Page 54 of Some Cowboys Brave the Flames

Still, he knew he couldn’t just let it go like this.

“No. You can’t be here.”Mason came out of the house as if he’d been waiting for Ash to show up. He pointed at Ash’s truck as he hurried down the steps. “You can’t come around here and talk to her.”

Ash’s steps faltered, and he glanced at the house with confusion “What do you mean? I can’t come around here anymore?”

Mason shook his head. “You can’t be here,” he repeated. “You should go.”

Ash chanced another look at the house, finding Daniel emerging. The largest of all the Keagan men folded his arms and stared hard at Ash. If Mason was a buffer between the two, Ash wouldn’t have been surprised if Daniel was finally willing to make good on his threats. Ash’s jaw tightened as he brought his focus to Mason expectantly.

“Look, I get that you think you can just waltz over here and try to fix things, but it’s not going to happen. It’s over, Ash.”

“No, it’s not,” he argued. “The last time we spoke, emotions were high. I was in a hospital bed. She probably hadn’t gotten much sleep?—”

“Because of you.” Mason sighed. “It’s not going to work. She’s finally coming to terms with the decisionsbothof you have made.” He gave Ash a pointed glare when he emphasized the words.

“You know as well as I do that making important decisions like this one shouldn’t happen under duress. She needed time to think. I gave her some. Now would be a good time to just… talk.” Ash couldn’t help but shift his focus to the house. If he wasn’t mistaken, he might have thought he saw the drapes shiftin the front window. They had an audience. It might have been Charlie, but then again, it could have been anyone else who lived there. “Just let me talk to her,” Ash pleaded. “I need to tell her something.”

“Unless it’s about finding another job, you don’t need to say anything to her,” Mason said.

Ash frowned. “She still wanted to be friends.”

Mason snorted, and Daniel shifted where he stood, moving to block the doorway as he folded his arms.

Ash exhaled sharply and turned his focus to him. “What do you think I’m going to do? Rush you? I just want to talk, Daniel.”

No response.

Frustration burned through him. He wasn’t going to let this end here. He started toward the porch steps, but Mason’s grip clamped onto his arm.

“I’m not going to ask you again, Ash. Right now isn’t a good time. You need to let her come to you.”

Ash met his friend’s steady gaze, hating the desperation he knew Mason could read in his eyes. “I just want to talk.”

“Not gonna happen,” Daniel said, voice firm.

Ash’s jaw tightened. “You can’t stop me. I’ll come every single day until she tells me not to.”

Mason’s grip held firm. Ash glanced to the side, weighing his options. If he could get past them, maybe?—

No. He wasn’t going to fight them. These were Charlie’s brothers. They were just looking out for her.

He took a steadying breath and made a split-second decision. Without warning, he twisted free of Mason’s grip and took off down the porch steps, veering around the side of the house before either of them could stop him. A sharp curse rang out behind him, but Ash didn’t slow. He rounded the back corner, his boots kicking up dust, his heart pounding harder than it had in any wildfire he’d jumped into.

He reached the back steps in a rush and grabbed the door handle, yanking it open.

Charlie gasped, a hand flying to her chest. She stood at the counter in the middle of rolling out what could only be cookie dough. Her hands and apron were covered in flour. Her hair had been pulled up by a clip, a few loose strands framing her face.

For a split second, he caught a glimpse of what his future could be.

Momentarily dazed by the vision of it, Ash took a step toward her.

Her eyes found his, and for a moment he wondered if she was going to cry. Then she straightened her shoulders and put her rolling pin on the counter. She glanced at Daniel and then at Mason, who had materialized in the doorway. “It’s fine,” she said quietly.

Both of her brothers hesitated. Then Daniel motioned to the door. “We’ll be just out there. Holler if you need anything.”

She nodded.

As soon as they were outside, Charlie moved around the counter. She wiped her hands on the apron, drawing his attention to them. Maybe she was cleaning them, but it sure looked like she was just nervous. “What do you need, Ash?”

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