“On her way to Fire Gorge,” he answered.
Fisher shook his head. “Are you kidding me? She’s okay?”
He hoped so. He’d been an hour behind her—an hour she’d been stuck on the side of the road. “Should probably put her to bed before she wakes up.”
“Too late,” Renata murmured, those blue eyes going wide when she realized she was in his arms. She slipped free, her expression remote. “I’m good.”
As soon as she was on her feet, Fisher was pulling her in for a hug. “You’re too stubborn for your own good, you know that?”
“It runs in the family,” she returned, melting into her twin without resistance. “Dad—”
“Doesn’t know you took off.” Fisher held her away, his expression stern. “I lied, told him you’d gone straight to bed. Good damn thing he didn’t see your truck missing.”
“He will tomorrow.” Her eyes bounced to Ash. “My truck’s got a flat. Ash tried to help but the bolt was frozen on.” She broke off, yawning.
“We can worry about that tomorrow. You need sleep.” So did the babies. But Ash decided not to add that part.
“I’m going.” Her big blue eyes met his. “I... Remember what I said, Ash, please.”
Which part? That she was mad at him? That she wanted space? The fact that she’d said she’d go back in time and erase what had happened between them if she could? Erase that night? The babies? Everything? The lump in his throat prevented him from saying a word.
“I’ll get someone to help me with the truck.” Without another word or look, she disappeared down the main hallway.
He stood there watching her, the lump in his throat damn near choking him. She wanted space—needed space. But dammit, he didn’t.
Fisher was studying him with open hostility. He should have expected the fist. The impact was hard and fast. His jaw felt like it had been slammed into a wall. If that wall was Fisher Boone’s fist.
“Shit,” Ash ground out, supporting his jaw and reeling from the impact.
“You might have my dad fooled, but I know you proposed because you knocked her up,” Fisher said, anger edging every syllable.
Ash was too busy seeing stars to choose his words carefully. “I have a
responsibility. But marrying her—”
This time, Fisher made impact with his stomach—knocking the air clean out of Ash’s lungs.
“Damn. It,” Ash hissed.
“My sister doesn’t need your misguided pity proposal, you son of a bitch. She deserves a husband. You’ve been married before so you should know good and well what I’m saying,” he growled. “If you don’t love her, you leave her the hell alone. I mean it. She’s got plenty of people who do love her. We’re ready and willing to take care of her and her kids.”
“Now, hold on.” Ash saw red then. It was still hard to breathe, let alone talk, but he forced himself to stand tall and stare Fisher in the eye. “But I do want to be with her. I want to be her husband, and I’m going to raise my children with her.” He stood a little straighter, ignoring the pull in his side and the throb in his jaw. “You can beat the shit out of me, Fisher. It won’t change how I feel.”
Jaw locked, hands fisted, Fisher stared at him for a long time. But Ash wasn’t about to back down. Physically, he didn’t stand a chance against Fisher Boone. Hell, he’d be feeling the effects of Fisher’s fists for days to come. But the only choice he had was to stand his ground. He moved his jaw side to side and winced.
“Be happy I was holding back.” He sighed.
“That was holding back?” Ash murmured.
“Dammit, Ash... I like you.” Fisher groaned. “But, she’s my sister. She... When she finally falls, that’ll be it. She’ll be all in. Forever.” Fisher’s gaze sharpened. “If you can’t do the same, I’m asking you—man-to-man—to walk away. Because if you bail or change your mind or meet someone else, she’s not the sort to recover.”
If Fisher was hoping to scare him off, it was having the opposite effect. The thought of having Renata at his side for the rest of his life filled him with a surprising peace. Whatever the future held, he wanted her in it. He knew that. Accepted it. And held on—tight. “I’m not going anywhere—not unless she sends me away.”
Fisher was staring at him again. Ash stared right back.
“I still have to get her to say yes.”
Fisher smiled. “She’ll make you work for it.”