Ask Me to Stay (Honky Tonk Angels #4) by Ciana Stone

apologize for having a moment when you just need someone to lean on. It’s okay. We all need that from time to time, and if you need it, I’m here.”
    “Why?”
    “Because…” Jayce didn’t know the rest of the words. He liked her but he couldn’t lie and tell her it was anything more. “Because we’re friends.”
    Callie nodded and looked down. “Would you mind terribly taking me back to my car?”
    “No, of course not.”
    The return drive passed in silence. When he parked his truck, he looked over at her. “Are you going to be okay?”
    “Yes. I will. Thank you.”
    She hurried to get out and didn’t look back as she made for her car. Jayce watched her get in and drive away. There was a lot more to Callie Williams than he’d realized, and some of it was downright tragic.
    *****
    Callie smiled at Hannah as they got out of Hannah’s car. Hannah had invited her to lunch at the diner in town and she’d enjoyed it. She’d been feeling down for the last four days, ever since Cody told her what the town gossips were saying about her. And since her breakdown in Jayce’s truck. Her first reaction had been to think she needed to pack Lily and their things into the car and leave.
    But that was a kneejerk reaction and she’d talked herself off that perilous perch by reminding herself that no one in Cotton Creek knew anything about her except Jayce, and he only knew that her mother had been killed. The gossips could, as Cody said, make up as many stories as they wanted but that didn’t make it the truth.
    That had helped Callie make up her mind to ignore the gossip. No one had treated her any differently Wednesday night at the bar, and now it was Friday and the sky had not fallen, so she would just let it go.
    Or at least try to. Jayce hadn’t come into the bar on Wednesday and she wondered if he thought she was a basket case that he should stay far away from.
    Tonight was her night to work and maybe he would stop in. Or not. That might be something that she’d effectively stopped before it even got started. She couldn’t blame him. Even now, she had a hard time believing she’d reacted that way. She thought she’d gotten beyond the sudden panic. And it hurt to think she’d lost all hope of at least having him for a friend. Jayce was the kind of man she wished she’d met years ago. He was the kind of man a woman wanted to lasso and hang on to – build a life and a family with. Sexy as homemade sin, outgoing, good-natured, kind and hardworking, Jayce embodied everything she wanted in a man.
    While she couldn’t have him, she could dream and at least bask in the mega wattage of his smile when he came into the bar or when she ran into him in town.
    “Thanks again for lunch, Hannah.”
    “It was my pleasure. I enjoyed it. Maybe one evening when we’re both off, we could take Lily out for dinner. The steak house is pretty good.”
    “I’d like that and Lily would love it.”
    “Then we’ll definitely have to do it.”
    “Sounds great.”
    The sound of voices raised in what sounded like anger had her suddenly stopping. Hannah stopped as well. “Do you hear that?” Callie asked.
    Hannah nodded. “Yeah, afraid I do.”
     
     
    Hannah had heard those voices her entire life but rarely had she heard them all raised in anger the way they were now. “I think that’s my family.”
    “Oh, well…” Callie looked around then at Hannah. “How about letting me use your keys and I’ll go around to the back? I’ll close the office door and put my earbuds in or something. I don’t want to intrude.”
    “Thanks.” Hannah handed her the keys and Callie headed around the side of the building.
    Hannah walked inside to see Cody standing behind the bar, her hands on her hips and their parents standing in front of the bar. They were all talking at the same time and no one listening.
    “What in the world is going on?”
    Everyone stopped yelling and looked at her. “The Red Hats strike again.” Cody’s bark