by Lexy Timms
It was faint, but if someone knew Jimmy Sheldon well enough, they could see the pressure getting to him.
“Take Friday off,” I said.
“You the boss now?” Jimmy asked.
“Take a long weekend. You can’t handle this any longer. You need to find a way to decompress.”
“And what about you?” he asked.
“What about me?”
“Are you coming to decompress with me?”
“Seriously? With all these rumors flying around?”
“I have enough money to keep us hidden for a long weekend, Ashley. If I need to unwind, then you really need to unwind, both professionally and personally.”
“Jimmy, that’s not a smart idea,” I said.
“I’m not going unless you come with me.”
“You’re being stubborn.”
“No one helps me decompress better than you do. Your presence is comforting, and your voice is like a medicine ball for my ears. If you think a long weekend is what I need, and you want me to use my time as wisely as possible, then I need all my tools at my disposal.”
“So I’m a tool,” I said with a grin.
“You’re whatever you want to be. You’re that kind of woman. But I think a long weekend away would do us both some good. Like I said, both personally and professionally.”
“Talking about our relationship is not even close to decompressing,” I said.
“Do we still have a relationship?” he asked.
The phone call went silent, and I closed my eyes. Even though I knew it was a terrible idea and even though the logical side of my mind was telling me to stand my ground, I wanted to go. I wanted to be with Jimmy. I wanted to hide away for a few days and sleep in his arms and enjoy his presence. Maybe that was what we needed to get us back on track. Maybe we needed a few uninterrupted days to simply be us.
But his question was important. Did we still have a relationship?
“I guess we should figure that out this weekend, huh?” I asked.
“I’ll make the arrangements and give you a call,” Jimmy said.
Chapter 13
Jimmy
I picked up the phone in my office and dialed Ashley’s number. Sitting back in my seat, a massive smile crossed my face. This was happening. I was getting alone time with Ashley after everything that had happened. This was my chance to prove to her I was the man she thought I was, that I could treat her the way she deserved to be treated and that we could get through this. I kept my eyes trained on my office door in case anyone wanted to come barging in on me, and I smiled as her voice graced my ears.
“Ashley Ternbeau’s office.”
“You sound out of breath,” I said.
“I was in the bathroom. Sorry,” she said.
“No need to be sorry. I wanted to let you know I went ahead and made the arrangements.”
“Wonderful. That’s-that’s great. What, um, are the plans?”
“You're cute when you stutter, you know that?” I asked.
“Already laying it on thick, I see.”
“I have a lot to make up for,” I said.
“So what’s the plan?”
“I’m going to go ahead and leave my office. I’ve already informed Ross as well as the FBI that I’m not fleeing any scene. Merely taking some time to myself since I don’t feel well from the stress of this situation.”
“You do sound terrible.”
“Compliment taken,” I said. “I have a private beach house with a private section of the beach no one is allowed on but me. Miles away from civilization, but close enough to where if something melts down, I can get here if needed.”
“So, right outside Miami?”
“Yep.”
“How do you want to handle us leaving? I’m assuming it’ll have to be some fancy maneuvering.”
“Not really. I’m going to leave now, and you leave at the end of your day. Finish the work you have on your plate, but don’t stay any later than four. Go home and pack a few things. A bikini. A dress.”
“You think I own a bikini?”
“A bra and panties will do fine,” I said with a grin.
“Oh, you’re bad.”
“I always try to be. Something to swim in and two outfits to change into is all you’ll need. I’ve got toiletries there I’m sure you can use.”
“Okay. Where do I go from there?” she asked.
“That coffee shop down the street from your apartment. It sits on an alleyway.”
“You want me to wait for you in an alleyway?” she asked.
“No. I’ll be coming down that alleyway to pick you up. The coffee shop has a side door. I’ll text you when I’m there, you can come out and get in, and then we’ll use the backroads to get to my beach house.”
“I don’t like this sneaking around.”
“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. But I’m hoping you’ll stick this out with me and come along. You could use the downtime as well, and selfishly, I’d like a chance to show you I’m not the man you think I am.”
The silence on the phone gripped my throat. I was scared she was going to back out. Say no and destroy all the plans I already had in motion. I had a bottle of wine chilling for us and a beautiful sunset calling our name. I had a California king-sized bed for us to muss up and a walk-in shower for me to take her in.
If she would let me.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll message you when I’m at my apartment.”
“Good. I’m heading out. I’ll see you soon.”
I passed by one of the FBI officers and made sure I informed them one last time as to where I was going and what I was doing. I didn’t want there to be any surprises or any suspicions as to the fact that I was fleeing anything. At that point, I had no idea what the hell Markus had roped this company into. For all I knew, he was working everything to make it look like it was my fucking fault. The man I didn’t think was capable of stealing from me was quickly turning into a massive con artist.
It was unsettling, to say the least.
I didn’t want to make anyone upset or make them think I was guilty of anything, but Ashley had been right. I needed a day off, away from all this bullshit. I got down to my car, having given my driver a couple of days off, and headed back to my apartment. I packed a small bag and made sure things were okay at the company with Ross before heading down to my Jaguar.
Ashley’s message came through as I was closing the trunk of my car.
I kept to the back roads and tried to stay off the main drag. The press were everywhere, and I wasn’t ready for one of them to start tailing me. They were still picketing outside the office, and a couple of them had been found at the entrance of the lobby of my apartment. Of course, they were arrested for stuff like that. My apartment complex had a zero-tolerance policy for that type of shit. That was why I paid the big bucks to stay there.
I pulled into the alleyway and shot Ashley a message. I was sitting right by the door, waiting for her to emerge. I saw the doorknob jiggle before the door flew open, and a smile graced my cheeks. In a fit of red hair with her glasses slung on her face, Ashley opened my car door and sank into the seat.
“Whisk me away, driver.”
“My pleasure,” I said.
I backed us down the alleyway and kept to all the back roads. It tacked thirty minutes onto our trip, but it helped me make sure no one was following us. We hit a barren stretch of the road that ran parallel to the ocean, and I rolled Ashley’s window down.
Her eyes closed as she took in the salted air, and I could see her visibly relax.
I took a chance and reached over to take her hand. Her eyes popped open, and I waited for her to pull away. Her eyes dipped into her lap, watching my fingers curl over her skin.
Instead of pulling away, she sat back and closed her eyes.
She was still comfortable with me. Even after everything that had transpired, she was still comfortable. A spark of hope ignited in my toes as a smile pulled acro
ss my cheeks. If I could show her I was still the man she knew I was, then things might be fixable with us, which was all I really wanted. For things to be okay between us.
I pulled in front of my private beach house, and there wasn’t another person in sight. The nearest bungalows were a mile in either direction, and the only thing I could hear were the crashing of the waves. Ashley lifted her head and looked around, her eyes growing wide when she saw how remote it really was out here.
“Hungry?” I asked.
“Starving,” she said.
We took our bags up the steps before I let her in. It was a small space, but it had a great deal of privacy. There was a loft with windows that overlooked the ocean, and on the main floor was the kitchen, the decadent bathroom, and the living room that backed up to a sliding glass door. The porch had a set of steps jutting right into the sand, leading straight out to the ocean and all it had to offer.
“It’s a beautiful view out here,” Ashley said.
“It’s better with you in it,” I said. “How does grilled chicken and vegetables sound?”
I whipped us up some food in the kitchen as Ashley nursed a glass of wine. She was out on the porch, her feet kicked up on the railing as she sat back in one of my chairs. Barbecue grilled chicken with garlic and lemon vegetables was on the menu for an early dinner, and there were plenty of leftovers if we got hungry later.
“Whatever it is, it smells wonderful,” Ashley said.
“Already forget what I was cooking?”
“Zoning out. I haven’t done that in so long.”
“Then zone out all you want. That’s what this trip is for,” I said.
I poured myself a glass of wine, and the two of us ate in silence, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable this time. It was usual. Warming. Reminiscent of how things were between us. I scooted my foot underneath the table and rested it against hers, and her head flew up to catch my eyes. There was still a touch of hesitancy there. I could see her debating whether this was a good idea.
But she didn’t draw back, and I didn’t pull away.
I picked up our plates when we were both finished and dumped them into the sink. I wanted to take Ashley on a walk along the beach. That was one of the last activities we had enjoyed together before everything went to shit, and I wanted her to know we could still have those moments. Those pocketed moments where the only thing that mattered was the two of us.
“We did this when I first moved into my apartment,” Ashley said.
“It’s one of my favorite memories of us.”
“We talk about it like it was years ago.”
“It feels like it sometimes.”
“I can’t believe you have this beach all to yourself. I’d never come home if I owned a place like this.”
“There are times when I come out here and work from that porch. It’s never more than a couple of days at a time, but it’s really a nice getaway.”
“A couple of days? I’d never come home if it was up to me.”
“You really like it that much out here?” I asked.
“I love it. The view. The privacy. The quiet. I can’t remember the last time life was this quiet.”
I squeezed her hand, allowing our fingers to lace together as the waves lapped against our ankles.
“How’s your mother doing?” I asked.
“Not good,” Ashley said with a sigh. “But I’m coming to terms with it.”
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, you know. She’s not lucid very often. She’s combative. She’s hitting the nurses now.”
“What?” I asked.
“Yeah. It’s common when Alzheimer’s degenerates like that. The person gets to a point where their unfamiliarity with things makes them angry because they’re aware of the fact they can’t remember but don’t know why.”
“I can’t even imagine.”
“Once someone becomes physically combative, it’s only a matter of time. The mood swings and the frustration mean the preventative medication is no longer working. It means she’s beyond help at this point.”
“I’m so sorry, Ashley.”
“Don’t worry about it. I mean, it’s not your problem to worry over.”
“I feel it is.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Because I care about you.”
Our walking ceased, and Ashley craned her neck to up see me. Her eyes danced between mine as the ocean drenched up the backs of our calves. I lifted my hand to her face and smoothed her hair back, tucking it behind her ear.
I watched her nuzzle into my palm as my hand rested against her cheek.
“Come on. I want to show you my favorite spot on this stretch,” I said.
I took the lead as Ashley followed behind me. Our hands were still connected as we walked along the shoreline. Little by little, I felt like things were smoothing over between us. Little by little, I was seeing the Ashley I once had shining through the cracks of the facade she was trying to put up. It was in the small things. The way she nuzzled still into my touch or the way she told me to kiss her. The way her pupils still dilated when she looked at me and the way her hand seemed to tighten in mine whenever she thought I was going to pull away.
I came upon the rocks that surrounded the little, abandoned hut, tucked away from the rest of the world.
“What is that?” Ashley asked.
“Come on. Let me show you.”
I walked us up to it and ducked into the hut. There was nothing special about it. It was surrounded by rocks and had this little, thatched roof. It was open only on one side, and that was the side that faced the ocean. There were a couple of lounge chairs I had stored in here for whenever I wanted to come and take a nap.
“Here. Take a seat,” I said.
I helped Ashley into her lounger before I sat down in mine. The sounds of the ocean echoed off the small curved walls as the wind ruffled the roof. Ashley’s smile was broad as she leaned back in the chair with a perfect view of the ocean, our presence completely closed off from everywhere else. And it was quiet, something Ashley needed right now.
“I could go to sleep in something like this,” she said.
“Then do it,” I said.
“What?”
I looked over at her and smoothed my hand along her leg.
“If you want to take a nap, then take a nap. I do it every time I come in here.”
“So this is yours?” she asked.
“In a way. I’m not sure who made it, but whoever it was, they abandoned it. I put a floor in it so sand wouldn’t get everywhere and stacked a few rocks to cover up the windows on the sides, but yeah. It’s essentially mine.”
“Does anyone ever find it and use it?” she asked.
“Nope. No one’s allowed to come this far onto my beach, remember?” I asked.
“Your beach,” she said with a giggle.
“Yes, my beach.”
Her hand rested over mine, but she didn’t pick it up off her leg. She wrapped her fingers around mine and leaned back, a small sigh escaping her lips. I watched her eyes fluttered closed, and I sat there, reveling in her beauty while the wind whipped against the hut.
She looked beautiful when she was sleeping. And I decided a nice nap might do me a bit of good, too.
Chapter 14
Ashley
I woke up with Jimmy’s hand still secured in my own. The sun was beginning to set, and the ocean sounded closer than ever before. I fluttered my eyes open and saw Jimmy sleeping next to me as soft snores fell from his lips.
I felt incredible. Alive. Beautiful.
Our day on the beach had been wonderful. The food he cooked was splendid, and the wine had been a wonderful way to top it all off. The long walk we took was relaxing, and the moment served to remind me of how natural things felt between us and how easy it was to talk with Jimmy about things like my mother. Waking up with the sun shining through the door of this hut thing felt fantastic like I had been bathed in a cleansing water and pul
led free of all the stress that had been chaining me down for days.
I could do this over and over again and never want for anything else.
But I was scared to let Jimmy back in. I was scared to give this another shot. The ache in my heart was still there from all the things we had said to one another. I felt Jimmy stirring, and I looked over at him, watching as his eyes peeled open. A sleepy smile crossed his cheeks as he brought my hand to his lips.
His kiss shot electricity up my arm.
“I don’t know about you,” he said, “but I could use some coffee.”
“I’m always up for coffee. What did you have in mind?” I asked.
“There’s this small breakfast cafe across the street from where we are. It’s run by this wonderful couple. And they make the best coffee.”
“Then let’s go,” I said. “I’m always up for the best coffee in town.”
We emerged from the hut hand in hand, and we made our way up the beach. We ran across the road, the wind whipping through my hair. I ran into Jimmy’s arms, and he twirled me around, my arms wrapped tightly around his neck.
He settled me down on the sidewalk, and it took me a second to rip my gaze from his.
“Ready for some coffee?” I asked.
“Always when it comes to their coffee.”
Jimmy opened the door for me and he was right. The place was charming. There were mismatched tables and chairs everywhere as well as a few plush couches over in the corner. There was an older woman behind the counter with beautiful white hair, and an older man with gray hair emerged from the back.
“Jimmy! What a surprise.”
“Bernie. It’s good to see you again.”
I watched the two men embrace before Jimmy turned to me.
“And this lovely woman is Ashley,” he said.
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Ashley,” Bernie said.
“The pleasure’s all mine,” I said.
“This beautiful woman is my lovely wife, Patrice. Been married for fifty-one years, her and I,” Bernie said.
“Fifty-one years?” I asked. “But you can’t be any older than—”
