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"Hi, Isha." Ace leaned against the railing of the porch.
"Ace."
"You look good." He smiled wanly.
He looked old. We were the same age, but he looked a decade older. He'd put on a little weight on his belly, and at twenty-six, when your metabolism was gangbusters, it meant that he wasn't living well. The charming cockiness which was so much a part of Ace was mellowed, but then we'd all grown up.
"Thanks. How are things with you?"
"I have two gorgeous girls who are closer to my half-brother than me. I have a nepo job that pays well but I don't really have to do much. My mother thinks I'm a failure in more ways than one. As does my wife. And I think my marriage is over."
"Oh, we're telling the truth," I murmured, and he chuckled.
"How are things with you, Isha?"
"Really good. I have Flora, she's amazing."
"I'm looking forward to getting to know her." Ace rubbed a hand over his unshaven jaw. "Rowan talks about her a lot. He recruited Amy and Carla to set up her room."
"I know. And it's a great room."
Ace nodded, and then let out a breath. "I'm sorry, Isha."
I didn't know if I'd ever really forgiven him, and at this point, it didn't even matter. Ace wasn't significant to me. Sure, he was Rowan's brother and would always be a part of his life, but whether he apologized or even spoke harshly to me held no significance. I'd fallen in love with Rowan, there was a foundation there we could build on. With Ace, I really didn't know how or if things would work out, and I didn't care if they did or didn't. I knew neither would Rowan.
"It's in the past," I simply said because it was not forgotten, even if forgiveness didn't seem important anymore.
"Rowan's happy. I've never seen him like this. Even the girls said that he was bubbly and excited about you and your daughter coming to visit."
I didn't quite know what to say to Ace. He'd done a shitty thing, using me. I'd let him, and that was on me. But it happened so long ago that I didn't have any residual anger or hatred inside me. Rowan had washed it all away.
"Would you like to meet Flora?" I asked instead.
"I'd love to," he said.
I held a hand to the front door of the house, it was my way of saying that this conversation was over.
That night we had dinner at the bunk house. Clay made chili, and it was fun to see him and a couple of the old hands, and meet many new ones.
"So, you're the boss's lady," a man said, and whistled. "He done good, ‘cause you're one good looking broad."
"What's a broad, mum?" Flora whispered loudly.
"That is a way of saying, woman."
"Then why not say woman?" she wondered, making everyone laugh.
After dinner, we walked back to Rowan's house.
"If I can get Clay to keep an eye on Flora after she falls asleep, can I take you somewhere for a little while?" Rowan asked.
"Yes."
As soon as the word was out, I realized that I'd say yes to most anything Rowan asked. Scary thought!
Chapter 32
Isha
