Page 59 of Some Cowboys Brave the Flames

Over the nextcouple of days, that question plagued him. He thought he’d been secure in knowing who he was. He’d been able to stand for convictions that had been deeply ingrained in his soul. He’d never questioned what he wanted out of life.

Falling for Charlie changed a lot of that.

She meant so much to him. Even now, he could see a future with her—raising a family with her. He still wanted that for himself. And it made him wonder if he was being too stubborn.

Ash loved his job. He loved being able to help others. He loved the thrill of it.

But he loved Charlie too.

These two competing feelings were ripping him apart from the inside out, even though they should have been able to work together in tandem.

Ash found himself working out more—if only to expend the energy that seemed to plague him lately. Charlie refused his calls. She wouldn’t see him, and her brothers had become glorified gatekeepers. How was Ash supposed to convince her that they belonged together when he couldn’t even see her face-to-face?

He ran laps around the park, and every time he passed that bench where he’d rescued her from the tennis player, his muscles seized up. A cramp formed in his side, and he slowed his pace to catch his breath. With a hand on his side, he walked a few paces before he glanced at the bench again. Everywhere he looked, he saw her. Every memory of her continued to weigh him down.

Ash was miserable. There was no denying it. Since she’d broken things off with him, he couldn’t get his head on straight. His conversations with the guys at work—all their reassurances—didn’t help either.

He tossed his head back and closed his eyes, taking in several breaths. Maybe it was time to stop fighting it. Perhaps he should just accept that he couldn’t have everything. What was more important? The love he had for Charlie or his job?

Ash didn’t have to ask himself that question twice. If phrased that way, he already knew the answer. Charlie was more important. The only issue was that he couldn’t seem to accept that someone who loved him would ask such a thing from him.

“Ash? What are you doing here?”

He stilled and turned to see Daniel a few feet away. Ash was rooted to the spot. They hadn’t spoken to each other since that day when Daniel had tried to keep him from going into the Keagan residence. A part of him wanted to clock his friend—to blame him for the distance that had formed between himself and Charlie.

But that wasn’t logical.

The other part of him wanted to plead with Daniel to convince Charlie she wasn’t being realistic. So many thoughts whirred in his head, knocking against each other and adding to his desperation.

Realizing he was staring, he swung his arms around and stretched his shoulder muscles. “I should ask you the same thing. I wasn’t aware you came to this park.”

Daniel glanced away, then shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t.”

Ash would have laughed or poked fun at Daniel for that response, but the amusement wasn’t there. Clearly the man had tracked him down. But for what purpose? Did Charlie want tosee him? He didn’t dare hope. He flashed Daniel a wry smile. “You want to tell me why you’re here, then?”

Daniel shrugged again.

Frustration mounted. “Look, I’m not really in the mood to play a game with you. Is this about Charlie?”

The way his friend flinched made it clear that was the reason he’d come.

“Is she okay?” Ash took a step toward his friend, his voice tight. “Is she?—”

Daniel frowned, shifting. “I mean… she’sfine. But… she’s…”

“She’s what?” Ash demanded. “What’s wrong?” Every nerve in his body demanded he sprint toward his truck and drive over there right now. He wasn’t going to let anyone stand in his way of helping her—not even Charlie herself. He took a step in that direction, but Daniel’s words stopped him.

“I know we gave you a hard time—about dating her.” Daniel shoved his hands into his pockets. “But even I can admit that I saw how happy you made her.”

Made.

Past tense.

Ash’s heart stumbled. Was this Daniel’s last-ditch effort to ensure that Ash didn’t make any further attempts to see her? He could admit that he’d begun contemplating trying to have one more conversation about his job. It appeared that Daniel wanted to put a stop to that before it happened. Jaw tightening, he waited for Daniel to continue.

“She’s pretty miserable, Ash,” Daniel said. “I thought she’d get over it, but…” He shrugged again. “I don’t think it’s going to be so easy.”

“And you’re here to what? Tell me to leave her alone so she can finally figure out what she wants? So she can move on?” The questions left a bitter taste in his mouth. He hadn’t expected this conversation to feel so raw—how it grated against every nerve inhis body. If this wasn’t proof he hadn’t completely given up, he didn’t know what was.

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