Page 2 of A Bridge Through Time
“Does he ever talk to you?” she asked, when Ashley finished.
“No. He just stands in front of me, looking incredibly hot.”
“Hmmm. Well, if you’re going to see ghosts, then my vote would definitely be for incredibly hot.” Jenna laughed.
Ashley was not amused.
Jenna sobered, trying to reassure her friend. “I’m sure it’s just a reaction to the stress you’ve been under.”
“Do you really think so? I don’t want to be crazy, Jenna,” Ashley moaned.
“You’re not crazy. Believe me. I mean, think about it. You’re still getting over the breakup with Dax; you’re getting kicked out of your apartment, and to top it all off, you lost your job. Anyone under that much stress is bound to have physical and psychological reactions.”
“I hope you’re right, but what should I do? Do you think I need therapy? I think I need therapy.”
“Let me help to relieve some of the stress. Come live with us for a while, and if you still think you need therapy after you’ve had a chance to relax, you can make an appointment to talk to someone.”
Ashley was a bit skeptical. “What about Jonathan? Won’t he mind? I’m not his favorite person.”
“Look, I don’t know what the deal is between you two, but he doesn’t get a say. This is my house and I pay all the bills, so he’ll just have to deal. Come on, do it,” Jenna urged.
Ashley thought about her situation and realized what a relief it would be, not to think about housing while she searched for a new job. She had never been the helpless type, but right now, she could use all the help she could get. “Okay, I will. Thanks, Jenna, you’re the best.”
“I know,” Jenna laughed.
“My luck has been pretty horrendous lately. I can’t believe my boss decided to just up and close the business. I really needed that job – not for the money, of course, but it kept me busy, so I wouldn’t sit around thinking about Dax all day.”
“Dax is an ass. He doesn’t deserve to have you, or to have you wasting your time thinking about him. I know you’ll be mad at me for saying this, but he did you a big favor by breaking up with you.”
Ashley ignored Jenna’s comment and focused on her unemployment instead. Her parents had set up a trust fund forher and so she really didn’t need a job, but she liked to be productive and having a career gave her a sense of self-worth.
“I might go back to teaching, but that probably wouldn’t be until the fall, if I can even find a position.”
“Don’t think about it right now, take some time to relax. Once you’re settled in here, maybe you should go on a vacation. Do a little travelling.”
Ashley smiled for the first time in days. “That sounds like an excellent idea. A change of scenery might be nice and besides I’m not lacking for cash, so spending a little on retaining my sanity seems like a sound investment.”
“It’s settled, then. Let’s concentrate on getting you packed up and moved in here, as soon as possible.” Jenna gave Ashley a big hug and they walked arm-in-arm into the house, to share the good news with Jonathan.
THREE
Ashley’s visions hadn’t stopped when she moved in with Jenna and Jonathan, but they became less concerning to her the more she saw her mystery man. The visions were almost comforting in a way. She felt as if he were watching over her, like a guardian angel. It didn’t hurt that he was so devastatingly handsome or that she was the sole focus of his attention. Ashley decided that she was not going crazy after all. This guy, whom she was now referring to as Grey Eyes, had to be out there somewhere and somehow she was going to find him.
Ashley spent a few weeks at Jenna’s house before beginning her extended vacation. Jenna hadn’t been happy when she heard Ashley’s plans.
“Ashley, when I told you to take a vacation, I thought you’d be heading to the Caribbean for a couple of weeks, not to Scotland for an indefinite amount of time,” Jenna complained. “I don’t like the idea of you being gone for so long.”
“I know, Jenna. It’s a little out of the ordinary for me,” Ashley said.
“A little? Try totally out of the ordinary,” Jenna replied.
“I have to do this, Jenna. I have to try to find this guy who’s haunting me; my gut and his kilt are telling me Scotland is where I need to be. I’ll be fine and if I need anything I’ll call you. I promise.”
Ashley could see the skepticism and worry written all over Jenna’s face, but once Ashley made up her mind to do something, it was close to impossible to stop her.
Jonathan, on the other hand, was ecstatic to see her go. He didn’t like her and it was obvious, perhaps because she was on to him. The spark for Ashley’s anger was the fact that he was so openly taking advantage of Jenna and she was quick to remind him of her suspicions. The two fought a verbal war on a daily basis, but never in front of Jenna. When she was present, they had an unspoken truce in order to spare Jenna from having to choose sides, each afraid of the outcome.
“It’s no wonder Dax cheated on you,” Jonathan bated her. “Look at you. You’re nothing much to look at and rumor has it you weren’t so good in the sack.”
