The Reunion: Ashley's Mountain Retreat (Starting Over Series) Read online

  “Can I ask you what happened to your wife? I understand if you don’t want to talk to me about it,” she said.

  “You’re easy to talk to, Ashley. I don’t mind,” he said softly as he looked at her. “My wife’s name was Franki. We were married for four years. She had a congenital heart condition that we didn’t know about until she was pregnant. At five months into her pregnancy, her heart went into a fatal arrythmia…” he said choking back emotion. “I lost them both at the same time.”

  Instinctively, Ashley put her hand on his knee. “I am so sorry, Parker. I cannot even imagine…” she said with tears in her eyes. “And here I was complaining about infertility…”

  “Ashley, we all have things that we grieve. Yours is no less important than mine,” he said softly. Their faces were so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her lips.

  “Do you know what the baby was?”

  “It was a boy. We were going to name him Dylan,” he said with a smile. “We had a service for Franki and Dylan. They were buried together,” he said.

  Ashley sat there for a moment, not knowing what to say. How had she grown so close to this man so quickly? She remembered back when she was dating Dave, and they had to do what she called “the dance”. He had to call her, she played coy and tried to make him jealous, he’d back off, she’d go forward. It had taken weeks to get together with Dave. Now, she was fighting the urge to propose marriage to Parker. The thought made her giggle at a very inappropriate time.

  “Are you laughing?” Parker asked.

  “Oh, my God, Parker. I am so sorry. I wasn’t laughing at what you said…” she said as she waved her hands in the air.

  “Well, something sure was funny,” he replied with a smirk. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

  Summoning the courage, she told him about her dating life with Dave. “I giggled at the thought of being more connected with you right now than I was with my husband during our whole marriage. Ironic, right?”

  Parker studied her face for a moment before he leaned in a softly kissed her on the forehead. “Thanks for letting me talk.”

  Ashley’s hands shook as adrenaline filled her body. “Thanks for trusting me enough to tell me,” she said as she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. It took all of the courage she could muster, but it was so worth it. His warm, stubbly skin sent shivers down her spine.

  As she pulled back, he looked at her in the eyes. “Ashley, I want you to know that I have never done this before…” he whispered.

  “Done what?” she whispered back as the tips of their noses touched.

  “Kissed a client,” he said as he put his hand on the base of her head and pulled her closer. His lips covered hers with a gentle passion that she had never felt before. Her arms went limp as he pressed into her like he had been longing for this closeness for years… and he had.

  Chapter 5

  Much to Ashley’s dismay, his cell phone started to ring and interrupted their moment. He pulled back and looked down. “It’s the seller. I need to take this,” he said looking flustered.

  Ashley could only hear one end of the conversation, but it sounded like good news on her offer. When he hung up, he smiled at her. “You got the house!”

  “I did? I am so excited!” Ashley said jumping up off the rock. As she did, she lost her footing on a small rock beside the big one and started to fall. Parker grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him which sent her careening into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she grabbed onto his neck and ran her fingers through his thick hair. Laughing, they continued their kissing session where they left off.

  “Ashley…” he moaned as he pushed her back.

  “What? I’m sorry…” she stammered.

  “No. It’s not you. I just haven’t done this in a while, and if we don’t stop, I may not be able to get us off this mountain…” he said with a laugh. Ashley smiled at the thought of him desiring her so much.

  As they continued up the pathway, they talked more about their lives. Parker told her that he played guitar, enjoyed carpentry and loved to garden. She told him about her failed piano lessons as a kid, her friends from nursing school and her love of pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks. The conversation flowed easily and freely.

  “Here we are,” Parker said about thirty minutes later as they reached another pathway leading to the right.

  They walked down the path, and Ashley could hear raging water. When they reached the end, they entered a small cave. She was stunned to see the most beautiful waterfall cascading down from a rock cliff above. It fell into a beautiful aqua blue pool of water that was surrounded by large, smooth rocks. “We can sit on the rocks and have our picnic.”

  “My goodness, this place is breathtaking,” Ashley said putting her hand on her chest while her mouth gaped open.

  “Even more so with you standing beside it,” he said with a shy smile.

  “You’re too sweet,” Ashley said smiling back.

  “I found this place after my wife died. I would often take long hikes to clear my mind. One day, after a heavy rain, I could hear this in the distance. I kept hiking until I found it. It’s a place I try to come to often… to clear my head,” Parker said.

  Ashley slowly walked over to one of the big rocks and looked up. The waterfall raged like a savage beast, yet it fell into the most peaceful body of water. The dichotomy really made her think.

  “It’s amazing to see such a raging rapid turn into a pool of peace at the bottom, isn’t it?” she said looking up. “I mean, out of angst can come pure serenity like that…”

  Parker eyed her for a moment. “You are one complex woman, Ashley Tate,” he said.

  “Complex? You think so? My reputation back home is more of a party girl who doesn’t think too much and doesn’t have all those girly emotions,” she said climbing onto one of the big rocks.

  “Really? I don’t see that at all. The question is who do you want to be?” he asked sitting down facing her.

  “I’ve never really thought about that,” Ashley said. “People have always thought I was the life of the party, and I guess I just played into that. It was easier than trying to prove them wrong.”

  “Well, if it means anything, I think you are a fantastic woman just the way you are.” When he spoke to her, she felt sincerity in every word. Parker Crenshaw didn’t seem to need to put up appearances or stroke her ego.

  “Thank you… and it does mean a lot coming from you.”

  They sat together quietly for a few moments, staring up at the massive waterfall.

  “Does it have a name?” Ashley asked, breaking their silence.

  “Not that I know of,” he said.

  “How about we call it Franki Falls?” she suggested with a smile. As soon as she did, he reached across and pulled her in front of him so that they were eye to eye.

  “That is just about the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” he said as he leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

  They spent the next hour eating the lunch that Parker had brought for them which included turkey wraps, chips and strawberries. Watching Parker eat strawberries did things to Ashley that she wasn’t expecting.

  “Well, I guess we’d better start heading back down…” Parker said as they finished up lunch.

  “I guess so. In fact, I need to pack up my things. I have to catch a flight tomorrow morning.”

  The mention of Ashley leaving was enough to cause a lull in the conversation. She wondered what she should do now. She had found this amazing man, and now she had to go home. At least she could visit him occasionally when she visited her cabin. The thought of him meeting another woman who actually lived in the state tore her apart inside, and she was afraid to admit it to herself.

  As they walked down the mountain, they were quiet. She could tell that Parker was deep in thought about something, but she wasn’t sure what.

  “Are you looking forward to getting back home?” he fina
lly asked.

  “I suppose. It will be nice to see my dog, Layla. She’s a chocolate lab. My neighbor has been feeding her for me while I’m gone,” Ashley said.

  “I love dogs. I have a boxer named Boxer. Original, huh?” His laugh lit her up inside.

  “We grew up with boxers. They are great dogs,” she said. Without warning, he reached down and took her hand. She didn’t pull away as they walked the rest of the way down the path and to his truck.

  “I’d like to take you one more place while you’re here, if you don’t mind,” Parker said.

  “You know I will be back at some point soon, right?” she asked laughing.

  “I know, but I am enjoying this day and would like to extend it. Do you mind?” he asked looking at her across the seat of the truck.

  “I don’t mind at all.”

  They drove up a couple of side streets and then up a steep incline. When he made a sharp turn to avoid a squirrel, Ashley went hurtling to the left and right up against him.

  “See why wearing a seat belt is important?” he asked with a wink. She nodded and strapped in using the middle seat belt instead of her own. Pushed up against his firm thigh, she felt her own thighs heating up.

  When they came to rest at the top of the hill, she was looking at a gorgeous chalet style home with huge picture windows and a porch that wrapped around the whole house. A boxer came running to greet the truck.

  “Boxer! Hey boy!” Parker said rubbing the dog’s head as it jumped for joy at his arrival. That’s when Ashley realized that he’d brought her to his house.

  “So this is home, huh?” Ashley asked as he opened her door and she jumped down.

  “This is home. I bought this place about two years ago.”

  They walked toward the house and then around the big front porch to the back. The view was stunning. She could see a large lake off in the distance and mountains surrounding her. As Parker keyed the door, her eyes were drawn to his furnishings. She wanted to see how this man lived.

  Glossy hardwood floors welcomed her inside. Everything was done in an elegant rustic style from the plush leather furniture to the antler designed chandelier in the formal dining room. Black granite countertops with flecks of copper color were in the kitchen along with a stainless steel refrigerator and chef’s oven.

  “What do you think?” Parker asked with a sly smile.

  “This place is gorgeous!” she said putting her hand over her mouth. “You’ve done well for yourself…” she said continuing to look around. “My cabin must feel like a shoebox to you.”

  “Not really. It can get very lonely here. This place is a might too big for me.”

  “Why did you buy it then?” she asked.

  “You will think I am a nut…”

  “No, I won’t.”

  “I got a sign,” he said quirking his lip up.

  “A sign?” she asked cocking her head in confusion.

  “Well, three years ago, my buddy, Landon, and I were down in Atlanta. His Dad was sick, and I went with him to the hospital down there. Anyway, we were sightseeing in Atlanta. This woman, a psychic, came up to us on the street. She said she had some vision for me. I laughed it off until she started saying things about my life that only I would know,” he said.

  “Really? Wow…” Ashley sat down on a stool.

  “Anyway, she said that Franki was telling me that it was time to move on. She was sending me someone who could love me like I deserved. She told me that I had to move forward and start over, and that when the time was right the woman would appear.”

  “And?” Ashley said, her voice shaky.

  “I brought you here because I thought you might be that woman, and I wanted to see what it felt like to have you in my home,” he said softly. “I guess that was kind of sneaky of me, huh?”

  “A little sneaky, but sweet,” Ashley said, flattered by what he had done.

  “I still don’t know about all that psychic stuff, but I just wanted to spend more time with you. I know this probably feels rushed to you, but I…” Before she could stop herself, Ashley shot up off the stool and kissed him passionately. He matched her passion as he pushed her back against the counter. Running her fingers through his hair, she pulled him in as tightly as she could. She could feel through his rugged jeans just how excited he was for her to be there.

  He picked her up and put her on the counter as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. His kisses trailed down her ear to her neck and then to her collarbone. Ashley couldn’t remember a time when she felt so much passion for a man she’d just met. At forty years old, she was comfortable in her own skin and in her sexuality, but this was taking it to a whole new level.

  “Parker, wait…” Ashley said coming to her senses.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked pulling back a bit.

  “We can’t do this. I’m leaving tomorrow, and I don’t know when I will be back. I just can’t start something like this right now,” she said jumping down from the counter.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought you here… I put you under so much pressure,” Parker said.

  “No, no… Please don’t think that. Parker, I really like you. I mean I really like you a lot. But, I live in Texas. My work is there. My home is there. This cabin will just be a getaway a few times a year. I can’t do that to you.”

  “Do what to me?” he asked cocking his head.

  “I can’t lead you on. You deserve an amazing woman who can share your life with you. It just can’t be me…” Ashley said. “I think it might be best if you take me back to the cabin now.” She stood by the living room doorway as he gathered his keys and wallet. Without looking at her, he opened the front door.

  The drive back to the cabin was silent. He didn’t appear to be angry, but she knew he was hurt. She felt awful about the way she was leaving things. She had only come to Georgia to buy a cabin, not to fall in love with Prince Charming. How had this happened so fast?

  When he pulled in front of her cabin, he shut the car off and looked at her.

  “I want you to know that I will handle this real estate transaction professionally. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  “Of course you will, Parker. I never questioned that.”

  “I didn’t mean for this to happen, Ashley. It took me by surprise too. I shouldn’t have let things get so far off track. That was my fault… mixing business with pleasure…”

  “Parker, I will never regret our time together these last two days. It was a whirlwind romance I will always remember fondly.” With that, Ashley got out of the truck without looking back for fear that she would jump in his lap and kiss him again.

  Chapter 6

  “Good to see you back, girlfriend!” Candice said as Ashley arrived for her shift. Ashley was exhausted from another fitful night of sleep. Parker was invading her dreams, and she couldn’t seem to get the smell of his cologne out of her hair.

  “Thanks. It’s good to be back,” Ashley said with a smile that Candice saw right through.

  “Everything okay?” Candice asked as she started to pack up to go home.

  “Sure. Everything is fine…”

  “No, it’s not.”

  Candice knew her well, and Ashley also knew that there was no getting out of this conversation.

  “Just a little heartsick, but I will get over it soon enough,” Ashley said with a smirk. “And I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

  “Okay, okay… but you know where to find me when you want to talk,” Candice said patting her on the shoulder as she got on the elevator.

  The next two weeks were pure drudgery. The labor and delivery department seemed awfully busy, and Ashley was anxiously awaiting the closing on her cabin. Of course, that meant another trip to Mountainview. It also meant seeing Parker again. Excitement and anxiety shot through her every time she thought about it.

  She had hoped that Parker would call her or text her when she went home, but he never did. Her gut
told her that he was angry with her, or at least hurt. How could a short two day meeting result in her feeling completely heart broken?

  “Excuse me, nurse?” an older woman said from behind Ashley.

  “Yes, ma’m?” Ashley responded.

  “My granddaughter is the one who had the stillborn baby this morning. Can you tell me when the doctor will come by to see her?”

  A young woman with a seemingly healthy pregnancy had come in that morning and delivered a stillborn baby girl. The whole staff was grieving along with the family as it was completely unexpected. To see the young woman sob as she held her lifeless baby was almost too much for Ashley to take.