“We’ve been talking the whole time I was in Nashville, and she’s actually excited about it.” He took a shot and swished the ball. “With my graphic arts and marketing background, Phillip wants me to focus on that division of the company, but I’d also be involved in choosing our candidates.”
“Wow, that is really incredible. Congratulations.” Beau bounced the ball a couple of times and tried for another three-pointer. He missed again.
Chase jumped up and caught the rebound. “Thanks.” He held onto the ball and spun it in his hands. “Wanna know the best part?”
“You’re getting a raise?”
“Besides that,” he said with a grin.
“I don’t know, but it must be good after what you just told me.”
“We’d obviously have to relocate, but Phillip said it doesn’t have to be in Nashville.” Chase got in position and made a clean shot right into the basket. “We’d make our home base right here in Mitchel Creek.”
Beau snagged the rebound and held onto it. “Seriously? Man, that is awesome.” He high-fived Chase’s raised hand. “So, Addie’s cool with that?”
“Yeah, with her daddy gone and Chellie’s family so much older, she wants Izzy and our new little one to grow up around cousins their age. Plus, her aunt lives here and she knows my parents won’t always be around and wants to take advantage of living near them while they’re healthy and alive.”
Beau knew the cousins Chase referred to would be Taylin’s and eventually Ashlee’s children. Maybe this was the perfect transition to talk to him about he and Ashlee dating.
“Wow, do your parents know yet?”
“No, Mama and Daddy have been too busy making sure everything is ready for when Taylin and Luke come home this weekend.” He snagged the ball out of Beau’s hands. “You’re the first person I’ve talked to other than my wife.”
“I’m honored.” Beau watched Chase make another perfect shot. It was a good thing they weren’t keeping score. Chase was on fire.
“I can’t wait to talk to Ashlee, though,” Chase said, tossing Beau the ball again. “I just found her the perfect job in Nashville.”
Beau felt like all his limbs were frozen in shock. Chase had found Ashlee a job in Nashville? Now, even if he did stay in Mitchel Creek, they’d have a longer commute. And if he moved to Savannah… that would make dating on weekends almost impossible. “Doin’ what?” he asked, trying not to sound as distressed as he felt.
“Phillip’s manager is lookin’ to train a new assistant to help with everything from fan club meet and greets, picture ops, and backstage passes to meeting the needs of Phillip, his band and their families.” Chase ran a hand through his hair. It was something he’d always done when he was excited. “It would be an amazing opportunity for Ashlee. Not only would she get experience in the music industry, but she’d also get a chance to travel when Phillip goes on tour. Since Phillip and his wife have come to so many of our family parties, I figure Ashlee will jump at the chance because it will be like she’s working for a family member.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty amazing.” Beau’s mouth was so dry his voice sounded funny. He set the ball down and walked over to the table to get his water bottle. As he took a long drink, he thought about all the men Ashlee would be surrounded by. Famous, good-looking, rich men that may or may not be single. With her vivacious personality and her movie-star beauty, she would attract them all.
Chase followed him and grabbed his water bottle. “The thing is, I’m worried about her. Now that Taylin is married, I think Ashlee is going to obsess about getting married. I don’t want her marrying some guy for all the wrong reasons, or before she has a chance to do something other than dress up like fairy-tale princesses.” Chase took a drink and then screwed the lid back on. “You know how Ashlee is, she falls in love with every single guy she goes out with. Heck, she’s been in love with you since she was twelve.”
That had always been the running joke, but now the joke was on him. Beau had gone and fallen in love with her.
“What does Addie think about the job?” Beau asked, knowing Chase’s wife was on his side.
“I haven’t said anything to her yet. It just came up today before I left.” He glanced around him as if to make sure they were still alone. “She told me Ashlee has some mystery boyfriend that she’s bringing to the family party. As fast as she falls in and out of love, I hope I’m not too late.”
Beau didn’t know what to say. He’d had everything all planned out and now Chase had gone and thrown a whole new problem into the mix. The job with Phillip would be so much better than her current one, but he knew Ashlee wouldn’t even think about taking it if it meant they couldn’t see each other as often.
He didn’t want to be responsible for her missing out on a unique opportunity. Besides, there were no guarantees things would work out with them. The sizzling chemistry between them could fizzle out, and where would that leave them? His relationship with Chase would be strained ,and Ashlee would still be working a dead-end job that wouldn’t last forever.
“So,” Beau said, his mind still reeling, “this is a for sure thing?”
“For Ashlee?” Chase asked, wrinkling his brow.
Beau didn’t trust his voice, so he nodded his head and took another drink of water.
“Yeah, like I said, Phillip is a close family friend and knows Ashlee. He thinks she’d be a good fit so he isn’t making her interview or anything. He’d like her to start as soon as possible, so all she’ll need to do is give her two-week notice.”
“And what about you?” Beau asked. “Is that a for sure thing too?”
“Yeah, Addie and I both feel good about it.” He set his water bottle back on the table. “Phillip wants us here by the first of the year, so that gives us about seven months to arrange everything. That way Addie can have the baby in Idaho, and then we can move forward with selling the business and our home.” Chase laughed and shook his head. “It’s crazy how this is all going down. Our biggest challenge will be finding a house here in Mitchel Creek that will meet our needs while wrapping everything up back home.”
Beau considered the time frame Chase was under. He had a seven-month window to figure everything out before moving his family across the United States. Time was on his side.
But for he and Ashlee? It seemed like they were making decisions by the seat of their pants. They needed time to talk about her options and his options. It wasn’t very likely that things would pan out with Jackson and his father-in-law, which meant Beau’s job waiting for him in Savannah was his best option.
He couldn’t talk to Chase without talking to Ashlee first. They needed to slow down anyway and take their time dating. If they were meant to be together, then the separation and time apart wouldn’t be a big deal. They could make plans at a more sedated pace.
He heard the sound of the sliding glass door opening and turned to see Ashlee step out on the patio. She looked at him with apprehension, probably wondering if he’d had the chance to talk with Chase yet.
Giving her an imperceptible shake of his head, he saw the hopeful light in her eyes flicker out. Ashlee was the type to act first and think about the consequences later. She liked going full-speed ahead. He liked taking it slow and making concrete plans. Hopefully, they could meet somewhere in the middle.
Chapter 27
Ashlee knew Beau hadn’t talked to Chase the moment she met his eyes. She tried not to let her disappointment show and hoped her voice didn’t give her away. “Hey, sorry to interrupt,” she said, walking toward him and her brother. “Izzy woke up and is cryin’ for Daddy to sing to her.”
“Thanks for coming to get me,” Chase said, grabbing the water bottle from the table. “Addie does too much as it is.” He turned to Beau and held up his knuckles for a fist bump. “Sorry, bro, but my girls need me.”
“No worries,” Beau said as he tapped Chase’s knuckles with his own. “You would’ve killed me anyway. I couldn’t hit one basket.”
“Yeah, your game was a little off.” Chase tapped Ashlee gently on the arm as he jogged past her. “Got some good news for you, baby sister, so don’t run off.”
News? She waited until Chase had disappeared inside the house before turning back to Beau. “Is his news the reason you didn’t talk to him about us?”
“Yeah, you and I definitely need to talk first.” His eyes darted away to look at the backyard. “How about takin’ a walk in the orchard?”
“Okay.” The knots in her stomach returned with a vengeance as she walked alongside him. The hammock usually looked inviting, but tonight it looked like a tangled mess of ropes that would trap her if she were to sit in it.
Beau didn’t sit down either. He turned to look at the setting sun for a long moment before he finally met her eyes.
“So, what is Chase’s news?” she asked.
Ashlee didn’t move the entire time Beau relayed to her what he’d just learned from Chase. It was all so much to take in. She was stoked about Addie and Chase coming back home to stay and flattered about the potential job offer with Phillip. She loved Phillip and his wife, but she wasn’t sure it was the best fit for her. The thought of traveling from state to state may have sounded appealing a month ago, but how would she and Beau date if she lived in Nashville or was on the road?
“Is that really the reason you didn’t talk to Chase? Because you thought I’d want the job?”
“Why wouldn’t you want the job?” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t even know any of the details yet.”
“I know enough about it that I’d have to move to Tennessee, and I would be traveling a lot. When would we get to see each other?”
Frown lines creased Beau’s forehead. “You can’t forfeit an opportunity like this just so dating me is more convenient.”
Since when was long-distance dating convenient? His job in Savannah already provided enough obstacles to make seeing each other difficult. If she were to move too, it would complicate things further. No new relationship, no matter how powerful the attraction or friendship was, wouldn’t have much of a chance of making it.
“What if I don’t want this opportunity?”
“Ashlee, that’s exactly what I was afraid of.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “You can’t sacrifice a potentially great career when there are still so many unknown variables with our relationship.”
She wanted to tell him love wasn’t some math equation that had exact answers, but he wasn’t done talking.
“Look,” he said, putting his hands on his hips. “I’m going to ask you something, and I need you to be totally honest.”
“Sure.” She didn’t call him out for implying she was a liar. He knew her well enough to know she could be creative with her answers.
“If we weren’t dating, would you take the job in Nashville?”
That wasn’t a fair question! Of course she would take the job in Nashville. Phillip was just like family and now that he and her brother would be business partners, she would occasionally get to work with Chase. While her job dressing up was fun, it wasn’t something she could do forever. “How can you ask me something like that when I haven’t even received a job offer?”
“Because, Chase is going to be coming out here any minute now to give you the details. He’s going to expect an answer.”
“So, my answer is supposed to automatically be yes?”
“Well, it shouldn’t be an immediate no!” He blew out a breath of frustration. “You can’t just make snap decisions without thinking them through, Ashlee. Besides, what if nothing comes from us dating? What if you find someone else or decide we’re better off as friends?”
He was so frustrating. Why did he have to always think with his head instead of his heart? Plus, he had reverted to sounding an awful lot like her big brother again. She wasn’t a little girl. She knew what she wanted and was perfectly capable of making her own decisions. So, what if it didn’t make sense logically. Love wasn’t always convenient or logical.
“But what if things do work out between us, Beau?” She took a step toward him. “Do you ever consider that possibility?”
A look of sheer panic crossed his face. Was the thought of marrying her really that horrifying?
“Of course, but… that’s a long way down the road, and there are so many other things we have to take into consideration.” He swallowed and ran a hand through his hair again, making it stand up a little. “This new job will require I put in a lot of hours to prove myself, limiting what time we do have together. And that’s not factoring in our different locations. It’s gonna take some creative planning on our part, but once we’re settled it will be easier to schedule visits.”
The upside to his speech was that he’d at least considered a future together. The downside was he’d failed to mention love as one of his factors. It was like he’d made a list of pros and cons, but clearly the cons far outweighed the pros, since those were the only things he talked about. In his eyes, it seemed almost impossible for them to continue their relationship. Maybe she should turn the tables around just to see where he really stood.
“You’re right, Beau. Things probably won’t work out for us, so why don’t we save us the trouble of dealing with that down the road and end things right now.”
His eyes widened with surprise. “I didn’t say I want to end things. All I’m saying is you need to be logical and keep your options open.”
“And I want you to stop being so logical.” She took a step toward him. “Is love ever a factor, Beau, or does everything have to make sense on paper before you make a decision?”
“There’s nothing wrong with taking the time to think things through.”
She couldn’t overlook the fact that once more he said nothing about love. She loved him, but it was becoming obvious Beau’s feelings weren’t anywhere close to what she felt for him. Or if they were, he just wasn’t ready to admit it.
Whatever his reasons were, she needed to take a giant step backwards and give him the space he wanted. She didn’t want to do it, knowing the results may not be what she wanted, but it was far better to do this now rather than in a month or so down the road. By that time, her heart would be all in, and the pain would be unbearable.
“You go ahead and take all the time you need, but I’ve made my decision.” She lifted her chin in resolution. “Consider yourself off the hook for everything.”
“What does that even mean?” he asked, sounding both frustrated and baffled.
“It means you don’t have to worry about all the issues with dating me.” She drew back, putting space between them. “When you’ve figured out what you want versus what makes sense, then you can call me.”
He stared at her for several long seconds, as if his brain was computing the new data so he could determine which category to put it in. Determined to follow through with her edict, she turned and walked away from him.
It hurt physically to leave him there. Each step toward the house had her wondering if she’d done the right thing. The impulsive side of her wanted him to chase after her and tell her he couldn’t live without her and that they’d work through the difficulties as they came along. Too bad that kind of thing only happened in fairy tales. Beau was too practical to do something so spontaneous.
Once inside, Ashlee placed a hand over her churning stomach. Had she just ruined any chance she had with Beau? She thought about rushing back outside before he left to tell him she didn’t mean any of it, but then she’d be right back to where they were before.
Somehow, she made it through the rest of the evening pretending to be happy. She also acted both surprised and excited when Chase gave her the news, though on the inside she felt like her heart was shriveling minute by minute. Her parents trusted Phillip and thought it was a wonderful opportunity for her.
The only person to doubt her sincerity was Addie. Her sister-in-law knew something was wrong. “I take it Joe never talked with my husband?” she whispered as Chase shared more details about h
is new career with their parents.
“No.” Ashlee swallowed past the lump in her throat. “It wasn’t the right time.”
“Is there ever going to be a right time?”
That was one question she couldn’t answer, not even with a guess.
Ashlee didn’t want to put a damper on the exciting news of her brother moving back home. Mama and Daddy were beside themselves with joy. Nobody wanted to hear about another one of her failed relationships.
Forcing her lips into a smile, she shrugged her shoulders in answer. Then she squeezed Addie’s hand. “I am so excited y’all are movin’ back home. It’s goin’ to be great workin’ with Phillip and Chase.” She let go of her sister-in-law’s hand. “A dream come true.”
Before Addie could say anything further, Chase held up his phone. “Hey, babe, Aunt Janie texted me that she’s home now and wants to hear our news.”
“We’ll talk later,” Addie said, as she pushed off of the couch cushion and waddled toward her husband.
While Chase and Addie made a FaceTime call to Miss Janie, Ashlee took the opportunity to slip out of the room. It was pathetic, but the first thing she did when she got to her bedroom was check her phone to see if Beau had tried to contact her. There were no new messages or missed calls from him.
There was a text from Miss Paulette, the director of Peach Tree Village, asking Ashlee to call her tomorrow at her earliest convenience. She made a reminder in her calendar and then opened a new text message addressed to her boss. For the first time since she’d started working for Princess Parties, she was calling in sick. There was no way she could face work tomorrow.
Setting her phone down on her bed, she stripped out of her clothes and took a long, hot shower. Although her skin was red from the heated water, it did nothing to ease the cold ache in her chest.
As she combed through her hair, she tried to tell herself she wasn’t a complete failure and made a mental list of her latest accomplishments. She was currently employed and was good at her job. Who else could pull off playing the role of so many different blonde princesses without having to buy a wig? None of her other co-workers could claim that. They all used hair extensions. She also had a better job lined up. As soon as Phillip officially offered it to her, she would give her two-week notice instead of spontaneously quitting like she usually did. When her next accomplishment involved kissing Beau Jacobsen, she stopped making her pitiful list.
Blue Moon Kisses: Georgia Moon Romance Book 3 Page 25