Page 64 of Escape to the Sun

The woman turned to him for the first time with a look of interest. “And who are you?”

“My name is Ash.” He extended his hand again, but she still didn’t take it, so he dropped it. But he wasn’t deterred. “I help out around here.”

“You mean you work here?”

“No. Let’s just say that I like to help out wherever I can.” It would be impossible to try to explain his presence and there would likely be little to no benefit, so he didn’t bother. “And right now, I’d like to help you out, Mrs. Weaver. Where did you travel from today? It’s never easy to get to Bocas. I’m sure it was a long day, and you could do with something to eat.” He gave her his most charming smile, and sure enough, it worked.

She pressed her lips together as if she might protest, but then said, “Thank you, Ash. You’re right. It has been a long day to get here. Something I don’t think my daughter appreciates. I would love a snack and maybe a chance to freshen up.”

“Of course, Mrs. Weaver.”

“Oh, and don’t be silly. Call me Val.”

He was positive if he could see her face, Heather would be rolling her eyes when he winked and said, “As you wish, Val. Why don’t I show you to a room?”

“Oh, she’s not staying.” Heather jumped up from her chair and put her hands on her hips. “She needs to get on the next boat back to town and—”

“Heather!”

“You’re being ridiculous.” Ash smoothly stepped between mother and daughter. “It’s already late in the day. And we don’t have any guests right now anyway. Why don’t I get her set up in de la paz bungalow and then we can talk?”

She set her jaw, but she nodded. It was as good as he was going to get to consent, so before they could get into it again, Ash took Val’s bags and led her out the back door through the garden and into the nicest bungalow they had. Not that Val seemed suitably impressed. At least not on the outside. But Ash got the distinct impression that her primness was mostly an act, and likely the woman was just overwhelmed with the situation she found herself in. And who wouldn’t be? Bocas Town was a lot for a well-seasoned traveler to handle, let alone a woman who, Ash could tell by the age and condition of her luggage, probably hadn’t done much traveling at all, and definitely not anywhere out of the continental United States.

He took his time showing her how to use the facilities and made sure she’d sat in the rocking chair so she could fully experience the stunning beauty she was surrounded by before he took his leave. By the time he’d left Val, she was smiling and she seemed much more at ease. Clearly neither mother nor daughter were immune to his charms.

Just thinking about Heather made Ash want to rush back to her. They had a lot to talk about, not the least of which was the conversation they’d started before they’d been interrupted. He really wanted to get back to that because he had a feeling it was going in exactly the direction he wanted it to. But he also knew it was probably going to have to wait. And when he walked into grande casa and saw Heather sitting at the swinging table, a glass of what looked almost like whiskey in front of her, he knew for sure it would have to wait. She obviously had bigger things on her mind.

He’d waited long enough to tell her how he was feeling. Hell, he’d waited long enough to figure out how he was feeling. He could wait a bit longer.

* * *

“I can’t talkabout it.”

Heather heard him come in and she knew exactly what he was going to say. Ash would want to know why she was acting so crazy with her mother. He’d want to talk about it and the very last thing she wanted to do was that. Why was she there? What could she have possibly said that would have made her mother get on a plane and leave the country for the first time in twenty years to travel to Panama, of all places?

“You don’t have to talk.” Ash slid into the seat across the table from her and took the glass of whiskey away. “But you also don’t have to drink this. It’s not going to help anything.”

“I know.”

“Do you even drink whiskey?”

She shrugged. “Seemed like a good time to start.”

He chuckled. “Trust me, it’s not.” He took a sip.

She raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. He was probably right. Getting drunk wasn’t going to make the situation any better. Her mother would still be there. In her paradise. Only she’d be drunk. No, it definitely wouldn’t help the situation.

“Why would your mother drive you to drink anyway?” he questioned. “She seems like a nice enough lady. A little straight, but nice.”

“I told you I don’t want to talk about it.”

“No.” He raised his glass again. “You said you can’t talk about it. But I don’t believe that. I think you can. And more than that, I think you want to.”

Heather shook her head and looked down at the tabletop. She couldn’t talk about it because her relationship with her mother was complicated. It wasn’t always that way, but that was before. Before Heather had decided to marry Joe and leave. Everything had been fine between them until then.

Only because you did what she wanted.

“If you’re not going to let me drink whiskey, I at least need a glass of wine.”

---