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Lola studied her face for several long moments before finally nodding. “Okay. But whatever is going on, I’m here for you. We all are. Promise me you won’t forget that, Ash. You don’t need to hold it all inside.”
Her family had always been there for her. Just as she’d been there for them. But if Lola said one more sweet thing, Ashley was going to start bawling.
“I think you should know something about Nash, though, in case you don’t already.”
“Lola, please—”
But Lola kept speaking over her protests. “He’s given a ton of money to charity over the years. We’re talking millions and millions of dollars. Evidently, he does it anonymously, but Duncan says it’s easy to trace the money back to Nash. It’s an open secret in Hollywood that if you need help, or know someone who does, Nash is the man who will give it, no questions asked.”
Ashley’s head spun. Not because she doubted anything Lola said, but because she knew instinctively it must be true. Despite Nash’s transgressions as a teenager and young man in his twenties, at his core he was a good man. And he always had been.
Just then, Ruby ran up and tugged on her hand. Knowing it was her cue to pick up the little girl, Ashley snuggled her close.
“See my pretty dress?” Ruby asked.
Ashley nodded. “Your dress is beautiful, honey. And I love the wreath of flowers on your hair.”
Lola also snuggled Ruby, putting her arms around Ashley at the same time.
“Isn’t this exciting, Ruby?” Ashley asked. “Your mommy and daddy are getting married today. They’re going to say beautiful words of love to each other.” Ashley’s throat was so full of emotion she could barely get the words out. “We all love you so much, sweet girl.”
“Love you too,” Ruby said.
Flynn and Cassie’s daughter was a bundle of light, and she reminded Ashley of what was important. Loving and protecting Kevin, no matter what.
And yet, it was getting harder and harder to ignore the voice in her heart that wouldn’t stop insisting that pushing Nash out of their lives would only cause both her and Kevin more pain, not less.
CHAPTER THIRTY
It was killing Nash to be this close to Ashley, and yet, they were further apart than they had ever been. He was barely holding himself back from striding across the lawn and pulling her into his arms. Only the knowledge that he’d never forgive himself for hurting either Ashley or Kevin was keeping him from giving in to the urge to touch her, kiss her.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Nash turned at the growled question and came face-to-face with Brandon Sullivan. Everyone else in the family was in on the wedding song surprise, but Brandon must not have heard.
“Flynn asked me to play a song as a surprise wedding gift for Cassie.”
Brandon looked absolutely furious, no different from his expression when he’d realized Nash had spent the night with his sister in Vienna.
“Don’t worry,” Nash told him. “I’ll be out of your family’s hair by tonight. As soon as the wedding is over, I’m hitting the road. And I won’t be coming back.”
Brandon looked at Ashley, then back at Nash. “My sister looks miserable. It’s your fault, isn’t it? Why the hell couldn’t you leave her alone?”
Before Nash could reply, a woman whom he assumed must be one of Ashley’s sisters, given the resemblance around the eyes and mouth, walked up and held out her hand to him.
“I’m Lola, Ashley’s sister. I’ve heard so much about you, Nash. I’m glad to finally get this chance to meet you in person.”
Her smile seemed genuine as they shook hands, and strangely, he almost felt like she was on his side.
A tall man in a suit put an arm around Lola’s waist, then held his free hand out to Nash.
“I’m Duncan, Lola’s other half.”
As Nash shook his hand, another man entered the circle of Sullivans, introducing himself as Turner, another of Ashley’s brothers.
When Nash shook his hand, he noted that while Turner wasn’t angry like Brandon, nor nearly as welcoming as Lola, it seemed he was trying to gauge if Nash was a good man or a bad one. It was easy enough to decide, Nash figured. He’d made a hell of a lot of mistakes in his past. And now he was paying the ultimate price for them.
Another man came into the group. “I’m Hudson, and a big fan of your music. It was a huge surprise to hear you were going to be here today.”
Nash said his thanks as he shook Hudson’s hand, then met Hudson’s wife, Larissa, who said she was also a fan. But despite liking his music, that didn’t seem to make them any more favorably inclined toward him as a possible partner for Ashley. Not if there was any chance that he might hurt her. Nash was so glad she’d had her family to lean on through the years.
