George frowned. “I’m not certain he’s going to let her go to school.”
“What?” I asked shocked. “You can’t be serious. She was accepted to his precious alma mater and now he won’t let her go? She’s eighteen. It’s not like he can stop her.”
“He can decide not to pay for it,” George pointed out. “It’s not like she’s in a place to get the financial assistance you had.”
“Why would he do that?” It didn’t make any sense. I got it to some degree. After his wife died, Ash was his only family. But he couldn’t lock her up in the castle forever. She wasn’t fucking Rapunzel.
“I don’t know. He’s made comments here and there about her not being ready for college. His fault for sheltering her, of course. But he thinks she needs a year or two of maturing before he would feel comfortable letting her go to school. It’s like he’s preparing me for the eventuality.”
“Does Ash know this?”
George shook his head, his face even more grim. “I don’t think she does. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they’ve talked. But I don’t think so. She would be fighting him harder.”
Well, I was going to find out. After she called me every name in the book, after she got done shouting at me for ruining her prom night. After the dust settled and she did exactly what George said she would do, which was forgive me. Then I would talk to her about her choices.
Daddy didn’t want to let her go? Then she’d have to either convince him or find a way to get the money to pay for school. Surely, she’d been gifted with enough jewelry over the years she could fund at least a semester. Show the old man she was ready for anything.
Before I could do any of that, I had to do the hard thing first.
Landen estate
Marc
As soon as George pulled up in front of the carriage house, I hopped out of the car and jogged towards the main house. The back door leading to the kitchen I knew would be open, so I started there. I was still in the jeans and T-shirt I’d worn yesterday, so I hoped I wasn’t too gross for what I figured would be hours of groveling.
I made my way through the kitchen, to the living room, and up the massive staircase and swung left down the hall toward Ashleigh’s door.
“What in the hell are you doing here?”
I swung around only to find Mr. Landen himself, in a robe and slippers, coming out of what I assumed was his bedroom. His face was bright red and his nose looked a little swollen. The bags under his eyes were dark and puffy. He didn’t look like the sophisticated gentleman I’d always thought of him as. Instead he looked wrecked.
“Sorry, Mr. Landen. I was coming to apologize to Ashleigh.”
“What for?”
He didn’t know. He didn’t know Ash had asked me to go to prom. Given I wasn’t his favorite person, I considered lying, but something told me it was time for him to get over whatever issues he had with me being around his daughter. Especially now that she was almost an adult.
We were going to be at college together next semester.
“I was supposed to be her escort to the prom last night, but I got detained. Car troubles.”
Because I was not going to tell him I spent the night in jail.
“Just as friends, of course,” I added. “But I’m sure she was disappointed. My phone battery died so I didn’t have a chance to explain what happened.”
His eyes narrowed and I felt like he was struggling to think. Then he nodded gravely, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Ah, so you were the reason she was so upset. Beside herself, really. I couldn’t reason with her. In fact, she was so distraught I thought it made sense to send her away.”
The upset part I bought. Distraught? I’d finally read her texts. Listened to her voicemail. She’d sounded more resigned than distraught.
“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling like I’d just missed something important. “Did you say you sent her away? Because she was upset?”
“Somewhere she could clear her head. Given how muggy it’s been here, I thought someplace she could breathe easier would be good for her, too. George was unavailable, so I called for a cab and sent her to the airport a few hours ago.”
Ash wasn’t here.
She was gone because her father had the kind of money that purchasing a last-minute trip, including airfare, meant nothing to him.
I was feeling something. Something turbulent. Like something that had been in my control was suddenly out of my control, and I didn’t like it. But I knew well enough not to show that emotion. Any emotion. Not with Landen.
“Well, I’m very sorry I upset her. I’ll come back and apologize when she returns. Do you know when that will be?”
“Couldn’t say. I told her to stay as long as she wants.”
I didn’t mention the semester started in a few months. I didn’t mention her birthday was in just a couple of weeks. I simply nodded and started down the hallway toward the massive staircase.
“Oh, and Campbell,” Landen said as I passed him. “Don’t ever enter this house uninvited again.”
“Yes, sir,” I said in my most respectful tone. The one I’d used growing up to hide the angry monster inside me.
As soon as I was out of the house, I pulled out my phone. I’d read her texts and listened to her voicemail on the car ride from the police station. To give me a sense of what I was walking into.
Ash: Hey, getting a little nervous. Are you close?
Ash: Okay, I would say you are now officially late. Please tell me there is a reason.
Ash: You’re not coming, are you?
Then, finally, her voicemail. Her father had described her as being distraught. That’s not what she sounded like.
I listened to it again.
“Hey, Marc. I don’t know if this was intentional or not. If this was you finding another way to lash out and making me the target. Or if you’re sitting in a ditch somewhere unconscious…could you just…could you just let me know? I’m worried and hurt. If you’re safe, I would rather just be hurt. Anyway, your loss. I looked really nice tonight.”
She was worried. She’d been in the process of being stood-up, but she was still worried about me. Not angry. Not distraught. Her message didn’t tell me to go fuck myself. Her texts didn’t call me out for being an asshole.
I’d ruined her prom and still she’d been worried for me.
Staring at my phone, I thought of what I might say. How I could make this right. The most important thing I needed to know was where she was. I couldn’t stand the not knowing. It’s like, suddenly, my world was off kilter, and everything was crooked.
Me: Ash, call me. I didn’t stand you up. It was a series of fuck-ups, but I didn’t not come on purpose. I came to the house to apologize, but your dad says you’re gone. I need to know where you are. That you’re okay.
I waited a while, but there was nothing. Then I remembered she was on a plane. Taking her someplace far away from me.
I didn’t like it.
11
Ashleigh
I read Marc’s text as soon as I landed in Phoenix. There was a certain relief in knowing he hadn’t stood me up to hurt me, plus a sense of ease knowing he wasn’t hurt. I didn’t know what the series of fuck-ups were, and I’m not sure it mattered.