Stay (Love In Montana Book 5)

Anastasia didn’t see her dad the whole of next morning. He had locked himself up in his study last night since the fight. She didn’t disturb him knowing that he might need the space to get a grip over himself. Twenty-four hours had passed by and it was dinnertime. Worried, she walked into the kitchen just in time when the doorbell rang. Who could it be at this hour? Did her dad go out? She had no idea, she hadn’t checked out of anxiety and spent her day in her room going through her new books. She would need to join her new college but she needed the details first. With her dad upset, she decided to wait till he was normal again. 

The doorbell rang again and she rushed to open the door. To her immense surprise, Anson stood at the doorstep, carrying bags filled with his stuff. “Surprise, Sia, I’ve come home,” he announced with a dazzling grin on his face. Anastasia grinned at him, feeling happy that she wouldn’t be all alone at home now. She clapped her hands with joy and moved away to let him inside. 

“This is shocking Anson! What caused this transformation in you?” she exclaimed with surprise. Anson grinned and kept his stuff down, straightening his back.

“What? Aren’t you happy that your brother’s back?” he asked playfully, making Anastasia stare at him with disbelief. He had always been a rebel since childhood and she had always seen him fighting. So she could hardly relate to this changed Anson standing in front of her with a smile on his face. They hardly interacted like siblings in the past. In fact, they hadn’t spoken so much to one another as Anson was always away from home or busy fighting with his mom. “Where’s dad?” he asked, looking around with concern. Anastasia shrugged.

“I haven’t seen him since last night,” she told him. Anson looked at her with disbelief. 

“Isn’t he at home?” he asked her. 

“I don’t know. He has been locked in his study since last night and he hasn’t emerged yet,” she said with a sigh. Anson looked distraught as he rushed towards their dad’s study.

“You should have checked up on him, Sia. I just pray that nothing untoward happened to him,” he said, making Anastasia panic. She hadn’t thought along those lines at all and rushed after her brother, clutching at her heart. 

Anson tried the door to the study and to his relief, it unlocked and they went inside. They saw their dad, sitting amidst bottles of whiskey. The room was in a mess but it was the stench of alcohol that was unbearable. Anastasia switched on the AC, so that the stake air could escape. “What are you two doing here?” asked their dad. 

“Enough, dad. You need to get a grip of yourself and eat something. You’ll fall sick this way,” said Anson, helping his dad to his feet. Anastasia also held one side but she was too delicate to be of any help. 

“When did you come?” her dad asked Anson. 

“I’ve returned for good, dad. I’m not going anywhere now,” he told his dad. 

David Farrell smiled for the first time in twenty-four hours since his wife had left him. “That’s good to hear, Anson,” he said. 

“Dad, shall I serve your dinner now? You haven’t eaten anything since last afternoon,” said Anastasia worriedly. 

“I need a shower first, Ana. Why don’t you serve dinner. I’ll join you in a minute, okay?” said her dad.

“Yes,” she said, happily. Anson helped his dad to his room while Anastasia served themselves dinner. 

She was glad that her father could get a grip over himself finally. She was also thankful that Anson had come home to help her. She had been so lost on her own. Her father seemed quite normal at dinner and spoke to her about joining her college. “I’ll take her to college tomorrow, dad, don’t worry,” said Anson. Anastasia and her father were immensely surprised at the overnight change in Anson.  

The next few days, Anastasia settled down at UNLV to pursue the Undergraduate Degree in Fashion Designing. Her dad bought her a car to make her life easier. Anastasia was very excited about the latest developments in her life. She had never expected that her life would take such a turn and all good things would start happening to her. After a week of college, she received Ryder’s call in the night just before going to bed. She immediately accepted it, feeling a little guilty that she had forgotten about him in her excitement. 

“Hi, Blue! How are you?” she said breathlessly into her phone. 

Ryder smiled hearing her melodious voice at the other end. If he had wings, he would have loved to fly to see her. He had been very busy the last few weeks as they still hadn’t been able to locate Sawyer and the situation at home had become unbearable. The whole family was devastated. 

“I’m okay, just missing you. If I had wings I could fly to you to get something which you left incomplete between us,” he told her with a catch in his voice. Anastasia’s heart skipped a beat. What was he talking about? Was he talking about the time he had confessed his feelings and she hadn’t? 

“What have I left incomplete?” She asked hesitantly. Ryder smiled at her innocence.

“How did you forget so fast, Anastasia? I was talking about the kiss you left incomplete on the night of Ren's birthday,” he reminded her. A deep flush crept all over her and she was too tongue tied to think of an answer. 

“Next time I’ll video call. I want to see you as well,” said Ryder, making Anastasia blush more. “So, what are you wearing now?” he asked all of a sudden, making Anastasia’s eyes widen.

“I’m in bed, what should I wear?” she whispered, looking aghast. Obviously she was wearing soft shorts and a distended camisole to sleep. It was the most comfortable thing in the world. 

“Nothing? Aren’t you wearing anything? I’m video calling,” said Ryder, disconnecting the call immediately. Anastasia gasped at his weirdness. Why would she not wear anything? Wasn’t he being creepy? However, she didn’t get much time to ponder over it as Ryder started video calling her. Anastasia accepted his call. She wanted to see him too. She loved him after all! His bright blue eyes took in her face as she smiled at the screen. 

“What are you wearing? Show me?” he insisted. 

“I’m wearing my old, comfortable pajamas. There’s nothing to see actually,” she told him, showing herself from an arm’s length. “Happy?” she asked him. He grinned, his eyes glittering with mischief.

“No, now I’ll never be able to sleep,” he groaned. “You’ll visit me in my dreams wearing that,” he said, making Anastasia giggle. 

“I’m thinking of paying you a surprise visit soon,” said Ryder, making Anastasia’s eyes go wide with anticipation.

“When? I’ll be waiting for you, Blue,” she told him. 

“Why?” He asked, holding his breath. 

“Umm, I’ll tell you when you come here,” she said cheekily, making him groan. 

“Oh, now I’ll never be able to sleep till I hear what you have to say to me,” he said. Anastasia chuckled. 

“Good night, Blue. Sweet dreams of me,” she said with a giggle. Ryder smiled, knowing that they wouldn’t be that sweet, they would be hot dreams of her!

“Hmm, good night, Annie. I wish you have hot and wet dreams of me,” he said, making her gasp. Ryder chuckled and disconnected the call. Just as he had said, Anastasia indeed had just that the whole night, hot and wet dreams of Ryder. She woke up with a start, it was just 5 o’clock in the morning. She could hear Anson and her dad downstairs. Freshening up, she changed into proper clothes and went downstairs. Her dad and Anson were in the gym room, working out. 

“Good morning, Sia. Why don’t you join us as well? Your height will increase a little,” teased Anson. Anastasia glared at him but she actually liked his idea. She needed to grow a little taller as Ryder was very tall. She needed to look good beside Ryder. 

“Don’t mind him, Ana. Do what you like,” said her dad. Anastasia grinned at both of them as she picked up a skipping rope. 

“I think I’ll take up Anson’s advice. I need to grow tall, real tall,” she said. Anson chuckled.

“Why, I wonder! Is your boyfriend a tall guy, Sia?” Teased Anson. Anastasia’s face flushed with color and she avoided his eyes, blushing profusely.

“Of course not. I don’t have a boyfriend, okay?” she told him. Her dad too chuckled at their interaction. 

The next thirty minutes, she exercised while Anson pulled her legs. Her dad too looked very relaxed. After breakfast, Anastasia drove to her college. Her dad and Anson had been planning to open a steakhouse and were quite busy planning for it. Anastasia was happy that Anson was finally doing something with his degree in hotel management. Although her dad was an architect, he was a foodie at heart. So in other words both were following what they were passionate about and Anastasia couldn’t have been happier. She concentrated on her studies more and more. Ryder called her every alternate day with stranger requests but Anastasia didn’t mind. She loved him more and more as the days passed by. True to her promise, her mom and Madame Slovene didn’t bother her and she had almost forgotten their existence.