Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [53]
"It's me, Ashley. Are you busy? I'd like to talk to you."
"About what?"
"I don't want to do it over the phone. Can you meet me at the Habit? I'll buy you the greasy fries you like so much."
"This must be serious," Caroline said, not liking the nervous edge in Ashley's voice. Although she should be used to it by now. Since they'd stepped off the Moon Dancer eight years ago, Ashley's nerves had grown tighter and tighter until the least little thing seemed to make her anxious. She was terribly afraid that one day Ashley might just snap.
"Where are you?" Ashley asked. "How long will it take you to get here?"
"A few minutes. I'm at the Oyster Bar."
"What are you doing there? It's the middle of the day. You're not drinking, are you?"
"No, but Dad is." She cast one last look at her father who was so wrapped up in his storytelling that he still hadn't noticed her.
"Maybe you should try to get him to go home," Ashley suggested.
Caroline thought about it for a moment. Deep in her heart she knew that her dad's alcoholism was getting worse by the minute, but she also knew that drinking was the only thing that seemed to make him happy these days. In fact, he looked happier now than she'd seen him in a long time. How could she take that away from him? If she tried, he'd only get angry with her. He wouldn't leave. All she would accomplish was chalking up one more black mark by her name.
"He won't go," she said shortly. "You know he never listens to me."
"I guess not," Ashley replied.
Caroline didn't like the way Ashley agreed with her. Perversely, she'd wanted her sister to tell her that Dad would listen to her, that she was probably the only one who could get through to him. But Ashley didn't say that.
"Maybe you should call Kate and let her know," Ashley said instead.
"I'm sure she'll get called soon enough. I'll meet you at the Habit in a couple of minutes. Make sure you get a double order of fries. I'm starving."
"Leaving?" Will asked as she ended the call.
"Yes."
"Good."
"Why do you say that?" she asked curiously.
"You've been in here a lot lately, Caroline. I don't want you to end up like your dad."
"That won't happen. My dad and I are nothing alike. Just ask him -- he'll tell you that."
Ashley tapped her fingernails against the top of the redwood table in their favorite hamburger joint, the Habit. As she waited for her order, she stared idly at the Rose Harbor marina spread out before her like a picture postcard. It was a beautiful summer day, with plenty of boats out on the water and tourists strolling along the pier. It was a day to be carefree and happy, to let loose of the worries of everyday life and just enjoy the moment. But she couldn't enjoy this moment because she was worrying about the next moment and the one after that, not to mention the moments she'd shared with Sean the night before. She hadn't handled that well at all.
"Hey there," Caroline said, joining her at the table. "So what's up?"
Ashley didn't reply waiting until the waitress set down a basket of fries and two diet sodas. Then she said, "I did something stupid last night."
Caroline raised a surprised eyebrow. "Wow. You did something stupid, and you're telling me about it? Oh, wait." Caroline snapped her fingers. "You're telling me about it, because you don't want to tell Kate. Am I right? Ooh, this must be bad."
"Sean's mother asked me to talk him out of racing in the Castleton next week," she replied.
"And did you?" Caroline asked as she squirted ketchup into one corner of the basket.
"Yes. I tried to tell him that his family really didn't want him to race, and that I thought chasing Jeremy's wake was a bad idea. I emphasized how dangerous it could get out there."
"But Sean doesn't care what his family thinks or whether or not it's dangerous," Caroline said. "Did you really think he would buy that argument, Ashley? The last thing he wants to look like