Page 22 of Guarding Over You
“She has you there,” his mother said. “Sorry. You’re better but not great.”
“She likes me that way,” Clay said.
“Let’s talk about me then,” Gale said. “Because I don’t get that much attention.”
“Who are you kidding?” Ash said. “You’ve always been the one to stand up and get attention and make our ears bleed until you shut up and got your way. I think that is why Blaze went to be a doctor. Because he couldn’t get his ears to stop aching.”
“Jerks,” Gale said. “You love me that way.”
“I do when I need your services,” Blaze said.
“What’s going on?” she asked, sitting up straighter. There she was, ready to launch into battle. His sister was there for them all.
“Nothing,” he said, laughing. “No tickets, no lawsuits, and no buying any properties. I just meant I’ve needed you before and love you that way when I do.”
“We all do,” Ash said.
“Says the one who gets the most tickets,” Gale said.
“Hey,” Ash said. “Shhh. Don’t say that shit in front of Ford.”
“You’re not getting them from my guys or I’d know. The rest is on you.”
“As long as you’re not bringing any bad press on the name,” his mother said, pointing her finger. “You’ve always been the one who got caught.”
“I’ve settled some,” Ash said. “I’m not doing anything to lose my job. Gale, what were you saying?”
“Just that I’ve got a big case that I hope is going to be settled out of court soon. If not, then it will be a bigger payout because I’m winning and they know it. My biggest, so I’m kind of excited over it.”
“That’s great,” his mother said. No one would ask specifics since they couldn’t know anyway. “Ash, what about you?”
“Just working with Corbin on days off now. Or when Clay doesn’t need me. He’s getting busy.”
Corbin was one of Ash’s closest friends. His family had a construction company and were always looking for help in the summer, but Ash was just as happy to fill in at the mill.
His brother was as hard a worker as he was a partier.
“And you, Blaze?”
“Not much. Work, work, eat, sleep, work again.”
No reason to say he had a new sexy neighbor. Even if he saw her in the ER on Friday again, got a shy smile before she put her lady-in-charge face on and marched into the room to save another patient.
That was how he was choosing to see her. Someone who had a good handle on her life, even if maybe she didn’t think she did.
7
EVERYTHING WENT WELL
Arden didn’t feel as if she could grip two-way tape right now.
Scheduled visitation was canceled yesterday when it was always on Saturday. It was no fault of their own.
Their normal court appointed worker had an emergency and they had to decide if they wanted a stand-in or to reschedule for Sunday.
Billy was indifferent, which she could take two ways.
One, that he was only doing these visits because he was forced to.
