Chapter 8 Part 8
Asher
He pulled up to the church in his truck and gritted his teeth. Lorelei Adams stood on the steps with her two best friends, Amy Lancaster and Jennifer Casterley, who owned the coffee shop in town. He’d conveniently not thought about her since his first night home. He’d been preoccupied with thoughts of Maggie and Melody.
As if sent by God himself to save him, Maggie came walking down the sidewalk with Melody on her hip. Melody immediately thrust her arms out at him, and he smiled as he took her from Maggie. “Good morning, little lady.”
Melody babbled and grabbed his finger. Maggie smiled as she shifted the baby bag higher up on her shoulder. “Hi, Asher.”
“Maggie,” he said. He guided her to the steps of the church, receiving more than one look. He knew what they were thinking since the looks the trio gave him were scathing. “Ladies.”
“I didn’t know you were back,” Lorelei said, looking hurt.
“Oh, he came back on Friday,” Maggie said, smiling at them.
“Let’s head inside. I’m sure Eden saved us seats.” Asher didn’t look at Lorelei again, as he escorted Maggie inside. He kept Melody on his lap, giving her a bottle halfway through the service.
After church, Asher walked Maggie to her car, and clipped Melody into her seat. He waved them off and walked back to his truck, where Joey Castille and Logan Johnson, stood waiting.
“You don’t call, you don’t write, and then we have to see you at church with a new woman and a baby!”
Asher chuckled, and shook their hands. “What have you two been up to?”
Logan shrugged with a grin. “Nothing you wouldn’t do.”
“So, who’s the woman?”
“Maggie Conroy. She moved into the Lansing house. I met her and her daughter, Melody, on Friday when I got off the bus in town.”
“You move quickly, buddy. You got home on Friday, and already you’re taking her to church,” Joey said, with a laugh.
“I take it you heard about Lorelei and Winchester,” Logan said.
“Saw the paper,” Asher said, as Logan winced.
“That’s a tough break. What happened? One day it was Asher and Lorelei, and the next day, we saw her hanging out with McRoy,” Joey said.
“It came as a surprise to me, too,” Asher said.
“You mean to tell me that woman didn’t even have the decency to tell you she was sniffing around another man? You came home to find out your girl got engaged to someone else?”
Asher nodded his head, looking at his two friends from school. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“She didn’t seem too pleased to see you with that other woman, especially not holding that baby,” Logan said.
“I’m just being friendly. She’s new in town, and the only people she knows are us.” Asher didn’t like the way Joey kept fishing for information. He’d been steadily dating Mandy Greene since freshman year. He’d yet to put a ring on her finger, so people were definitely talking about his lack of commitment.
“How long are you in town for?” Logan asked him.
“Permanently.”
Both Joey and Logan beamed at him. “We should go fishing later in the week, like we used to do.”
“Sounds good. We’ll set something up,” Asher said. They talked for a few more minutes about crops and the rainy season that would start in a few weeks before they said their goodbyes.
Asher saw Lorelei looking intently at him, but he ignored it, and got into his truck. Maggie’s car wasn’t at her house when he drove past, so he headed back to the ranch. He parked his truck and took his tie off as he stepped inside his house.
He liked the solitude of living on his own. He loved his family, but sometimes they were a bit much to handle. He switched the suit for jeans, boots, and a flannel shirt. He wanted to take his horse, One Star, up into the hills. It had been more than a year since he last rode, and he missed it.
The screened door at the porch opened and closed just as he grabbed his hat. The subtle scent of perfume reached him, and Asher briefly closed his eyes. He descended the stairs and walked into the living room, where Lorelei stood with her arms crossed over her chest.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming home to visit,” she said.
“And I heard congratulations are in order,” he replied.
She looked down briefly. “What did you expect, Asher? You’re always gone on some mission. When you do come home, you work the ranch, and I see you at night, and on weekends. You’ve given me no reason to wait for you!”
“I never asked you to wait for me. As I recall, I broke it off with you to explore other things in your life. You’re the one who wanted to keep our relationship going.”
Lorelei narrowed her eyes and glared at him. “And then you appear out of thin air with a new woman on your arm, and with a baby! When were you going to tell me about them? That baby was conceived almost two years ago, and you’re mad at me!”
Asher chuckled, and shook his head. “What do you want, Lorelei?”
“I was going to tell you the next time you called. It was never my plan to hurt you,” she said, softly.
“You’ve been seeing Winchester for months, in secret, no doubt. You were wearing his ring the last time you told me you loved me,” Asher said, his voice sounding cold.
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she sniffed. “I do love you, but Winchester can offer me something you can’t. Stability. Commitment.”
“I hope he makes you happy,” Asher said, walking toward the front door. “I have someplace to be, and you really shouldn’t be here. Winchester won’t like you coming to see me.”
“Asher, don’t hate me,” she said, grabbing his hand.
Asher closed his eyes, remembering her touch all too clearly. “I don’t hate you, but you should’ve told me what you wanted. When I asked you to marry me, you said you weren’t ready.”
“I didn’t want an absent husband,” she said softly.