Another deputy is there, stopping me from going closer as he talks on his radio. "You need to stay out here."
"What’s going on?" I ask, hoping he tells me that this is just a precaution. Hoping he tells me it’s nothing. Hoping like hell the beating of my heart echoing in my ears will let me listen to what he has to say. My mouth goes dry and my hands start to shake as I look at the second ambulance take their stretcher out.
"One person shot," he says, and my hand goes to my mouth. "Not sure he’s going to make it."
"Oh my God." I push past him as I’m walking toward the barn. The tears run down my face, and I see the ambulance come out with a man on it, his black hair stopping me from moving.
My legs give out on me, and I hit the grass with his name on my lips. The sob rips through me, and all I can do is put my hands on my chest. "Asher," I say softly. People walk in and out of the barn, and it’s almost like a dream when I see him walking out.
He’s looking down, and his white shirt has blood on it. I get up. "Asher." I call out his name, and he looks up. His eyes find mine, and he runs over to me. I meet him halfway. He wraps his arms around me, and I smell him while I sob. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he picks me up around my waist. "I’m sorry," I whisper in his ear. "I’m so, so sorry." I let go of him and kiss his lips. "I don’t care what your name is," I say between wiping my face with the back of my hand. He leans in and kisses me softly. "I know in my heart who you are," I say. "You’re okay." My hands go to his face to touch him. To make sure this isn’t a dream. "Are you hurt?"
"No." He places me down on my feet and looks down at me. He reaches his hand up to cup my face. I turn my face and kiss his palm.
"I thought you were shot," I say softly, and I see my father coming to us followed by Ethan, Casey, Quinn, and Beau. "How did they get here so fast?" I ask.
"You were supposed to make sure she stayed away from here," my father says, looking over my head to my grandfather, standing with his hands on his hips.
"You had one job," my uncle Casey says, shaking his head.
"Nice, Grandpa," Quinn says, smirking at him.
"You guys think you can stop her?" my grandfather says. "You also said everything would be okay." He puts out his hands.
"It was," Beau says, shaking his head.
"Does this look like everything is okay?" My grandfather takes off his cowboy hat and holds it in one hand as he holds both hands out at his sides. "Two ambulances. Five police cars."
"It was a precaution," Ethan says. "We had it under control."
"Wait, what?" I say, stepping away from Asher but not far enough that I can’t feel him next to me. "What am I missing?" I look around at all the men, none of them looking directly at me. "What is going on?"
"I’m out," Quinn says. "My phone is blowing up."
"Before we tell you." My father looks at me. "We did it to protect you."
Ethan laughs at him and puts his hand on his shoulder. "Dad, you’ve been using that line forever." He shakes his head. "Also, it never works."
"If you guys don’t mind," Asher says, "I’d like to tell her myself. Plus, you have some paperwork to do." He points at the ambulance. "Are you going to make sure he’s okay?" He turns to Beau.
"Nope." He shakes his head. "He made his bed, so let him lie in it."
He grabs my hand and walks over to his truck. "Asher." My father calls his name, and he turns around. "Told you that you had it in you." He smiles and turns to walk to the ambulance.
He puts me in the truck and leans in to kiss me. My hand comes up to touch his cheek. "We really have to talk."
I nod my head, not saying anything as the tears come. "Let’s go home," I say, and he closes the door. We don’t say anything on the drive to my house, but I don’t let his hand leave my lap the whole time.
When we finally walk into the house, he closes the door behind him. "Do you want some water?" I ask, nervous and scared that he’s going to decide that maybe I’m not the person for him. Maybe me giving him up so easily shows him I won’t stand by his side. I look at him, wiping the tears rolling out of my eyes. "I know that what I did was wrong," I say. "And I know that I should have given you a chance to talk but …"