Chapter 40 Part 40
Asher
He sat on the couch with Melody playing on the floor. He felt more relaxed knowing they were in his house. He hadn’t lied to his family. He had no problem letting people believe that Melody was his biological daughter.
Dakota had taken to staying close to Melody. When she moved, he moved; when she sat playing with her toys, he sat next to her, watching her every move. Asher’s love for the dog just grew at his protectiveness.
“He knows she works at the ranch. My guess is that when he finds her house empty tonight, he’ll turn up at the ranch tomorrow. Everything will be fine tonight.”
Eden shifted on her seat. “What do we tell him if he does come calling?”
“You direct him to me,” Asher said, glancing at Maggie. “How much did you take?”
Maggie briefly closed her eyes. “I flushed about 20 thousand dollars worth of drugs, and I took 2 thousand dollars.”
“Who the hell has that many drugs lying around?” Finn asked, looking shocked.
“Sean did, all the time. He supplied a lot of runners who sold for him,” Maggie said.
“Didn’t you ever consider going to the police?” Blair asked.
“I did, but I was a prostitute. He had videos of me. He was known as a businessman in the area. Who do you think they were going to believe?”
“Stop saying you were a prostitute; you weren’t. You were his victim,” Asher said.
“I’ve got savings,” Eden said, looking at Asher questioningly.
“We have some put away for a rainy day,” Colt said, and Dylan nodded.
“I used most of my savings on that new cattle chute, but I can sell some calves,” Blair added.
“I never took your momma on that cruise she wanted to go on, so I’ve got plenty saved up,” Thomas said.
Maggie didn’t even bother to wipe the tears from her face now. She couldn’t believe that they were willing to give up their savings for her. She couldn’t let them do that, right?
“No,” Maggie said. “This is my mess, and I have to clean it up.”
“Like hell you will.” Asher’s anger flowed through his eyes, and Maggie inhaled sharply. “I have money. Nobody will sell anything or use their savings for this.”
“So you are planning to pay him,” Thomas said.
“Look, Pops, she took the money. We all get why she did it. If I pay it back, the problem is solved. That’s what he wants, his money.”
“What about what he said? Delivering her to this guy’s doorstep?” Blair had a point, and Asher clenched his jaw.
“He said that under the assumption that she used all the money,” Asher said.
“Okay, so if he shows up on the ranch, we pay him, and tell him that if he steps foot on our property again, we’ll shoot him,” Thomas said.
“Exactly, Dad,” Dylan said, grinning.
An hour later, everybody left, but Maggie remained sitting on the couch. Asher could tell she felt defeated. Her eyes had that hollow look in them. Asher sat down next to her and took her hand in his.
“It’ll work out. Everything will be fine,” he said.
“I can’t ask you to do this, Asher.”
“You didn’t ask. I offered.”
“Still—”
“I’m not going to argue about this, Maggie. I’ve already told you how it’s going to work. I’ll pay the man his money, and then we’ll go about our lives,” Asher said.
“And live happily ever after?”
Asher smiled as he looked at her. “Why not? But first, I’ll have to live down my new cheater reputation.”
“You don’t have to do that. The truth always comes out at some point. People will know you’re not her father.”
“Then I’ll adopt her; whichever way it happens, she’ll be my daughter,” Asher said.
“Asher, have you thought this through? Adopting her means you’ll be financially responsible for her, forever. What if we don’t work out? What if you change your mind again? You can’t adopt her unless…”
“Unless we get married.”
Maggie shook her head. “You make everything sound so easy, but it’s never that easy, is it?”
Melody yawned as she crawled toward him, and he picked her up onto his lap. “Life’s not always just good or just bad; it’s a little of both. The good parts can be great, and the bad parts can be awful, but if you cling to the good parts, then the bad parts don’t seem so bad.”
“It was bad enough when you said you couldn’t even look at me,” Maggie said.
“And you’ll never know how sorry I am about that. I should’ve stayed and listened to your side of the story. I’m sorry I didn’t, but I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere.”
Maggie gave him a weak smile. “Of course not, this is your house.”
Asher laughed, and shifted Melody so he could put his arm around Maggie’s shoulder. “You aren’t going anywhere either.”
“I should go put her down for her nap,” Maggie said. Melody’s eyes were already closed as she lay on Asher’s chest with her hand beneath her cheek.
“I’ll take her. You’ll just wake her up if you try to pick her up now.” Asher stood up in one fluid motion, his one hand on Melody’s head and the other arm cradling her legs.
“I’ll get lunch ready then,” Maggie said.
Asher took Melody up to her room, and placed her in the crib. He pushed her hair from her face, and covered her with a blanket. Her mouth curled into a smile, and Asher chuckled softly.
He stopped in front of the guest bedroom and frowned. All Maggie’s stuff was in there. He shook his head and hurried down the stairs to the kitchen, where Maggie was making sandwiches and coffee.
“Why’s your stuff in the guest bedroom?”
“I’ve always stayed in that room,” Maggie said.
“Woman, by the time the sun sets, your stuff better be in the right place,” Asher said, and sat down at the kitchen table.
“At the Lansing house?” Maggie smiled sweetly, looking at Asher.
He narrowed his eyes and grinned at her. “Thin ice, Maggie.”
“I can swim.”
“We’ll see about that,” Asher said, and bit into his sandwich. His sandwich was done before she’d taken three bites, and he emptied his coffee mug, as well. “Remember what I said about throwing you over my shoulder?”
Maggie looked up at him, and swallowed the food in her mouth. “Yes.”
“Finish your sandwich.”