Rocky Mountain Freedom (43 page)

Ashley wasn’t going to explain her reasons for leaving. “I didn’t intend to hurt him.”

Marion patted her soothingly. “I figured that out later, but the other part of the trouble was…well, I knew Travis leaned both ways, if you know what I mean.”

There was no way not to smile at that phrasing.

“When you came back, I wasn’t sure if Travis was still trying to hide liking boys by being a ladies’ man. I didn’t want him pretending anymore. Mercy, I’ve known he was gay since he was about eight years old.”

So much for one of the things Travis thought was secret. Only Ashley had a point to make. “He’s not pretending to like girls,” she whispered.

“I know that now too. He seems partial to one in particular more than the rest,” Marion teased. Then she straightened, and a fire came into her grey eyes that were so like Travis’s. “And he also loves one man, and now that I see he’s happy with you and Cassidy, I’m going to back off and let you be. If Travis has decided you two are who he loves, then no group of self-righteous, interfering tight-hearted women can possibly make me want anything but the best for my boy and the people he’s chosen.”

The self-professed mama-bear rose to her feet and opened her arms. Ashley leaned into them willingly and held on tight. It was good to have the support of this strong woman. Good to know that the bundle of energy and passion was on their side.

Marion sniffed. “Good grief, girl. Whatever did they do to your hair?”

Ashley coughed on the laugh that rose. “I stink, don’t I?”

Marion pulled back and nodded. “Well, I suppose they had other things to worry about, but you hold on and let’s see what we can do.”

She had a cell phone out and a pair of reading glasses perched on her nose, and the next thing Ashley knew Marion was nodding happily.

“That’s what I thought.” She smiled at Ashley. “My niece Tamara is finishing her shift, but she’s going to come and give you a hand getting washed up.”

“Thank you.” For more than arranging for the shower, but Ashley wasn’t sure how to add in her gratitude for sharing her concerns so honestly. For being accepting.

“Thank
you
for making my son happy.” Marion paused, and a firm finger was pointed in her direction. “And if you ever assume that I’m upset with you again, I’ll tan your britches. You’ll
know
when I’m upset with you, young lady.”

Ashley nodded, relaxing back on her pillow. She smelt like a bonfire and she’d lost months of hard work. Her head ached and her mouth tasted like old socks. But in spite of it all, at that moment?

She was happy.

Chapter Thirty-One

Even though Travis knew his mom wanted alone time with Ashley, it was brutal to wait until she phoned to announce she was ready to leave.

Ashley was crawling back in bed when they returned to the room, her wet hair pulled back into a braid. His cousin Tamara adjusted the IV tube and the oxygen, helping settle her in. Ashley caught a glimpse of Cassidy and smirked.

“I got my shower.” She stuck out her tongue.

Tamara laughed. “Give him hell, girl.”

Marion picked up her purse and got ready to leave. “You rest, and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

The room turned into a whirl of farewell hugs, the door finally closing and leaving the three of them alone. Travis slipped to the bed, twisting until he could curl an arm around Ashley and cradle her carefully against his chest. “You get things straightened out with my mom?”

Ashley nodded. “We’re cool.”

“Mike told us about it,” Cassidy shared, joining them on the opposite side and sitting as close as he could. He avoided the IV, but linked his fingers in hers.

“So it comes to this. We need to make a decision.” Travis stroked her arm lightly. “And I’m not telling you to be quiet, but if you listen first, it’ll save your voice.”

He told them about their options. About leaving town, or settling in and fighting. About going somewhere else by themselves, or staying and having the backup of the Coleman clan.

The entire time he talked, Cassidy’s expression grew more astonished until by the time Travis was done Cassidy was pretty much shaking his head.

“Your family just…”

Ashley squeezed his hand tighter. “That’s the point, Cass. They’re
family
. Real family.”

Travis stayed quiet. He’d said his piece, and now was time for them to share. This wasn’t his decision alone, and that made the idea of leaving his family tolerable, because he’d be with
family
no matter where he ended up.

Only both of them turned toward him. Two fair-headed angels with stars in their eyes as they smiled, lips curling farther as their grins grew wider.

“What?” he asked. “What are you two smirking at?”

Ashley stroked his cheek. “So serious.”

Cassidy nodded. “You can’t possibly think there’s anything more to discuss about staying in Rocky?”

Travis waited, hoping, but not daring to say it until they did.

“Dammit, T. We’re staying.” Cassidy laid his hand on Travis’s shoulder and held on tight. “No amount of gossip is going to scare us away, not if your family is behind us. That was my fear after the fire—that the vandalism was meant to hurt not only us, but your family. I couldn’t bear for you to lose them.”

“Marion? Is gonna kick some bitches’ butts,” Ashley murmured happily.

“You’re really good with staying?” Travis asked.

Cassidy answered for them both. “We’re in a better place than we were when we started a couple months ago, T. We’ve been making friends, been accepted by your folks. All of that is huge. We’ve got to give the community a chance, but in the meantime, we got each other.”

“There’s nothing more that I need.” Ashley pressed tighter to him, and the knot in Travis’s chest loosened slightly.

“Besides.” Cassidy shrugged. “If some jerk on the ball field wants to get his ass beat, I’m good to give him what-for.”

Ashley stiffened in Travis’s arms. “What happened on the ball field?”

Shit. Travis bumped Cassidy in the shoulder. “Nice going.”

Cassidy looked sheepish as he answered Ashley. “Nothing much. Nothing compared to what happened to you, but it doesn’t matter now. Now? You go to sleep so you can get better, and we can take you home.”

Home.
Because wherever they ended up, if they were together, it would be home.

There was one more thing that had to be said. Travis slid himself up on the bed right next to Ashley and took a deep breath. “Ash?”

She hummed, her eyelids fluttering closed as she cocooned herself against him.

Travis glanced up to see Cassidy give him an encouraging nod. “Ash, I got something to tell you.”

She cracked open one eye. “You really gonna say it now?”

He laughed. “Yeah, I am.”

“Jeez. And me dopey on painkillers.” Ashley snickered. “Fine. Go ahead.”

Cassidy snorted.

Travis cupped her face and stared into her half-open eyes, the thin slivers of blue like the first glimpse of a morning sky. “I love you, sweetheart. I love your smiles and your energy and the way you never give up on me. The way the world lights up because you’re around. I love everything about you with everything in me.”

She took a deep breath and sighed happily. “That? Was lovely.”

Her eyes closed again and her breathing settled.

Cassidy pulled the blanket over the two of them.

“Hey,” Travis whispered. “I was going to let you hold her.”

“You stay where you are. That bed won’t hold three, but that’s okay. I’ll be right over here.” Cassidy kissed Ashley, then Travis, laughing softly as he moved away. “Where’s my poetry and mush?” he complained. “All I got was an
I love you
.”

Travis rolled his eyes. “We can wrestle and do the guy shit later.”

“Deal.” Cassidy settled into the chair beside the bed, stretching his legs out and staring up at the ceiling. “We’re going to be okay, T. The three of us—we’re going to be okay.”

Travis drove them out of town, but he didn’t turn on the side road that led to the trailer.

“Where are you going?” Cassidy asked. It had been a hard couple days waiting for Ashley to be released, but now that she was free to go, he wanted her home.

To be able to thoroughly reassure himself that she was okay.

“Side trip.”

Cassidy didn’t like that answer. “We should take Ashley straight home, T. She just got out of the hospital.”

“Got a stop to make first.”

Ashley laid a hand on Cassidy’s thigh. “He’s being a Sphinx again. It’s really annoying. Like he’s the one in charge or something.”

“I’ve noticed he gets like that on occasion.” Cassidy leaned forward to watch Travis’s face. “Maybe we should lock him out of the bedroom for a couple days. Or tie him to a chair so he can’t order us around, but has to watch.”

Travis grinned. “You think being tied to a chair is gonna stop me from being in charge?”

Ashley wrinkled her nose. “He has a point.”

Cassidy laughed. “He still missed the turn to the trailer.”

Travis shook his head. “Never missed it, just got a place to stop first. Trust me, I know all things.”

He turned them into the yard outside the second Coleman house, the one that Blake and Jaxi had lived in for the past three years. The rest of the clan were already there, trucks filling the parking space.

Ashley held Cassidy’s hand as they followed Travis to the front door. “You know what the hell he’s doing?” she asked.

“Not a clue.” And this was one time he would have liked to be in on the surprise. He resigned himself to wait a little longer as they entered the living room to be met by most of the family. The only one missing again was Jesse.

Ashley got buried in hugs, and that made up for some of the wait.

They’d been accepted, they were being grafted into the family. Cassidy relaxed as that thought slipped deeper into his soul and healed a few more hurts.

Family
was worth taking the time for.

“So.” Marion pulled Ashley from Vicki, separating the women who were chattering like magpies. “We have news for you, right, Ashley?”

Travis jolted upright.

Ashley smirked at him. “Who’s the one who knows all things?”

Cassidy’s laughter mixed with the others as Travis shrugged in resignation.

Travis’s mom beamed. “The girls and I have been talking, and we’ve done a little rearranging. Well, started it at least. I’d been thinking for a while that big ranch house was too large for Mike and me. All that space to ramble about in—and I can’t say that I love having six bedrooms and three bathrooms to clean. Since Blake and Jaxi seem to be doing their best to fill up bedrooms… What with a fourth baby on the way and all.”

Heads jerked toward the couple as congratulations rang out.

Jaxi shook a finger at Marion. “That’s the last time I tell you a secret.”

“You didn’t tell me, I guessed,” Marion stated, but she was gloating.

Blake got smacked on the back. Jaxi rolled her eyes.

“When are you due?” Hope asked.

Jaxi wiggled her fingers. “January, thereabouts.”

“So now is as good a time as any for us to swap houses.” Marion nodded happily. “Blake and Jaxi will move into the main Coleman house and the babies will use up some of those empty bedrooms, while Mike and I take over the trailer across the road. Joel and Vicki will move into the trailer Travis has been using—it’s a little more private and out of the way.”

“Leaving the Peter’s house, this one, for you three.” Mike waved a hand toward the ceiling. “Mind you, it needs a little fixing. It’s been lived in hard for a while, so I thought you could knock down a few walls, and replace some plumbing and…well…” He grinned. “Make it roomy enough for three adults.”

It was more than he could have imagined. “No one has a problem playing musical houses like that?” Cassidy asked.

Joel stepped forward. “It’s always been a part of how the family works. If it fits better for us to be out by the coulee, Vicki and me don’t mind. And I finally got ahold of Jesse, and he said he’s happy living with the Moonshine boys.”

There was a slight pause at that. A sort of sad resignation on Joel’s part, a hint of concern in Marion’s expression. Cassidy realized since they’d returned to Rocky Jesse hadn’t been around a lot, and it was clear his absence was being felt.

Mike broke the tension as he turned to Ashley. “I know you talked about the house swaps with Marion, but I have one more suggestion for you. We’re all damn sorry your artwork got ruined. I’m glad you’ll get another chance come January to have a show, and we’re all going to be there. But in the meantime, if there’s anything you need that we can help with while you start up again, you make sure you ask. Also, there’s a building out back of here that will make you a good studio, if you can find a couple of strong guys to help you renovate.”

Ashley grinned. “I think I know of a couple.” She hugged Marion. “Thank you.”