Ashton Scott by Levine Nina

Author:Levine, Nina
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Levine Publishing
Published: 2018-09-23T16:00:00+00:00

40

Ashton

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose. I’m exhausted after the last week of dividing my time between my mother, Lorelei, and work. Work has kicked my ass while I attempt to finalise the deal with Marc Brentley and secure Aaron Steel’s investment in the New Zealand resort I’m building. Neither deal is any closer to being finalised.

“Ashton, you look like you could do with a weekend off,” Mum says as I hand her the cup of tea she requested.

She’s home now, recovering from her heart attack. I’ve been spending time with her each day so I can see her health improving for myself. The only downfall to this is seeing my father almost every day, too. It has surprised me to find him here each time I visit.

“Jessica’s booking one in.” I omit the information that it’ll be half work, half play while I take Lorelei away to work on the resort we’re involved with.

“Good.”

I sit on the couch opposite her. “How are you feeling? Really feeling, I mean. Not the bullshit you tell Dad and the doctors.”

She purses her lips. “Why must you always insist on using that kind of language? I raised you better than that.”

“Stop changing the subject, Mother.”

Her shoulders rise as she takes a deep breath. Placing the teacup on the coffee table in front of us, she says, “I’m frustrated that I’m couped up in this house. I feel well enough to resume all my activities, but your father insists I rest. Little does he realise that all this resting is just making me tired.”

“No, your heart attack has caused that exhaustion. Your doctor said it can take three months or more for your heart to repair itself.”

“Pfft,” she mutters. My mother has always been stubborn. “Even so, I should be allowed to do more than sit on this couch and watch television and wait for people to visit me.”

We’re interrupted by Cassia who joins us. She smiles when she sees me. “Oh, I didn’t realise you had company, Kendall. I’m so sorry to intrude.”

She’s not, though. If she were, she’d offer to come back. Instead, she moves quickly to kiss Mum on the cheek before taking a seat next to me.

Placing her hand on my leg, she asks, “How are you, Ashton? We haven’t seen each other for a week, and I’ve been wondering how you’re doing.”

I move her hand from my leg. “I’m fine.”

“Well that tells me nothing.” Her tone is snappy, and I’m not in the mood for that today.

Standing, I turn cold eyes on her. “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t need to be sharing the finer details of my life with you anymore, Cassia.”

“Ashton,” my mother chastises. “That is no way to speak to Cassia.”

Keeping my gaze on Cassia, I say, “She understands perfectly well what I’m saying.”

Cassia crosses her legs and pouts. “I was just trying to be friendly.”

If there’s one quality I can’t stand in a woman, it’s playing dumb. And pouting when they don’t get their own way? That is a sure-fire way to turn me off.

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