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An Old-fashioned man By Laylah Roberts Laylah.roberts@ gmail.com Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 2-5). . Kindle Edition. Ava turned in her seat to look at Jaron sleeping peacefully in his car seat, his hand clasping his fluffy bunny tightly. Tears welled in her throat. He was so beautiful, this little boy of hers. A miracle. At six months old, he was still small for his age, testament to the fact that he’d been born so early. But the fact that he’d lived and thrived despite being born prematurely, was only part of the reason he was her miracle. The other part was the fact that she’d discovered she was 8 weeks pregnant with him only a fortnight after her husband had died. It had been over a year since John had died and the pain was lessening. Days now went by before she remembered. She still missed him. There’s hadn’t been a romantic pairing, they’d been friends who were lonely and their friendship had turned into affection. John had insisted on marriage and she’d agreed after a long think. It wasn’t like she was ever going to find love. She simply couldn’t trust someone enough for that. But she cared John as much as she could care for anyone and he had always been there for her. She missed him. But it wasn’t as bad as it had been for a start. Jaron helped with that. He was a piece of them both. They only had each other. Both she and John had been single children. John’s parents had been older when they’d had him and had died before she’d even met him. They’d left him well off, rich even. Something she’d struggled with when she’d first met him. Ava had always worked for everything she’d ever received. She’d been in everything she’d ever received. She’d been in foster homes since the age of two. A child no one ever wanted for long. It was one thing Jaron would never know. Being unloved. Because he was the first person in her life she could ever remembering loving. She sighed and turned back to look out the front window. “Hey,” Frankie cried next to her, from the driver’s seat. “No being sad. It’s Christmas! The best time of the year.” Ava tried to smile, tried to feel her friend Frankie’s enthusiasm, but in truth Christmas had never held that much appeal for her. It usually made it poignantly clear to Ava what she didn’t have. A family. When it had been just her and John they’d always had plans to go somewhere fun and just explore. But then John’s health had begun to fail. She’d had him for such a little time before she’d lost him. Now she was twenty-four, a widow and a single mother. Sometimes she felt so overwhelmed she’d thought she’d collapse under the weight of it all. Then she looked at Jaron. Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 25-35). . Kindle Edition. She couldn’t fail him. She wouldn’t. That was part of the reason she’d taken up Frankie’s offer to spend Christmas at her family’s ranch. Frankie had been John’s nurse when he’d had to go into hospital. She and Ava had become friends despite all odds. Sometimes it seemed like John had been deliberately pushing them together. But he’d been so sick, that must have been her imagination. Still, she’d have been lost without Frankie. She’d been her rock. Helping her through the funeral, being there when Ava had been pregnant, and lost, in shock. She’d even offered to be Ava’s birth partner. But Ava hadn’t wanted to put Frankie through that. She may be a nurse, but she’d never gone through birth herself. So Ava had done it alone. But there was no need to spend Christmas alone. Not with Frankie’s generous offer to spend the holidays with her and her family. It was time to learn what a real Christmas could be like. She had too. For Jaron’s sake. “Sorry.” Ava shook her head. “My mind was a million miles away. Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 35-45). . Kindle Edition. Are you sure your family won’t mind me coming to stay?” Frankie sighed. “For the millionth time, Ava. No, they won’t mind. My brothers are fine with you and Jaron coming to stay. The ranch is huge. There are plenty of rooms. Please, can you just stop worrying for a while and be happy.” Frankie’s voice was exasperated and Ava didn’t blame her, she did tend to worry a lot. About everything. Mind you, sometimes she thought Frankie needed to worry about things more. Like paying her rent on time so she didn’t get evicted. Ava had had to bail her friend out more than once. She knew Frankie spent more than she should on clothes and shoes; still she seemed to go through money quickly. Ava wondered if Frankie’s family was well off. There was only her and her four older brothers and Ava thought perhaps they’d spoiled the other girl and she didn’t have any idea how to budget. Still, Ava didn’t mind picking up the bill for things. It was the least she could do to pay Frankie back for all that she had done. Ava had never had a friend like Frankie before. It was nice to have someone to shop with, talk to. “Sorry. I’ll stop worrying and try to have fun. Do you think my Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 45-55). . Kindle Edition. presents will be all right for your brothers?” Ava and Frankie had gone shopping a few days before and bought presents for everyone. Well, Ava had paid, but Frankie had picked them all out. Ava had gulped at the cost of it all. But still, she had plenty of money and they were opening her house to Ava and Jaron. “Are you kidding? They’ll love them.” “So, let me go over this again. Heath is your oldest brother. Then Kent, Cameron and last Brax, right?” “You got it. See, not hard is it?” “No. I just hope Jaron doesn’t bother them.” Frankie waved a careless hand, her manner one of someone who’d only known love not rejection growing up. “It’ll be fine. We’ll put you in the guest room furthest away. They’ll never even hear him. And you have the stroller; you can take him for a run around the ranch if you need to.” Ava nodded. She often took Jaron out for a run with her, particularly if he woke and wouldn’t settle again. If it was the deep of night she just ran around her garden, if it was light enough, she went around the town. But a ranch sounded perfect. Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 55-65). . Kindle Edition. It was growing dark an hour later when they turned off the motorway. Ava’s stomach growled. Jaron had been awake for thirty minutes and was happily talking away to himself in baby speak. “We’ll be there in another hour,” Frankie said cheerily. “I’m sure, Alma, our housekeeper will keep us some leftovers for tea. Or she’ll make us up some big sandwiches.” Ava didn’t bother to remind Frankie she couldn’t eat bread. Ava had coeliac disease. She could get very ill if she ate gluten. They’d stopped earlier to eat at an Italian restaurant-Frankie’s choice-luckily they’d had salad available. But Ava had a high metabolism and was borderline hypoglycemic. The salad wasn’t going to hold her for much longer. Another hour passed and Jaron was just starting to grumble, hungry for his dinner when they pulled into a long driveway. The house that was revealed at the end was magnificent. Huge, with a large wrap-around porch. Two stories high, it stood against the landscape, the sun setting behind it. “Wow. Beautiful,” Ava breathed. Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 65-74). . Kindle Edition. Frankie looked out and shrugged. “Yeah, guess it is.” She jumped from the car just as the front door opened and two large men piled out of the house, jumping down the stairs to grab Frankie, hugging and kissing her enthusiastically. Ava felt a stab of jealousy, but pushed it down ruthlessly as she climbed out of the car then opened the back seat to reach in and grab Jaron. She held his slight weight against her as she grabbed the bag filled with his stuff. Another man was coming from the house now, joining in the greeting. Ava slung the bag over her shoulder and moved to the rear of the car to grab some luggage. Fatigue pulled at her, making her tired and sluggish. Perhaps it hadn’t been a good idea to come here. Ava got tired easily and all the travelling had worn her out. She couldn’t afford to be exhausted or get sick, not with Jaron depending on her. Sighing, she pulled her suitcase out. “Oh no, you don’t,” a stern voice said and a hand reached in to cover hers, pulling the suitcase from her grasp. Ava gasped and took a step backward, her heart racing. She held Jaron protectively against her. Glancing up, she ran her eyes over long legs encased in dark Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 75-85). . Kindle Edition. denim, a wide chest covered in a checkered shirt, way up until she met serious dark brown eyes. Her heart quickened further, not from fear, but attraction. Dear Lord, this man was attractive. Not classically handsome nor did he have a modern masculine beauty. But she’d never gone for that sort of look. This man was rugged, huge, his features carved firmly into his face. Soft, deep chestnut colored hair framed his face. “Around here, young lady, women do not carry luggage. You try it again and I’ll be warming that bottom for you, understand?” He turned away, easily carrying her luggage, and a piece of Frankie’s. Ava gaped after him. Had he just threatened to spank her? Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 85-92). . Kindle Edition. Chapter Two Frankie bounded over to Ava, a big grin on her face. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “You look like you’ve had a fright.” “Ahh, that man, he just threatened too, ahh…” She couldn’t even spit it out she was so shocked. “Who?” Frankie turned around. “Oh, Heath?” Her hands came to her hips. “What did he say to you?” “Well, I, ahh, I could be wrong, but I think he just threatened to, um, spank me.” Frankie shook her head. “Jeez, he couldn’t even wait until I’d gotten you settled in?” “Wait, what? You mean he was serious? You don’t seem shocked,” Ava said in amazement, jiggling Jaron up and down as he grumbled. She needed to feed him and put him to bed. “No, umm,” Frankie hesitated, her cheeks going red. “Remember how I told you that my family is old-fashioned? That my brothers Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 92-102). . Kindle Edition. open doors for women, don’t believe in sex before marriage, and have set ideas about the role of men and women in a marriage?” Ava nodded. She’d thought those sort of men extinct. “Well, those old-fashioned views include spanking.” Ava’s mouth dropped. “You are kidding me?” Frankie shook her head, looking serious. Wow. Oh wow. Ava didn’t know how to react. She felt dumbfounded, amazed and oddly, a tiny bit aroused. “Frankie!” Heath called from the house. “You and Ava get yourselves inside please. It’s getting cold and dark and I want to have a little chat with you about why you drove here instead of flying.” Frankie’s cheeks went a darker shade of red. “You’re in trouble, little sis.” One of the Frankie’s brothers came up to them and turned her around, giving her a slap of the ass while pointing to the door. “Better get in and face the music, while we get your pile of luggage in.” “Oh, shut up, Cam.” Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 102-113). . Kindle Edition. He gave her a harder smack, his face growing serious. Frankie yelped and rubbed her backside while glaring at her brother. “No sass, thank you. Get.” Frankie grabbed Ava’s hand and tugged her along after her. “They spank you? But you’re a grown woman,” Ava whispered. Frankie shrugged. “To these Neanderthals, a woman is never too old to get her bottom spanked.” “Too right,” another brother agreed as he walked past carrying the box of wrapped Christmas presents. “Jeez, how much did you buy, Frankie?” “Enough, Brax. Just put them under the tree for me, will you?” “Frankie, Ava, in here, please.” Frankie sighed and tugged Ava into a large study. Heath sat behind a desk, frowning slightly as he looked up at them. His gaze softened as he looked at Jaron. Then he looked over at Frankie and ran his gaze over her. “You well, little sister?” he asked. She nodded. Then he stood and held open his arms. She flew into them. Ava looked away, feeling awkward. Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 113-123). . Kindle Edition. Jaron let out a little wail. “Umm,” she interrupted. “I need to feed Jaron. Would someone be able to show me to my room? Sorry.” Heath let Frankie go and stared at her intently. “No need to apologize. Of course, Frankie will show you to your room. Then she can come back and explain to me why she drove here, when I specifically told her to fly. That’s too long a drive to make in one day, Frankie. Especially with a baby.” Frankie let out her bottom lip in a pout. “But it’s cheaper to drive. And this way you didn’t have to come get us from the airport.” Heath folded his arms over his wide chest. “You know that is no excuse, young lady. After you show Ava to her room and take her up some leftover pie for dinner, you can meet me back here.” “Urgh,” Frankie cried and stomped her foot. “You are so infuriating. When are you ever going to realize that I’m all grown up and can make my own decisions?” Heath reached over and kissed her on the forehead. “You’ll always be my baby sister; I will never stop caring about you. Now go.” Roberts, Laylah (2012-01-09). An Old-Fashioned Man (Kindle Locations 123-133). . Kindle Edition. He sent her on her way with a heavy smack to her backside. Ava flinched and then wished she’d never moved as Heath’s eyes narrowed, looking at her thoughtfully. “Welcome to our house, Ava. If you need anything you just let one of know, okay? I put her in the flower room,” he said to Frankie. “Oh, but I was going to put her over the kitchen.” Heath frowned. “What and wake her up early in the morning when Alma starts cooking breakfast for us? Besides, that bedroom is down the other end of the house.” “Further away is better,” Ava interjected bravely. “I don’t want Jaron waking anyone.” Heath shook his head. “No, you’ll stay close to the rest of us.” “Please, I’d feel much better if I knew Jaron and I weren’t waking you in the middle of the night.”...
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