Doc Featherstone's Return by Stephani Hecht Read Free Book Online Page B

for the first time if it was worth having his parents’ approval over Ash.
    “Do you love him?”
    “I don’t know…I think I might.” Joshua ran a hand through his long hair in frustration.
    They fell silent as their drinks were delivered.
    Shane didn’t speak until the waitress was gone.
    “Then the answer seems pretty clear to me. Yes, you fucked up big time, and you have some major groveling to do. And if you’re lucky and Ash forgives you a second time, which I’m not so sure you deserve at this point, you’ll go and tell your parents to go fuck themselves. You should be the one who decides your future, not them, and the Doc Featherstone that I’ve always known would agree with that.”
    Joshua realized that every word Shane spoke was true. There was no way that he should let his parents dictate his life. He was known for being direct, blunt, and a bit rude sometimes, so why was he now cowing to the wishes of his mother and father? Out of respect? They’d never shown him any. Shane was right. Fuck that. Joshua should be able to decide his own future and that future included Ash. That was provided Ash forgave him.
    Standing up, Joshua flexed his muscles. “Are you ready for that fight you promised me? I have
some aggression I need to work out.”
    Shane flashed a wicked grin. “Welcome back, Doc. I’m glad to see your badass side has returned.”

Chapter Six
    he next day, Ash was sitting in bed visiting T with Isaac and Gregg, giving them the whole humiliating blow down of his fight with Featherstone.
    “Damn, I knew the guy could be cold, but I didn’t think that he could be that mean,” Gregg said.
    Ash shrugged. “He was just telling me the truth. It was just harsh.”
    “Harsh? ” Isaac echoed. “That’s putting it mildly. He all but told you that you weren’t good enough for him or his rich family. That’s downright mean.”
    Off to one side of the room, Scarlett began humming again. They all looked over to see her giving Ash a menacing glare. Ash shivered and glanced away. “I hate it when she does that.”
    “How long has she been doing it?” Isaac said.
    “Off and on the past week.”
“But I thought you and Scarlett were friends,”
    Gregg commented, still staring at her.
    “We were, but that was before the attack. Since then, she hasn’t been the same. It’s like she snapped or something and now for some strange reason she’s fixated on me.” Another shiver went through Ash. God, but he was getting sick of getting those looks from her. He wondered if maybe he could ask them to move him someplace else or something. Maybe then she would forget about him.
    “Have you told any of the staff about it?” Isaac asked.
    “Tell them what? That Scarlett is giving me meanie butt looks? Yeah, that will go over real well. That’ll make me sound like the crazy one.
    Besides, it’s not like she’s going to do anything to me. She never leaves her bed.”
    “Never, ever?” Gregg asked. “Not even to go to the bathroom?”
    Ash sighed. “This is so not a conversation that I’m getting into with you.”
    Gregg shrugged. “So, sue me, I was just wondering.”
    Ash glanced back over and saw Scarlett still giving him the death stare. He wondered what he’d done to her to bring it on. As far as he knew, he’d been sticking to his side of the room, minding his own business. He had no beef with her.
“What are you going to do when you see the doc again?” Isaac asked.
    “I’m going to be very mature and ignore him, of course,” Ash replied.
    “I don’t think that route is going to help your cause any,” Gregg drawled.
    “That’s just it, I don’t have a cause anymore.
    I’m done with him.”
    Isaac made a dismissive wave of his hand. “You really don’t mean that.”
    “Yes, I do,” Ash replied with dead certainty.
    “He’s made his point loud and clear. So, I’m moving on.”
    “But you can’t give up,” Isaac said.
    “I can and I have. I’m done with him. He