by J. W. Ashley
“Yeah, you can start paying attention to what matters and get the fuck off your phone when someone needs your help.”
He eyes the bag, then me, and I practically dare him to say something else. Finally, he looks down at the woman.
“Sorry, Mom,” he mutters and reaches for her bag. “I’ll call you back,” he says into his phone and shoves it into his pocket.
Good call.
The old woman smiles at me over her shoulder as they walk away, and I wave. “Have fun this week!” I call out. Her son sends one last glare at me before they disappear into the early morning sunshine.
I can’t stand dicks like that—buried in their damn phones, not bothering to pay any attention to what is going on around them.
The glass door behind baggage claim opens, and a crowd of people walk out as more baggage slides up onto the conveyor belt. I search the faces, mostly men in business suits at this hour, and my eyes fall on a gorgeous brunette.
Clad in tight jeans and a Florida State hoodie, she has overly large, black-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. Hair up on top of her head, some strands hang loose, dangling just past her shoulders.
The air is knocked from my lungs as I stare at her, completely in awe of the beautiful woman she has become.
Ten years. I haven’t seen her since the night of my senior graduation when she came to my party and asked…I shake my head, pushing the memory away. That night sucked ass, and reliving it is a terrible fucking idea. Especially right now.
She reaches onto the conveyor belt and hoists a black suitcase off, setting it beside her on the floor. As she turns, her gaze travels right over where I’m standing and searches the crowd of people behind me. Lips pursed, she clutches her phone and rolls her bag toward me.
I can’t blame her for not recognizing me. I’ve changed a lot in the last decade. Drugs, alcohol, regret, a divorce, and three jobs will do that to you.
A baseball cap sits low on my forehead, shadowing my eyes and giving way for the trimmed beard covering my jaw. Hands in the pockets of my jeans, I let her walk right up next to me so I can take one more moment to gather myself.
Ten years. And the last time we spent time together, everything went to shit. Here’s hoping things go better this time. Heart racing, stomach in knots, I clear my throat and swallow hard. No time like the present. “Macey?” I say as soon as she’s beside me.
Her bright smile fades the moment she realizes it’s me. Her lips flatten to a tight pink line, her dark gaze narrowing as she releases the handle of her suitcase and weaves her arms across her chest.
“What the hell are you doing here, Lincoln?”
Her sharp tone cuts right through me, but I grin, not wanting her to see the effect she has on me. “Here to give you a ride to the hospital, sweetheart,” I say as I reach down to grab the handle of her suitcase.
“No fucking thank you. And don’t call me sweetheart.” She snatches it back and glares at me. “Why would they send you? Where’s Keith?”
I bite back a retort, knowing I deserved that after everything I’ve put her and her family through. “Keith hasn’t worked for your family for six months,” I tell her. “He moved back to Wisconsin to help take care of his parents.”
“Seriously?” She searches my face for a lie, so I nod.
“Seriously.” Taking advantage of her surprise, I grasp the handle of her suitcase again and turn, pulling it behind me as I walk to the door. I don’t wait for her to start following me. If she wants her luggage back, she will.
I step into the sunshine and am greeted by the early summer air of Montana. There’s nothing like it, in my opinion. And I’ve done my fair share of traveling. Gazing at the snow-capped mountain ranges in the distance, I smile. I never grow tired of seeing them.
“Hey!” she calls after me, but I continue walking. One way or another, I’m delivering her to the hospital like I promised Maax. I owe him that and so much more.
“Lincoln!” she calls again, finally catching up to me on the crosswalk. “Keith leaving still doesn’t explain why you’re helping me with my luggage,” she says behind me as we cross the street and head into the parking garage.
“I’m helping out your gram and dad.” We reach my truck, and I lift her suitcase to put it in the bed of my restored ’67 Chevrolet C-10. Turning, I drink her in one more time. The smart-ass woman before me resembles the girl I left behind, but only physically. Every word muttered by teenage Macey dripped with affection even when I was being a major asshole. She never held anything against me. This Macey—the fire—it’s new, and I fucking love it.
“Helping them,” she says, hands on her hips.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I open the passenger door and step to the side so she can climb in. “Because I needed a job, and they gave it to me,” I answer honestly.
When I returned six months ago, it was with my tail between my legs and a broken heart on my sleeve. Gram Romano took pity on me, offering me a job to fix the broken dishwasher in her café. She was the first one to give me a chance. Everyone else was still a little gun-shy about the jackass teenager I’d been when I left.
I couldn’t blame them for that either. I’ve been arrested more times than I can count, and I’m still working off a debt to the Johnson farm for the night I stole their tractor and crashed it into a ditch. Honestly, I could have called my dad. Since he is the mayor, he could have pulled strings, given me a job.
But only if I grovel at his feet and apologize for the mountain of things he’s accused me of. And after what he’d put me through, there is no fucking way I am going to apologize. If the asshole wants to see me, he can make the first move and admit he’s a dick.
I climb into my truck and buckle my seatbelt, glancing over at her long enough to see that she’s sitting as far as she can from me, practically pressed against the door.
Whatever, if she wants to be uncomfortable for the fifteen-minute drive to the hospital, that’s on her.
My hope that she will forgive me? Pretty much gone to shit, just like that last night ten years ago did.
Long Road Home is available now on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited!
About the Author
Photo credit Mandi Rose Photography
J.W. Ashley is the author of over twenty fantasy and contemporary romance novels. The former of which she writes as Jessica Wayne. During the day, she slays laundry and dishes as a homeschooling stay at home mom of three, and at night her worlds come to life on paper.
She runs on coffee and wine (as well as the occasional whiskey!) and if you ever catch her wearing matching socks, it’s probably because she grabbed them in the dark.
She has always believed in the power of true love and soul mates, even if sometimes we have to work a little harder to find ours.
Jessica lives in Texas with her husband, kids, their two German Shepherd’s who thinks they are cats, and a fluffy orange cat named Leo who thinks he’s a dog.
You can usually find her in her Facebook group, The Wayne-O’s, or keep in touch by subscribing to her newsletter where she shares updates as well as shenanigans she finds herself in.
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Website: https://www.jwashley.com
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Contemporary Romance by J.W. Ashley
The Corrupted Trilogy
They’re being hunted and the only way to come out of it alive, is to put their badges aside.
Rescuing Norah
Shielding Jemma
Targeting Celeste
Olive You: Six best friends and their hunt for true love (or something like it anyway).
Long Road Home: Coming home was always part of the plan. He was not.
Home For Summer: He thinks she’s a spoiled brat. She thinks he’s a stick in the mud. Turns out, they’re both wrong.
The Lumberjack Effect: Facing your pas
t is always the hardest part of moving forward. Especially when you’ve kept a secret for five years.
The Whiskey Effect: Rule #1: Never get tied down. Leo smashed through that like it was a pane of sugar glass and he’s an action star whose mission is to take me down…repeatedly.
Fantasy Romance By Jessica Wayne
Vampire Huntress Chronicles
She’s spent her entire life eradicating the immortals. Now, she finds herself protecting one.
Blood Hunt
Blood Captive
Blood Cure
Cambrexian Realm : The Complete Series
The realm’s deadliest assassin has met her match.
The Last Ward: FREE READ
Warrior Of Magick
Guardian Of Magick
Shades Of Magick
The Tethered Saga: The Complete Series
A two hundred year old curse and love that spans centuries.
Tethered Souls
Broken Tether: FREE READ
Collateral Damage
The Prophecy Series: The Complete Series
Ana has spent her entire life at the clutches of her enemy. Now, it’s time for war.
Phoenix
Fighter
Sorceress
The Gypsy’s Curse: The Complete Series
An ancient curse. A headstrong detective. A gypsy seer cursed with visions of death. And a bloodthirsty druid determined to kill them all.
Visions Of Death
Visions Of Vengeance
Visions Of Triumph
For more information, visit www.jessicawayne.com
