Foolish Hearts

by Synithia Williams

Ashiya paced in front of the door. She wished her problem were tied to her Uncle Grant. She’d know what to do if that were the case. Thankfully, because Ashiya was busy with her “little store” Grant Robidoux didn’t pay her any attention. She’d rather deal with her overbearing uncle meddling than inherit a fortune and the responsibility that came with it.

  India reached out and took Ashiya’s elbow in her hand, stopping her from pacing. A small line appeared between her brows. “Hey, what’s going on?”

  Ashiya took a deep breath and met her cousin’s worried expression. “My grandmother died.”

  India blinked. Her head drew back, and she frowned. “Your grandmother?” India’s eyes narrowed as if the idea of Ashiya having a grandmother was unheard of before her head cocked to the side. “You mean your dad’s mom?”

  India’s surprise at the announcement was further proof that what Brianna said on the phone made no sense. Ashiya had no ties or contact with her grandmother. There was no way the woman would leave Ashiya with all of this responsibility.

  Ashiya sighed and shrugged. “The one and only.”

  The confusion left India’s eyes, and sympathy filled them instead. “Oh, no, Ashiya, I’m sorry.” India pulled Ashiya in for a hug.

  Ashiya stepped back after a second in India’s embrace. She didn’t deserve it. Sure, she was saddened to hear the news, but she wasn’t devastated. She hadn’t known the woman. And there came the guilt. A big, heavy weight in her chest. She didn’t deserve sympathy, and she definitely didn’t deserve money.

  “Thank you, but I’m fine. Really, I am. I barely knew her, and according to my mom she is—was—evil.”

  India shook her head. “No one is completely evil. You told me yourself there was bad blood between her and your mom since your parents got married. There are always two sides. I’m sorry you didn’t get the chance to hear her side.”

  Ashiya pressed a hand to her forehead. “You’re right, I guess. But I got a call from her personal assistant. She wants me to come to Hilton Head for the reading of the will. She thinks my grandmother left everything to me.”

  India’s eyes widened. “For real?”

  “That’s what she says, but I don’t believe it. My grandmother hated Momma, and she didn’t like me. Why would she leave everything to me?”

  “Maybe she didn’t hate you and your mom as much as you think,” India said in her very logical, let’s-view-all-sides way.

  “No, the hatred was real.” She remembered the visits to her grandmother when she was young. The cold shoulder. The shouting behind closed doors. The names she’d called Ashiya’s mom. Names like gold digger, whore, two-faced witch. Names Ashiya hadn’t understood the meaning of back then but knew they couldn’t be good.

  She shook her head to rid her brain of the memories. “I can’t believe it. I can’t do it.”

  “Do what? Go to the funeral? I don’t think it’ll hurt just to pay your respects.”

  If only that’s what she meant. She tugged on her ear and glanced around. No one was in the front of the clubhouse with them. “Take the company, the money, the estate,” she said in a thin voice. “I don’t know how to run anything.”

  India had leaned in to hear what Ashiya had to say. After Ashiya spoke, India grunted and leaned back. She gave Ashiya an are-you-kidding-me side-eye. “Ashiya, you run a business now.”

  “A small clothing store here in Jackson Falls. And not even new clothes. They’re consignments. I can’t run a corporation.”

  The thought of being in charge of million-dollar decisions, having to report to a board of directors, fighting for respect from people who’d spent their entire careers in the corporate world made her stomach twist in a dozen glass-encrusted knots. No, she couldn’t do it. Wouldn’t do it. They’d eat her alive in less than thirty seconds.

  India rolled her eyes. “Girl, get out of your damn head. Before you start having a panic attack and telling yourself all the things you can’t do, how about you first find out what exactly you’ve inherited and what, if anything, you have to do about that?”

  Ashiya took a deep breath. Her stomach still twisted. Her palms sweat, but India’s words took the edge off her anxiety. Until she knew for sure what was going on, there was no need to freak out. The freak-out could wait until she was sure Brianna was right.

  Please, God, let Brianna be wrong. She sent up the quick prayer.

  She met India’s you’ve-got-this gaze. “You’re right. I just never thought I’d be in this position. You know I never wanted to be a part of that world.”

  Understanding crossed India’s features. India’s desire to stay out of the running for top billing in the Robidoux family was one of the reasons she and Ashiya had been so close. Ever since they were kids and India gave Ashiya her favorite teddy bear instead of laughing when she’d learned that at eleven, Ashiya was still afraid of the dark she’d mentally adopted India as her little sister.

  “Not wanting to be a part of it and being able to survive it are two different things,” India said in a supportive voice. “Regardless of what happens, I believe you can handle it.”

  Ashiya wished she had a tenth of her cousin’s optimism. “Time will tell. Look, I need to talk to Momma about all this. See what she thinks and then make plans to go to Hilton Head. I guess I just needed to talk to someone first and get my initial freak-out out of the way. You know Momma. She’ll tell me to calm down, act like a Robidoux, and take everything my grandmother left and more.”

  At times Ashiya thought her momma forgot that Ashiya was half Waters. That even though her dad had generated his own wealth, he’d given up the wealth from his family when he’d married her. Elizabeth Robidoux Waters had not known her husband knew he wouldn’t inherit a thing if he married her. She also hadn’t forgiven him once she learned the truth. He’d only wanted to be happy, and despite her parents’ strained marriage, her dad had found his own way without the help of his mom or his wife’s rich family. He was why Ashiya had tried to avoid being as cutthroat as some of her Robidoux cousins.

  India nodded and patted Ashiya on the shoulder. “I’ll tell Elaina that something came up. She’ll be fine.”

  Ashiya reached into her purse and pulled out a card. “Give this to her, okay? I know she didn’t want gifts, but I still thought I’d get her something. Tell her to enjoy it.”

  Ashiya had gotten Elaina a yearlong subscription to a tea-of-the-month club. Since her cousin was cutting back on alcohol, she’d focused on using tea to calm her nerves. Ashiya hoped the gift would be welcome from the prickly Elaina.

  “I will. You go. Talk to your mom and call me before you head out of town. If you need me to go with you—”

  “No, I’ll be fine. I may need drinks when I return.”

  “I’ve got you.” This time when India opened her arms for a hug, Ashiya took it. She’d need all the emotional support she could muster if the inheritance was really hers.

  They pulled apart, and Ashiya watched as India went back toward the dining area. With a determined sigh, she went to the door leading out of the clubhouse. She wasn’t looking forward to this conversation with her mom, but she couldn’t possibly go to the funeral and learn the contents of the will without saying something to her.

  She pushed open the door at the same time someone pulled from the other side. She lost her balance and stumbled forward on her high heels. She barely stopped herself from falling. A warm hand reached out and steadied her by the elbow.

  “Excuse me,” she said.

  “Sorry,” a familiar male voice said at the same time.

  Ashiya froze. The blood rushed from her face, and her lungs decided breathing wasn’t necessary at that moment. Her eyes jerked up. Surprise, embarrassment, and regret sent her body into a confusing tailspin. The familiar face seemed just as surprised to see her. Her heart squeezed while the lingering touch of his hand on her elbow
turned her limbs into jelly.

  Russell. The guy she should have chosen. Fine as hell Russell. He would be the person she saw when she was already discombobulated.

  Fine as hell was a weak string of words to describe Russell Gilchrist. Tall, broad of shoulders, thick of thighs, and sweet of heart, Russell was the perfect embodiment of good guy with just a hint of bad boy beneath to make a woman fantasize about seeing him lose control. The lights from outside the clubhouse added a silvery glow to his sandy-brown skin and brought out the gold in his hazel eyes. He’d offered her everything she said she’d wanted in a relationship, and in turn she’d broken his heart when her jerk of an ex came back and said all the right words with wrong intentions.

  After recognition entered his gaze, he quickly snatched his hand back. “You good?” His voice didn’t seem as concerned now that he recognized her. Instead it was cold, clipped, as if he couldn’t wait to get away from her.

  “I’m fine. I was in a rush and didn’t—”

  “Then I’ll let you get going.” He stepped to the side so she could walk away.

  Ashiya sucked in a breath. Three years had passed, yet she still couldn’t get used to seeing the cold look in his eye. Three years of seeing him occasionally around town or at parties and trying to accept the way he barely held her gaze or spoke to her in a tone warmer than an Antarctic. She’d seen his other side. She’d seen the adoration shining in his eyes. Heard the way he whispered her name when he was deep inside of her. Knew he could be the most caring person she’d ever met. Knowing that only made this side of him hard as hell to accept.

  “Russell, I...”

  “I’ll see you around.” He walked pass her and entered the clubhouse without another glance her way.

  Heat spread through her cheeks. She looked to the sky and groaned. No matter what she said or did, she couldn’t break through the silent treatment. Not that she could blame him. She’d toyed with him. Used him to make her ex jealous, and by the time she realized she was falling for Russell, it was too late.

  She wanted to rush back into the clubhouse and demand that he talk to her. That he let her explain. That he give her, them, another chance. Instead, she sighed and walked to her car. Getting Russell back was still on her bucket list, but she couldn’t focus on that particular goal at the moment. Right now, she had to figure out how to get rid of a million-dollar inheritance.

  CHAPTER TWO

  THE ENERGY THAT jolted through Russell’s bloodstream whenever he came close to Ashiya Waters wouldn’t go away, even though his brain knew she was bad news. He tried to ignore the sound of his pulse pounding in his ears, the short breaths, and the shock of awareness in his every nerve ending as he spoke to the hostess at the Jackson Falls Country Club and followed her to the table where his cousin Isaac waited.

  Tried and failed.

  He pulled out the chair across from Isaac, sat and glanced around. “Where’s the waiter? I need a drink.”

  Isaac stopped giving a woman sitting alone his customary come-here-girl look coupled with a lip lick that would put players all over the world to shame, and looked at Russell. Typical Isaac. As soon as puberty hit, his cousin had realized the effect his light brown skin, dark eyes, thick lashes, and full lips had on girls and had taken advantage.

  Isaac’s lips lifted in a smirk as he raised his drink, more than likely a Crown and Coke, and gave Russell a curious look. “What the hell happened to you?”

  Of course, Isaac wouldn’t show any sympathy in the face of Russell’s obvious irritation. Not because his cousin didn’t care. If Isaac believed Russell was really in some type of trouble or had a problem, he’d be the first person to ask who they were fighting. Isaac had teased Russell since they were kids but also took him under his wing as a pseudo brother when Russell’s older brother, Rodrick, disappeared ten years ago.

  Russell shook his head. “Nothing.”

  “Oh no. You’ve got that look.” Isaac’s dark eyes narrowed, and he leaned over the table to peer at Russell.

  “What look?” He glanced around for the waiter again.

  “The I-want-to-get-the-hell-out-of-here look. Sorry, bruh, but you can’t leave yet. I just joined this country club, and I need to be seen here for these people to respect me.”

  “I’m not leaving,” Russell said, trying take the bite out of his voice. It wasn’t Isaac’s fault he was thrown off center. Only one person could toss his emotions around like that with just a look or touch.

  Damn, why did she still have to smell so good?

  Russell shook his head to get the thought out of his mind.

  “Good,” Isaac said with a firm nod. “My real estate business is finally taking off, but I’m tired of selling hundred-thousand-dollar homes. I’m ready to sell million dollar homes. I need to find the bigger, more lucrative clients, and I can make the connections here.”

  “I know that. That’s why I agreed to come here and help you out. Though I don’t have as many connections as you think.”

  Isaac sucked his teeth. “Bullshit. Not only is your aunt marring into one of the richest families in town, but you work for the company. People love your goofy ass. I need some of that to rub off on me.”

  Russell laughed despite his cousin’s words. Isaac didn’t mince words with anyone. Especially with him. His cousin’s brash manner served to at least take the edge off of his encounter with Ashiya and brought his mind to the reason he’d come here in the first place.

  “I’m not in as good with the Robidoux family as you think. Now that Elaina has taken over the company, I’ve got to work twice as hard to get on her good side.”

  Russell had put the work in to get on Elaina’s father, Grant’s, good side. Grant talked a lot of shit and liked to throw his weight around, but Russell quickly noticed that if he listened to the advice Grant gave, then he was willing to take you under his wing and guide you. Once Grant’s son, Byron and his best-friend, Tyrone left the company, Grant needed a mentee, and Russell had never been one to turn down an opportunity. Not since realizing that the people who could get things done and receive justice were the ones with money and power. He’d vowed long ago not to feel helpless because of his social status. He’d been willing to use Grant to get higher. He just hadn’t anticipated Grant losing his position to his daughter.

  “I heard she can be mean as hell,” Isaac said.

  “She can be, but she’s smart as hell, too. She doesn’t take crap from anyone.”

  “Well, you know how to be charming. Just use that on her.” Isaac said as if charming Elaina Robidoux was a simple matter. His cousin obviously didn’t know the woman.

  Russell shook his head. “Charming doesn’t work on Elaina. Honesty delivered with a ton of respect works best.”

  “You know you can get your aunt Patricia to help.”

  Russell scowled at the suggestion. “Nah. The kids don’t like her. Using Aunt Pat will only make things worse. I’ve got to do this without reminding them that my aunt is marrying their dad. Plus the thing with India...”

  Isaac laughed and took another sip of his drink. “Oh yeah, you did try to hook up with her.”

  Russell avoided Isaac’s gaze and looked for the waiter. He caught the eye of a young man heading their way. “That was all Grant’s idea.”

  “Still, you tried to hook up with her.”

  The waiter interrupted them. Russell was thankful for the interruption. He didn’t want to relive his weak-ass attempt to get close to the Robidoux family while also getting back at Ashiya. He ordered his drink, and they both ordered food. After the waiter walked away, he looked back at Isaac and hoped his cousin was ready to change the subject.

  “So, about you and India.” Isaac said with a smirk.

  So much for Isaac changing the subject. Russell sipped his drink, savoring the bite of the gin and tonic, before he sighed and answered. If he avoided the top
ic, it would only make Isaac press harder. “India was cool. I liked her, but there wasn’t anything there.”

  “Tell the truth. You went along with it because Ashiya played you, right?”

  Russell’s hand balled into a fist on the table. “She didn’t...” He couldn’t even finish. She’d played him like a fiddle. He hadn’t seen it coming, even after he’d thought he’d learned his lesson once about bad-for-you women in college. He’d done the fall-in-love-and-have-your-heart-broken thing once before. When he’d met Ashiya, he’d thought they were both too old to play games or tell lies. That had been his first mistake.

  “She played you.” Isaac continued to smirk.

  Russell shifted and sat up straighter. “Well, she’s not playing me again,” he said with determination.

  He remembered the look in her eyes right before he’d walked away from her earlier. The look that said she wanted to talk. She regretted what happened. She wanted them to try again.

  How in the hell could he try again? How could he trust her again? She’d sworn she was over her ex when he’d started dating her a few years back, and then what happened? She’d dropped him as soon as that asshole came calling. Strung him along while she talked to the ex to figure things out. She swore she hadn’t cheated on him, but he’d never forget her ex’s parting words after Ashiya broke things off with him and admitted she had too much history with Stephen to give up now.

  “Nobody gives it to her like me. You tried, man, but she always comes back for this.”

  He’d felt like a fool. Falling for Ashiya despite all the warning signs that he shouldn’t.

  “You know,” Isaac said in the slick way he had, usually before he tried to convince Russell to do something stupid. Usually with mixed results.

  “Know what?”

  Isaac lifted a shoulder. “You could use her to help you. And by helping you, that helps me.”

  Russell leaned back and sipped his drink. “Don’t start.”

  Isaac shifted forward. “Nah, hear me out. Ashiya is close with India and Elaina. If you start hooking up with her again—”