Chapter 27

"Did you tell anyone where you were going?" Cade demanded from Ashley the moment they returned to the room.

"What?" She shook her head, shocked at the heat in his demand. "I didn't even tell anyone I was leaving, much less where I was going."

"They can't find Julian. He went to all your usual places and got agitated that he couldn't find you and then left," Carter told her.

"Now what?" Ashley asked.

"You'll stay here, of course," Paisley said. "Both of you."

Luke appreciated she wanted Ashley to stay, but he didn't really want her to because it would put Garrett and her at risk. But he couldn't send his sister away either. What a mess.

"No. I think it's best if we go somewhere else." This was from Carter. "Maybe somewhere she's never been that isn't connected to any of you."

"Agreed. What do you have in mind?" Ryker asked.

"You know, you're awfully hands-on for someone that only wanted to back this company. Taking lessons on how to be a silent partner from Evan?" Catherine teased.

"Hush," Ryker told her, but there was no force in the words.

"I've got a friend that has a hunting cabin up in Maine. I can contact him and see if he's up for letting us use it." Carter was already pulling out his phone.

"Is this really that necessary? I want to see the babies and play aunt for a bit. Besides, what if it's not him and we just have to do this again later for the right one? Or what if nothing happens?" Ashley countered. "Carter can stay with me, and I'll stop getting away from him for a little while, but if nothing happens in the next month, I want to revisit the need for this."

"Did you not hear that he was agitated? What if this guy comes after you here? With Garrett around?" Carter asked. He wasn't as frustrated as he had been earlier when talking to her.

"Oh," Ashley said quietly. "I don't want to put them in danger, but I still think this is too much."

"How about this?" Paisley understood Ashley's hesitations and thought she'd offer a compromise. "How about you go with Carter for two weeks? If nothing is discovered about a threat to you in that time, you come on back home. But, you have to let Carter in and stop running. If something is found, then we can all discuss it again depending on what it is."

Luke stepped beside her, pressing a kiss on her head. "Thank you," he whispered.

Ashley looked stressed but she nodded. Carter agreed as well.

"See? That wasn't so bad." Paisley pasted a smile on. She knew that this truce was unstable between Ashley and everyone wanting to keep her safe.

"Go make the calls," Ryker told Carter.

"I'm going to take Ashley up with Garrett and Catherine and just hang out for a bit. I hate that her visit is getting cut short by all this," Paisley quietly told Luke.

"Thank you. That's probably for the best right now." Luke pulled her to him in a quick hug before she walked away.

It was a miserable thought that Ashley couldn't stay here, but Paisley understood it from everyone's sides. It was hard to think about any of them being in danger because it distracted her from the fact that it wasn't over for her, Garrett, and Luke.

There was still a chance that child services could show up again and try to take Garrett away. She knew that they'd get him back, but she'd never forgive herself if something like that happened.

"Do you want to go upstairs for a bit with Garrett and me? I need to get away from all this testosterone," Paisley asked Ashley.

"I would love to," she agreed quickly. "I only grew up with one brother, but it seems like today, I inherited a lot more."

Catherine laughed. "I think I'll join you. I've had all these brothers for quite a while. You'll learn to manage them."

"Teach me your ways." Ashley laughed with her.

They left the men where they were, plotting and planning for Ashley's safety, and went to Garrett's room. Ashley spent a few minutes cooing over him as he laughed back at her.

"I think she has the hots for her bodyguard," Catherine whispered out of earshot of Ashley.

"Oh, absolutely." That was undeniable for everyone but the two involved.

"Maybe this hunting cabin will only have one bed," Catherine teased.

Paisley giggled. "How many books have you read lately? This definitely sounds like one of them."

Catherine shrugged. "It's still possible."

"It would work with them, I think. Ashley is putting on a brave front, but I think she's scared." Paisley knew all about that.

"I think so, too. It's what's making her impulsive around Carter." Catherine opened her mouth to say more, but Ashley cut her off.

"It's rude to talk about someone, especially when they are in the same room," she scolded.

Caught, Paisley felt her face flame. "It wasn't anything bad."

"You're terrible at being discreet," Catherine fussed playfully. "I was telling Paisley that I think you have the hots for your bodyguard."

Ashley sighed. "We did this not even an hour ago. I don't have the hots for him."

"You do. You can't deny it. It's obvious." Catherine was taking it too far.

"Catherine," Paisley admonished. "Stop."

"What? It's not a crime to like someone, even if he's your bodyguard. I liked Ryker for years and denied it every time and where did that get me?"

"Okay, fine. I do kind of like him, okay? I don't like that he's smothering me to death, though. And I'm tired of him thinking he can boss me around," Ashley admitted.

Paisley's jaw dropped, as she wasn't expecting a confession.

"Now we're getting somewhere." Catherine smiled and joined Ashley on the floor with Garrett. "Hey, Paisley, should we tell her about the one-bed scenario we were talking about?"

"That was all you." Paisley took a seat on the carpet as well, holding a toy out for Garrett to grab at.

"I really hope that isn't the case. He'll play all chivalrous and it won't go anywhere anyway. He called me a spoiled princess on the way here." Ashley groaned.

"That might be because you're behaving like one," Catherine told her. "No offense meant, I do it, too, sometimes. You just have to be calm with him and not throw a fit, just refuse to back down."

"She's right. Don't get huffy, just proceed. If he doesn't want you to bring all your suitcases, then just load them yourself. Be a strong, independent woman because we know that's what you are."

"He brings out the worst in me," Ashley told them. "I don't know how to stop it."

"Oh, I relate to that so much. You both don't know, but all Ryker and I did was fight and I acted a fool more than once because of him. Just hold your head high and know that if he's not interested in you, then that's his loss." Catherine scooped Garrett up to sit in her lap. "You have such smart aunts," she told him.

"How did you two end up together?" Ashley asked.

"It's a little bit of a long story, but once I was really in danger, he dropped his guard with me and let me see that he really wanted me too. This was my house, without the nursery." She chuckled. "Ryker lived next door and when things started to happen that scared me to my core, he took over. He kept me sane and showed me his true feelings."

"Well, he's a bodyguard, so maybe Carter will do the same." Ashley twirled a piece of hair as she thought.

"We don't want anything bad to happen and hope the guys are overreacting, though. Definitely don't wish for you to be in danger." Paisley meant that to her core.

"I don't want to be in danger either. I just want to go back to my life as it was," Ashley explained.

"Do you?" Catherine pressed. "The way I see it, this whole mess has been awful for everyone to go through, but it brought all my friends and family together. They have found their other halves and themselves in the journey. Plus, it brought our family together." She put out a hand for Ashley to take.

Ashley squeezed it. "That's true. I wouldn't have known about all of you without this and now I have a sister." She turned watery eyes to Paisley. "And two sisters-in-law."

"We are glad to have you here, seriously. I hope that when things settle down, you'll come back for a real visit, Ashley," Paisley told her.

"You won't be able to keep me away for long. I'm an aunt. I can't let Catherine outdo me all the time."

"Ladies," came Carter's voice from the door. "Can I have a moment with Ashley?"

She stood and followed him from the room.

"This is going to be interesting," Paisley admitted as she looked over at Catherine.

"It will. I hope she keeps us updated."

Paisley couldn't help but laugh at her as she took Garrett and headed downstairs. It was going to be a wild few weeks for them.