by J. J. Bella
"You made the deal?" she asked, her voice strained with anger. "How could you, knowing what he did to me?"
"That's the key investor for this plan!" said Scott. "I can't just break off the deal at the last minute because you had a bad experience with him."
"It was more than a bad experience!" cried Ashley. "He...he…"
"He what?"
Ashley wanted to tell him, but couldn't find the words. It was all too painful to consider.
"You just have to trust me," she said. "You have to trust that I have my reasons for not working with that…that man."
"But if I don't work with him, the whole deal falls through," said Scott. "I don't have any other options."
"But you do!" said Ashley. "You have to option to trust me, to say no, and to work with me on finding someone new to invest."
"I…can't do that, Ash," said Scott.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ashley felt a force take over her body. A stern, uncompromising force.
"Then you're going to have to do it without me."
With that, she turned her back on Scott, and walked towards the city, her destination unknown.
21
A month had passed since Ashley turned in her notice to Scott. He tried to talk her out of it, offering to increase her salary, to give her a long-term contract, to ensure that she would be promoted in time, but she refused all of these offers
To Ashley, it was a simple matter of Scott not trusting her. She knew that letting him know the precise nature of the situation between her and Leonard Welsh was an option, to simply tell him all of the details, no matter how uncomfortable they were to discuss. But she felt that she shouldn't have to have done that. They'd been working together for months, and even involved; if he couldn't trust that she had he reasons, then what sort of relationship, working or romantic, could they possibly have with one another?
The nature of their relationship was also a source of tension for her. Continuing the charade, pretending that they were married while also being a couple; it was too much for her. Breaking things off, as suddenly as she might've had to do so, was the sensible thing to her. She told him that she didn't hold any anger, and that it was
Saying goodbye to Olivia was as hard as she was expecting. Tears in both of their eyes, she told the girl that it was time for her to move on, that her and her father's arrangement had simply come to an. When Olivia asked if she'd ever see her again, Ashley assured her that she would- a sentiment that Scott shared.
Once Scott recovered from his initial shock, he approached the situation with a calm, businesslike attitude, evidently realizing that their arrangement, as intense as it may have gotten, was a temporary thing from the start. He got his investment, his product was ready to be put into the next phase, and it was time to move on to the next project. But the day she left, Ashley could sense that Scott was far more upset than he was letting on, and as the car containing Ashley and her belongings pulled away from the house, she could see him watching from the porch, a look of sadness in his blue eyes.
It took a few days of adjustment to accustom herself to her old apartment, which seemed even tinier and cramped than it usually did after spending so much time at Scott's massive home. But she knew that this apartment was hers, and that however tiny it was, she earned it herself.
The day after she returned, she began looking for jobs in Berkeley, eventually settling on a bookkeeping position at the university. The pay wasn't great, but it was familiar and comfortable to be back on campus. After her first week, she began to settle into something like a routine, even making friends with some of the fellow employees her age.
Another couple of weeks passed, and Ashley found herself growing more and more accustomed to living on her own; the idea of dating even began to sound somewhat enticing. But thoughts of Scott continually slipped into the forefront of her mind, to her chagrin. As much as she simply wanted to move past the part of her life that he represented, she couldn't help but think about him, and the feelings that she had developed.
Then, one day at work, one of the fellow former students that worked in her building, a boyish, young man with chubby cheeks and a charming smile named Kyle, sat down with Ashley during their lunch break. It was an unseasonably warm day, and they decided to have their meals on the quad. They chatted, discussing their lives post-college, their shared anxiety about their futures now that they were in the world of adults, and other small-talk subjects. And as they talked, Ashley considered what it would be like to date someone like him, someone who was her own age, someone less established, someone who was at the same point in her life as her. She'd spent the last few weeks in the world of the Silicon Valley elite that the idea of being with a peer was far from unappealing.
As they finished their lunches, Kyle spoke as if reading her mind.
"So," he said. "What're you doing this weekend?"
His soft but handsome features squinted in the sunlight, his messy hair blowing gently in the afternoon breeze.
"Um," said Ashley, gripped by what he was likely about to ask. "I don't know; nothing, really."
"'Cause, there's a show tomorrow in Oakland that my friend's band is playing at, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me," he said, his voice timid and unsure.
Ashley was conflicted. Kyle was a normal college boy, the type that someone like Ashley should be dating. But, try as she might, she couldn't get Scott out of her mind. Scott was mature, bold, and handsome in the way only an older man could be. As she sat next to Kyle, his expression eager as he awaited her answer, she realized that her heart just wasn't in it. She wanted Scott, but she'd made her decision.
I guess I just need to suck it up and get back out there, she thought, taking in a deep breath and preparing to accept his offer.
But before she could speak, a voice spoke from behind her. It was a familiar, voice manly and low.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said, "but I the girl you're speaking to is taken."
Ashley caught a glimpse of Kyle's eyes widening and looking up as she turned around in the direction of the voice. Looking up, she saw with joy that it was Scott, his usual wry smirk on his face.
"You're…you're taken?" asked Kyle.
"Engaged," said Scott.
Ashley smirked. "Yeah, what he said."
"Oh, OK," said Kyle. "Umm, nice talking to you, then."
With that, he hastily gathered the rest of his lunch and left the two alone.
"Good to see you," said Scott.
"Good to see you, too," said Ashley, realizing that despite the anger she'd been feeling towards Scott these last few weeks, he was happy to see him.
"Already getting back into the world of singles?" he asked, his eyes on Kyle as he scampered away.
"Gotta start somewhere," said Ashley.
A moment passed.
"So, what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to talk," said Scott, taking a seat on the bench next to her.
"Yeah?" asked Ashley. "I thought I told you that…whatever we had going on was done with."
"You did," said Scott. "And I was prepared to accept that. But I found out what happened between you and Mr. Welsh."
Ashley's eyes widened. "You did? How?"
"Let's just say that he had a reputation, and I walked in on him putting his pudgy hands all over the new assistant we hired."
"You're kidding," said Ashley, her voice low and serious.
"Nope. I asked him what the hell he was doing, and he assured me that the girls love it, that it's all part of the chase. I brought you up, and he said that you were one of his…more prudish attempted conquests."
"Oh my God," said Ashley, feeling sick to her stomach at the idea of Leonard putting his hands on another girl. "Then what?"
"Well, I kind of lost control, and I may or may not have hit him."
"Hit him?"
"Maybe."
In spite of how she knew she should've felt, Ashley was overjoyed. Not only for revenge for wh
at he put her through, but for the fact that Scott was able to stand up for another girl before Leonard could do the same thing to her.
"And how'd he take it?" Ashley asked through a smile.
"About as well as one could hope."
"Deal's off, then?"
"Deal's off."
Ashley, a smile on her face, shook her head.
"Never thought I'd hear about you losing your cool like that."
"Happens to the best of us."
"And Michael? Is he out too?"
"Nope. Surprisingly, he's still on board. Figures that an old-fashioned guy like that wouldn't be down with serial sexual harassers."
Another moment of silence passed.
"And that wasn't the only reason that I wanted to talk to you."
"Oh?" asked Ashley, looking at Scott.
"I…know our arrangement was…unorthodox, even a little bizarre."
"To say the least."
Scott's mouth formed into a wry grin.
"To say the least. But I liked it. I was happy, for the first time in a long time. Even though our relationship was a sham, it meant more to mean than my time with Regina. Not since my marriage with Olivia's mother can I remember being so happy to be with a woman."
Ashley felt tears form in her eyes as he spoke.
"Ashley, you're smart, beautiful, driven- all of the qualities that I want in a woman. And I was a fool to let you go so easily."
"What're you saying?"
"I'm saying…that I love you. That I want to give what we had another shot. But for real this time. No pretend marriage, no shams. Just you, me, and Olivia."
Ashley's heart felt tight with joy. She realized that despite what she might've told herself over the last few weeks, these were the exact words she wanted to hear. The tears that she'd been holding back now pouring down her face, she threw her arms around Scott.
"Yes," she said, "I love you, too."
Then, Scott took her chin in his hand, looked deep into her eyes with his sparkling, blue eyes, and brought his lips to hers. Ashley let her body fall into the kiss, her heart soaring with joy and love, all that she wanted now sitting right there before her.
22
Months had passed and spring was finally arriving. The low chill of winter was fading from the air, and Ashley awoke ready to start her day. But when she placed her arm on the side of the bed where Scott slept, she felt nothing but a cool indentation.
Where on Earth is he? she thought, rising and stretching her limbs amid the sun streaming in through the bedroom window.
Ashley stepped into her slippers and left the bedroom, the smells of breakfast food cooking filling the air.
"Hi, Ash!" said Olivia, setting down her iPad and beaming a broad smile at Ashley as she walked in.
"Hey, kid," said Ashley, mussing her hair as she walked past her and to Scott.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she planted a kiss on his cheek as he flipped a pair of pancakes on the griddle.
"My favorite," said Ashley, looking at the pancakes with a hungry eye.
"I know," said Scott, his smile warm.
In the months that had passed, Scott and Ashley not only made their status as a couple official, but their business partnership as well. Through weeks of negotiation, Scott and Ashley secured funding for his software venture, and the product was sold to a buyer for a sizable fee, in addition to royalties on future sales. With the money from his software secured, the two went into business together as fifty-fifty partners, branching out into a real estate firm that was now in the process of making investments in properties all over the city. With Scott's capital and negotiation skills, and Ashley's keen eye for finances, the two were already set to have a very, very profitable year.
Ashley moved back in, of course, and the previous two months had passed for the two of them like a blissful dream. Olivia was ecstatic, and she and Ashley continued to bond as they had before she moved. Scott was pleased to see Ashley be the female figure in Olivia's life that he knew she'd needed, and before too long, he began to think of the long-term plans for him and Ashley.
"So, any big Saturday plans?" asked Scott, piling the pancakes onto a plate and setting them in front of Olivia.
"I don't know; I was thinking about taking this one to the park, if you'd like to come."
"Sounds great to me," said Scott.
They ate their breakfast in perfect domestic bliss before finishing their morning routines. Soon, they were ready to head to the park. Once, there, the three took a long stroll along the coast, the Golden Gate Bridge large and grand in the distance, a wispy fog shrouding the land on the other side. Though the day was warmer than it had been, Ashley still held Scott close, her eyes closed in happiness as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Olive ran here and there, chasing the birds that landed on the sand, the gentle hush of the waves a calming sound to Ashley's ears. Scott's arm wrapped around her waist, Ashley took sweet delight in the joy she felt at the three of them being together.
Finally, after a time, Olivia approached the pair, a look of mild frustration on her face.
"Listen, Dad," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Are you gonna do it or what? I mean look-"
She gestured to the Golden Gate Bridge, the calm waters of the bay, the cloudless blue sky above.
"- if you're waiting for a better time, I don't think you're gonna get one."
"Hmm?" asked Ashley, turning her head to Scott.
"I, ah," he said, his face reddening- an uncharacteristic mood for him. "Well, I was going to wait a bit, for the sun to go down some, but I suppose this is as good a time as any."
He reached into his jeans pocket, Ashley's heart beginning to race with glee as she realized what was about to happen.
"I can't think of a time that I've been happier than these last few months we've spent together. When you left, it only made me realize how much joy you'd brought to my life, and how I want nothing more than to share the rest of my life with you."
He slipped the small, black box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a gorgeous, shimmering diamond ring.
"Ashley Wilson," he said, his gorgeous blue eyes wide in anticipation. "Will you marry me?"
Ashley's eyes filled with tears and her hands shot to her lips. She was so overjoyed that she wasn't sure she could speak. But she managed the words.
"Of course!" she said, the tears streaming down her face as she threw her arms around Scott.
Ashley then opened her arm, bringing Olivia into the hug. Happiness overwhelmed the couple, both realizing that while the future was uncertain, there's nothing that either of them wanted more than to spend it at each other's side.
THE END
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Bonus Stories by Alison White
Read on for two searingly hot romances by Alison White.
“Unexpected”
and
“Unrefusable”
Unexpected
Amelia
Amelia Foley heard the sound, but kept driving. The car couldn’t break down now. Not when she was on her way to a job interview for the huge corporation, Farrelli Company. This job was too important. This interview was too hard to get. The car just had to keep going long enough to get her there.
She watched the temperature gauge in the car’s dashboard climb steadily. What did that mean? Would the car cool down eventually? She’d already turned off the air conditioner in case that was making the car work harder.
Only about five miles to go and she would be there. If the car never ran again after that, it wouldn’t matter. Just so it got her there. No sooner had she thought this than white smoke started pouring from the hood of the car. She pulled over to the shoulder. Maybe i
f she just lifted the hood and let it cool off, it’d be okay. How long could that take? She had left early so that she had no danger of being late. She could spare a few minutes, but not too many.
Amelia popped the hood and got out, feeling around for the lever to unlatch the hood. It was so hot, she had to keep stopping or she’d burned herself. She finally found it and released the lever. She lifted the hood and leaned back as a gust of smoke and heat came from the engine.
She waved it away and tried to see where it was coming from. It looked like the whole engine was smoking. That was probably a real bad sign. She wondered if she could do anything to speed up the cooling off. Pour water on it, maybe? But without knowing anything about cars, she was nervous she’d make it worse. So she fanned the engine, hoping that moving air over it might cool it faster.
As she fanned, she felt the first rain drop. No, no. There was no way that with everything else going wrong today it would start raining now. But then there was another drop and another. Every time one hit the engine, it made a hissing sound. Maybe the rain would cool it off?
She tried to start the car again, to see if the temperature had dropped at all. It wouldn’t start. Crap So much for that plan. She was stuck. She thought of her cell phone, in her purse completely dead and useless. She couldn’t afford to pay the bill and it’d been shut off weeks ago. Even if she could call her mother, she lived several hours away and wouldn’t be much help.
She got out again to look at the engine, but there was no point. She didn’t know anything about cars, she had no one to come help her, and she would miss the interview. The worst part was, she had needed this job so badly because she was flat broke. She couldn’t get a tow truck. She couldn’t afford to have the car fixed. She felt stuck in every possible direction.
