Part 10 (1/2)

Ashley had tried to support Kari's decision, but secretly she thought her sister had made the wrong choice. Ryan Taylor was fun and involved in their family. He loved all the same things Kari loved, and though they'd known each other since they were young teens, their relations.h.i.+p always had an air of electricity about it, something Ashley saw in few couples.

She smiled at the memory of Ryan. When she was a little kid, Ryan had always found a way to make Ashley feel important.

Maybe that's what she liked about him-he was the big brother she'd never had.

Most jocks had egos in direct proportion to their biceps, but not Ryan. Ashley had grown up hoping he would propose to

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Kari one day and be part of the Baxter family forever. When they broke up, Ashley had been nearly as upset as her sister.

That day had become something of a turning point in Ashley's life. After that, happy endings were no longer a guarantee. It was the same day Ashley determined she wouldn't allow herself to get involved with a man the way Kari had. The ending was simply too painful, too predictable. There were exceptions, of course. People like her parents. But by Ashley's a.s.sessment, exceptions like that were rare.

Anyway, regardless of Kari and Ryan's breakup, Ashley was sure of this: No one would ever love Kari the way Ryan Taylor had. The way he still did, as far as Ashley was concerned. Any doubts she'd had about that faded two months earlier, when she ran into him out by the high school football field.

Ashley had been jogging that afternoon, and as she rounded the track, she noticed one of the coaches watching her. He was tall and had the rough build of Ryan Taylor.

Then she remembered.

He was back in town. Something about his being finished with professional football and getting a job at the high school. Ashley slowed her pace, and on the next lap she watched the tall coach excuse himself from the others and jog purposefully in her direction. They met up at the end of the track nearest the football field.

”Ashley Baxter, I can't believe my eyes.” They were both out of breath as they hugged and took a step back to study each other. ”You were seventeen last time I saw you, and now you're all grown-up and gorgeous.”

Ashley rarely blushed in the presence of complimentary men, and this was no exception. Still, she could feel the smile tugging on her cheekbones. ”That's me. All grown-up.” She met his gaze straight on. ”So you came back to finish life in obscurity, huh?”

Ryan laughed. ”I guess.” He shoved his hands in the pockets of his nylon sweats and c.o.c.ked his head. ”What do you hear from Kari?”

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Ashley shrugged. It was strange talking to Ryan now that she : was a woman. Back when she was growing up, she had been; Kari's kid sister. Now she was twenty-five and he was thirty.

She looked into his pale green eyes and saw not even a flicker of romantic interest. ”She lives over at University Park. Her husband's a professor at the university. No kids.”

Ryan inhaled slowly through his nose and seemed to weigh the words he was about to say. ”If that ever changes ...” There was a glimmer of raw pain in his eyes, but it pa.s.sed, and Ryan smiled. ”You be a good girl and give me a call, okay?”

He flashed her a familiar grin, finished the conversation, and jogged back to his fellow coaches.

She and Ryan had spoken one other time at the track since then, but otherwise Ashley hadn't seen him. For all she knew, he'd met someone and was dating by now.

She looked down at her textbook and tried three times to read a single paragraph. Frustration worked its way through her veins, and without giving herself another chance, she shut the book and looked at the phone.

It couldn't hurt to call, right? He was probably listed. After all, he had asked her to call if anything changed.

Kari's words from the other morning filled Ashley's mind. He's my husband, Ashley. . .. If there's a way to get past this thing, that's what I want to do.

But what about Ryan?

Shouldn't he know that Kari's husband had abandoned her? Shouldn't someone at least tell him what was going on?

For the most part Ashley did not believe in prayer. But the childlike habit of conversing with G.o.d Almighty had stuck, and now and then-at times like this when she wasn't sure what to do-she uttered a silent bit of conversation to the Lord.

Nothing wrong with calling him, right, G.o.d?

Ashley even tried to be still and listen for a response, but she heard nothing.

Not that she was really expecting one.

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”Fine.” She stood up and chuckled to herself. ”I'll take that as a yes.” She walked across the kitchen, flipped through the phone book, but found no Ryan Taylor listed. The listing was probably too new.

Feeling far more energized than she had moments earlier, Ashley tapped both sides of her head, and then it came to her. Clear Creek Community Church would have his number. Her mother and dad had seen him a few times at the Sunday night service.

Ashley looked up the church and dialed as quickly as she could. Kari would be home soon, and Ashley wasn't entirely sure if- ”Clear Creek Community Church. May 1 help you?”

Ashley resisted a smile. The church secretary always sounded so ... well, so much like a church secretary. She was a seventyish woman who would have given a stranger the key to her house if it meant keeping him off the streets.

”Hi, Mrs. Mosby. Ashley Baxter here. I have a quick favor to ask you.”

”Oh, h.e.l.lo, dear.” Mrs. Mosby was one of the few people at Clear Creak Community who hadn't made Ashley feel like dirt for coming home from Paris pregnant and single. ”What can I do for you?”

Ashley held her breath. ”Remember Ryan Taylor?”

”Yes, dear, of course.” She giggled politely as if the effect Ryan had on women was not limited by age. ”He moved back to town and comes to the evening service every now and then.”

Ashley swallowed. She hadn't been to church since Easter, but she hoped Mrs.

Mosby wouldn't hold that against her. ”If you don't mind, I need his phone number. I must have misplaced it somewhere.”

”Oh . . .” There was a pause, and Ashley could hear Mrs. Mosby searching. ”Why, yes, dear. Here it is.” She rattled off the number and then clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. ”I remember when your sister and Ryan were teenagers.

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