Page 20 of Hidden Vows (Love in Ashford Falls #3)

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JUDE

The door to the bar slams open, startling me from my staring contest with the blank word document on my laptop, and my eyes jump to the door to find Edward Selbey glaring at me.

It’s my fault. The bar doesn’t open for another hour, but my secret hopeless romantic heart leaves the door unlocked when I’m here, wishing the woman always on my mind will walk through those doors.

“How’s it going, Eddie?” I close my computer and stand from my seat, shoving my hands in my pockets as I face him.

I shouldn’t egg him on, but his entrance has me on edge and I just don’t care what the man thinks of me.

“Anything in particular I can help you with?” My tone is flat, though my heart is racing from the surprise.

I was under the impression Edward had gone back to DC for work.

I might not go out around town for fun, but I do need groceries if I want to survive, and one aspect of living in a small town where everyone knows everyone is hearing all the gossip whenever you step outside.

Abbey and Edward have been a popular topic of conversation since the news broke of her buying the bookstore, and anyone who knows our history loves to make sure I’ve heard the news.

Everything I’ve heard has been incredibly positive.

For the most part, people are excited to see what Abbey plans to do with the space.

But the one thing they’re all getting wrong is how she has the money to make this dream a reality.

They’re not wrong in where the money came from, just wrong in the way Abbey received it.

I know even if people knew the truth, the way they talk about Edward wouldn’t change.

Or maybe it would, but only in a positive manner for him.

Somehow that man is always depicted in the best light around Ashford Falls, even if he’s rarely around for town events, and was absent from most activities Abbey had growing up.

This town can’t stop gushing at how much he loves his daughter. How could he not since he’s given her the money to open the store?

I still don’t know what strings he’s attached to the purse, and I’m pretty sure Abbey doesn’t either, but I know they exist.

“You’re spending time with my daughter…” He lets his words trail off, the threat implied in his tone.

“We’ve already been over this. I’m not going out of my way to avoid Abbey.” He doesn’t need to know I plan on going out of my way to spend time with her. I’m sure he already guessed that if he’s showing up like this.

“Let me make something very clear, Mr. Murphy.” He takes a step closer on each word until he’s standing toe-to-toe with me—exactly like he did the last time he was here.

“You will stay away from my daughter. I don’t care what you have to do to convince her not to be around you, but you’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. ”

I keep my eyes on his, but silently count to three before responding.

I want so desperately to egg him on more.

But while I may not care what he thinks of me, I don’t want to be responsible for any issues between Abbey and him.

Abbey and I may not be together, but if I get it my way we will be, and I won’t be responsible for Abbey losing her only remaining parent.

“Sir, I wish I understood what I did to make you hate me, and I wish I could do what you’re asking, but the truth is, when it comes to your daughter, I’m incapable of staying away. She’s my true north, and no matter what, I’m always drawn to her.”

His eyes sharpen and if this were a cartoon, steam would be pouring out of his ears.

I know my words won’t change anything, but I can’t stop them from spilling out. “The only way I stay away from Abbey is if she asks me to. I’m done letting anyone else decide what we do with our lives.”

“You’re just like your father.”

I’m not entirely sure I’m meant to hear those words, but that doesn’t stop me from responding. When it comes to my dad, I’m nowhere near the kind of man he is, he’s far better than me.

“I don’t think that’s the insult you want it to be. My father’s an amazing man, and if I can be half the person he is, I’ll be happy with my life.”

“Only a blind man would say that about your father.”

I want to be cordial, but when it comes to others insulting the people I love, cordial goes flying out the window. “What the hell happened between the two of you? Is there some imagined wrong he committed? Or are you jealous of the relationship he had with Grace?”

“Don’t you dare say her name!” he booms, taking another step closer to me. “She was too good for the likes of this town. None of you deserved her.”

I know Edward loved his wife, it was hard not to notice in the way he looked at her, but sometimes it was easy to forget how much he loved her with how often he was out of town and how often Abbey said she heard them fighting.

I don’t back down from him, he’s angry, but I know he won’t do anything to jeopardize his reputation in town. He may hate it here, but he also can’t stand the idea of others disliking him. He cares too much about what other people think—like I used to.

“You’re right that she was a far better person than most, but this town absolutely deserved her—simply because she wanted to be here.”

Edward seethes, his face red with anger, and part of me honestly feels sorry for him. To love someone as much as he loved Grace, only to lose her far too young. It’s a horrible reality to live.

I don’t understand it entirely; while I lost Abbey, she wasn’t gone from this world.

I always knew where she was and could’ve come back to her if I’d been able to get over my own issues.

My loneliness was of my own making, and, to an extent, so is Edward’s, but losing the love of your life? I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

“Sir, I get that you love your daughter and you want to protect her from what you think might hurt her, but have you ever thought you might be wrong about me?”

Nothing in Edward’s countenance changes. The anger still sits under the surface, barely held in check. I wish I knew the full story. I wish I understood what happened to make him hate me and my father, but I know he’ll never tell me, and until my father wakes up, there’s no other person to ask.

If only I’d been smarter in the past, I could have talked to my dad about it. Instead I held the secrets of how badly Edward treated me from everyone.

“I don’t know what you think happened in the past, whether it was something between my dad and Grace, or some history with my grandparents, but I swear to you, Abbey is the most important person in my life.

” He flinches at the sound of his wife’s name, but he doesn’t interrupt me.

“I’m not disappearing from her life—not again. ”

The door to Murphy’s opens, stopping Edward before he can say anything. We both turn to find a woman with deep brown hair stopped in the doorway. It’s not hard to imagine why when the tension in the air around us is palpable.

“Sorry, I saw the help wanted sign in the window and wanted to ask about the position.” She stays where she is on the threshold, the door held open as she decides what her next move will be.

I help the decision along, stepping back from Edward and addressing her directly. “I’ve got a couple positions open, but I’m interested in hiring a bar manager first.”

“We aren’t done, Mr. Murphy.” Edward’s words are quiet enough only I can hear them, but the anger is still more than evident.

“I think we are.” I keep my words just as hushed as his. “I think it’s time you go.” I don’t back down from his stare, making sure he sees how serious I am. Nothing he can say or do will make me leave, not this time.

Without another word, Edward spins on his heel and marches toward the door. The woman has just enough time to press her back into the door, making space for him to breeze past her. I take only a second to release the tension from my shoulders before finally addressing the stranger.

“I’m sorry about that.” I reach forward, presenting my hand for a handshake. “I’m Jude Murphy, the owner’s son. ”

The woman hesitates only a moment before she accepts my handshake.

“Jane Smith.” When she speaks, her voice is clear and direct.

It’s clear whatever made her nervous isn’t going to stop her from doing what she came for, and I respect that.

“I just moved to town, and while I’ve never managed a bar before, I do have experience managing a store. ”

My brow lifts at her name—it’s a little too generic for me not to question its validity—but I don’t comment on it. I know what it’s like landing in a new town looking for someone to take a chance on you, and after everything I’ve been through, I like that I have a chance to pay it forward.

“Come on in. Let’s sit and talk about the position.”

Dad may not love that I’m hiring staff to help with the place, but he’s not going to have a choice when he finally wakes up. If this heart attack should teach us anything, it’s that he needs to take better care of himself first and foremost.

Besides, I’m not going anywhere this time and I want to make sure we have plenty of time to catch up with each other. I’ve missed too much and I refuse to miss more time.