A couple of days later, Ashleigh was in the kitchen trying a spin on the classic apple pie that she’d found on one of her recipe apps. She was humming as she added in some cinnamon when there was an unexpected knock on the door.

She hadn’t even made it out of the kitchen yet when she heard The Colonel’s commanding voice.

“Ashleigh, where are you?”

She tugged at the edge of her shorts, as though she could will them into being longer. Marilee’s head popped around the corner and she teetered into the room, The Colonel following close behind.

“We’re sorry to drop in unannounced, honey,” Marilee started, but The Colonel cut her off. 

“Nonsense, we’re here to talk to her about her wedding. No need to ever be sorry about that, is there, Ashleigh?”

She looked around instinctively for Walker as she tried to hide her discomfort. But he wasn’t home from work yet, as she well knew.

The Colonel seemed to catch her in the act, and something glinted dangerously in his eyes. Marilee smiled, trying to smooth things over.

“Well, I suppose that’s true, but she’s baking, darling. Can’t you see? We should have called like I told you.”

The Colonel said nothing and seemed to be waiting for her answer.

“Uh, yeah. I’m baking, but that’s fine so long as we can stay in here,” she answered shyly. She gestured to the kitchen.

She was outrageously uncomfortable. Especially given Walker’s reaction after their last surprise visit. But she couldn’t exactly ask them to leave. So she decided to hear them out. She'd be agreeable, but insist to run anything and everything by Walker before saying yes.

“We’ve been thinking about your wedding, dear.” 

Ashleigh paled slightly, but busied herself with mixing the filling. She hoped that her hair would cover at least a part of her face as she let out a little noncommittal sound.

“We’re thinking it should be a small wedding, just for family and a few close family friends. After all, you’re going to be a Roman soon, living on the Roman lands. You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of, right Ashleigh?” 

The Colonel examined her face carefully as she flushed, but capitulated.

“I’ll just run it by Walker when he gets home, sir. I know he has some of his own ideas,” she managed to utter. She was still under The Colonel’s fierce glare, unable to hold his eyes.

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll find him perfectly agreeable,” The Colonel assured her.

There was an edge to his tone that made her stomach drop and bile boil up her esophagus.

He knows. A shiver crept up her spine.

“Do you know how many guests your parents will be inviting, honey?” Marilee asked. The Colonel leaned forward slightly. Clearly he’d had a hand in this question.

“I don’t think they’ll be inviting anyone, ma’am.”

Marilee raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow.

“And why is that?” The Colonel asked coldly.

“Oh, you know. Since they’re both dead... it just makes sense, is all,” she deadpanned before busying herself with rolling out the pie crust.

The door banged open and Walker strode through, anger rolling off of him. It was palpable when he entered the kitchen. He saw Ashleigh in the kitchen with his father and Marilee.

“About time you joined the conversation, Walker. We were just talking about your wedding,” The Colonel said, his tone still laced with poison.

“And what exactly is it that you think has been decided, sir?” Walker returned with an equally cold voice.

“A small wedding, you can choose the venue, of course. I’ll help Ashleigh scout with the girls sometime, unless you want to do it here?” Marilee interjected.

“We haven’t decided,” Walker spat at her.

“Well, in any event. A small affair, only family and close family friends. Ashleigh has just told us that both of her parents have passed on so they won’t be inviting any guests,” Marilee said.

“Of course,” Walker said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Ashleigh hung her head in shame. Shame that he’d caught her with his father and stepmother, discussing a wedding that wasn’t going to happen. Shame that she had no family or close friends to invite. Shame that eventually The Colonel would find out about her past -- if he hadn’t already -- and that it would ruin Walker if he did. 

And fear that if The Colonel found out, their non-relationship would be adversely affected.

She said none of this, but tensed when Walker suddenly put his arms around her and pressed a kiss on top of her head.

“Hello darling,” he breathed into her ear before turning to set his laptop on the kitchen counter. “Smells divine in here.” 

It took her a second to catch up. Keeping up appearances, right. She kissed his cheek before turning back to her pie.

“I’m making a spin on an apple pie that I found today.”

“I hardly see how an apple pie can get any better, but if anyone can do it, it’s you, Ash.” He flashed her a grin before sending a steely glance at his father.

Marilee’s phone trilled with an incoming call. She excused herself, hurrying as fast as her heels would allow her to the living room.

A brief, “lovely to hear from you,” could be heard before she’d obviously gone out of earshot.

“I need to speak with you,” Walker directed at his father, who nodded and followed him outside.

Ashleigh weighed up her options for just a second before following them. She hid behind a curtain at an open window near where they had stopped. She could see their faces, but she was hidden enough that she was quite sure that they couldn’t see her.

“What, exactly, is going on?” Walker asked, his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows knit closely together. 

The Colonel gave him a knowing smile. 

“I get it, Walker. She’s pretty, wherever she’s from, whoever she is. But you’ve claimed a public stake in her by bringing her here. If you want to be married, you’re going to get married. You’re not going to half-ass this thing with a drawn-out engagement that may or may not end in marriage. I’ll make sure of it.”

Walker said nothing as he stared stoically at his father. The Colonel smiled, a hard expression.

“Or I could start asking around about her. I’m willing to bet good money that a few well-placed questions in New Orleans will turn up at least something interesting about Ashleigh. Some good dirt. Unless of course there’s something that you want to own up to, right here and now. Hmm? Anything interesting that I'd want to know about your surprise fiancée?” 

Walker was still staring his father down. Nothing in his brooding tone or expression revealed anything as he looked his father straight in the eye.

“No, there’s nothing about Ashleigh or our relationship that I want to hide.”

Ashleigh sucked in a deep breath at his words, but bit her lip to keep from making a sound.

“Well then, it’s settled.” The Colonel seemed pleased. “Marilee! Where are you? We’re leaving!” 

“Coming, sweetie!” Marilee called.

Ashleigh darted into the bathroom in the hallway. She hit the lever to flush the toilet, and pretended that she was just finishing up as she exited to say goodbye to Marilee.

The woman pulled her into yet another awkward hug with promises to talk soon. The Colonel even gave them each a swift nod before turning on his heel and stalking toward his car.

Ashleigh moved over to Walker and placed a small hand on his bicep. 

“What happened?” she asked quietly.

His jaw twitched, and he seemed resigned as he answered her. 

“We’re going to go ahead with the wedding, if you want to. I’ve told you once and I’ll say it again, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

She felt tears pricking at her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Walker. This is all my fault. I brought all of this here with me.”

“You heard that conversation, huh?”

“I did.” Her head hung in shame again.

“Listen to me, Ashleigh Walsh. None of this is your fault. None of it. You hear me? I’m trying to protect you by going along with him. Nothing more, nothing less. I don’t give a shit about what he finds out. I only care about how it will affect you.”

His eyes held hers tenderly as he spoke the words. She drank in his darkened eyes, his worried but caring expression. She dropped her gaze to his parted lips. He leaned his head down ever so slightly and brought his hand up to cup her cheek. 

As though being pulled by magnets to his lips, she pushed herself up on her tiptoes. She already practically felt his lips on hers.

He seemed as entranced as she was, but at the last second, he cleared his throat and pulled away. He dropped his hand from her cheek as though he’d been burnt by it.

“I’d better go get cleaned up,” he said.

He strode purposefully back inside the house and disappeared into the bathroom. The shower ran for a long time before she gave up waiting to talk to him and went to check on her pie instead.