Skin Deep by A. J. Daniels
Author:A. J. Daniels [Daniels, A. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pronoun
Published: 2017-11-26T06:00:00+00:00
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
SHE HEARS HER PHONE ringing somewhere in the distance but she ignores it. This dream is just getting good, and she doesnât want it to end. Parkerâs doing very dirty things to her body, and she likes it a lot. She tries to force herself back to the dream, but the damn ringing wonât stop.
She fumbles blindly around her nightstand trying to locate her phone.
âHello?â she forces out, her voice groggy with sleep.
âAsh?â Her brotherâs voice sounds panicked.
She sits up, instantly alert, clicking on the bedroom light. âChris? Whatâs wrong?â
âAsh, itâs Dad . . .â His voice hitches, but he doesnât go on.
âWhat about Dad? Chris, whatâs going on?â
âDad . . . had a heart attack tonight. He . . . he didnât make it.â She can hear Chris sobbing into the phone now.
Dear God, please, no. She just talked to her dad earlier in the day. They were laughing while planning her trip home this summer, and their family vacation next year. He was laughing and happy and he was alive.
âAsh?â
âIâm still here.â She tries to wipe away the tears, but theyâre coming faster than she can keep up with. âWhere are you? Whereâs Mom?â Even though her parents had been divorced for a few years they still cared deeply for each other.
âSheâs here. Weâre still at the hospital.â
âPut her on.â She hears rustling before her momâs voice comes through the phone.
âHello? Ashley?â
âMom . . .â She canât keep back the sobs that rack her body anymore. Sheâd had to be strong for her brother but she canât hold it back for her mom.
âIâm here, Ashley.â Her momâs voice cracks but she can tell sheâs trying to keep it together for her and Chris.
âIâm coming home. I want to come home.â
âAshley, you have a thesis to finish right now. Why donât you wait until we have the funeral figured out and come home then?â
âNo,â she replies forcefully and she instantly regrets it. âIâm coming home now and Iâll help with the funeral arrangements. Iâll book a ticket right now and be there tomorrow.â
Her mom sighs into the phone. âOkay. Message me your flight info and Iâll pick you up at the airport.â
âOkay. I love you.â
âI love you too, Ashley,â her mom says before the line goes dead.
â¦
Itâs been so long since sheâs been back home. She came home the first Christmas after she left for school, but with the flights being so expensive she hadnât had a chance to get back here.
However, this was not the way she pictured sheâd be coming home.
Dad had a heart attack tonight. He . . . he didnât make it. Her life changed with that one phone call. She couldnât even lean on Parker right now because it felt like theyâd drifted apart ever since she told him about her past. He claimed he just couldnât get the time away from the team right now; they were just too busy.
Theyâd caught a new homicide case the other week, and recently heâs had
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