Ash and I both blush at the same time, though Granny does not blush. In fact, she is clearly proud of herself for that bit of information. My god, it would be wonderful to be related to this woman, even if I used to think the exact opposite.
“Anyway…” Ash clears his throat. “I want your dad to have it. He can sell it if he wants. There are quite a few people who would like to get their hands on it, so if he sells it at an auction, he could probably even get more for it. I don’t want you to think I’m trying to buy you back or bribe you by offering to take care of your dad if you’re with me. That’s the last thing I want. I want you to just be you while you’re getting to know who I truly am. I think it could work. If you’re up for it.”
I search his face for signs of anger, tricks, or something asshole-ish or less than good, but there is nothing at all but goodness and kindness. Then, I search myself for the urge to escape, the rising tide of panic that happens when I feel trapped, and the gut feeling I’ve always listened to. I even search myself for inner angst and all that sort of stuff, but I come up with nothing. Nothing negative, at least. Because all I feel is goodness and kindness.
“So you’re not mad about the article?” At this point, I’m starting to think I’m hallucinating, so I had better double-check.
“No, I’m not mad.”
“But Meryl—”
“She’ll be okay. In a weird way, the article did her a favor. Her dad is of the mindset that no publicity is bad publicity, and he’s already agreed to lay off her about getting married now that he knows she was going to consider a fake marriage just so she could please him and get some peace.”
“So she’s not mad? And you’re not mad?” It’s almost too much to believe and hope for. That all this might turn out okay. I know I have no right to ask for it to be okay, and I have no right to forgiveness. I did what I did, and no matter why I did it, I have to own it. Still, I keep holding my breath, hoping that maybe, just maybe, all the things I never knew I wanted might come true.
Ash slowly shakes his head, and my heart leaps. “No one is mad. At least she’s not, and I’m not. I was shocked, and a little bit hurt. But then I—”
“He pulled his noggin out of his rumpus, got his act together, and figured out why you did it. Then, I talked more sense into him, and he realized he didn’t want to live without you, so he’s here.”
“Yeah,” Ash mutters with a shrug. He’s clearly given up trying to refute his granny or make her behave. “Yeah, that’s why I’m here. That’s a good way of putting it, actually. I realized I didn’t want to repeat my parent’s mistakes. I didn’t want to end up hurt and lonely, so I made myself lonely on purpose. I guess it doesn’t make a lot of sense when I put it that way, but it’s what I was doing. Anyway, Granny’s right. I don’t want to live without you in my life. I was hoping we could move slowly at first, then we can build up to something wonderful, or at least that’s how I see it working out in my head.”
“Slowly?” Granny snorts. “Why does everyone say slowly? I married your grandpa after a week.”
“I never knew that!” Ash blusters. “What? Are you for real?”
Granny winks at me. “That’s a story for another time. Or maybe right now if you’d like to join us for coffee.”
Dang, she’s smooth, and she’s a very, very clever woman. No, it wouldn’t be so bad to have her in my life. It wouldn’t be so bad at all, even if she’s an Asswell. I mean a Cromwell.
“Yeah.” I shrug. “Okay. I…yeah…but I have a better idea. I seriously need a shower. Do you want to come up for eggs? We can have coffee up there too,” I say before I look at the car. “And your driver?”
Granny winks. “I’m not really tupping him. I just said that to annoy Ash…or am I?”
“Either way, does he want eggs?”
“Noooo,” Granny says. “He doesn’t eat. He’s actually a robot.”
Ash’s right eye twitches violently this time as I throw my head back and laugh. “Okay, eggs, coffee, and a good romantic story. I’m all in.”
“Good,” Granny says. “After I tell mine, you can both tell me yours. You never did fill me in the other night, and I had to read about it in the tabloids. Not much in there is ever true, so maybe you’ll tell me the real story.”