by Kat Mizera
Rachel chuckled. “You sound shit-faced. You should sleep it off and we’ll talk in the morning after you’ve had a few Bloody Marys and some aspirin. Promise me you won’t do anything dumb until you’ve had a chance to sleep on it.”
“I promise.” Ashleigh disconnected and put the phone down beside her. She was still disappointed in Brock but too tired to think about it right now. She needed to close her eyes and rest; she’d figure everything out after a little nap.
She woke up the next morning with a raging headache and a vague sense of foreboding. She took a couple of aspirin, drank a bottle of water, and got in the shower. She’d just finished getting dressed when Bella and Ruby arrived. Ruby sent Bella to change clothes before they went out for the day, and fixed her daughter with a stare.
“You been online yet?”
“No.” Ashleigh glanced at her.
“You didn’t tell me you and Brock had a fight yesterday.”
Ashleigh groaned. “How do you know?”
“There’s pictures and quotes all over social media.”
“Fuck.” Ashleigh shook her head in frustration. “I could strangle him.”
“Have you talked to him yet today?”
“No. He left me a message late last night but I was asleep.” Her phone rang and when she saw it was Brock, she excused herself to the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
“Hey. How’s your grandmother?”
“I got her transferred to the better hospital and she’s in surgery now. It shouldn’t take too long, but it was a rough night. She was in a lot of pain and her doctor didn’t want to give her heavy narcotics because of her age.”
“I’m sorry. That sounds horrible. How’s your mom doing?”
“She’s tired, but hopefully Grandma will be on the mend soon.”
“Good.”
“Anything going on? You sound funny.”
“You mean that little situation where I warned you making a comment about my career on a movie set could be dangerous?”
“Oh, shit…what happened?”
“Well, my boss on Vampire Legend ran into Rachel and asked if I was coming back and my mom saw pictures of us arguing on some gossip site online, but I haven’t looked at them yet.”
“Fuck.”
“Anyway, go take care of your mom. Family first. We’ll deal with this cluster fuck later.”
“I’m sorry, babe.”
“I know. Talk to you later.” She hung up and went to boot up her computer.
Everything seemed quiet the rest of the day, and Ashleigh was thankful to have time to herself while Ruby took Bella to the aquarium. Brock’s grandmother had come out of surgery okay and was resting, so he and his mother had gone home to get some sleep. Ashleigh spoke to Bud in the afternoon, explaining Brock’s comment and assuring him she wasn’t going anywhere, so she’d finally started to relax when Rachel called her.
“Turn on CMZ now!”
“Oh, geez.” Ashleigh quickly turned on the TV and found the right station.
“That’s right, boys and girls,” the announcer spoke with excitement. “There’s already trouble in paradise with Vampire Legend sweetheart Ashleigh Hunter and her hunky hockey hubby, Brock Lassiter. According to our sources, they were seen arguing during the wrap party of Shadowless, with Brock demanding she leave Vampire Legend to stay home and take care of their foster daughter. Ashleigh is said to have been furious, but here’s the fun part… According to a source within the Las Vegas Sidewinders, Brock’s contract hasn’t been renewed because of his history of arrest and terrible numbers this year in the playoffs, so his marriage could be the only thing keeping his career on track.”
“And more interesting,” one of the co-hosts added, “is the rumor that Vampire Legend might be moving production to Vancouver. If that happens, and Brock loses his contract in Las Vegas, they could wind up on opposite ends of the continent.”
“How would that work?” the first commentator murmured. “Seems like the fairy tale is over for Ashleigh and Brock… And we can’t help but wonder what that means for the little girl they’re trying to adopt…”
“He didn’t get his contract renewed because of his history of arrest?” Ashleigh demanded of Rachel, who was still on the line. “Did you know about that?”
“Kind of…hang on.” Rachel murmured something to Vlad, he answered, and then she was back on the line. “Uh, so yeah. The Sidewinders warned Brock he needed to clean up his act when he first got to Vegas. He mostly stayed out of trouble until last summer, when he got arrested for partying after they won the championship, but the charges were dropped so he got a warning from the team. There’s been some conjecture about why the two of you eloped so unexpectedly and speculation toward the end of the season that he only married you to give the appearance of settling down.”
“Really.” Ashleigh didn’t know what to say to that. He’d never said a word about behavior issues impacting getting his contract renewed, only that they hadn’t made him an offer yet and that there was always the chance he could be traded. She’d known about his DUI and the arrest last summer, but she didn’t know he had a “history” of arrests.
“Vlad says we shouldn’t talk about this, you should talk to Brock,” Rachel said softly.
“I can’t believe he lied to me,” Ashleigh whispered, biting her lip.
“I’m sorry.” Rachel sighed. “What can I do?”
“Nothing. Vlad’s right, I have to talk to Brock.”
“Call me tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks.” Ashleigh disconnected and stared out the window. Had he been using her? Had their impromptu marriage been nothing more than a coincidental convenience for him? That hurt more than she wanted to admit, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the memories of the last two and a half months. There was so much more to Brock than what people saw on the outside, and she’d seen it all. His gentleness and patience with Bella; his bawdy sense of humor; the tender way he made love to her… So many emotions rose to the surface as she thought about their time together. Had it all been a lie?
She found it hard to believe he’d been using her all this time, while simultaneously immersing himself in her life both personally and professionally. Sonya adored him, and was already hinting she’d love to give him a slightly bigger role in another movie. He and Jet had hit it off and were planning to golf when they were both in L.A. Even her mother, who’d never liked anyone she’d ever dated, thought he was wonderful.
“Ashleigh?” Ruby’s voice startled her, and she looked up, absently swiping at tears she hadn’t even realized she’d been crying.
“Hi.” She swallowed, standing up to hug Bella.
“What’s wrong, Ashleigh?” Bella looked at her worriedly.
“Brock and I had a little argument,” Ashleigh evaded. “Nothing for you to worry about. Did you have fun today? Tell me about the aquarium.”
By the time Bella was asleep, Ashleigh was drained, her emotions raw as she tried to put on a brave face for her foster child. Her mother wasn’t fooled, though, and the moment they were alone ran a hand through Ashleigh’s hair.
“I saw some headlines on my Facebook page,” she said gently. “Want to tell me what happened?”
Ashleigh told her what she knew, sinking onto the couch and pulling her knees up to her chest. “I don’t know what to think. He lied to me, Mama. How could he?”
“Maybe he didn’t want you to think less of him, hearing about all his past shenanigans.”
“If I didn’t think less of him for the DUI, why would I care about a few bar fights?”
“I don’t know, darlin’, but seems to me you should be asking him. Have you called him?”
Ashleigh shook her head. “I’m too hurt and angry right now. I’m trying to get control of my emotions before I call him.”
“Don’t let this fester like a blister on a rooster’s butt. It won’t end well.”
“What if he doesn’t love me, Mama? What if
I made a fool of myself by telling him I loved him…”
“Did he say it back?”
“Yes, but—”
“Then he’s just as foolish.”
“But if I meant it and he was just playing along to get his contract…” Her eyes puddled with tears and they slowly spilled over. “I love him, Mama. I don’t know what I’ll do if he divorces me.”
“Shh.” It had been years since Ruby had held Ashleigh in her arms, but she did tonight, rocking her gently as she cried. “That boy loves you. Take it from a woman who knows what it looks like when a man is using you—that’s not Brock.”
Ashleigh just cried harder, wondering what she was going to do without him. She’d allowed herself to love him, so losing him would surely shred her soul, and she might never recover from that kind of damage.
32
Brock stared at the TV for a long time that night, watching the late-night news shows without seeing them. He hadn’t watched the story on CMZ live, but his phone had started ringing within minutes. First Vlad, followed by Cody and several others before his mother had come into his old room. He’d been expecting a long, mind-numbing lecture from her once she found out he’d been dishonest with Ashleigh, but he hadn’t been expecting the brutal tongue-lashing he got. He couldn’t ever remember her being so angry—and she had every right to be.
His mother told him he was an asshole, and she was right. He hadn’t meant to lie to Ashleigh, but damn, it had been years since he’d felt like this about a woman and he hadn’t wanted to scare her off. He owed her an apology but had no idea how to go about it. He wanted to call, apologize, do something, but uncertainty ate at him. How long had she known Vampire Legend was moving to Vancouver? He’d called Rachel, who said it had been rumored for years but nothing had ever come of it, so he didn’t understand why Ashleigh hadn’t mentioned it. Maybe they were just kidding themselves and this marriage had been doomed from the beginning. Who got married after a week? It was ridiculous, and this just proved it.
They had no business being married, much less in love, and he was an idiot for letting himself get involved. She was special, though. That was the hard part. She was a hell of a lot more than a pretty face; she was strong, hard-working, and caring. She hadn’t hesitated to tell him to go to his grandmother even in the middle of a fight, and she’d been there for him after the embarrassing mistake that cost the Sidewinders the playoffs. She wasn’t like any other woman he’d ever known, a rare combination of fierce independence and soft femininity that made him long for her even when he was upset with her. How had things gone so wrong?
He fell into a restless sleep, tossing and turning all night. He gave up trying to stay in bed and padded into the kitchen at dawn, brewing a cup of coffee and taking it outside to the balcony of his mother’s condominium. It overlooked the bay, which had always calmed him, but today it did little to soothe his battered heart. He had nowhere to go and nothing to do now that he wasn’t leaving on vacation, but he was loath to go back to Las Vegas. Without hockey or Ashleigh and Bella, his life suddenly had little meaning. What the fuck was he going to do for the next three months without his family?
He wanted to laugh. Were they his family? He’d never considered anyone but his mom, grandmother, and some random aunts and cousins family, but Ashleigh and Bella fell into that category now. And everything had gone to shit.
“You’re up early.” His mother padded onto the balcony and sank into the chair next to his.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
“I can see that.” She looked over at him. “It’s days like today I miss your father the most.”
“Why?”
“He’d have wisdom for you that I don’t have. I’m not a man—I can’t tell you exactly what to do because I don’t think like a man. I can advise, nurture, and guilt with the best of them, but ultimately, you have to decide what you need.”
“How come you never got remarried?” he asked quietly, staring out at the sea.
“Because I refused to settle. I wanted a man who could do more than provide for us—I needed a man who made my insides jiggle when he looked at me, a man who loved me even when I was PMS’ing and bitchy, a man who always stepped up to the plate, like your father.”
“Aren’t you lonely?”
“Honestly? No. I have a full life. When you were younger, I was busy raising you and running you all over creation for hockey. I had a job I liked and good friends. When your grandmother had to move in, I was lucky to have a son who could help us financially. I wish I could see you more, but knowing you’re doing what makes you happy means I did my job as your mother and that’s enough for me. I don’t need male companionship unless it’s the right guy…and they’re hard to find.”
“Seems like the right girl fell into my lap and I made an epic cluster fuck out of everything.”
“Seems like the two of you did that together.”
“What do I do, Mom?”
“What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then you need to figure that out before you do anything else.”
Brock just nodded.
Ashleigh slept late and had a hard time getting moving the next day. It was almost noon and she was still lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. She got up when she heard a knock on the door, figuring Bella was bored and tired of waiting for her to do something. She had to make a decision about their vacation, Brock, and a million other things, but didn’t have the heart for it today. Mostly she wanted to sleep and forget about the man she’d given herself to.
“Is Bella ready to go?” Ruby demanded, staring at her. “I thought she wanted to go to the pool?”
“What do you mean?” Ashleigh cocked her head. “Isn’t she with you?”
Ruby frowned. “She slept here last night—we put her to bed together.”
“I know but she wasn’t here when I woke up and I assumed she was with you since I was sleeping in.”
“I haven’t seen her all day.” Ruby’s eyes widened as she rushed into Bella’s room, Ashleigh right behind her.
“Her pink backpack is gone,” she cried, looking around. “And her stuffed unicorn. Oh my God, where could she be?”
“Let’s not panic.” Ruby breathed, looking around and absently running her hand through her hair. “Where would she go?”
Ashleigh met her mother’s eyes. “Did she hear us talking last night?”
“About you and Brock?” Ruby grimaced. “She was in bed, but it’s possible.”
“Crap.” Ashleigh grabbed her phone and called Sonya, explaining the situation.
“I haven’t seen her, doll, but I’ll ask the crew. Everyone’s been busy packing up and breaking everything down, but they all know her. Don’t panic.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Ashleigh asked under her breath, looking around wildly. “Mama, what if she ran away?”
“Why would she do that?” Ruby shook her head. “She adores you.”
“She adores Brock, too. What if she’s trying to find him?”
“That’s ridiculous.” Ruby laughed. “She wouldn’t know how to get to Tampa, would she?”
Ashleigh went into the other room and found her purse. Sure enough, her wallet was open, all the cash inside missing. “Jesus, she took more than $400. A taxi could take her a long way for that kind of money.”
“Surely a taxi wouldn’t just pick up a child that age at a hotel and drive her…where?”
Their eyes met. “She knows Brock went to Tampa to see his grandmother. Could she be trying to get there?”
Sonya called back. “No one’s seen her—what can I do? Should we call the police?”
Ashleigh swallowed hard. “If we call the police, they might say I’m negligent, that I lost my kid… What if they bring it up in court and don’t let me adopt her? I don’t know what to do.”
“I’ll make some calls,” Sonya promised. “The security guys all knew her, and I’m sure they’ll do some checking w
ithout alerting the authorities. Hang tight and keep me posted.”
“Does she have a phone?” Ruby was asking her.
“Yes, but she never remembers to charge it,” Ashleigh muttered. “Look, that’s her charger there. Let me try, though.” She dialed the number but it rang six times before going to an automated voicemail message. “She’s not answering.”
“Probably afraid she’s in trouble.” Ruby sighed.
“We have to look for her—give me a minute to get dressed.”
They scoured the hotel and grounds, the pool, the exercise room, and even the restaurants, but there was no sign of her. Walking back toward the elevator, Ashleigh had to make a decision about whether or not to call the police. It was two thirty now, and Bella had been missing for hours. How much longer could she afford to wait?
“Ms. Hunter!” The hotel concierge approached her with a smile. “Did Bella give you the information about the bus schedules?”
“I’m sorry?” Ashleigh frowned at her. “What?”
The woman’s smile faltered. “This morning, she came to the desk and asked me about bus routes to Orlando… Something about her grandmother and Disney World? I gave her the Greyhound schedules for you. I figured you’d looked them up online but wanted to make sure you have what you needed.”
The Greyhound bus schedule. Of course. They were supposed to go to Disney World.
Ashleigh’s heart started pounding double time and she nodded briskly. “Yes, of course, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what you meant at first, but thank you, she gave them to me.” She hurried into the elevator, pulling out her phone and calling the one number she didn’t want to call.
Brock was at the hospital with his grandmother when Ashleigh’s name flashed on the screen. He frowned, wondering if this was the right time for them to talk, but picked it up anyway.
“Hey.”
“Brock, it’s Bella.” Ashleigh sounded out of breath and terrified.
“What happened?” He got to his feet and hurried out into the hallway, not wanting to wake his grandmother.
