Loving A Romano (20 page)

Maura reached over, hugged a still shocked Heather and then headed in Ashley’s direction to give her a hug as well. It explained why she hadn't heard from him today.

“Did you know about this?” Heather whispered, once Maura had gone back to the stove humming a tune as she cooked.

Ashley shook her head. It was news to her.

“He hated that job. Why would he go back?” Heather asked still pondering the issue.

The same question was running through Ashley’s mind as well.

“Just what a man likes to see when he comes home. His favorite girls waiting for him,” Joey Romano said in his usual booming voice as he walked into the kitchen.

Wade walked in behind his father. “How was your first day honey,” Maura asked. “Dinner’s almost ready. Where’s Antonio? Is he coming in for dinner?”

Wade’s face flushed with embarrassment as his mother hugged and kissed him.

“Tony’s waiting on a shipment to come in. It’s running behind schedule,” Joey said.

“I’ll call him later to check on him,” Maura said. “Wade hurry and wash up. Ashley’s here to go over the final guest list and menu.”

He glanced in her direction as if noticing for the first time she was in the room. Discomfort registered on his face before he looked down at himself. “Yeah I guess I could use a shower.”

“You’ll get used to it son,” Joey said coming up behind him and putting his hand on his shoulder.

Ashley saw the pride shining brightly in Joey’s eyes. It matched the joy Maura had expressed earlier.

“Does he look happy to you?” Heather whispered beside her.

She took in the slump of his shoulders and his eyes didn’t have their normal sparkle. “He looks exhausted.”

“Hmph,” Heather said staring at her brother.

“I’ll be back in a few,” Wade said glancing in her direction once more before leaving the kitchen.

“You go find out what’s going on. I’ll keep the folks busy,” Heather said under her breath.

Ashley rose from the table and headed out of the room without another word. When she got to the front door of the guesthouse she entered without hesitation.

“Wade,” she called closing the door behind her.

When no reply came she headed up the stairs to his bedroom. She walked in as he was undressing.

“Do you ever keep your shirt on?” she asked stepping into the room.

He turned, giving her a strained smile. “Most of the time. You just have a bad habit of catching me while I’m in some state of undress.” He held up his hands when she would have come closer. “As much as I would love to hold you right now, I need a shower really bad.”

“Point taken. So why didn’t you mention you had decided to go back to work for Joey. When did you decide? I didn’t know you were even thinking about it.”

Wade raked a hand through his hair and then down his face. Though he looked absolutely exhausted the mere sight of him still took her breath away. Her gaze slowly roamed across the chest she’d become familiar with.

“You took your nipple rings out.”

He glanced down at his chest before running a hand over his nipples. If he kept that up she’d have to worry about smelling like sweat later.

“I put in retainers,” he answered.

“Oh. So when did you decide to go back to work for Joey and why didn’t you tell me?”

“You asked me that already,” he said heading towards his closet.

He came out a few moments later, shorts and t-shirt in hand.

“I know but you didn’t answer the question.” She sat down on his bed and crossed her legs.

“That’s because you ask questions faster than I can answer them.”

“Okay I’m done asking questions. Feel free to answer in any order you like.”

Wade looked at her before shaking his head as he continued to move about the room getting his items for his shower. “Can I at least take my shower first?”

“Nope because that means you're trying to buy time to think of something to tell me.”

A deep sigh escaped him. When he turned to gaze at her, she saw the weariness on his face. He looked so tired. Her heart ached seeing him like this.

“Can you give me a break with the question and answer just for tonight? I’m dog tired. I’ve had a really long day and there’s another one in store for me tomorrow.”

Guilt washed over her.

“I’m sorry. I guess I should just be happy you decided to get a job,” she said smiling in spite of her confusion.

Wade gave her a half smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Yeah you and everybody else,” he said softly before turning and heading towards the bathroom.

***

Later after dinner and the final decisions had been made, Wade walked Ashley out to her truck. He tried to stifle a yawn behind his hand as he ushered her out the door.

“You look exhausted,” she said.

He turned his head so his lips grazed her palm and kissed it softly. He was more than exhausted. He was weary down to his bones.

“I’ll be alright. I just need a little sleep is all.” He leaned against the driver’s side door of her truck. He pulled her against him. His arms hung loosely around her waist.

“So I guess this means you won’t be over tonight huh?”

He saw the flames leaping to life in her brown gaze and felt his own body begin to respond.

“Not tonight sweetheart. I have to be up at four in the morning. We’re going to a site in Dallas tomorrow.”

Disappointment crossed her face and he knew how she felt. He’d like nothing more than to lose himself in her soft curves tonight. He didn’t have the energy.

“Any chance of a quickie before I leave?”

Her hot breath against his skin caused his dick to throb against the confines of his zipper. His parts were willing but it was the rest of him he had doubts about. He feared he’d fall asleep on her the instant his head hit the pillow. “As much as I hate to say it Ashley, I’m really pretty beat. I don’t think I’d do you justice tonight.”

“I understand,” she said a soft smile on her face. “I’d better get going then. I have a pretty hectic day ahead of me tomorrow myself.”

He reached for her hands and pulled her back into his embrace.

“I’m really sorry. I promise I’ll make it up to you,” he said before he took her lips in a kiss that belied his tales of fatigue.

Chapter Twenty-four

Ashley let herself into her home on Wednesday evening and breathed a deep sigh of relief. She’d had another meeting with Torrie regarding the Blaze event and everything was on track.

“Well not everything,” she mumbled turning off her alarm and putting her briefcase down near the steps to take upstairs when she went.

There was still the issue of finding the new face of Blaze. Outside of that things seemed to be finally moving forward at a pace she felt comfortable with. Heading towards the kitchen she released her hair from the clip that had held it in place all day. Shaking it out then running her fingers through it she picked up the phone on the wall and called her voice mail for her cell. She hadn’t heard from Wade today but he’d told her last night when they’d spoken he was going to be in a remote area and he’d call her when he got home about coming over.

“Yeah I agree. It’s been way too long.”

Her cell phone had died on her between four o’clock that afternoon. She checked the clock on the microwave and realized it was a little after eight.

“Hey Ashley I got a call from Mom and she wants to have one more meeting on Saturday to double check everything before checks go out. I know never mind what else we might have had planned. But anyways this should be the last one. Call me when you get in or tomorrow at work
,
” Heather’s message said.

Ashley jotted that down on the pad she kept on the counter. She’d call Heather in a few. Maybe they could do lunch. She’d call Yvette and Torrie to see if they were free. It had been a while since they’d all gotten together.

“Ashley it’s Maura. You should be home by now. It’s after eight o’clock. You and Heather work way too hard. I just wanted to make sure she’d called to let you know I would like to have one more quick meeting on Saturday about Wade 's party. I’ll have breakfast ready. Call me when you get home. If not I’ll worry. Love you.” Ashley smiled at the end of Maura’s message. She put stars by her message to remind herself to call her as soon as she was done checking her other messages.

“Hey Ashley I’m not sure what’s going on with your cell phone and I know how you hate to check messages so I will probably end up calling you back in a bit. Umm look I know I said I’d try to stop by tonight but I don’t think I’m going to make it. It’s almost seven now and we’re just heading home and I have to be back out here tomorrow at five. Hell I hope I make it home because I can barely keep my eyes open. I promise to make it up to you.”

The smile she’d been wearing when she heard his voice had fallen as soon as she realized he wasn’t coming. He sounded tired. Same as all week. She dialed the main house.

“Hello.”

“Hey Joey.”

“Hi Dumplin’. You had better be glad you called because Maura was about to call in a favor to the police department to make sure you were okay. Are you just getting home?” He laughed.

Warmth spread through her at the concern coming from his end of the phone. “Yeah. My cell died and then my car charger wasn’t working. I’m sorry to have worried you guys.”

“Who’s on the phone?” she heard Maura ask.

“Ashley,” he said. “She’s home.”

“Tell her she works too hard.”

Ashley playfully rolled her eyes as she waited for Joey to relay the message she’d heard all too often.

“Ashley, you need to take better care of yourself and learn to take some time for you,” Joey said.

Ashley was barely able to stifle her laugh. She felt like reminding him it was he who had imbedded in both her and Heather’s young minds that because they were beautiful women they would have to work extra hard to be taken seriously. “I promise I’ll take some time off after the Blaze event is over. I’ll see you guys Saturday morning.”

“Ok I’ll let Maura know. Did you want to speak to Wade? I think I heard him come in.”

“Umm yeah sure.”

“Okay hang on let me get him. I love you Dumplin’ and I’ll see you Saturday.”

“Yep love you too.”

“Hey you.” Wade's weary voice came on the line and Ashley’s heart went out to him.

She found herself wondering over the reasons for his going back to work for Joey. Whether or not it was something he really wanted or if there had been something else that had caused him to make that decision.

“You sound done in.”

“So do you. Long day on both our parts I guess.”

There was a pause on the line.

“Did you get my message?”

“Yeah and I can’t lie I’m a little disappointed.”

Another pause before a deep sigh came across the line.

“Can I call you back when I get to the guest house? I need a shower and I want to talk to you in private. “

“Yeah that’s fine. I’ll talk to you in a little bit.”

“Okay.”

She was about to put the phone back on the hook when she decided to give Heather a call while she was thinking about it. She dialed and waited for an answer.

“Hello.”

“Hey I got your message,” Ashley said still a little distracted from her brief talk with Wade.

“Good. You’re home late. Everything okay?”

“Two words – Austin Blaze.”

Heather’s laughed. “Say no more. I hope you talked to mama already? When she called me she had already tried you a few times and hadn’t been able to get you. You can imagine what that was like.”

Ashley shook her head. Yeah she could imagine.

“Do you want to do lunch tomorrow? I’ll call Yvette and Torrie to see if they are free to join us.”

“Sorry babe I can’t I have a full schedule for the rest of the week. As it looks now I will be pulling some late nights myself. How about Saturday after the meeting? We can have a full on girly day. We haven’t done that in forever.”

“That sounds great.”

They made plans for her to make the appointment at the spa and Heather would call their friends to see who was free to join them. After a few more minutes they hung up and she headed up stairs, briefcase in hand. Might as well get some work done since she wouldn't be getting done tonight. The phone was ringing as she reached her bedroom.

“Hello.”

“Hey. Did you get a chance to get settled yet?”

Ashley plopped down on the side of her bed and kicked off her shoes. “Not exactly. I just got off the phone with your sister.”

She headed for the closet for night clothes. Since Wade wouldn't be coming over she grabbed an old t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

“Yeah so you haven’t had a chance to get comfortable yet?”

Her hand paused. If he were here with her she’d say it was time for sex and about time her body chimed in. “I’m in the process of doing that now.”