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I shake my head, and the smile escapes.
Gareth and his mom walk up toward us, looking like she might have just had a moment with her son. “I told Gareth to behave…”
My voice is sugary sweet. “Gareth? He doesn’t need to be told to behave. He’s a model student.” I glance down at the cheeky boy. “In fact, he’s perfect.”
Gareth darts his eyes back and forth, and his freckled cheeks round. “See, Mom?”
She doesn’t believe me, of course, and shouldn’t. I put my hand on her arm. “Seriously, he’s been fine. Better than. Come back in an hour, Mrs. Mason, and enjoy yourself in the meantime.”
She leaves, and Gareth sticks his head out thedoorframe to watch her go. When she’s gone, he turns to me and hooks his thumb in her direction.
“Thanks for covering for me, guys.”
We both let out one syllable laughs; he’s the worst cutest kid I’ve seen. I just have a thing for kids who are a little naughty. I see it as character.
He puts his hands out as if she’s been exhausting. “I mean, she just doesn’t understand that a cowboy needs an attitude.”
Ashton nods like he totally gets it, hiding his amusement under his boyish lips. He’s so good with the kids.
Gareth checks out the two remaining ponies and asks, “Can I have the palomino?”
“All yours,” I say.
He pulls his arm down in celebration. “Yes!” He jogs off, his tiny chaps slapping his legs.
Ashton watches him with a faraway smile on his face. “I want one of those.”
“Me, too.”
Our gazes snap to each other, as though we just said something we didn’t. But it isn’t awkward.
Not for Ashton. “You want kids?”
I lean against the doorjamb, glance at my watch, not because I think my last student will be late but because gazing at Ashton right now is a bit much. He doesn’t know it, but once upon a time I thought I’d have kids withhim.I haven’t thought that way since I was fifteen or so, and then my hormones started taking over and I thought more about what it would be like tomakeone than tohaveone.
“I do. Love kids. Spending time with Eve is a highlight in my life now. But I have learned it isn’t easy. It’s the worry I’m worried about.”
He laughs lightly.
“Yeah, that sounds like I have serious issues. I’m happy you and Chloe never had kids, this all would have been worse, but you were married for a long time. Did you never talk about that?”
He lowers his gaze. “Nah. She didn’t want to ruin her career.”
“Pzzzt.”
His expression is suddenly serious. “People are entitled to any opinion. And women don’t have to be baby makers.”
I don’t like that he’s defending her, but at the same time, he’s right. Chloe didn’t have to have children, and any reason is valid. Still, Ashton being so fair to someone I just found out did him wrong makes me shudder. Does he still love her?
“You’re right,” I concede, reaching deep for the maturity it takes to give Chloe any credence.
“I wish we talked about those fundamentals before we got married.” His eyes are distant again as he ponders that thought. “Then again, we’d probably have kids now and that would be a disaster.” His gaze connects with mine. “What will be, will be.”
“Did you get that out of a fortune cookie?”
He offers me one of his famous half-smiles. “There’s Chinese in the Canyon now?”
“Ha. I wish.”
