Trace

"I'm not kidding, Trace. You can run your rock star mouth all you want, but we are doing this my way!" Ashlynn hisses at me.

"Ashlynn, I swear to god, I liked you better high," I snap at her as we glare at one another from the opposing seats in the limo.

Feels like old times. Except Ashlynn's sitting beside her mom, I'm beside Michael, and Riley is lounging in the side seat, looking much less concerned by the argument that Ashlynn and I are having than her parents. He's used to seeing us bitch at each other.

We are half an hour from the Nashville airport and we've been having this argument since we left the hospital.  It's been a long damn ride. 

"Now, Trace," Ellen says tolerantly, "you know you don't mean that."

I rub a hand over my four day beard. Of course I don't mean that. It's just, she's being unreasonable and pushy like the Ashlynn of old, and I'm on edge about seeing Kat and ill as shit for a drink.

Yeah, I've decided to cut back for awhile. You know, like Matt said--be the man I think Kat deserves? I know she deserves a guy that is disciplined with all his habits.  Plus you know, I'm sure as hell not pullin' out the Booker's from the liquor console in front of Ashlynn right now, even though she's annoying the piss out of me.

I cut my eyes to my wife. "I'm sorry, Ash. But I just don't see why we have to do this right now."

"Because I'm not going to see you for six months, and we just need to get it over with."

Ash has chosen a residential rehab program in Florida. She'll be living there for the next six months, completely immersed in their holistic approach to recovery and pain management. It was not one of the options I presented to her, but one she chose herself. I'm all for her taking charge of her own recovery, but I have a sneaking suspicion where she got the idea for a yoga, meditation, acupunturey-type program. Since she's gotten through the worst part of her detox, she's been able to use her phone again. A couple of times, I've dropped in her room as she was finishing a call and heard a deep masculine voice that sounds suspiciously familiar to me.  That, and the shockingly large bouquet of sunflowers that arrived in her room a few days ago, let me know, she's been talking to Leed. I guess he was serious, about being being a friend to her. I just hope his Kombucha man-bun yoga approach to life hasn't swayed Ashlynn toward a wrong decision. Then again, traditional rehab programs haven't really worked in the past, so maybe Ashlynn will find the right fit with this path.

But right now, we aren't talking about Ashlynn's rehab choice. We're talking about dissolving our marriage.

Michael crosses an ankle over knee. "Ashlynn, I think Trace is right. I think you have enough to worry about, besides this."

Ashlynn's face is thin and serious, but still beautiful, even without makeup. Her blue eyes look determined. "No, Daddy, Trace is wrong. He has done so much for me. This is the only thing I can do for him. And for Kat." She gestures at Riley, who's holding a single piece of paper, an affidavit that I'm supposed to sign, acknowledging that Ashlynn just served me with annulment papers, and then she scowls at me again. "Just sign the damn thing, Trace."

My assistant holds out the paper to me hopefully.

"I can't believe you went behind my back and helped Ashlynn file the annulment, traitor." My words to Riley are cool, but actually I'm quite angry with him. "I thought you liked your job."

"Actually, it will be much better now, without you two making each other miserable," he gives me a mild smirk.

I roll my eyes at him. He knows he could commit murder and I still wouldn't fire his smug British arse.

I summon much more patience than I feel. "It's not that I don't appreciate what you are trying to do here, but I'm worried, Ash. I don't want you to feel alone in your recovery." I've explained this five times, at least.

The truth is, I'm really conflicted. If I'm being selfish, there is nothing more I would like than having those annulment papers in hand when I see Kat in a little while, but Ashlynn is so very fragile right now—more raw than I have ever seen her. I'm afraid she's going to relapse before she even gets to rehab.I feel like I haven't delivered on the things I promised Ashlynn. 

Then again, Kat is my heart and soul and what I want is to focus solely on re-earning her trust.

"She's not alone in her recovery." Ellen puts an arm around her daughter. "Trace, the reasons you and Ashlynn married don't exist anymore. Her father and I made mistakes that we won't make again."

I nod at Ellen coolly. I'm feeling friendly to Michael and Ellen, but I still don't trust them one hundred percent.

Ash closes her eyes, and puts the heels of her palms against her eye sockets, trying to control her emotions. When she opens her eyes, her face is determined. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to be married to you anymore, Trace. It just...hurts, knowing it's not real. And that's not good for my recovery. Please, I need to be free, so I can get on with my life."

That's when it really hits me. I'm the reason Ashlynn seems so fragile. It's hurting her, the care I'm trying to give her. Leed is right. I'm just another one of her problems.

"Dammit, hon," I say softly. "I only wanted to help you, not hurt you more."

"I know," she nods not looking at me. "If you want to help me, just sign."

I take the paper from Riley, and the pen. I go to sign, but then I stop and point the pen first at Ellen and then at Michael. I put on my swagger and try to speak his language. "This annulment does not annul my concern for Ashlynn's best interests. If you ever try to make her do anything against her will, I will bring all my resources to bear to stop that from happening." I'll do it, too. I'll keep them tied up in court. I'll send Ash out of the country, if I have to.

Michael gives me an odd look of approval, then he exchanges a glance with Ellen. "Duly noted. For the record, we realize we made a mistake, seeking the conservatorship. We want Ashlynn to take charge of her own life, and her own recovery."

"Ashlynn, please look at me," her eyes flick to me. "This piece of paper," I scrawl my signature on it and waive it at her, "might dissolve our legal relationship, but it was the shit that we went through together that's made us family and that's never going to change. You need me—for anything—you call. I'm there. You know that, right?"

"I know," she says hoarsely and gives me a weak smile.

I hand the signed paper back to Riley. He signs as a notary, scans it with his phone, sends it aways, texts a few minutes while we watch in silence. Then looks up at me and smiles. "The lawyers will slide it on a judge's desk within the hour. And of course, Marcy's on the job, paying off the clerks to bury the annulment along with the marriage certificate. The one blogger who got the certificate from his aunt that works in the records department has his new story, and both he and his aunt have iron-clad NDA's for the marriage certificate, so I think you two are in the clear. Secret marriage dissolved."

"And the other thing," I say to him pointedly.

"No, Trace. I said no," Ashlynn begins to argue again automatically.

"Goddammit Ashlynn, don't be so fucking stubborn!" I snap. I see Ellen's eyes go round at my language, but I press forward, because Ash needs to know I'm not backing down on this. "The fucking settlement is in the fucking pre-nup! If you don't want my money, you can give it away to charity, but I'm legally bound to disperse it to you. Do it," I order Riley.

He pulls up my banking app, and makes the transaction.

"Congratulations, Ashlynn, you are a millionairess," he says.

She looks out the window, a tear rolling down her cheek as the wooded Tennessee landscape rolls past. "Thank you, Trace," she says softly.

I'm stunned. It's the first time she has ever thanked me for a dime. "You're welcome, Ash."

Awww, this chapter is kind of sad for Ashlynn, but it was a sad situation all the way around. How do you guys feel about Ash? She's kind of gotten a raw deal in life. I'm hoping she can be her own hero---and then maybe find some happiness elsewhere? Maybe we'll keep in touch with her in subsequent books?