by Vivian Arend
“That’s the part I don’t know about,” Ashley muttered. “Good God, no wonder Marion is giving me the cold shoulder. If she’s being set on by bigots like Mrs. Leigh with rotten attitudes…” Ashley shook her head. “I never intended to upset the Colemans. None of us did—Travis and Cassidy and I just want to be together. We’re not trying to tear the world apart.”
“I know.” Vicki gave her a final squeeze.
After considering all that she’d wanted to accomplish, this was the final straw. “I’m going home.”
“But the guys are at the ball field. And…” Vicki sighed. Nodded. “…you want to go home. No problem. You need a ride?”
“Please?”
The fifteen-minute ride home was fairly quiet. Vicki stopped outside the trailer, engine still running. “You change your mind and want to come back you call me, okay?”
“I will, but I think I’ll work on some of my pictures. Get my mind off the stupid people and back on the good ones.”
“That’s it.” Vicki touched her hand. “You’re one of the good ones. You really are, okay?”
Ashley laughed. “Thanks. You’re a sweetheart, and if Joel hadn’t already snapped you up, I’d fall in love with you myself.”
“Stop flirting,” Vicki scolded, shaking a finger at her. “I’m setting up a dinner with you guys and us this coming week, you got it?”
“Got it. And hey, I’m turning off my phone to work, so tell the guys I’m at home, will you?”
Ashley watched the truck disappear into the distance before heading into the barn. If her mind was going to be filled with anger and confusion, she might as well use the energy productively.
High one minute, low the next. It really wasn’t right, in so many ways.
The love she felt for Travis and Cassidy hadn’t changed, but moving back to Rocky had turned everything on its head. Maybe they had been in an idyllic setting before, cut off from the world. Had the isolation changed the truth? Blurred her vision and caused her to see things that didn’t exist? Or was it this world that was wrong, cutting and cruel, where people were mistreated not for their actions but because of the judgmental opinions of others?
Marion Coleman might not have been on the top of Ashley’s kissy-kissy list, but she was a good person. Travis had shared again and again how accepting and loving she’d been, and all the family clung to her as a solid pillar of support.
Hurting an innocent woman indirectly put a whole new twist on the situation. Ashley could stick to her guns if it was just her being called names, but this…
She tossed paint at her canvases for a solid hour before climbing into the attic area and lying in the hammock Travis had hung for her in the eaves.
The gentle sway of the material cradling her helped her to slow down, her breathing settling even as her mind raced. Outside the window were green dusted fields, the meandering trail of Whiskey Creek visible by the line of trees following its banks.
Her eyes closed, and she saw Travis’s bold grin, Cassidy’s gentler beam. Felt their firm touches and caring actions. Like a beautiful scene painted in her mind, memories of time with them rose as sleep rolled in to silence the chaos. She swore she could smell the aroma of the campfires where they’d lingered each night, the hazy scent of wood smoke part and parcel of everything she’d experienced that summer.
Everything she cherished was a piece of a paradise, and the rest a touch of hell, and she wasn’t sure how she was going to survive making a decision.
At what point did being in love mean she shouldn’t stay?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It wasn’t up front and obvious, whatever was itching Cassidy’s nerves, but it was enough to make him wary. He sat in the lawn chair next to Travis while Blake Coleman and a slowly growing group gathered to talk about nothing.
The looks were there at times—not from Travis’s family, but from the other guys. As if they were waiting for that moment when he or Travis would turn into something unnatural and come racing after them.
Or maybe he was being overdramatic and should get the hell over himself.
Blake shook his head. “I still say it’s not likely we’d have a zombie apocalypse in our part of the country.”
“What, the air is too clear or something?” Matt teased. “Hate to tell you this, but those stories are fantasy. They can happen anywhere the writers want to put them, and Rocky is as good as any other spot for the end of the world to descend into a pile of rotting limbs and flesh-eating crazies.”
“But we’d deal with them far faster than the idiots on TV,” one of the guys snapped. “I mean, seriously. Shoot, shovel and shut up works in more ways than one.”
“You’re such a class act, Mitch,” Travis drawled. “You probably think you could simply outrun them.”
Mitch shrugged. “Don’t have to be the fastest runner, you know. Only have to outrun you.”
“You can try. You. Can. Try.”
Mitch shuffled to his feet and waved his beer bottle in the air. “I’ll round up the rest of my team and we can hit the field.”
“Deal.” Travis frowned at Blake as Mitch disappeared. “Although how you plan on playing ball with three kids in tow is beyond me.”
“Jaxi is coming to grab them. Trust me.” Blake scooped up the smallest of the lot from the blanket he’d spread at his feet and wiggled her in front of him. “Although you, little princess, could be a fine distraction, couldn’t you?”
He blew a raspberry on Lena’s belly, which started all three girls shrieking as the twins crawled off their uncles and attempted to get to their dad in mock terror of being tickled.
A hand landed on Cassidy’s forearm. “Welcome to kid central,” Travis apologized.
“Hey, it’s a part of spending time with your family. I don’t mind much.” He couldn’t keep his eyes off the kids, in fact. Daniel’s sons were older, but they too seemed content to hang around, the youngest taking total advantage of being small enough to have crawled into Daniel’s lap. Robbie gloated as if he’d claimed prime real estate.
Family. Cassidy’s soul soaked it up like a sponge.
Conversation wrapped around them. For the longest time Cassidy didn’t realize that Travis was still holding him. It was so comfortable and easy. All Travis’s brothers were there except for Jesse who had put in a brief appearance before vanishing.
Matt’s gaze stalled for a moment where Travis had continued to absently stroke his thumb back and forth on Cassidy’s arm. Cassidy met Matt’s eyes and waited on edge, ready to look away in self-defense if he saw any condemnation or disgust.
All that happened was Matt glanced at Travis, then back to Cassidy as one side of his lips twitched upward in a smile.
Every step forward brought Cassidy more hope.
Higher-pitched women’s laughter drifted toward them, and Travis’s fingers tightened briefly before slipping away, both of them twisting in their chairs, eager for a sight of Ashley.
She wasn’t in the group of women blending in and grabbing on to their men.
Jaxi nabbed the baby from Blake. “You done riling up your women?”
Blake caught her close, and cradling Lena between them, he dipped her, kissing her soundly to the wild applause of the rest of the group.
When he finally stood them up, her cheeks were flushed. “You feel riled enough?” Blake asked.
Cassidy was out of his chair, looking around to see if Ashley was bringing up the rear. “Where’s Ash?”
Vicki stepped forward, Joel at her side, his arm looped around her waist. “She decided to head home early. I dropped her off.”
“She okay? Why didn’t she tell us?” Travis pulled out his cell phone.
“She turned off her cell phone,” Vicki warned. She wiggled on the spot before spilling the rest. “Ashley’s okay. A little…pissed. Couple of women were talking out of line, and some kids pulled a prank on her. Nothing terrible, but she’d had enough.”
Travis pulled out his keys. “I�
�m going to—”
“Travis.” Blake shook his head. “Give her some space,” he suggested.
“I think he’s right,” Vicki added. “She said she was going to get some work done.”
“Play a game, then you guys can head home.” Joel patted Travis on the shoulder. “Gives her time to cool off, and you’ll still get out of clean-up here at the picnic. We’ll do your share.”
Travis glanced at Cassidy. “What do you think?”
He didn’t like it, but it made sense. “If we leave right after the game.”
Travis nodded, and the rest of the clan cheered.
The opposite team was assembling, and in spite of his concern over Ashley, Cassidy had to smile. “We’re playing the Thompson boys?”
“And a few others. Gage Jenick, some of the volunteer firefighters.”
The guys he’d been working with daily rambled in, and the dirt talk picked up.
Cassidy grinned at Clay. “Didn’t know you guys played ball.”
Clay shrugged. “We play anything to pass the time. Should have said you wanted on the winning team. We could have invited you to join our side.”
“Ha.” Daniel jabbed him in the chest, seeming unconcerned Clay towered over him by a good four inches. “We’ll see who wins.”
Matt and Clay eyed each other warily as they passed, and Cassidy was once again reminded these people had years of history together. It was going to take time to become a complete member of the community. Both he and Ashley had a long way to go, and the lack of instant acceptance wasn’t really anything against them personally. At least, he could hope.
A couple of innings passed smoothly enough. The scowling man from Traders a few weeks earlier, the one dancing with Katy Thompson, had turned up on Clay’s team. Simon hadn’t gotten rid of that chip on his shoulder, either, although he seemed to turn on and off the shit talk like a tap when any of Katy’s brothers were around. He saved his muttered insults for when Cassidy ran by first base, or when they passed on the field changing sides between innings.
Cassidy tapped Gage on the shoulder as they waited on second base for Gage’s team to get another hit. “What’s the story with him?” Cassidy asked, tilting his head toward Simon. “He’s got that Jekyll-and-Hyde thing going on.”
“Simon? He giving you grief?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Cassidy shrugged. “I didn’t think he was Katy’s type.”
A low growl of frustration escaped Gage. “Don’t want to talk about it.”
Okay, that was telling. Cassidy kept a straight face. “No problem.”
“Sorry, that girl gets on my last nerve.” Gage glanced at Cassidy. “So. You’re with both Ashley and Travis?”
Middle of the ball diamond. Awesome place for this discussion. “Yeah.”
The batter missed his swing, and Matt got ready to throw again. Gage nodded slowly. “Cool.”
Now Cassidy knew a little of the sense of unreality Travis had talked about while dealing with his brothers. That was it? Cool?
Cassidy would take it. “Thanks for not freaking out.”
“Hey, I’d hit Ashley any day of the week, and while Travis isn’t my type, he’s a good guy. You’re lucky to have them.” Gage cleared his throat. “And you’re not bad yourself. In a totally hetero-guy-making-a-comment way, if you hear me.”
There was no way to hold back his laugh. “I hear you.”
The ball flew into the sky, and Gage was off, racing toward third base as Cassidy sprinted backward to get a glove on the ball. He stumbled into Travis rushing in from the opposite side, and they crashed to the ground in a tangle.
Travis laughed as he scrambled to his knees and snatched up the ball, whipping it toward home in a futile attempt to stop a run from scoring. “We have to stop meeting like this,” he teased.
He helped Cassidy to his feet and brushed the dust from him, his grin widening as he smacked the dust from Cassidy’s pants. But no matter how good it felt, this wasn’t the place, and Travis should know better.
“Stop it,” Cassidy warned as they pulled apart.
“Can’t keep my hands off you,” Travis admitted with a sheepish wink before returning to his place in the outfield.
Cassidy got the sentiment, but… “Play it cool, T.”
Travis blew a raspberry over his shoulder.
The next inning Cassidy got a hit on his second swing, stopping with dread as he discovered Simon guarding first base.
Simon paced around Cassidy, glancing to see if anyone was nearby before settling in behind him and speaking softly. “Word is going around you like cock.”
Cassidy ignored the rude comment, praying for a hit from his team so he could get the hell away before he was tempted to do something involving fists.
“I don’t get it, though. It’s not like you don’t have a woman. I don’t see why you’d feel the need to stick your dick in a guy as well.”
“Drop it,” Cassidy warned.
“I mean, fucking Ashley wouldn’t be a hardship. I get that part of it.” The guy didn’t know when to quit. “But having to look at Travis—or maybe that’s the secret. Turn him around and close your eyes, and you’re just fucking any hole, right?”
Cassidy’s hands were shaking, but he clung to his control. Planting a fist in the man’s face wouldn’t help make this a community picnic to remember in a good way.
Travis came up to bat, catcalls from the outfield resumed, and Cassidy inched his way to the side, ready to run.
The bastard on first didn’t like to be ignored. He grabbed a hand of Cassidy’s shirt, and as the ball sped toward Travis, Simon stuck his foot between Cassidy’s legs and shoved, sending Cassidy sprawling.
Simon aimed a kick at Cassidy’s legs to stop him from regaining his feet. “Or maybe that’s the other part. Maybe you’re the one on the bottom, the one being fucked, you freak—”
From the outfield a body slammed into Simon, tumbling him to the ground.
“Shut up, asshole.” Gage Jenick had Simon pinned, taking a blow or two before nailing down Simon’s flailing arms. He might have gotten in a swing at Simon’s face in the process. “You want to be a jerk, do it on your own time and somewhere else.”
“You like this faggot?” Simon sneered.
“None of my business what he’s doing or who he’s doing in bed, but yes, I like him. He’s a hard worker and a decent guy, so shut your judgmental trap.”
Simon struggled again, but Gage held him tight.
The rest of the game was on hold as Travis raced over and pulled Cassidy to vertical for the second time that day. “You okay?”
Cassidy nodded as he brushed the dirt off. “A slight misunderstanding.”
“If you say so,” Gage drawled. “Simon here was planning on going somewhere else, isn’t that right?”
Travis glared at Simon who had staggered to his feet, wiping at the blood dripping from his nose. The man looked around, but finding no support, turned and fled the field.
It was uncomfortable and quiet for a moment before Clay shouted from the pitcher’s mound. “You guys done dancing over there?”
Gage winked at Travis and Cassidy before turning to answer. “Hold on to your britches. I’m taking over first base—Simon remembered he’s got an appointment.”
Travis headed back to the batter’s mound while Cassidy and Gage moved into position.
Cassidy offered a hand. “Appreciate what you did.”
Gage shook it firmly. “Yeah, well, I’ve been wanting a reason to punch Simon for a long time, so thank you for the opportunity.”
Cassidy laughed and stepped back into position. “You’re okay.”
“You’re about to lose, but you’re okay as well.”
The crack of the ball flying into the air sent Cassidy racing for second base. Out in the distance, a cloud of smoke rose skyward, and Cassidy slowed to a walk. He was pretty sure he was looking north and if he was…that might be on Coleman land.
Right about t
hen the fire alarm at the downtown station rang, and half the opposition abandoned their positions, racing toward the dugout, cell phones going off.
Cassidy jogged back to join Travis and the rest of the Coleman team. “That fire near your land?”
Travis nodded. “Come on, the game is over anyway. Let’s check with Gage what he’s heard.”
They caught up with Gage near the parking lot. “What’s the word?” Travis called.
Gage shouted over his shoulder. “Not good. Sounds like your place, Travis. Not the trailer, but down by the coulee. Some kids lighting grassfires that got out of control. One of them got scared and called it in. We’re bringing the truck.”
Cassidy’s stomach fell. “The coulee? T, that’s where the—”
“The barn. Ashley’s studio. I know. Come on.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Travis shattered driving laws on the way home, spinning around corners as he took back-road shortcuts.
“She might be in the trailer.” Cassidy clung to the dash as they bounced over washboard gravel.
“Try her cell,” Travis ordered.
Only a moment later Cassidy shook his head. “Still offline.”
“Call Joel. Tell him and Vicki to stop at the trailer and see if she’s sleeping or something. He can let us know.” He wasn’t going to stop to find out. Her studio was the most dangerous place to be at the moment. “And have him warn everyone to leave the main road open for the fire truck.”
Cassidy didn’t answer, just followed directions then hung on tight, his other hand on Travis’s shoulder, squeezing painfully hard. “She’s got to be okay.”
It wasn’t a question, wasn’t quite a comment, but either way Travis couldn’t respond as his throat tightened.
Somewhere behind him there was a line of vehicles as the entire Coleman clan headed north. He had the truck in high gear, tires screaming as he took the back loop to the barn, skidding up to the building with growing horror in his heart.
The ancient structure wasn’t going to last. The billows of grey smoke escaping from the open doors on the second-level hayloft warned there was a whole lot inside the building already on fire and smoldering.
