Wherever You Go

by Amanda Torrey

  “Excuse me. That’s my sister. She’ll keep calling if I don’t answer.”

  She stepped away to speak in an annoyed tone.

  Watching her backside made time stand still. If he could freeze the moment…

  A pit lodged in his throat as he remembered that he was supposed to pick his niece up from school. He checked his watch—he was officially fifteen minutes late.

  He tried to gesture to Paisley to let her know that he had to bolt, but she held a finger up telling him to wait.

  He couldn’t. His niece would skin him alive. He had promised he’d pick her up in the Ferrari because she’d been getting picked on at school after her father had shown up in dirty clothes and made a scene. She hadn’t wanted to go back.

  The only way he could convince her was to promise to up the cool factor.

  And now he had left her waiting there instead.

  He’d have major damage control to do.

  He wasn’t made for this guardian thing. She would have been better off… with what? Going into state custody?

  He hated the thought. Like it or not, there was no one else who could step in while her father was out of commission.

  She had certainly drawn the short straw in life, but Asher vowed that from then on, he’d be the best he could be.

  He hopped in his truck, hoping Paisley would understand why he had to take off so abruptly.

  Even if he could never explain.

  Chapter Nine

  “We just did the whole Sister Bonding thing.”

  Paisley tossed her keys on the table.

  Reed smiled a little too brightly at Paisley’s irritation.

  “Freedom has news to share with us!” Simplicity trilled. “I bet it’s that she has finally picked a date to marry Rogan! Am I right? Do I get to be the Maid of Honor?”

  Reed blushed, a reaction completely abnormal for her.

  “Well hurry and share your miraculous news, because I’ve got some news of my own,” Paisley interjected.

  “You want to go first?” Reed asked, her color deepening.

  “Nope. I want to hear why you summoned me home from a business meeting so urgently.”

  “What business meeting?” Reed’s voice was sharp, but she found her smile again before Paisley could respond.

  “Are you kidding? I need to hear what the hell has you so damned cheerful. It’s a little freaky.”

  “I’m pregnant!”

  Simplicity practically flew across the small room to throw her arms around Reed’s neck.

  To say she was caught unaware would have been an understatement the size of the Grand Canyon. Paisley gripped the back of the chair as the world stopped. Maybe the world didn’t actually stop, but Paisley swore she was watching the scene unfold in slow motion. Her mouth dried up and the room was silent, though she could see their lips moving. In place of words, Paisley heard the distinct, rushing sound of blood coursing through her own veins.

  Was that even possible?

  Reed was pregnant.

  Reed, the sister who least wanted kids, was going to be a mother. In addition to the pack of kids she inherited from Rogan.

  And Paisley, who had always secretly fantasized about having a mini-her of her own, probably never would. Not with all the hell her body had been putting her through.

  She had to pull herself together before Reed noticed her reaction. She wasn’t ready to tell her sisters about her diagnosis, and they’d know something was wrong if she didn’t grill Reed about her life choices.

  “Did you plan this?” Paisley knew she should temper her tone, but the animosity slipped out.

  “I wouldn’t say it was completely planned, but it wasn’t totally unplanned, either.”

  “You aren’t even living together yet.”

  “Paisley!” Simplicity pulled away from Reed enough to glare. “This is amazing news!”

  “It’s okay, Sim,” Reed said. “I expect nothing less from Paisley. To address your concerns, we will be living together. The house is almost complete. We hadn’t planned to marry right away, but we’re considering moving up the date so we can all share the same last name.”

  “You’re taking his name?” Paisley couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “Yes, Pais. I can still be a feminist and take the last name of the man I love.”

  Paisley looked away. Love. What a concept.

  She had expected this kind of fairytale daydreaming from Simplicity, but she never thought the pragmatic Reed would succumb to the ideology.

  “I don’t expect you to be happy for me, but I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t act this way when Rogan comes by later. We’ll be telling the kids tonight, and I don’t want to put a damper on his mood.”

  “He must be so excited,” Simplicity shrieked. “Six kids! Who would have thought you’d ever be a mommy to six kids?”

  “Not me,” Reed and Paisley said in unison—one in wonderment and one in judgment.

  Reed’s face fell. Paisley could see the joy draining from the eyes that had been filled with cheer just seconds ago.

  Simplicity felt it, too, if her slow, soothing backrub for Reed and narrowed eye glare for Paisley were any indication.

  Paisley was a bitch, and she knew it. She had always had her sisters’ best interests at heart when she questioned them on their life choices, but this time she knew she was being mean out of spite and envy.

  Tears pricked her eyes.

  “Reed, if you’re happy, I’m happy for you.”

  Reed nodded, tears filling her own eyes.

  Her voice sounded choked when she said, “I am happy.”

  Paisley joined in for a group hug, knowing that her tears could flow freely and they would just think she was happy.

  “So what’s your news, Pais?” Simplicity broke the hug first—strangely—and her mouth dropped open when she noticed Paisley’s tears. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

  Her sister’s compassion did her in.

  Paisley stared at the smudge of black mascara on the back of her hand after she attempted to wipe away the tears. Her eyes burned from the chemicals in the make-up, reminding her of all the times she had to listen to Simplicity protest the use of rabbits for testing products.

  That shit hurt.

  “Are you okay?”

  Reed reached out to touch Paisley’s arm. Paisley ran to the sink to wash the poison out of her burning eyeballs.

  “Oh, I hate when that happens. I stopped wearing mascara for that reason. I’ve been crying way more than normal lately—pregnancy hormones—and I couldn’t stand the sting anymore.”

  Reed brought a paper towel to Paisley.

  She swallowed the stress, reminding herself that the whole purpose of running away to Healing Springs was to allow her body to relax so it could heal.

  “I’m opening an ice cream stand.”

  Reed blinked back her surprise, then looked at Simplicity who also was suddenly speechless for the first time in her life.

  “Wh-what made you decide to do that? Is that what you were asking Rogan about the other day? I thought you were trying to buy a house!”

  “Where?”

  “Have you lost your mind? You’re a lawyer.”ˆ

  “Will you serve dairy-free ice cream?”

  The questions pelted her like BB’s from a teenager’s stray shots.

  “I have cancer. Breast cancer.”

  “What?!”

  Their questions gave way to a stunned silence that made Paisley start to laugh.

  “Crazy, right?”

  “Oh, you’re joking.” Simplicity giggled nervously while Reed crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Paisley.

  “Not funny.”

  “I’m not joking, and I agree, not funny.”

  “Oh, honey.”

  Paisley once again felt the presence of her mom as two of her sisters wrapped their loving arms around her.

  “Is that why you quit your job?” Reed asked, as if suddenly her t
emporary insanity made sense.

  Paisley nodded and sniffled.

  “I didn’t really quit. I took a medical leave. I’ll have to go back eventually. I’ll want to go back. But for now I thought the stress would be too much for my body to deal with as it fights the cancer.”

  “Wise move, Pais,” Reed agreed.

  “I’ve been learning Reiki, Paisley,” Simplicity added. “We’ll have sessions every morning. And I’ll make you some delicious and healing dishes with turmeric—that will help. Oh, and I’ve been making these delicious smoothies with coconut oil, which has amazing healing properties.”

  “It’s okay, Sim. I have doctors.”

  “Yes, but conventional medicine isn’t always the way to go.”

  “It’s the way I’m going to go.”

  “I’m not saying you shouldn’t consider all of your options, but Mom was a big believer in alternat—”

  “Mom died, Simplicity.” Paisley glared at her sister, wanting to put an end to the crazy talk. “She had cancer. She didn’t go to real doctors. And she died.”

  Simplicity’s smile faltered, but she straightened her shoulders and tried to look like Paisley’s abrupt statement hadn’t been a punch in the gut.

  “I’m sorry, Sim. I’ve been extra moody lately.”

  “It’s okay, I understand. And you’re right.” Simplicity stared at the floor, drawing invisible designs in the tile with her bare toes.

  Paisley couldn’t stand how dejected Simplicity looked. She was only trying to help in the way she knew how. “Okay, Sim. I’ll drink your smoothies. But no Reiki. That’s just weird.”

  Simplicity smiled, but her eyes remained sad.

  Reed crossed over to her ever-brewing coffee pot and offered some to Paisley, not saying a word about the awkwardness that had just happened.

  Paisley sipped appreciatively.

  Reed leaned against the counter. “So, what’s the prognosis?”

  Paisley could see her own fears reflected in their eyes.

  She could hear the concern neither of her sisters wanted to voice—their mother had died from cancer. Breast cancer.

  They worried that Paisley would meet the same fate.

  In spite of their need for information, Paisley held back—she didn’t want to talk about it. She didn’t want to voice her concerns about the BRCA genetic testing she was still waiting for—the test that would tell her if she had genetic reasons to worry about reoccurrence. She didn’t want to share with them her potential, drastic plans. She didn’t want them to try to talk her out of anything she might do.

  She’d rather focus on something she had control over.

  “Aren’t you guys curious about the ice cream stand?”

  Reed twisted her mouth and took a deep breath, but thankfully she chose to respect Paisley’s not-subtle request for a change of subject.

  “Yes, please tell us how you go from being Big-Time-City-Lawyer to small-town-ice-cream-scooper in less than a week.”

  “And why an ice cream stand? That doesn’t seem like something you’d choose to do.” Simplicity’s curiosity was natural—she would have been too young to understand the despair their mother had endured.

  Reed understood, though.

  Their mother was always good at hiding her feelings, but Reed and Paisley had been old enough to know what was going on.

  After they shared the backstory with Simplicity, Paisley spent the rest of the hour filling them in on plans that excited her. By the time she was done outlining her intentions, she almost forgot how her life would be changing.

  And she must have been growing soft, because Simplicity managed to get her to agree to serve dairy-free products in addition to the creamy ice cream she had already commissioned.

  ***

  After an emotionally grueling visit, the last thing Paisley was in the mood for was any sort of interaction with a teenager. But she had promised, and there was no way out of it.

  Paisley stopped at the little hidden grocery store her sisters had told her about, thankful to escape the tourist trap prices at the main grocery store. She picked up some snacks she thought a teen would like—candy, chips, soda, ice cream—figuring the best way to deal with a wild animal was to throw food their way in order to make a quick escape.

  Paisley pulled into the driveway. Asher’s truck was there. Was she too early? Too late?

  He probably just took a different vehicle.

  She smiled. Maybe she’d get some info out of his niece. He had been rather cryptic about what he was doing taking night classes.

  She knocked on the door, plastering what she hoped was a kid-friendly grin on her face. She had to look friendly and approachable so as not to frighten the girl.

  When the door opened, Asher stood on the other side.

  Her smile faltered.

  “You did say to check on her tonight, right?”

  He grunted. “I should have called you.”

  “Is everything all right?” She switched the heavy bags to her other hand.

  “Could be better.” His mouth was set in a straight line, but the lines in his forehead told a story of worry.

  “Here, I brought these.”

  He grabbed the bags from her, and she laughed as the handles tangled around her fingers and he struggled to free them.

  “I guess it would have been easier if I just put them down myself.”

  But then she wouldn’t have had the joyful experience of his fingers brushing against hers.

  She chastised herself for her ludicrous thoughts.

  “Did your ‘night class thing’ get canceled?” She kept her tone light in contrast to the negativity swirling around him.

  “Something like that.”

  “You don’t feel like talking about it, huh?” She leaned against the doorframe, growing more and more uncomfortable in the sizzle of his silence. “I should go.”

  “No, you don’t have to go. I’m forgetting my manners. Come in. Please.”

  She knew she should refuse, but she couldn’t bring herself to decline the invitation. He was just the distraction she needed.

  Asher led her to the couch in the living room. It was an old wood-framed structure with worn checkered upholstery, but oddly comfortable. The whole room had a comfy, country feel to it. A wood stove acted as the focal point for the room, and she found herself wishing winter hadn’t passed so the stove would be piping out heat and inviting them to snuggle by its warm glow.

  “Can I offer you a drink?”

  She nodded, and he brought her a glass of lemonade.

  “So what happened? Why are you home?”

  He shrugged, moving back into the open-concept kitchen area with the peeling blue-flowered wallpaper.

  She could see that something pained him, but he wasn’t ready to open himself up to her.

  “It might help you to talk about it,” she offered, sipping the tart beverage.

  “It’s nothing. Izzy needed me, and that was more important than a class.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “Yeah.” He slammed a cupboard door closed, then leaned against the counter with his back to her. She watched as his shoulders rose and fell as he struggled to steady his breath.

  She placed her glass on the coffee table and ignored her better judgment as she allowed herself to cross over into his space.

  She placed her hand on his back. He didn’t startle, but she nearly jumped as his heat threatened to scorch her palm and her soul.

  “Talk to me, Asher. I know we’re not exactly friends, but maybe we could be.”

  He turned his head toward her and gave her a quirky half-mouthed grin.

  “You want to be friends?”

  Her turn to shrug. “We could try it.”

  He turned around, resting his backside against the counter. She fought to tear her eyes away from his chest—his t-shirt was tight enough to tease her with the hard planes she knew hid beneath the thin cotton. Planes she had touched, licked, tasted.


  Planes she should stay the hell away from.

  “Izzy got in trouble at school. I promised the principal I’d make sure she wrote an essay about making better choices, and there’s no way in hell she’d do it if I left.” He rubbed his forehead. “Hell, there’s no way she’s going to do it with me here, either.”

  “That’s a tough one,” she admitted. “I don’t know her, but I do know what it’s like to be a rebellious teenager. Maybe you need to let her face the consequences if she doesn’t do it.”

  “I don’t want her to be expelled.”

  “That bad?”

  He nodded. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to do this. I’m so far out of my league here.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up, Asher. She’s lucky to have you. She’ll figure that out.”

  “Lucky isn’t the word I’d use.”

  His mumbled, defeated tone told her all she needed to know about how little confidence he had in his abilities.

  “Just think back to when you were in high school—dire times, but we made it through, right?”

  “I didn’t finish high school.”

  She fumbled for words. Why had she assumed…

  She had never been friends with someone who hadn’t finished high school. Most of her friends had advanced degrees.

  A scream and a slamming door interrupted their discussion.

  “That’s her, letting me know she’s frustrated.”

  “Go ahead and take care of her.”

  “Are you going to leave?”

  “Do you want me to?”

  She couldn’t translate his silence. Nor could she decipher his intense gaze.

  Another scream and another slam startled her.

  “You’d better go take care of that. Here, want a candy bar to throw at her?” Paisley gestured toward the bag, happy to see that her attempt at humor earned her a bit of a sparkle in his eyes.

  “If you can promise me it’ll work, I’ll try anything.”

  Her smile faltered. What did she know about raising kids? What would she ever know about raising kids?

  “Promises aren’t my strong suit.” Why those words slipped through her lips, she’d never know.

  But as he lowered his gaze and shook his head, she knew she’d never know what he meant when he said, “They’re a particular enemy of mine.”