Page 45 of The Lie That Stole Christmas

“What is he doing?”Ashley whispered as she peered past him.

Bill placed a pill organizer on the table and poured himself a glass of milk.He popped one pill, then another, and another, and another.

“How many pills is he taking?”Ashley asked.

Carter pressed his lips together.Bill still hadn’t told his family, and it wasn’t his place to say a damn word.

Bill popped a pill and threw his head back to swallow it, but he didn’t straighten; he continued to look up.“Lily, I don’t know how to do this without you.You were always the strong one.”

Ashley’s fingers dug into Carter’s bicep, and he wrapped his arm around her, holding tight.

“Strength is through family, I know.That’s why I brought them here.”He took one last pill and let out a long breath.“I got this, sweetheart.But if you can just lend a hand from up there, I’d appreciate it.”

Silence settled over the kitchen.Bill stared at the floor for a moment before downing the rest of the milk.

“Hell, if you can get Gabe to stop being an asshole, I’ll owe you one.”

Ashley let out a quiet, watery laugh.

Bill nodded as if satisfied with himself.“Good talk.”He gathered up the pill organizer and headed upstairs.

When the floor creaks stopped, Ashley exhaled.“You’re right.I should talk to him.”She pressed up on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek.“Seems you got your wish,” she said.

“What’s that?”

“I’m going to bed.”She squeezed his hand as she pushed open the closet door.“Goodnight, Carter.”

Chapter fourteen

Ashley

Ashleyranherhandover dark jeans she paired with a forest green sweater as if straightening the denim would somehow straighten her life out.The light from Grandpa’s office filtered into the hallway, mixing with the natural sunlight coming in through the window at the end of the hall.

The smell of pine from the Christmas trees downstairs permeated the air.

Carter’s words kept playing through her head, “You have the same spirit as your grandmother.”It had been days since her return to Winterridge, but she still hadn’t had a one-on-one conversation with her grandfather.While Carter’s words bounced around, the last words her grandfather had uttered to her eight years ago went toe-to-toe, battling for dominance.

“Interior design,” he had scoffed.“What a waste of your potential.”

“It’s what I want to do,” she’d argued.

“It’s shameful.”

Ashley squeezed her eyes against the memory.

At twenty-three, his words had devastated her.She’d spent her entire life craving his approval.Wanted him to look at with her pride, brag about her to his high-browed friends.Instead a few words had cut her down so far, she almost didn’t leave for New York, then everything that happened with Carter…

He fucked up.No one is saying he didn’t.Especially him.But should that one moment when he was at his most vulnerable be the thing that defines his entire legacy?

“You plan on burning a hole in the carpet, or are you waiting to get up the nerve to knock?”Her grandfather’s voice burst out of his office like a gunshot, startling her.She came to an abrupt stop and peered into his office.

“I was never particularly fond of fire,” she said with a slight smile.

“I know.I never had to worry about you with the gasoline when the boys wanted to make a bonfire.You always hid behind your mother’s leg, and when you got older, stayed in the house until the fire was started and under control.”

“It’s a wonder anyone trusted Gabe, Cole or Nate with anything flammable.”

“There was always an adult present.”