Music of the Heart (28 page)

              “Okay, I wont push you… for now.  I’ll get this mess cleaned up while y’all go get dressed.  The boys should be here soon.”

              We head to her guest room and get dressed.  I throw my hair up in a high ponytail because it’s hot as hell outside.  Throwing on some light make-up, I am finished.  We walk back out to the kitchen where the crew is going over all the ingredients with Laura.

              “Ashleigh, look and make sure everything you need is right here while I make sure things are all good out back.”

              As I’m letting the crew know everything is good, I hear voices and know that the guys have arrived.  I’m talking to Brooklyn and Paige when Robby and Jason walk in with their mom.  I glance up and notice someone else is with them and then I gasp so loud, everyone turns to stare.

              “What in the hell are you doing here?”

              His head turns so fast towards me and our eyes meet.  I feel like time is standing still.  Why is here right now?  Oh my gosh.  I don’t think I can breathe.  I turn and head straight for the guest bedroom to get away from him.

              I pull out my phone and text Merritt. 

Ashleigh: Holy shit Merritt.  Cross is here.  He’s in fucking Hilton Head!

A couple of minutes goes by before she responds.

Merritt: Honey, I am so sorry.  How did you run into him?

Ashleigh: He’s doing the same fucking cooking special that I am. 

Merritt: What did he say to you?

Ashleigh: Nothing yet.  When I saw him walk in the house, I flipped out and ran to the guest

    room.  What in the fuck am I supposed to do?

Merritt: Okay, listen to me.  Go back out there like nothing has happened and be the bigger

              person.  Film the show and have fun doing it.  Don’t let anything he has done

              affect you.

              I finish up texting with Merritt and try to compose myself.  There’s a small knock on the door and Robby walks in.

              “Hey Ash.  Do you want us to ask Cross to leave?  We can and I’m pretty sure he would understand.  I’m not exactly sure what is going on between the two of you but I know things aren’t good.”

              “No.  Don’t do that.  What the hell is he even doing here?  How do y’all know Cross?”

              “We’ve known him forever.  His grandparents live here and are friends with our family.  He would visit every summer with his family plus we played sports against each other in high school also.”

              Of course.  I completely forget he mentioned his grandparents live in Hilton Head.  Okay, I can do this.  I’ll just take Merritt’s advice and go out there and be the bigger person.

              I smile at Robby and head out to the kitchen.  All eyes turn my way when they hear me approaching.  Cross catches my eye with a pleading look and my smile disappears.

“So, are we ready to start filming?”

              Laura looks at me with a hesitant smile.  I can tell by her face that she was filled in on our situation while I was holed up in the bedroom.  I smile back at her to reassure her all is well.

              Filming begins and they are doing separate segments in the kitchen and outside by the grill.  They will also be filming a segment showing how to set up your tailgating table.  I start out in the kitchen with Laura sharing my recipes.  I picked two of my yummiest recipes that are tried and true at our Auburn tailgates – Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders and White Corn Guacamole.

              During my cooking segment with Laura, Cross comes in the kitchen to see what’s going on.  It totally catches me off guard and I have to compose myself because we are filming.  The producer had asked him to come in and join in the last of my cooking which meant we were in close quarters together.  I get through the cooking part and avoid being near him during the outside segment.  Of course, being the only two Auburn fans amongst many Georgia fans, they want our picture together for her blog and the Food Network website. 

              I excuse myself once we wrap and head back in the house to cool off and get away from him.  Unfortunately, he is fast on my heels and grabs my arm to turn me around.

              “Ashleigh, please talk to me.  Please tell me what I need to do to make things right again.  I miss you.”

              “Cross, I’m sorry.  I can’t do this right now.  I need to get out of here.”

              I run back outside and tell everyone goodbye and head back to the hotel.  I spend the rest of the day at the pool with my nose in a book.  When dinner time rolls around, they graciously deliver mine to the pool so I don’t even have to get up. 

              As night settles in, I grab all my stuff and head back inside.  As I’m waiting for the elevator, a chill creeps up my neck.  I turn and glance to the lobby and see Cross walking through the front of the hotel.  He glances up at that exact moment and locks eyes with me.  Thankfully, the elevator dings and the doors slide open.  Just as I notice him pick up his pace towards me, I jump in the elevator and constantly press the door close button.  Just as the doors begin to slide close, I can hear him call out my name.  Not wanting him to see what floor I stop on, I press two other floors to throw him off my track. 

              When I am safely in my room, I dead bolt my door and go take a hot shower.  I pour a very large glass of wine and head out onto the balcony of my room and call Merritt.  She answers after the first ring.

              "Hey sweets!  What’s up?  How did things go today?  Tell me everything.”

              “Ugh, Merritt.  Today did not go as expected and I have a sneaking suspicion you know why.  Merritt, did you know Cross was going to be here as well?

              “Ash, I’m so sorry.  I kind of may have known he was going to be Hilton Head.”

              “Merritt!  How could you do that to me?  You should have told me.”

              “I’m sorry.  I really am.  He completely caught me off guard when he told me he had business in Hilton Head.  Then, he mentioned filming a tailgating special and I actually fled his office with no explanation because I didn’t know what to say.”

              “Merritt, it was awful.  When I heard his voice, I about lost it.  I had to get through filming that special with him and I almost couldn’t do it.  Robby and Jason served as my buffers from Cross.  They helped make sure he never got too close.”

              “Ashleigh, maybe you should just go ahead and talk to him since you are both in Hilton Head.  I mean, what harm could it do?”

              “I can’t talk to him right now.  I know we need to eventually but I’m afraid if we talk now, my heart won’t be able to handle it.”

              “Ash, what do you mean?”

              “I mean, I completely fell for him Merritt and he crushed me.  He made me feel like I can’t trust him and that completely sucks.  For once, I thought I had found someone who was perfect for me.  And I thought he had changed from everything I had heard about him.  But I guess I was wrong.”

              “Ashleigh, I promise you he really is a good guy.  And I agree with you.  He is perfect for you and you are perfect for him.  You both bring out the best in each other and I want you to find your way back and make things better again.”

              Merritt and I finish talking and I have now had three very large glasses of wine.  Deciding to stay on the balcony for a little bit longer, I sit and and think about everything – my career, my life, my friends, my family and the biggest thing… Cross.

              I hate to admit that I miss him but I can’t get over everything he has done.  In the heat of the moment, I grab my cell phone and pull his name up.  I’m now on my fourth glass of wine and feeling pretty good.  Without giving it any thought, I dial his number and he immediately answers.

              “Ashleigh?  Are you okay?”

              “Why the hell wouldn’t I be okay?  I’m just peachy.”

              “Are you drunk?  Please tell me you aren’t out somewhere.  Are you in your hotel room or do I need to come and pick you up from a bar?”

              “Of course.  Cross to the rescue.  No thank you, asshole.  I’m fine and I sure don’t need you coming to rescue me from anywhere.”

              I can hear him sigh heavily into the phone. 

              “Please just tell me where you are.  Or at least tell me you are in your room and fine.”

              “I’m fine.  That’s all you need to know.”

              I quickly end the call before he can say anything else.  I finish my wine and decide I need to go to bed.  As I am changing into pajamas, there is a knock on my door.  I immediately stop what I‘m doing and worry Cross has come to my room.  I sneak to the door and look through the peephole.  Thankfully, it’s just one of the guys from the front desk.  I crack the door open a little to see what he needs.

              “I’m sorry to bother you Ms. Kennedy but I was asked to make sure you had plenty of water and Tylenol in your room.”

              I look down and notice a tray of bottled water in ice and several different bottles of Tylenol, Excedrin, Advil and more. 

              “Um, thanks.  You can just put it over by the bar for me.”

              He wheels it in and I know instantly who sent it.  It pisses me off that Cross did this.  When I’m trying to hate him, he has to go and do something nice for me.  Grabbing a bottle of the water, I head into the bedroom and settle in for a well needed night of sleep.

CROSS

              I really want to stay a few more days but I have to get back to Atlanta for meetings.  I was hoping I might see Ashleigh before I left but it’s pretty early and I’m sure she’s still asleep.

              Stopping by the front desk on my way out, I ask to speak to the manager.  A nice looking, older lady walks over to me.

              “Mr. Harper, is there a problem?  I hope you found your stay satisfactory.”

              “No, no problem and yes, the stay was fine.  I have a favor to ask.”

              “Of course.  What do you need?”

              “I’m heading out back to Atlanta but I want you to make sure Ms. Kennedy has breakfast delivered to her room around 9:30 a.m. and make sure no one bothers her until that time.”

              “Not a problem, Mr. Harper.  I will personally take care of everything for you.”

              I thank her and head outside to Thomas who is waiting to drive me home.  I spend the next four hours in the car signing several documents, going over contracts for my meeting this afternoon and on the phone with Barbara to ensure lunch has been ordered for the meeting and that everything is in place so I can clinch this deal.

              After a long day at the office, I leave a happy man.  The meeting was a success and all is well with CTH Enterprises.  Thomas is driving me to the Tipsy Peach to meet the guys for a few beers.  I take off my suit jacket and my tie and then roll up my shirt sleeves. 

              The hostess shows me to our table and the guys are already sitting there with drinks on the table.  Dixon sees me first.

              “Hey man.  What’s up?  Perfect timing.  This nice waitress just brought your beer and we were going to order some food.  What do you want?”

              I tell the waitress what I want and fill the guys in on Hilton Head.

              “Wait a minute.  You’re telling me y’all filmed Laura Dean’s cooking show together and she didn’t kill you?”