There was no other solution. He finished packing his bag, then he walked out to his car.
Ainsley walked along the shore, her feet bare, the waves rushing up her calves before retreating into the ocean. She hardly noticed the softness of the ocean foam as it curled around her bare legs. Her mind was on Brock and whether she could live with herself if she broke her deal with Tommy.
Uncertain, Ainsley wished she could talk it over with Brock. But not telling him was part of the deal.
Maybe she should call Wes. She’d told him about Dan Remington’s death but hadn’t spoken to him since. Yes, she would call her big brother.
Minutes later she had him on the line.
“What’re you up to, Ainsley?” he said after she greeted him. “What’s that noise I hear?”
Warmth toward her brother rushed through her. “Guess where I am?”
He laughed. “I have no idea.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you. Cannon Beach. In Oregon.” She told him the name of the resort. “It’s gorgeous here.”
“What are you doing there?”
Then she told him everything—how Brock had come to town, how she’d realized that she was falling for him, how she’d broken up with Tommy, how Brock had punched Tommy. And then she told him about the deal she’d made.
Dead silence, then, “Are you kidding me? He made you agree to that? That’s blackmail, plain and simple. Maybe even extortion.”
The vehemence in his voice shook her. Was he right? Had the deal been a form of blackmail? And if it was, what did that mean for her?
“What should I do? I mean, I made a promise. I can’t break my promise, Wes.”
A loud sigh came over the line. “Let me think about this, okay? I’ll call you back later.”
“Okay. Thank you. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Ainsley tucked her phone back in her pocket and turned around, ready for her massage.
Three hours later Ainsley was soaking in her bathroom’s garden tub, her muscles pleasantly sore. It had been a long time since she’d had a massage, but her body felt loose and relaxed.
It was after seven and she was hungry. Was it only the night before that she’d been eating pizza with Brock? That he’d kissed her so passionately?
Closing her eyes, she tried to empty her mind, to banish all thoughts of Brock, but her mind refused to cooperate. Instead, his face was front and center, and she could hardly stand it. Wes had yet to call her back and she was getting increasingly desperate for direction.
Sighing with resignation, she stood and grabbed a towel.
“The water’s getting cold anyway,” she murmured as she dried off.
After dressing, she called Wes, but his phone went to voicemail.
“Wes,” she said after the beep. “I’m really struggling here. Please call me back.”
Not up to facing anyone, she ordered room service, then went onto the balcony while she waited. Sunset was approaching, and the view was stunning. Orange and pink streaked the sky, the colors reflected in the waters of the Pacific.
Soaking in the view, Ainsley felt a sense of peace, and she reveled in it, because she knew it wouldn’t last. Not with the turmoil in her heart.
A knock sounded on her door.
Her stomach rumbled in reply, and she strode to the door, ravenous.
She pulled the door open, then froze, paralyzed with shock.
Chapter Nineteen
“Hi, Ainsley,” Brock said, barely able to suppress his smile.
A myriad of emotions flitted across her face—shock, happiness, disbelief.
“Brock. What are you…? How did you…?”
This was better than he could have imagined. After Wes had called him and told him what was going on and where Ainsley was staying, he’d chartered a private plane so that he wouldn’t waste a moment reaching her side. And now here he was. And there she was. Looking as gorgeous as ever.
He still couldn’t believe what Tommy had done, what he’d made her promise in exchange for dropping the charges. She’d completely sacrificed herself for him. It was more than he would have expected from anyone. And it totally explained the way she’d been acting.
He gazed at her, love for her settling deep into his soul. He’d known her for years, but had only gotten to know the real her over the past week. And he’d fallen for her. Hard. Nothing was going to change that—not threats from Tommy, not the distance between Rosebridge, Idaho and Sacramento, California. Not even Ainsley’s tendency to put everyone but herself first.
“Are you going to invite me in?” he asked, his lips quirking up.
“Yes,” she said with a laugh. “Yes, of course.” She stepped back to let him enter.
“Nice digs,” he said as he passed her, resisting the urge to drag her against him and kiss her senseless. She had no idea he knew the truth, and he didn’t want to put her in an awkward position by making a move when she still thought she needed to keep him in the friend zone.
“Thanks,” she said. “I like it here.”
Was this really happening? Was Brock really here? How had he found her? What was she going to do now? She still hadn’t heard back from Wes. What would he tell her to do?
Dang him for not getting back to her.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Brock asked.
Not able to wipe the stupid grin from her face, she nodded. “Room service.”
He chuckled. “I’ll take care of it.”
She watched as Brock accepted the tray and gave the man a tip, then he set the tray on the desk before turning back to her.
He smiled at her. “I’d like to take you somewhere for dinner.”
Oh boy. Back to her original problem. Even if what Tommy had done was blackmail, she couldn’t break their deal. She’d promised. That meant something to her.
“What do you say?” he asked as he stepped closer to her, his voice low and sexy. “Will you go out with me?”
Panic cra
shed over her. “Uh…I…Why can’t we eat here?” She gestured lamely toward the tray. “We already have food.”
“Hmm.” Brock turned and strode to the desk before lifting the cover off of the food. “Chicken salad and a roll.” He turned and grinned. “I don’t think that’s enough food for the both of us.”
“We can order more.” She dashed to the bedside table and picked up the phone. “I can call room service right now. It won’t take long.”
This was ridiculous. She couldn’t keep this up.
A smile tugged up the corners of Brock’s lips as he slowly shook his head.
“No?” she asked.
“No.”
He was walking towards her—tall, ripped, and devastatingly handsome. Ainsley set the phone back in its cradle, her eyes locked on his, her body frozen by his magnetism.
He stopped in front of her and ran a finger down her jaw. She nearly melted.
“I can’t go out with you,” she whispered, her heart stuttering with despair. To her surprise, he didn’t look disappointed.
Instead, his smile grew. “That’s what you think.”
Confused, her eyebrows furrowed. “It is?”
His fingers lifted her chin, forcing her to keep her gaze on him. “You’re wrong, Ainsley. You can do whatever you want.”
“I can?” He was wrong. He didn’t know what she’d committed to.
“Yes,” he said, then he leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead.
She sighed as her eyes fluttered closed, and when he pulled away, she looked at him, her heart shattering anew. She loved him so much, but he would never be hers. Never. Tears filled her eyes, but she didn’t want him to see. She had to keep up the charade that she only cared about him as a friend, no matter how hard that would be.
Stepping to the side, she looked down, then walked around him. Keeping her back to him, she swallowed the tears. “I’m sorry you came all this way, Brock, but you should go now.”
“I can’t do that.”
Why oh why did he have to make this so hard?
“Ainsley.”
His voice was so sexy, so deep, she turned around despite herself. Still, she kept her head down, her tears hidden.
“Look at me.”
He stood five feet away, still too close for comfort. Wiping her eyes, she inhaled sharply, then slowly released a ragged breath, but she managed to get her emotions under control. Then she lifted her gaze to his.
“I have something to tell you,” he said.
There was nothing he could say that would mend her heart. Nothing.
He sat on the small couch tucked against one wall, then patted the seat next to him.
Drawn to him despite her best efforts to resist, she trudged to the couch and sank onto the cushion beside him, turning to face him.
He took her hands in his, his thumb tracing circles on her smooth skin.
“You are, without a doubt, the most honorable woman I know.”
What? Where was this going? What did that have to do with anything?
“Which is why Tommy knew he could take advantage of you.”
Ainsley’s eyes went wide.
What was he saying? How could he know?
“Ainsley, you don’t have to pretend any longer. I know all about Tommy and his deal.”
“How,” she sputtered. “How could you know? I didn’t tell you. I kept my promise.”
His eyes softened and he lifted one hand to stroke her face. “Yes, you kept your promise.”
“I never told…” Realization dawned. “Wes told you, didn’t he?” That must be why he hadn’t called her back. He’d gone straight to his old friend Brock, told him everything. Slightly irritated with her brother for going behind her back, she was mostly thrilled that Brock had found out without her having to break her verbal contract.
“Wait,” she said as the other half of the contract filled her mind. “I also promised that I would never be more than friends with you.” Brock knowing the truth wouldn’t change that.
Rage at Tommy filled Brock, but for Ainsley’s sake, he kept it at bay. Letting Ainsley know how he felt about Tommy wouldn’t help her one iota. Instead, he had to convince her that the entire agreement was bogus. Heck, he’d rather face the assault charges than have her feel like she needed to sacrifice for him.
“You realize that was emotional blackmail, don’t you?”
Her forehead creased. “But I got what I wanted out of it. I agreed. He didn’t make me agree. I did it of my own free will and choice.”
This was going to be harder than he thought. Still, he had one ace up his sleeve.
“Think about it, Ainsley. How is it okay for him to demand that you change your feelings for someone? For no reason other than to drop those charges? Charges for doing something which I’m beginning to think he wanted to have happen.”
She stared at him, and he could see the wheels turning, then sadness filled her eyes. “Why does it matter?” Her voice was just above a whisper. “You’re going back to your life in Sacramento. A life that doesn’t include me.”
That’s where she was wrong, and now it was time for him to tell her.
So, Brock thought Tommy orchestrated the whole thing too. Well, the jerk had gotten what he wanted. Ainsley forced down the tears and the anger and focused on Brock, waited to hear what he would say.
Then, to her surprise, he smiled.
“It matters,” he said, his eyes sparkling and his voice soft, “because I’m in love with you, Ainsley.”
Her heart faltered, then went into a gallop. He loved her? Really? Was that possible? “You are?”
His smile turned to a grin. “Yes. I am.”
Maybe there was hope. Maybe they could figure this out.
Her eyes didn’t move from his face. “I love you too.”
He gazed at her a moment longer, and then he drew her into his arms. She went willingly, happily. Held in his embrace, she felt safe, like he would protect her from all the evil in the world, from people like Tommy.
“Ainsley,” he murmured into her hair. “My sweet, sweet Ainsley.”
Smiling in contentment, she allowed herself to relax against him.
Moments later she heard his phone buzz in his pocket.
“I’m expecting some news,” he said as he shifted to take the phone out of his pocket.
Ainsley sat up, curious what was so important that he would let it interrupt this moment.
He looked at the screen, then his face broke out in a wide smile. “He did it.”
“What?”
Brock looked at her, and he seemed even happier than he had been before. He showed her the text.
Ainsley read the words: It’s done. “I don’t understand. What’s done? Who’s that from?”
“My lawyer. While I was flying here I asked him to draw up an agreement and to get Tommy to sign it.”
Ainsley’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“I had my lawyer negotiate a monetary settlement with Tommy—a lot more than he would have gotten had he sued me—and in exchange he agreed to never sue me for what happened.” Brock’s eyes sparkled. “And…he agreed to release you from any contract, verbal or written.”
It took a moment for her to digest the news, to believe it, but when she did, she leapt to her feet, joy bursting within her. “No way!”
Brock laughed, then he tugged her down beside him. “Way.”
She threw her arms around him and burst into sobs—sobs of relief and sobs of joy.
“Hey,” he said. “Hey, it’s okay. Everything’s okay now.”
She pulled back and smiled at him through the curtain of tears. “I can’t believe you did that for me.”
He grinned. “You could say I did it for me. How else was I going to convince you to be part of my life?”
She gazed at him, her heart bursting with emotion. “I love you so much.”
He cupped her face and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. “I love you, Ai
nsley. Don’t ever forget that.”
Then he pressed his lips to hers and she knew she would never let anything keep them apart again.
Chapter Twenty
“This is a nice place,” Ainsley said as Brock helped her into her seat at the restaurant, her heart overflowing with emotion. What he’d done for her… It had been beyond her wildest dreams and she knew he truly loved her.
“I’m glad you approve,” he said as he sat across from her.
When he’d insisted that they go out to eat, she’d readily agreed. Beyond grateful that her life was her own again, that she no longer had to hide the way she felt about him, she was ecstatic to be able to go out with him, to show the world that he was hers.
They ordered their meal, then Brock leaned forward and took her hands in his.
Loving the way it felt to be cared for by him, she smiled.
“There’s something we need to discuss,” he said, his lips curving upward.
“What?”
“I want you in my life, Ainsley. I hope I’ve made that clear.”
He had, and she couldn’t be happier. “Yes.”
“As you know, I live in Sacramento, and I’m not in a position to move.”
She could see where this was going, and she had no problem moving. It would be good to get away from Tommy, to never see him again.
“What I’m asking,” he said, “is, would you be willing to move to Sacramento?”
“Yes.” She spoke the word without hesitation. “I’m sure Sacramento could use another dental hygienist.”
He laughed. “Yes. I’m sure it could.”
Thrilled beyond measure that she’d agreed so readily to move to Sacramento, to be with him, he had one more question for her.
“Ainsley.”
She looked at him, her blue eyes so full of trust that it almost hurt.
What if things didn’t work out between them? What if he failed her?
He couldn’t let that happen. He would do everything within his power to make her happy.
False Start (Fair Catch Series, Book Two) Page 9