"That's true,” he muttered. “But you should have told me."
"I know, and I'm sorry.” Shame burned in her again. “I thought I could handle it myself. I tried to call Jessica last Monday, but she'd left town. She just got back, so I met with her and told her today. She was really mad, but she still doesn't want Connor to know."
She bit her lip. “Uh ... she was talking about suing us."
"F...” Her father bit off a curse.
"And she wants her money back."
She thought her dad was going to have a heart attack. His face got very red, and his eyes bulged. He was usually a pretty even-tempered guy.
"Jesus Christ!” he shouted. “I can't believe this! Refund her money! Sue us!"
She knew he'd be mad.
"How could you screw up like that!” he ranted.
"They look alike,” she said defensively.
"This is inexcusable,” he said flatly. “It's also inexcusable that you didn't tell me right away.” He shook his head. “Sorry, Ash, but I can't have you doing any more jobs like that."
"You're firing me?” She closed her mouth, which had dropped open.
He nodded, his face grim. “And I don't think you should work on the Surf Coast Brewery case either. Jesus. They could fire us, too. That's another client, Ash."
"But they don't know!” she quickly said. “If you fire me from that case, they'll wonder why."
"I'll explain it somehow."
Shit, shit, shit. She knew he'd be pissed, but she hadn't expected this.
"But I haven't finished with those hard drives."
"Bring them in,” he said harshly. “I'll get someone else to look at them."
She stared at him. Her face felt like the skin was going to burst, and her chest hurt. “But..."
"Forget it,” he said. “That was so unprofessional.” He shook his head. “I knew you working as a honey trapper was a bad idea."
Her eyes burned, but she would not cry. She was tough. “I need this job."
That sounded so pathetic, she hated herself for saying it. And she hated begging her father.
"This is business, Ashlyn. I'm sorry."
She slowly picked up her backpack and got up to leave.
"Wait a minute,” he called.
She turned back.
"What's with you and Zach Montgomery?” he asked, frowning.
She looked at her father. Her stomach hurt, her hands trembled. “Since I no longer work here, that's none of your business,” she said, and left.
She walked out of the building, her heart like a rock in her chest. How was she supposed to live with no job? She sat in her car, sweltering hot from the sun, yet she was shivering. Okay, this was pretty low. She only had a little money in the bank from her last two jobs. It was less than a month to graduation, but that was a long way off when you were broke.
She drove home and went into the house dispiritedly. Ben stood at the stove in the kitchen, cooking macaroni and cheese.
"Hi!” he said, and then did a double take. “Hey. You okay?"
She dropped her backpack on the floor and sank into a chair at the kitchen table. Ben moved toward her, and then stopped.
"I just got fired by my own father."
"Oh. I can guess why."
She nodded. “I told Jessica Montgomery today, and then I had to tell him too. She's threatening to sue us."
"Oh."
"Is he ever pissed,” she continued morosely. “Although I think this might just be an excuse. He never liked me doing that honey trapper job."
"Nobody likes you doing that job, Ash,” Ben said quietly, spooning macaroni into a bowl. He stuck a fork in it and put it in front of her.
She pushed it away. “I'm not hungry.” She sighed. “I don't have enough money for rent next month. I don't know if I'll get a job by the time I graduate. And even if I do, it'll be a while before I get paid."
Ben sat down across from her with his own bowl. “I'll cover you for a month."
She looked up at him, a little uneasy. She kept thinking about Zach's assertion that Ben's feelings for her were more than friendship.
"You don't have to do that,” she said slowly.
He shrugged. “I don't mind.” He looked up. “I'd do anything for you, Ash."
"Oh.” There was a long moment of silence, and then she said, “You're a good friend, Ben."
He looked away. “Yup.” He forked pasta into his mouth, looking unhappy, and Ashlyn felt her heart squeeze. He
was
a good friend, and she didn't want to be a source of pain for him. She'd never done anything to lead him on. She wasn't the least bit attracted to him. Shit.
"I'm going to study,” she said heavily, grabbing her backpack and heading to her room.
When Zach called her that evening, she was shaking with nerves as she took the phone from Doug, expecting the worst.
"Hey, guess what,” he said. “Great news. Connor and Jessica are back together."
"Oh.” Ashlyn tried to sound surprised. “That is great."
"No kidding. I was starting to think he was going to mooch off me forever."
She waited for the axe to fall, almost cringing as she held the phone to her ear, but apparently Jessica had indeed not wanted to tell Connor what had happened.
"So,” his voice lowered, “I have the whole place to myself again."
"Sweet."
"Yeah. So when can you come over?"
She laughed. “What do you think we're going to do? Run around the house naked?"
"Sounds good to me."
"I've got so much work to do this week."
"A job?” he asked, his voice sharpening a bit.
"Uh ... no.” How could she tell him she'd been fired? By her own dad. She couldn't tell him why. Another lie. “No jobs. Just homework."
"Oh. Well, that's important.” He sighed. “I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
She hung up. She was happy for Jessica and Connor, really she was; but she was out of a job, and her new relationship was hanging by a thread. She could only feel so happy for someone else. She forced herself to concentrate on schoolwork, sliding her chair up to her computer.
Zach called again Wednesday. “So, studying again tomorrow night?"
"Yes,” she said. “I'm sorry."
"Hey, it's okay. I know it's crunch time."
"Yeah.” She sighed. “Almost done. And I want to do well."
"You will,” he assured her.
"And I have a job interview tomorrow,” she told him. “With Securitech."
"Isn't that the same company you had your last interview with?"
"Mm-hmm,” she said happily. “This is with the manager of the department I'd be working in. Step two in the interview process. Wish me luck."
"Of course,” he said warmly. “You'll do great.” He paused. “So maybe tomorrow night Connor and I will go out, have a beer, shoot some pool."
"Okay. Have fun."
"Playing with him isn't as much fun as playing with you,” he said suggestively, and she squirmed, remembering their sizzling pool matches. “Friday night we'll go out ... how about we go on a real date? Out for dinner somewhere nice?"
"That would be awesome,” she said, almost daring to hope that things could go on the way they had been, her insides all knotted up.
"Okay. I'll take care of it. I'll pick you up at seven."
"So you and Jessica have worked things out? Things are okay?"
Zach and Connor sat in Doc McCue's Thursday night after work, waiting for their pizza.
Connor looked at his beer. “Well, I wouldn't say everything's okay,” he said slowly. “She's kind of crazy. She's so paranoid that I was cheating, even though she says it was all a mistake. It's just weird. And I don't think she really trusts me, even now."
"So...” Zach was almost afraid to ask. “Are you guys staying together?"
Connor scowled. “Yeah. She's my wife. I love her. Somehow she has to get over this paranoia. But I don't know what more I can do. I even gave her that diamond bracelet I bought her. It was supposed to be for her birthday in July, I was saving it for then, but I gave it to her now. Hell, I've never cheated and I don't plan to. How do I prove that to her?"
Zach considered that and recalled his conversation with Ash on that topic.
"I dunno,” he sighed. “All you can do is keep on being faithful."
Connor grimaced. “I don't know if I can live like that. It makes me feel like scum, and I haven't even done anything. I'm trying to convince her to get some counseling."
Zach lifted his brows and nodded.
"I guess the big question is, what's worse ... living with her like that, or living without her?"
He was pretty sure he knew Connor's answer to that question.
Connor set down his empty beer with a clink and glanced at his watch. “Sorry man, but I think I'll head home early. I don't want her to start getting weird ideas."
"What about the pizza?"
Connor threw down a twenty-dollar bill. “It's on me."
Zach watched his brother leave with dismay. Man, he was whipped! Was Connor going to live his whole life trying to keep Jessica from thinking he was cheating?
Zach shook his head and held his beer with two hands. Much as he wanted Connor to be happy, maybe getting back with Jessica wasn't the way. But damn, Connor loved that woman. Even though they still had issues to work out, Connor seemed so much happier and steadier now they were back together. He sure seemed committed to his marriage.
Zach's thoughts turned to Ashlyn, a much more pleasant subject. Although he missed her like hell. Damn, he'd be glad when her school was done. Then she wouldn't have to do that fucking sex decoy job any more. Hell, that was a bit of an issue. But he trusted her. There was no question that she'd ever let things go too far. It was the slime balls she was with who worried him. There were a lot of nut jobs out there, and she was taking major risks every time she took a job.
Man, he had it bad. There was no doubt in his mind that he was meant to be with this girl forever.
Even Connor seemed to have developed a bit of fondness for Ashlyn, especially after the Pooch Picnic. Maybe it was the way she'd stepped in and looked after Rocky. She'd even brought his dog a damned present. A really cool present.
He couldn't help but smile as he tipped his bottle to his lips. Just then, a woman slid onto the barstool next to him. Déjà vu? But no. Disappointment washed over him when he saw it wasn't Ashlyn. No, she was home studying.
Ashlyn had been a basket case of nerves all week, and she despised herself for it. She was pissed off at her dad for firing her, depressed because she was totally broke and faced with having to work at Starbucks to pay the rent, stressed about exams, and terrified that at any moment Zach could learn the truth. Overriding all of this was an agonizing, aching longing to see him, to touch him, feel him, laugh with him.
She had no money for new clothes for their date, so her friend Lisa had come to her rescue and let her borrow a beautiful bronze slip-dress made of sheer, filmy layers. Lisa's shoes were too big for her, so her black sandals would have to do. Lisa had also loaned her a sparkly little bag covered with black, gold and bronze beads. It was ridiculously small and girly, but Lisa had insisted her backpack was not appropriate, and her “spy bag” that held the video camera wasn't necessary.
When the doorbell rang, she flew to open the door. Even now, she was still afraid that he'd only showed up to tell her he knew what a fraud she was. He stood at the door, looking breathtakingly handsome in his black dress pants and grey shirt. He'd even put on a tie.
He also had a flower. Just one bright red gerbera daisy. He handed it to her.
"Oh,” she said, going weak as she took it. “Thank you."
"I didn't think you were a rose kind of girl,” he said, his deep voice husky.
"I love these daisies.” She touched a fingertip to a vibrant petal. “It's beautiful."
She pressed a kiss to his lean cheek, rough with his usual golden stubble, relief seeping through her that they still had tonight, at least. “I'll put it in some water before we go. Where are we going, by the way?"
"Simon's,” he said. “At the beach. After, we can walk out the pier."
"Um...” She hesitated. Simon's was very expensive. “I am really broke,” she finally blurted out. “So I can't afford to pay for dinner."
"Did I ask you to pay?” he asked, taken aback. “I asked you out, I made the plans—I'm paying."
"Are you sure?” she whispered. “I feel bad..."
"Hey. Don't be silly. Now why are you so broke?"
"I, um ... haven't had much work lately."
"Can't say I'm too upset about that. If you need money, let me—"
"No!” she answered quickly. “No, it's okay, this is just ... temporary.” She hoped.
He helped her into his SUV and instead of taking the freeway, he drove down Ocean Boulevard, its winding curves following the beach past the piles of huge rocks near the harbor. The restaurant overlooked the water, with elegant tables and romantic lighting.
They had a small table for two at the window.
"It's beautiful,” Ashlyn said. “I haven't been here for a long time."
They ordered wine, a welcome change from beer for Ashlyn. She savored the crisp, fruity taste. The food was exquisite—small portions beautifully presented, and delicious—but neither of them really paid much attention to the food, instead watching each other heatedly across the table as they talked and laughed.
The wine made her feel a little giddy, and at that moment, Ashlyn felt like her world was wonderful and nothing could go wrong. She'd get a new job, she'd pass all her exams; Connor and Jessica were back together, and Zach would never know what she'd done. Hopeful happiness bubbled up inside her as Zach played with her fingers on the table, and she smiled.
He gave her a warm, melting smile back.
Boldly, she slipped her sandal off and put her foot on his thigh. His eyes flickered, and his free hand moved under the table to warmly clasp her foot.
"Funny,” he said huskily, “I thought you had shoes on when we came in here."
She smiled more and slid her foot up his thigh. Oh yeah. He was hard. But unless she slid down in her seat, which might look a little odd, she couldn't reach far enough to do much more than brush him with her bare toes.