The Promise of Paradise - By Allie Boniface Page 0,71
to his lips.
“I’m so sorry. You need to know how sorry I am.”
“I already do.” He glanced at her other hand, the one without the diamond on it. “You’re here, right?”
She nodded. “Yeah. And I’m not going anywhere.”
He relaxed his hold, and his eyes fluttered. “Good.” His breathing deepened, and he tugged her close. “Ashton Kirk.”
“What?”
“Stay with me.”
She laced her fingers through his. “I will.”
“Tonight?”
She laughed. “I’m not sure they’ll let me. I’d have to sweet-talk one of the nurses.”
But he was shaking his head. “Tomorrow. And the next day. And after the leaves fall. And next spring. Stay in Paradise with me.”
Ash didn’t answer. She wasn’t sure she could. But one thing she knew for certain: whether she stayed here in New Hampshire, or convinced Eddie to move to Boston, whether she moved to Europe to follow a job or opened a restaurant with him in another corner of the country, she wasn’t ever leaving.
I found myself here just when I thought I’d lost everything
She’d didn’t need to run anymore, didn’t need to hide. She didn’t need to pretend away her name. She didn’t need to be anything except a woman who was completely in love with the boy next door. Ash smiled and bent to kiss Eddie’s forehead as he drifted into sleep.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’ll stay.”
Paradise, she’d tuck into her heart no matter where they ended up. She’d have it with her. Always.
One Year Later...
“Where's this party, anyway?” Ash asked as Jen turned down unfamiliar streets. She'd only been to Newburg Heights a couple of times. Located halfway between Boston and Paradise, it was bigger than Paradise, a little farther from the junior college and a little more wealthy, if Ash could judge by the homes they'd passed since leaving the highway.
“Lucas gave me directions. Here.” Jen passed her a crumpled slip of paper.
“Whatever happened to GPS?”
“Stop grumbling,” Jen laughed as they turned down a narrow street lined with bungalows.
“What was Lucas doing up here, anyway?” Seemed like kind of a far commute from central Connecticut.
“Helping a friend do some renovations.” Jen jabbed a finger at the paper. “Now read, would ya?”
“Fine.” Ash recited directions until they dead-ended in front of a small, white ranch-style house at the end of a cul-de-sac. The house had a wider, greener lawn than some of the others on the block, and low flowering bushes lined the walk leading up to the front door.
Ash frowned. “What's Eddie doing here? He told me he was working late.”
Jen shrugged and pulled up to the curb. “You ready?”
Her stomach rumbled. “I guess." Teaching a morning Constitutional Law class at the junior college, followed by a busy lunch crowd at the restaurant, had left her starving. A barbeque to celebrate whatever construction project Lucas had just finished sounded like the perfect way to end a long week. “How's your brother doing, anyway?” she asked as she climbed from the car. “Got a girlfriend yet?”
Jen checked her makeup in the rear view mirror. “Nah. Goes on a date here and there, but you know him. Mr. Strong and Silent isn't exactly gonna jump into another serious relationship. He's waitin' for the right one to come along, that's all.” She glanced at Ash. “Not everyone gets as lucky as you and Eddie.”
“I know.” She twisted her fingers in her lap. Still takes my breath away, every time I see him. She glanced at the front porch, where he leaned against a porch column beside Lucas, talking and laughing. Broad shoulders and slim hips that knew her hands and fit against her own bare skin just right...
“Come on.” Jen climbed from the car, and Ash followed, heat spiraling from her cheeks to her toes. Didn't look like there were a lot of people here for the party, but maybe most of the guests were arriving later. Maybe she could sneak Eddie away for a few minutes, find a dark corner and wind herself around him until her fatigue went away and she tingled from his touch. Jen stopped her before they got to the walk. “Hang on.” She swept Ash's hair from her forehead and inspected her for a long moment.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Okay, you'll pass.”
"Pass what?”
“Good call on that dress. It actually makes you look like you have some curves.”
Ash glanced down at the red mini-dress she'd bought in the spring. A little skimpy for her taste, but – “Eddie likes this one.”
“I'll bet he does.” Jen steered her up the walk. “Now go.”
“Wait, what