The Promise (The Protectors Book 4)

by Leeanna Morgan

  The relief on Ashley’s face made him wonder if she was feeling as uncertain as he was.

  “That would be great. Dad and I should be finished with everything we need to do by four-thirty. We could be at the ranch by about five o’clock if that suits you?”

  “Five o’clock it is.” He picked up his cowboy hat and glanced at the clock on the wall. “I should leave. Sean’s waiting at Jake’s Hardware for me. Do you want a ride somewhere?”

  Ashley shook her head. “Dad hired a rental car. He’s not far away. He wanted to visit some friends before we head to the cemetery.”

  “You’re going to see your mom’s grave?”

  Sadness darkened Ashley’s eyes. “And my grandparents.”

  Matthew didn’t know what to say to make her feel better. “I’m looking forward to spending time with you tonight.”

  “Me, too. I’ll bring dessert.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.” And before he changed his mind, he left the café.

  Ashley had her life all mapped out. All he needed to do was figure out how he would get through tonight.

  ***

  It didn’t matter how much Ashley prepared herself for visiting her mom’s grave, the impact of seeing the granite headstone always left a knot of grief in her chest.

  “It doesn’t seem like it’s been more than three years since your mom died.”

  Ashley wrapped her hand around her dad’s elbow. “A lot has happened since then.”

  He nodded and knelt on the grass, placing the roses he’d bought on either side of the headstone. “Your mom loved yellow roses. She told me they were little pots of gold.”

  “I always wondered why she grew more yellow roses than any other color.” Ashley stood beside her grandparents’ grave and added more roses to their vases.

  Her dad stood back and sighed. “The gardening magazines were the worst. Whenever a new variety came on the market, your mom had to order at least one plant.”

  “I think she got that off Grandma Josephine. The two of them were hopeless in a garden center. We couldn’t leave without a trunk full of plants.” Ashley lost herself in the memories of her childhood, the days that were some of the happiest in her life. “Mom would be proud of what we’ve done, dad.”

  “She would be even more proud that we’re here today.” Her dad wiped tears from his eyes. “I don’t want to lose you, too, Ashley.”

  “That’s not going to happen. I can visit you more often, and you and Trisha could come and see me.”

  “It’s not the same as living in the same city.”

  “I know,” she said softly.

  “What have you decided to do about the job offer in Washington, D.C.?”

  “I’m still thinking about it. I’ve got until next Tuesday to let Mr. Malone know what I’m doing.”

  “When you were about ten years old I was offered a job in Dallas. Your mom and I agonized over what we’d do. It would have almost doubled my salary and given us the kind of life we never thought we’d have. But we turned it down.”

  “Why?”

  “Because there’s more to life than money. We had good friends in Bozeman. Your grandparents enjoyed spending time with you, and you were doing well in school. If we’d moved, all of us would have had to start again. Your mom and I never regretted that decision.”

  Ashley tried to imagine her childhood without her grandparents or the friends she’d made at school. “I’m glad you decided to stay in Bozeman.”

  “I learned a valuable lesson from that job offer. When you have a big decision to make, follow your heart. Even if everything changes further down the line, you’ll know you made the right decision at the time.”

  Ashley pushed a strand of hair off her face. “I saw Logan Allen this morning. He offered me a job at the Bozeman Chronicle.”

  “Because of your articles about The Reaching High Foundation?”

  “Sort of. Logan was the person I most looked up to when I was working at the Chronicle. He taught me a lot about journalism. The job that’s vacant would report directly to him.”

  “It sounds like you’ve got a lot of decisions to make. What do your friends think you should do?”

  “Bonnie and Harry think I’d be crazy not to accept the job in Washington, D.C. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”

  “Do they know about the position in Bozeman?”

  Ashley nodded. “Bonnie does, but I haven’t told Harry.”

  “What does Matthew think?”

  “He doesn’t know about the job in Bozeman.”

  “Will you tell him?”

  “I didn’t want him to know about either position until I knew what I was doing. Bonnie told him I was being interviewed in Washington, D.C. I think he was disappointed that I hadn’t told him about it.”

  “It’s a big change, especially if he wants to spend more time with you.”

  Ashley focused on the lines of chiseled text on her mom’s headstone. “How did you know that mom was the person you wanted to marry?”

  “I couldn’t imagine my life without her. She was the kindest person I knew. The hardest part was asking your granddad if I could marry his daughter.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He said I was a lucky man, and if I ever broke her heart I’d be in trouble.”

  A smile tugged at the corners of Ashley’s mouth. Her granddad had been tall, with the broad chest and quick hands of a boxer. “I wouldn’t have wanted to get on the wrong side of granddad, either.”

  “Your mom thought it was hilarious,” her dad said dryly.

  “She knew granddad wouldn’t have hurt you.”

  “I found that out later. I’m looking forward to seeing Matthew again.”

  Ashley frowned. “You have to behave yourself. He doesn’t know that I like him.”

  Her dad wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “He might know more than you think he does.”

  She looked at her dad and sighed. “When did my life become so complicated?”

  “About the same time you started breathing.”

  “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

  “You’ve made important decisions your entire life, only most of the time you didn’t know it. This time, you do.”

  Leaving Bozeman three years ago had been one of the hardest decisions she’d ever made. She’d loved Matthew, and nothing had changed. Working out what she was going to do about it would be harder than choosing which job she would accept.

  ***

  Sean stuck his hands on his hips and glared at Matthew. “Will you stop running around the house like a demented chicken? You’re making me nervous.”

  “I wouldn’t be running around the house if you did your share of the chores. How long has it been since you cleaned the bathrooms?”

  “I cleaned them last weekend.” He grabbed the disinfectant out of Matthew’s hand. “I’ll do them again.”

  “Vacuum the floor, too.”

  “Is there anything else you want me to do?”

  “Not upstairs, but you could vacuum the living room when you’ve finished the bathrooms.”

  Sean stomped toward the stairs. “If this is what inviting Ashley and her dad here for dinner does, you should eat in town next time.”

  Matthew didn’t know whether his brother was being deliberately annoying or behaving like he always did. Ever since they’d arrived home, Sean had been doing everything he could to annoy him.

  He opened the oven door and quickly stirred the casserole he’d made. It was one of their mom’s favorite recipes and almost foolproof. The potatoes were sitting on the stove, ready to be cooked, and a salad was in the refrigerator. If Ashley’s dad had become a vegetarian, they were in trouble.

  He glanced through the kitchen window and froze. A white SUV had stopped in their front yard. Ashley and her dad were early.

  The kitchen was clean and the living room would have to do. By the time he opened the front doo
r, Ashley and her dad were climbing the porch stairs.

  He held out his hand to Ashley’s dad. “Hi, Mr. Fisher. It’s good to see you again.”

  “You can call me Trevor, Matthew. Thanks for inviting us to your ranch. It’s been a long time since I was here.”

  Matthew nodded. He’d kept in contact with Trevor for a few months after Ashley had left for New York. Her dad was convinced that his daughter would return to Bozeman within six months of leaving. Matthew knew how determined Ashley could be. It would take more than Trevor knew to make her return home. She had a point to prove, and knowing Ashley, she’d walk over hot coals before admitting defeat and leaving New York.

  “Come inside. Sean’s upstairs. He hasn’t left for town yet.”

  At the sound of his name, his brother poked his head over the rail. “Hi, Mr. Fisher. Welcome back to Montana.”

  “Thanks. I’m enjoying my visit. You don’t look any different than the last time I saw you.”

  Sean grinned and came downstairs. “It’s an optical illusion. I’m three years older and have a couple of gray hairs to prove it. Hi, Ashley.”

  “Hi.”

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?” Matthew asked.

  “That would be great,” Trevor said. “We’ve been hiking in the Hyalite Canyon for the last couple of hours.”

  Ashley handed Matthew the box she’d been holding. “Here’s something for dessert.”

  Sean’s eyebrows rose. “Has someone been baking?”

  “Not us,” Ashley said. “We ordered a strawberry cheesecake from Tess. If you don’t feel like cheesecake, there are half a dozen muffins to choose from.”

  Sean smiled. “I don’t need to leave for town just yet. I’ll make coffee.”

  Ashley took a deep breath. “Something smells nice.”

  “It’s mom’s beef casserole recipe,” Sean said as Ashley handed him the box. “Matthew cooks it at least once a week.”

  By the time everyone was sitting in the living room, enjoying a cup of coffee, Matthew’s nerves were stretched tight. He’d missed Ashley and seeing her today was making it even harder to say goodbye.

  Sean refilled Ashley’s coffee cup. “Matthew told me you’ve been offered a job in Washington, D.C. When do you move?”

  “I don’t know if I’ll accept it.”

  “You’ll stay in New York City?”

  “I’m not sure.” She glanced at Matthew and sighed. “I’ve been offered a job at the Bozeman Chronicle. Logan needs another reporter on his team.”

  If Matthew had been holding his coffee cup, he would have spilled the hot drink everywhere. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

  “I didn’t discuss it with Logan until this morning. He made me a good offer.”

  “Good enough to stay?”

  Sean’s eyebrows rose. “We need to peel the potatoes for dinner.” He grabbed Matthew’s arm.

  “I’ve already done them.”

  “We need more.”

  “No, we don’t.” Sean’s scowl was the only thing that brought Matthew to his feet. His brother had something to say and he had no idea what it was.

  As soon as the kitchen door closed, Sean spun toward him. “If you want Ashley to stay, you’d better change your attitude.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re pushing her again and it won’t end well. Give her time to work out what she wants to do.”

  Matthew crossed his arms. “What do you mean ‘again’? I’ve never asked her to do anything she didn’t want to do.”

  “Are you kidding me? From the first time I met her, all she talked about was becoming a reporter in a big city. You ignored everything she said and assumed she’d stay in Bozeman.”

  “She told me she loved me. I thought we’d get married and have a family.”

  Sean growled. “You’ve always jumped feet first into everything without thinking about the consequences. Just because she loved you, it didn’t mean she was willing to give up her career.”

  “I gave her a ring.” Matthew glanced at the kitchen door and lowered his voice. “I wanted to marry her. If that didn’t tell her how serious I was, nothing would.”

  “You pressured her into deciding between you and her dream job and we all know how that turned out. If you don’t want the same thing happening again, you’ll back off and give her time to figure out what she’s doing.”

  Matthew clamped his mouth shut. The night before Ashley had left for New York, they’d had a big argument. He didn’t understand why she was leaving, and she didn’t know why he wasn’t happy she was following her dreams. They next time they’d spoken had been in Buffalo after she’d sent him the ring.

  Sean threw a potato peeler at him. “You’d better peel some more potatoes in case Ashley walks in.”

  Matthew opened the pantry and took a couple of potatoes out of a bag. “What would you do?”

  “Ask her about the jobs, but don’t tell her what she should do. For all we know, she could have applied for a job in San Francisco. She might want to be closer to her dad than you.”

  Matthew dropped a peeled potato into the sink. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Sure I do. From the look of things, Ashley and her dad are getting to know each other again. It makes sense for her to live within driving distance of his home.”

  Matthew focused on the potato in his hand. Ashley was a talented reporter. Any company would be lucky to have her work for them. “She won’t stay in Bozeman.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “She’s published a series of articles that were picked up by a lot of newspapers around the country. Two newspapers want her to work for them. I can’t compete with that kind of opportunity.”

  Sean rinsed the last potato and added it to the pot on the stove. “You don’t need to compete with the job offers. Just be yourself. Ashley wouldn’t have contacted you on her way to Buffalo if she didn’t trust you. She knows how much you care about her.”

  “I don’t think she does,” Matthew said. “But it’s too late now.”

  His brother didn’t say anything—he didn’t need to. The chance of Ashley staying in Bozeman wasn’t great. “You’re right. I’ll back off and give her time to work out what she wants to do.”

  Sean turned on the stove. “The potatoes should be ready in twenty minutes. Good luck with Ashley.”

  It would take more than luck to make her want to stay in Bozeman—it would take a miracle.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Ashley rubbed one of Matthew’s horses between his eyes. “Did you know that part of the reason I liked you was because of your horses?”

  Matthew leaned against the barn wall, content to watch Ashley get her fill of their ranch. “No, but it doesn’t surprise me. You spent a lot of time out here.”

  Chan, Nathan’s sorrel stallion, nodded his agreement from the stall beside them.

  Ashley smiled. “Your mom told me I should have been born on a ranch. I guess I was destined to enjoy everyone else’s horses.”

  Matthew kept his thoughts to himself. Reminding her that she could have had a happy life on his family’s ranch wouldn’t help anyone. “Tell me about Washington, D.C. Did you like the city?”

  “I didn’t see much of it, but what I did see was beautiful. The museums are fantastic.”

  “Did you see any horses?”

  Ashley laughed. “No. The city needs to follow New York’s example and offer horse and carriage rides around the National Mall. The newspaper office isn’t far from the Lincoln Memorial. I could see the horses every day if I worked there.” She looked above them and frowned. “Did you hear that?”

  Matthew followed her gaze. A scratching sound came from the loft. “It’s probably one of the cats.”

  “Something’s not right.” She headed toward the wooden ladder. “I’ll feel better if I have a look.”

  “You don’t like heights. I’ll go.”

  “I can manage.”
Ashley hauled herself up the ladder, gripping the rungs so tight that her knuckles turned white.

  “I’ll follow you. Don’t look down.” He was surprised at how quickly she climbed. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you’ve been practicing going up and down ladders.”

  Ashley pulled herself over the last rung and clambered onto the loft floor. “When I stayed on the ranch, Catherine and I decided to leave the cat bowls up here. I came up the ladder twice a day.”

  Matthew poked his head over the edge of the loft. Ashley was quietly walking around, listening for the sound they’d heard from downstairs.

  A pitiful meow filled the loft. Ashley moved to the hay bales stacked on one side of the floor. “It’s coming from in here.” She clambered across the hay and searched between the bales.

  Another plaintiff meow had her moving to the right. “A cat is locked in Catherine’s playhouse.”

  Matthew pulled himself into the loft. “Watch out for the rats.”

  “Very funny,” Ashley muttered. “Catherine told me the barn cats are the best mousers in the world.”

  “My niece is seven years old.” Matthew grinned. “She thinks the best of everything comes from Montana. And a mouse is smaller than a rat. It takes a special kind of cat to corner a rat and live to tell the tale.”

  Ashley yanked open the playroom door. A cat flew out, heading straight for the food and water bowls on the other side of the loft.

  “The poor thing,” Ashley crooned. “Grouchy must have been trapped inside for a few days.”

  “I’m surprised Catherine didn’t realize he was missing,” Matthew murmured.

  Ashley sat on a hay bale close to Grouchy. He was scoffing the cat grits as if he hadn’t eaten all week. “He’s starving.”

  “He’ll be okay once he gets some food into his stomach. I’ll let Nathan know that one of the cats couldn’t get out.”

  “It would have been worse if Catherine or Toby had been inside the playhouse.”

  Matthew climbed over the hay bales and jiggled the handle. “We could almost take the lock completely off the door, then no one will get trapped again.”

  Ashley watched him climb back to where she was sitting. “Life is a lot simpler here.”