by A. C. Wilson
“Well you will eventually, right? That’s not hard to believe.” Royal chuckled.
“In a week, Royal. If I don’t, my brothers get the estate and all the money. I will get nothing.”
The bottom fell out of his confidence. His brows furrowed as he absorbed what she said. Ainsley shook her head and turned away. It was too much to ask. It was beyond ludicrous that she should have to do such a thing in order to inherit from her father. Her brothers didn’t have to marry!
“Can you get away with a quick marriage, accept the inheritance and then get a divorce?” Royal asked behind her. She shook her head.
“Another grand stipulation. The marriage has to be real for five years. If a divorce occurs, then any money spent will have to be paid back and the estate goes to my brothers anyway.”
“The son of a bitch was clever.” Royal growled. She could hear the anger in his voice. She turned to face him.
“I’m sorry. Of course a marriage is out of the question. I should have told my attorney that.” Everything was deflated, including her confidence. Now all she wanted was to go home and find a bottle of wine. Or two.A hot bath wouldn’t be amiss either. She adjusted her top before beginning to gather her phone and purse. Work could wait.
“It’s a damn rotten thing to do to his only daughter.” Royal defended her against her father and she appreciated it. She nodded in agreement. It was good that Royal hadn’t known her father. They would never have gotten along in any form.“But we could figure it out.”
“Figure what out? I just told you what it would take to satisfy the will.” Ainsley moved towards the door, flipping the lock over. He hadn’t moved from behind the desk.
“Marry me.”
Ainsley wanted to pinch herself. None of this was actually happening, was it? She had to be hallucinating in her office.“What?”
Royal moved around the desk and slowly walked towards her. He reached for her hands and looked her in the eye.“Marry me.”
Her heart hammered in her chest.“Are you insane?”
“Probably.” He nodded, smiling at her.“But I could think of worse things. Besides your old man shouldn’t win. He shouldn’t be able to dictate your life.”
“He will for the next five years.” She swallowed hard.
“Only if we don’t stick together. I’m willing to put in the time.” He touched her cheek.“What do you say?”
Royal might be insane, but he was jumping into the fray for her. In a strange way, he was her knight in shining armor.
“Yes. I will marry you.”
If you have liked reading Ainsley and Royal’s story, please stay tuned as they have asked for their own novel. Their journey of trust and love doesn’t end here. ~A.C. Wilson
Black Hills Series:
Lance’s
Stars
A Companion Novella
to the
Black Hills Series
A.C. Wilson
CHAPTER ONE
The vast stretches of interstate had a strange effect on his nerves. Lance had gone five hundred miles, leaving Illinois before it was even light outside this morning. The sunrise had been less remarkable than he might have imagined. His final destination was Hot Springs, South Dakota. He had heard a great deal about the Black Hills country and with some minor inner debate, he had decided to pack up and move. It wasn’t as if there was anything holding him to Illinois now. If anything, his world was completely different and it would never be the same again.
He looked to the wooden wedge that held the folded American flag. It was probably silly on his part, but that single piece of stitched and embroidered fabric made him feel less alone. Feeling his throat tighten at the memory of receiving the flag upon his brother’s interment, Lance couldn’t believe it was a handful of years since that day. It seemed like yesterday. It was so vivid in its watercolor portrait. It was late spring and the trees were just leafing out with their green buds. Birds were singing too brightly for the occasion. The grass at the cemetery was soft and smelled sweet. Everything about that day was more alive than it had a right to be without his brother’s soul in the world.
The flag draped coffin was enough to burst the dam inside and even if he hadn’t already been crying, Lance would have drowned in loneliness. His only sibling was lying feet from him but the chasm was too great to reach across. His older brother, Terrell Harper believed in living the American dream and for that dream, he had enlisted in the United States Army. At first it had seemed like a lark, a way to see the world without going on his own dime. Terrell was like that. He could talk a peacock out of his plumage and make the bird think it was a smart investment. Lance envied that trait. It was not one he had inherited.
Lance was obliged to sit in the front row of chairs with friends behind him. No one sat to the right or left. He was the only one present for his family. He blamed his drug addicted, con artist parents for being too damaged to know their children even existed. He didn’t blame Terrell’s girlfriend; Andy was battling her own demons as well as carrying their child. That bit of news had been a shock to the system. A letter had been with Terrell’s personal effects and being as it was addressed to Lance, he opened it. Neat handwriting slithered across the lined paper as Lance learned he was to be an uncle and as proud as his brother was to have a family, their own parents must never know of the child. It made sense. The brothers’ childhood had been nothing short of perilous; the boys not knowing where their next meal might come from or the next beating for that matter. The paper had trembled in his hands as he accepted one final request from his brother-- take care of the baby and the mother. That was a heavy crown to wear and he was reminded of it daily. Pictures of his little niece, Harper had graced his refrigerator door and many frames all over his house. The girl looked just like her father with the dainty beauty of her mother.
Lance looked at the flag next to him in the passenger seat and smiled sadly at it. There was another reason that he was moving to South Dakota. It was time to be a part of Harper’s life and to tell her about her daddy. Lance wanted to remember the good times and stop focusing on what he had lost. So much had been taken away and more so in the last eighteen months. The stretched skin of his left side along his ribs and down his thigh was a constant reminder that events could go south in a hurry. One day his life was everything a young, aspiring firefighter wanted and the next, well, he could be lying in a hospital bed in a burn unit. It was a traumatic end to a promising career.
Lance watched the road disappear into the horizon and felt his eyelids start to droop. It was time to find a place to stop for the night. The rest of the trip could be made tomorrow after he had rested and eaten something other than convenience store food. Seeing the next exit sign with a lodging indicator, Lance pulled off. It was a small town with a couple of hotels and a small diner that was shaped like the Lone Ranger’s silver bullet. It wasn’t the most inspired idea he had today, but he was tired and driving further wasn’t an option.
“Yes, sir, we have a room for you.” A nice, short Indian man smiled as he punched some stuff into the computer before him. Lance looked around the small lobby of the motel he had chosen. It was independently owned, clean -if a bit shabby, and the staff was pleasant.
“Here are the keys for you, sir.” The man handed over a plastic key card with the receipt for the room. After gathering the directions to the room and where to park, Lance was on his way. Room number two was just around the corner from the office and it had its own parking space to the left.
“Home, sweet, home.” Lance murmured as he walked into the small room accommodated with a queen sized bed, small fridge and microwave and a bathroom off the entry. Just like his assumption from the lobby, he noted the room was well worn, but it was clean and serviceable. Of course it wouldn’t win in the fancy department, but he only wanted some sleep. His stomach growled as he took his small suitcase into the room and settled it on the bed. Food. He needed to eat something and what better time than the present?
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br /> “Hey there, sweetie!” An elderly lady shuffled from behind the counter as he took a seat in a booth. Her white hair was twisted up behind her head and speared in place with a sharpened pencil. Her red reading glasses were perched on the end of her narrow nose, but the bright blue eyes behind them told Lance that the woman missed nothing.
“Good evening.” Lance greeted her with a soft smile, covering the discomfort of his side and thigh. The injury was always achy, especially if he sat too long. The woman passed him the menu and smiled back at him.
“Can I get you a cup of coffee?”
Lance shook his head. “No, but I would love a sweet tea without lemon, please.”
“Coming right up.” Doris, her name tag said, turned back towards the counter. She paused a second before continuing to get his drink order. “French dip is a wonderful choice.”
“Is that so?” Lance chuckled as he took a glance at the menu and then decided that Doris was spot on in her assumption. He would take her advice and order the roast beef sandwich with au jus gravy. Exactly as promised, the meal came out smelling amazing and his taste buds were already tingling with anticipation.
“What do you think?” Doris asked, refilling his glass of tea and smiling warmly at him. She looked to be in her mid to late sixties, but her attention was as sharp as he had ever seen.
“It’s just as you said it would be. Thank you.” Lance offered a genuine smile.
“Good. You looked like you might be a French Dip sort of guy.” Doris chuckled, waving at a customer who was leaving the restaurant. “Lots of locals here. We don’t get too many new faces.”
“Really?” Lance looked around. “Small town living?” He asked, hoping he wasn’t offending her.
“The best kind of living, if you ask me. Of course, you didn’t, but it really is. You get to know your neighbors and they become your friends. You might not see them every day or talk to them every week, but when life gets sticky, they pitch in with a hand to help you back up.” Doris tipped her head in a quirky, grandmother fashion. “Seems like you might be looking for that.”
“I’m on my way to one such small town, or so I’ve heard it called. A new start if you will.” Lance wondered what made it so easy to talk to a nearly perfect stranger.
“Ah. Where is that?” Doris settled into the booth across from him and propped her chin in a wrinkled hand.
“Hot Springs.” Lance offered, taking a drink of his tea.
“South Dakota. Well that isn’t far at all.” She smiled. “That’s very good. I’m proud of you.” Lance cocked his head to the side as his brow furrowed in question.
“Proud of me?” He took a breath and looked her in the eye. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you don’t know me. How can you be proud?”
Lance saw the woman’s visage change. Her face took on a youthful glow and her eyes lit up with something he might call joy. It didn’t make sense really and his stomach clenched as he tried to catch everything that was going on.
“Easy, my boy, I know you don’t understand a kindness. You haven’t had it in quite some time, but you’ll find it.” Her hand reached out to cover his on the table. “I’m proud of you for taking a chance and for deciding that you deserve to be happy.” Lance knew she could see how quickly his heartbeat thumped in his veins. His mouth was dry and his chest ached at her words. It was impossible for her to know the struggle he had waged in deciding whether to move or stay put.
“I am happy.” Lance lied, looking down at the weathered hand that covered his still on the table. She squeezed their connection.
“You don’t know what happiness means, so I’ll forgive the fib.” Doris pressed her lips together into a firm line. “Existing is different than living. Believe me, I’ve done my fair share of both. We convince ourselves that if we just keep going, then we can survive anything. The problem with that is you wake up twenty years later wondering what you’ve accomplished and there’s nothing to show for it.” She shook their hands and Lance couldn’t bring himself to break the connection. It was like watching his life flicker by and noting everything she said as truth. How could she know?
“What if it is too late to be happy? What if I missed my chance?” Lance couldn’t help it. The questions burbled out of him like a stream over bedrock.
“It’s never too late. Your life is only limited by the limitations you place on it. If you die unhappy, it is you who is to blame. Simple enough!” She smiled at him, as if he had just handed her the keys to the kingdom. He noted with a funny feeling that his heart was no longer beating at a frenzied pace. He was rather calm and receptive to what she was sharing with him.
“I hope you’re right.” Lance murmured, pulling his hand from hers.
“I am.” Doris’ words were soft and compassionate. “Well, you’d best get some sleep. You have a new day to face tomorrow. Drive carefully.” She got up from the bench seat and straightened her apron. Lance dug his wallet out from his back pocket and began to open it. He felt her hand touch his arm. “It’s on the house.”
“And the advice?” He asked, trying to be funny. He even offered a crooked smile.
“That too.”
Lance left the little diner experiencing an emotional tug o’ war. It was spectacularly odd how the old woman had pinpointed the exact argument he battled from the moment Andy suggested he move to Hot Springs. He walked back to his rented room with his hands deep inside his pockets.
CHAPTER TWO
Lance wrinkled his nose as he passed the dumpster, holding his breath the next thirty feet. A soft shuffling had him furrowing his brow, tipping his head to the side as he wondered where exactly that sound had come from. He swung his gaze from side to side, looking in the poor glow of the street lamps. The little bushes that lined the sidewalk could offer some protection, but as he neared them, he could tell that nothing was hiding in there but bits of trash from the wind.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are…” Lance’s voice was soft and trailed off as he heard a pitiful whine. Tilting his head, he listened harder for the sound. “Where are you?” Again another pitiful whine, something similar to a baby starting to fuss. It tugged at Lance’s heart and his instincts to search out the creature that sounded so dejected. A waist high trash can stood next to the parking information sign. Lance took a chance and lifted the metal lid to peer inside. The trash can was full of paper, used coffee cups, somethings that might have been edible at one point and then there was a little black body with a smudge of tan and white. Lance took out his cell phone and flipped on the flashlight application in order to get a better look at the critter inside. He didn’t think it would be fun to put his hand inside just to discover a frantic raccoon looking to shred his arm. The mental image of that was rather unpleasant to say the least.
“Easy.” Lance spoke softly, letting a grin steal across his lips as he met the frightened eyes of a puppy. It wasn’t very old from the looks of it, but with a thin frame it was difficult to tell. “How did you get in here?” Tucking his phone away, Lance ever so gently lowered his hand so the pup could sniff him. It was pretty clear how the animal got into the trash can. It certainly wasn’t from falling inside on accident. Likely whoever dumped the pup was looking to get rid of it. It was really heartless to cast away an innocent animal without a backward thought.
“It’s going to be okay. You’re safe now.” Lance had always been partial to animals before people, but being a fireman, it was his duty to save anyone in need of it. This little guy definitely fit the bill. Securing his hand at the scruff of the pup’s neck, he lifted him out and settled him in his arms. Lance wrinkled his nose. The poor guy had been in there for a while and smelled of sickening, sour trash. Replacing the lid on the can, Lance walked towards his hotel room. He could feel the pup shaking, whether from the cold, hunger or nervousness. It was a toss-up. Extracting his key, Lance entered the room and closed the door.
“Well now, let’s see what we can accomplish tonight.”
Lance set the pup down on the floor and the small bit of fur scurried to the corner. Head bowed to face away from the strange human, the pup shivered. Lance felt tears prick his eyes before he sniffed them away. It was devastating to see the treatment this creature must have endured. Knowing the dog could use some cleaning from the smell alone, Lance thought the best avenue for the moment to be working on trust. Of course, if one were hungry, everything would be suspicious. So out came the paper bag with some snacks purchased from the convenience store. Half a ham sandwich was wrapped up and Lance decided to give it a try. Unfolding it, he put it on a napkin and placed it on the floor, only a few feet from the scared puppy.
“Here you go.” Lance looked at the pup, determining that it was going to be a rather large dog if the size of its paws meant anything. “I’ll grab a shower while you eat. No pressure. Take your time, Chief.”
Lance managed to stretch his ten-minute shower into fifteen, but he continued to peek around the shower curtain to see if the sandwich had disappeared. It sat there, untouched. Pursing his lips, Lance wondered what he should do next. He turned off the water and pulled back the curtain. Another glance at the sandwich and he was stunned to find it gone. It had disappeared. Swiftly! Easing out of the shower and to the bathroom door, Lance looked around wall and smiled. Chief was working on his impromptu dinner. Chief. It seemed like the little dog had gotten his name without fanfare or brain-power. It fit. The pup would be a survivor and Lance would make sure of that.
“You’re on your way?” Andy asked, her excitement trilling through the phone. Lance smiled. This girl and her daughter kept him going most days and they had no idea.
“Yep. I should make it tomorrow sometime. Although I’m not coming alone.” Lance looked at the spot he had last seen the pup. Of course, the dog was more shadow than solid, so he wasn’t there.