Rocky Mountain Freedom (36 page)

Cassidy wasn’t sure how much she knew. “I had a good summer.”

They both grinned but said no more.

“You need a ride home?” he asked her. “I mean, let me know if Finn is more than simply an annoyance.”

She patted his shoulder. “Well, isn’t that considerate? No…I can manage him. But thanks.”

Ashley slipped between them, easing her arm around Karen as she settled tight against Cassidy’s body. “Hi. Having a good evening?”

Karen laughed. “You sent Cassidy to rescue me. Thanks.”

“I enjoy jerking people’s chains. Finn looks like the type who’s fun to tease.”

“He’s…different, that’s for sure.” Karen winked at Cassidy. “I’ll let you two alone. Welcome to the clan.”

Another heartfelt welcome. Cassidy settled Ashley tight against him and considered all the positive twists over the past days. He couldn’t complain. Not so far.

Up on the stage, the band’s lead guitarist had a familiar cast to his features, and Cassidy searched his memory for the name of Travis’s cousin. Stan? Steve, that was it. “You know exactly how many Colemans are in the area?” Cassidy asked Ashley.

“A shit-ton.” She smiled up at him. “But we only need the one.”

He laughed and kept dancing. The floor was crowded, which made the rapid movement by a curvy blonde more outstanding as she forced her way to the front of the stage. Steve smiled down at her for all of three seconds before the woman lifted a full pitcher of beer and threw it in his face.

The music barely faltered as she whirled away. The guitar-playing Coleman, now dripping wet, abandoned his instrument and headed after her, a second band member stepping forward to the microphone to take up singing.

Cassidy and Ashley exchanged amused glances. “You have any idea what that was about?”

“He’s a Coleman. Obviously did something to piss her off.” Ashley curled up as intimately against him as she’d been a couple minutes ago with Travis.

As the momentary discussion regarding whatever had taken place with the band faded, there were more glances cast their way. One group of guys was doing a lot of talking and looking, obviously sharing a few opinions that might not be complimentary toward Ashley, or him and Ashley.

At that moment, Cassidy discovered his
give a fuck
was broken. “I wonder what they’d do if I went and grabbed Travis for the next song. Something slow and good to grind to.”

Ashley lifted her head off his chest, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Oh man, I would give a ton to see that…”

“Probably blow a few blood vessels.” Cassidy glanced to the side again. “Not worth it, but damn if I can’t say I’m tempted.”

“Yeah, I hear you.” Ashley stroked her fingers over his ribs, easing around his back and all but riding his thigh as she positioned a leg on either side of his. “Tell you what, we’ll do it when we get home. First song with clothes on pretending we’re back here in public.”

“The next with clothes off? Deal.” Cassidy leaned down and kissed her, loving how eagerly she responded.

The rude looks and dirty comments were there, but as an undertone he could ignore. He turned off everything but staring into Ashley’s tempting eyes, and relished holding her close as they swayed on the dance floor.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Ashley pushed the cart between the vegetables and fruits and considered how exactly she was going to convince her carnivores to join her in eating better.

Or at least add in a few things that were green and not deep-fried or slathered in calories. She picked up a head of purple cabbage and eyed it warily, wondering if the colour would disguise its true nature.

“If you want to sneak more vegetables in, I have some recipes for you.”

She turned to discover Jaxi Coleman behind her, grocery cart filled with more children than food. “How did you know—?”

Jaxi laughed. “I recognized your expression. I’ve worn it myself many times. Blake usually eats anything that doesn’t move, but when faced with a few too many ‘rabbit meals’, even he revolts. I can’t imagine what having two of them to argue menu plans with would be like.”

“It’s more since we take turns cooking that I need some prepared food in the fridge in self-defense. Travis isn’t
too
bad,” Ashley conceded reluctantly.

“But Cassidy would pile three burger patties on a bun and call it a balanced meal? I hear you.” Jaxi pulled a can from one of the twins’ hands and put it back on the shelf, absently adjusting her cart to be farther from the shelves and out of reach of little fingers. “Rae, leave that alone. You get to pick out the juice, but for now, sit.”

The little blonde sat, pigtails bouncing. Then two identical faces twisted to stare at Ashley. She smiled and felt warmth bounce back in the form of giggles and gap-toothed toddler grins.

“I’ll email you the recipes. Spaghetti sauces with extra veggies, meatloaf with carrots grated in, stuff like that.”

Ashley nodded. “I’d appreciate it.”

Another shopper wandered past, eyeing Ashley for a moment before going wide-eyed and scurrying toward the next aisle. Ashley wasn’t sure if she should laugh or sigh.

Word was getting around, that much was clear.

“Hey, ignore it.”

Ashley glanced over at Jaxi.

The other woman shrugged. “Ignorant, stupid people are only satisfied when they’re being ignorant and stupid. You make Travis happy, and that’s what counts.”

The truth in Jaxi’s statement couldn’t be denied, but it was the affirmation that warmed Ashley more than the children’s acceptance. “Thanks, Jaxi. I can handle some dirty looks as long as the guys are content.”

Jaxi adjusted the backpack she wore that held little girl number three. “I haven’t seen Travis this relaxed in years. You and Cassidy are good for him, and anyone who thinks otherwise can take a hike.”

Ashley motioned at Jaxi’s more-than-full cartload of children. “You need a hand shopping? I don’t mind helping,” she offered.

Jaxi waved off her offer. “Thanks, but I’m used to this, plus Marion is somewhere in the store doing the bulk of the list.” She rolled her cart forward and added a few items before offering an invitation. “We’re making cabbage rolls later this week. If you’d like, we can buy extra ingredients and you can come over to help. You’ll end up with a bunch for the freezer. If you have time—I know you’ve got a lot on your plate right now.”

“If you don’t mind teaching a beginner.” Ashley paused. It wasn’t her lack of domestic skills that might be a problem. “You want to check with Marion first?”

Jaxi tilted her head. “Why would I need to do that?”

Ashley shrugged. “I’m not sure Marion approves of me, that’s all. Don’t want to make things awkward coming around where I’m not wanted.”

“
Pfft
.” Jaxi blew a raspberry. “Marion’s okay with you. It’s probably the same thing as I had to work through—I wanted to know you were going to do right by Travis. It was pretty obvious the other night at Traders that things are working out. Marion’s got a mom-brain, and it’s gonna take longer to convince her you and Cassidy are good enough for her little boy.”

The idea of Travis as anyone’s little boy made Ashley smile reluctantly. “I suppose.”

“Trust me, I’m right.” Jaxi grinned. “Ask Travis, I’m
always
right…”

Ashley’s smile turned to laughter. “Fine. You’re right, and I would love to make cabbage rolls. Call me, and let me know where and when.”

She tweaked the twins’ noses to their great delight then pushed on around the corner, hoping to finish the rest of the shopping in time to make some final adjustments to one of her projects before the guys were done for the day.

Normal, everyday activities. Working, shopping. Spending time together.

The forward motion helped soothe the moments of sadness that still struck when she remembered her cousin. Remembered a life that was cut short. Made her all the more determined to seize every good moment she could.

The next row Ashley turned down, she discovered where her earlier nosy shopper had gone. A gaggle of women were all bunched together, their carts blocking the path as they whispered furiously. One of them tapped the others to get their attention, and silence fell as embarrassed faces and a few frowns turned her way.

Bolstered by Jaxi’s approval, Ashley didn’t give a shit what other people wanted to waste their time yattering about. Only when she rolled forward and saw exactly where the ladies had picked to have their discussion, she couldn’t resist.

“Excuse me, but I need to get at that shelf, please,” she asked politely. All four heads rotated to the side, eyes widening and lips tightening as the women discovered they had blocked Ashley’s path to the condoms.

One of the ladies proved she might not be a write-off as a hint of a smile appeared momentarily, the young woman separating herself from the others as she moved out of the way.

Ashley clicked her tongue disapprovingly as she reached for the shelf. “Really? A twenty-four pack is the largest box this store stocks? And none of them are ribbed. Damn.” She tossed three packages and a couple of tubes of lube into her cart before smiling sweetly at the most indignant woman of the lot. “At least they carry large sizes.”

She swore she heard sputtering behind her as she left.

Travis opened the main barn doors wide and waited for Cassidy to enter in front of him. Up ahead, Ashley twisted her hands together as she bounced in place.

He and Cassidy had been back in Rocky since mid-August, and now, nearly a month later, Travis couldn’t imagine being without the two of them. It was still two steps forward, one step back in some ways, but in terms of the things they were enjoying together?

He had no complaints.

“I thought artists kept their work secret until the grand reveal,” Cassidy teased, pacing slowly into the high-roofed building.

“Well, I’m not your typical artist, and I’m not done everything, but I couldn’t wait any longer.” Ashley rushed forward and grabbed each of them by a hand, pulling them farther into the area she’d claimed as a workspace. “Come
on
, I’ve been dying to show you.”

Travis exchanged smiles with Cassidy then followed willingly to where Ashley had put out a couple chairs. He sat, grinning harder as she fussed with the sheet-covered canvas. “I love it when you’re like this. Giddy. Sheer energy.”

Ashley twirled and beamed at him. “It’s been incredible having this place to work. And I think I’ve done a good job. Fingers crossed the gallery agrees.”

“You’re not done, though, right?” Cassidy counted the canvases one by one. “Doesn’t look like enough for a showing, excuse my ignorance.”

“No, I’m not done, but it won’t only be my work they’re showing. There will be other artists as well. But I’ve gotten a super start, and I’m done the toughest of them. The rest of the month I’ll work on watercolour and drawings— And I’m rambling. Shutting up.” Ashley slipped to the right and grabbed hold of a sheet. “This is the first set. They’ll be hung in a row, a little space between them.”

Travis leaned forward as the sheet pulled back, and his jaw nearly hit the floor.

“Holy shit…” Cassidy breathed, rising to his feet.

It was as if she’d cut a section of land from the Six Pack ranch and magically projected it onto the canvas. From left to right the four pictures took in west to east on the land, the Rockies on the far edge fading into the foothills blending into the rolling grass of grazing land and the flatter cultivated grain fields.

Taken alone each picture was complete. A mountainous meadow, a ranch house with buildings, cattle and crops. Together, the effect was breathtaking.

“Ashley this is…” Travis abandoned his chair as well and moved forward to figure out exactly how she’d made the pictures come alive.

“You’re not getting the full impact from this close,” Ashley complained, but she was beaming. “You really like them, don’t you?”

“Like? Love. God, woman, these are serious art.” Cassidy slipped a hand around her waist and pulled her in close. He kissed her absentmindedly, gaze still fixed on the paintings. “I swear I can smell the country air.”

“No cattleshit, though.” Travis leaned in, hands held behind him so he wouldn’t be tempted to touch. He wasn’t much of an art critic, but he agreed with Cassidy. He turned and nodded. “You did damn good.”

Ashley’s grin stretched from ear to ear. “Ready for the second set?”

She made them sit again—something about getting the right perspective—before pulling off the drop cloth.

“Fuck.” Cassidy dragged his hand through his hair.

Travis had been about to say the same thing. “Jeez. Ashley, you’re going to get stolen away by New York City or Paris, or some other big fancy art place.”

She’d done the same kind of three-dimensional voodoo on this set, only this time instead of landscapes the paintings showcased the people of the land. The faces weren’t quite Cassidy or Travis or his father or Karen, but almost them. Working with the cattle, labouring in the barn. Karen stroking a horse’s nose to settle him. Travis swore the beast had just finished tossing his head, his nostrils about to flare in the next second.