CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The next morning, Phoebe busied herself by tiding up the bedroom she now shared with Ash. Cleaning helped to distract her from the uneasiness she still felt from Olivia's brief visit. Olivia obviously disliked her, and Jack seemed up to no good.
Phoebe's unease had her thinking something lurked behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and caught a subtle movement. Leaping in surprise, she turned to find Jack standing in the doorway. Jack held a piece of paper that she was using to fan herself.
"I have a secret," Jack said.
Phoebe snapped the pillowcase in her hand, trying to ignore the threat in her sister-in-law's voice. "Have you heard from Ash? I thought he and Reggie would be back by now. They were just going to the store to pick up--"
She stopped abruptly when Jack stepped closer. "You're not going to intimidate me, Jack. You and Ash have a difficult history, I know, but I'd like for you and me to build our own relationship."
"Why?" Jack asked, fanning herself again.
Phoebe licked her lips and glanced at the clock. Her mother had been an addict, and she'd died far too young. It had taken years, but Phoebe had finally managed to forgive her mother for abandoning her.
She didn't want her relationship with Jack to be tarnished by her own prejudices. She could be aware of Jack's history, but she could be open to getting to know her, too. It was something she'd liked to have done with her mother, but she'd never gotten the chance.
"Okay," Phoebe said, smoothing out the edges of the comforter. "You know the reasons why Ash and I married, but I want you to also know that I care about him. And, I care about Reggie."
The smug look left Jack's eyes as she stared back at Phoebe. Then she folded her arms over her chest and shifted her weight. "You care about Reggie?"
Phoebe nodded. "I do. A lot. I never had an aunt or a grandma. She's like both to me." She smiled. "When she's in the mood to be, that is." She waited for a softening from Jack, but when none came, Phoebe studied her face. All she saw was anger.
"Did you know Ash could face up to five years in prison for marrying you?" Jack rocked on her heels. "It seems they don't take too kindly to folks trying to game the system."
Phoebe knew that he could get in trouble, but she hadn't realized it would mean jail. "I didn't know that. I just thought he would be fired or something."
"Fired?" Jack shook her head. "They don't do that with the military, honey. No. He could be court-martialed. Do you know what that means? It means more than a simple firing. He'd lose all his benefits. And he'd have a fucking hard time finding another job. No one hires someone with a dishonorable discharge."
Phoebe's knees buckled beneath her. She collapsed onto the corner of the bed and dropped her head into her hands. Prison? A court-martial? Why would Ash risk so much?
Releasing a heavy breath, she dropped her hands from her face and looked up at Jack. Words formed in her mind, but they got caught on her tongue. She was dumbfounded as she considered the trouble they faced.
Jack seemed pleased by Phoebe's reaction. She hoisted the paper and waved it. "Do you know what this is?"
Phoebe shook her head.
Jack licked her lips but before she could speak, the sound of Ash's truck pulling into the driveway filled the room. Phoebe pushed away from the bed and brushed past Jack. She skipped down the stairs, making it to the living room just as Ash walked into the house.
A wide grin flashed across his face, revealing his dimples. His eyes shone with merriment as he held the door for Reggie.
"Reggie, do you think Phoebe looks thrilled to see me?" he asked, a teasing note to his voice. A slight smile lingered on Reggie's lips, but faded away as she studied Phoebe's face.
Phoebe knew she must look as pale as a ghost. She still struggled to find the right words. Her gaze flickered in the direction of the stairway, and she heard a deep grunt escape Reggie.
"Jack's at it again," Reggie said.
The groceries that Ash held dropped to the floor. A dark look crossed his features, and he glanced towards the stairs as Jack came pounding down them. When his sister joined them in the living room, he looked at Phoebe then turned his bright eyes toward Jack.
"What have you--" he began.
"Why didn't you tell me you could be imprisoned?" Phoebe asked.
For a moment, Ash stood still. Then he bit his lip before turning his gaze in Phoebe's direction. "Honestly, I don't think it would come to that."
"And a court-martial?" Phoebe watched the emotions flicker across his features. "Why would you risk your career? Your reputation?"
Ash tightened his jaw, then he lowered his eyes. "I already explained it to you. I did it for Reggie."
"You didn't explain it all to me. The risks..." Then another thought popped into her mind. A purely selfish one that she knew needed to be addressed. "What about me? Could I be imprisoned?"
"No." There was finality in that simple word. "You won't face any trouble. If we're caught"--he shot another dark look in Jack's direction--"then I lose everything. I won't get my retirement benefits, and you won't get your college paid for." He curled his fingers into a ball, then released them before approaching her. He took her hands into his and squeezed them. "But I don't think it'll happen. They don't have proof--"
"Proof?" Jack asked, stepping forward.
Phoebe felt the rage roll through Ash. She studied his face, noting the tension around his mouth. She was pissed, but he was on a totally different level.
"Proof? What type of proof do they need?" Phoebe asked.
Jack laughed, then snapped the paper that she still held in her hand. "I imagine it looks something like this." She flipped the page towards Phoebe, allowing her to see what was written on the document. It was the prenuptial agreement drawn up by Ash's attorney. Not only did it detail the benefits Phoebe would receive, but it also specified the length of their contract marriage.
Ash clicked his tongue. "Still rummaging through my things, I see."
Folding the prenup, Jack sniffed and shrugged. "I guess old habits die hard."
"That'll make you happy, right?" Ash asked Jack. "To see me kicked out of the military. But if you do that, you're not only punishing me. You're also punishing them." He nodded his head in the direction of Phoebe and Reggie.
"God damn it, you two," said Reggie. She'd stood quietly, observing the scene between Jack, Phoebe, and Ash. She threw her hands up in exasperation, then stomped right up to Jack. "Girl, you and I both know you're full of shit. And you," she added, pointing at Ash, "I can't believe such a smart boy could be so dumb." Her blazing eyes turned to Phoebe. "You ain't got nothin' to worry about except dealin' with these two. They're so caught up in hurting each other, that they don't realize what's obvious for the world to see."
Phoebe looked at Jack, who returned her gaze. She felt Ash's eyes on her, but she wasn't ready to look at him. She felt guilty for being a part of this. "Maybe we should get a divorce."
Both Ash and Reggie said, "No."
"We could undo it all." Phoebe turned to Jack. "I don't want him to lose it all, okay? I didn't understand how serious this was."
"Oh for fuck's sakes." Reggie pointed at Phoebe then Ash. "You two deserve each other." She turned to Jack. "And there ain't a damn thing Jacinda can do to prove otherwise."
Jack waved the prenup.
Reggie snatched the paper from her hand and promptly ripped it to shreds. For good measure, she tossed it into the air like confetti. "Those two love each other, and ain't no one gonna say otherwise." She stepped to Jack. "Ain't that right, Jacinda?"