A/N: Jesse's point of view (again). We also see more of Ray than we want to.

Happy Day 4 of NaNoWriMo! According to my chart, by the end of today, I should've written a total of 13,333⅓ words. Yeah, I laughed my ass off at that, too! I can barely type for laughing. But for my other peers in progress, may the winds of inspiration fill your sails and your plotted courses lead you home!

One of the drawbacks of rapid posting is that I have fewer opportunities to respond to reviews between chapters, which I usually address in subsequent chapters where applicable.

Krooela: Yeah, Linc is a good man in this story. In many ways, he's a much better man than Ray. When I began writing this story, I was struck by a sudden thought: What if Linc wasn't a jealous, bitter madman who put Elena in the hospital? What if she lied to Christian about the cause of her injuries to bind him to her more tightly as she felt him slipping away? I mean, her marriage was done; there was no coming back from that gross degree of betrayal. And if Linc was the kind to brutalize her, putting her in the hospital, why did Elena risk screwing another man in his house? Did she possess a death wish? If she had enough cash to travel to Boston, she had more than sufficient money to rent a discreet hotel suite. But Elena had to know she was on her way out with both men. Seriously, transitioning from a submissive to a Dom was the biggest "it's not you, it's me" in the history of brushoffs. I could just imagine Christian's face after he delivered his que sera sera speech when Elena offered to train him while subbing for him. She had to know she wasn't his physical or mental ideal. What would she do to preserve her power in these circumstances? What wouldn't she risk?

Thirst (T Traveller): Yes! Jesse is a great guy! I really missed our weekly confab and hope to reconnect soon. When it comes to my stories, you've been a touchstone of logic and restraint. Goodness knows what shenanigans my characters would get up to without your advice.

joangoldman9: What an excellent summation of events up to now!

Blade's Lover: If you love the idea of Ana and Jess getting together, you will love this chapter!

velosews: You believe Linc is mysterious? How so? He seems pretty straightforward to me. And you're right; Ray is too good for this world. Will Ray agree to Jesse's marriage proposal to Ana? A lot of Ray's identity is tied up in being and, more so, being perceived as being morally upright. But a lot of his behavior tends to selfishness. For all the years he was married to Carla, he enabled her, and raised Ana to be respectful to her regardless of her actions.

motherbeatrice: What'swrong with Linc? He's a nice gentleman. Consider this, by your criteria, degrees of relationship with Elena, wouldn't Christian be more repulsive? At least Jess had enough sense to break away.

Inspiration Song(s): Seal - Newborn Friend

JessePoV

I had decided to propose to Ana, however, I was still old-fashioned enough to seek Ray's blessing. By the time I was shacking up with Elena, her parents were either long dead or long gone. Even now, I doubted I knew the full truth of Elena's background. However, Ana deserved respect, and even though this wasn't a marriage of romance and passion, at least from her side, I wanted her to have as many frills as possible.

That's how I'd found myself standing outside the old Steele homestead. It was a beautiful home and property: solid, sturdy, and well-kept, proof of many families passing the threshold long past. Seeing the house explained many of Ana's values.

I heard some shuffling against the floorboards before the door was unlatched and opened a crack. The thin, fragile-looking woman who answered the door, however, was the only thing that was firmly out of place. She brightened appreciably once she got a full look at me.

I could see she had once been beautiful, nothing on Ana, of course, but sickness had laid waste to her attractions, leaving only the wraith she had become. Still, Carla was the type who always had her eye on the main chance and could probably sniff out gold like a niffler. After years with Elena, I could easily recognize a golddigger. I was glad that Ana's acorn had fallen far from this tree.

There was a covered frame in the vestibule which must have once housed a mirror. Was she really that vain she could no longer stand to look at herself, or had she returned as a vampire who lacked a reflection? Fuck knows she had been sucking the life out of both Ray and Ana for the past few months.

"Good afternoon," I said. "May I speak to Mr. Steele?"

I didn't address her by name. I wasn't comfortable calling her Carla, and I sure as hell didn't want her to think she had the right to be familiar with me. Honestly, I had no idea what to call her. Mrs. Carla Wilkes Lambert Steele Adams sounded like I was calling roll. Besides, I'd be damned if I was going to ask her permission for Ana's hand in marriage.

"Come sit down," she bade, ushering me towards the couch. "I'll get him for you."

Once she had perched herself on the couch, I sat down carefully on the chair across from her, avoiding the seat she'd thoughtfully left next to her. Didn't she sleep on that?

This woman was a piece of work, flirting with me even looking like she was, in her ex-husband's house. Talk about biting the hand that fed you. What a bitch!

Carla actually rang a fucking bell to get Ray's attention instead of calling up the stairs. Even though it was doubtful that she could manage her way up the stairs, it was still amazingly brazen for her to summon him like a servant. Everyone knew he was breaking his back to support her. As far as I was concerned, I couldn't get Ana out of this place fast enough. It was a madhouse.

The sound of a door hurriedly being thrown open and a heavy footfall upon the stairs was my only indication that Ray had heard her.

"Carla," he called anxiously, "are you alright? Do you need anything?"

Where was the aggression, or maybe even disgust? Ray was acting like a servant. So he worked all day and night before taking his hard-earned respite, all to come home for a graveyard shift?

I'm not suggesting that Ray should've neglected her, but she wasn't exactly a guest. His attitude of enablement was sending Carla the wrong message. She was treating her stay like it was a bed and breakfast instead of a halfway house for wayward spouses. She was entitled as fuck and had them operating their home like it was a concierge service.

Several clues Ana had dropped hinted that Carla had been neglectful and pretty damn abusive, even if it was never physical. So if he's running around town telling people that he took Carla in for his daughter's sake, he's taken the wrong tack.

"You have a guest," she said petulantly as if my presence had inconvenienced her. I immediately offered to speak to him in private, asking him if he wanted to take a walk. I wanted to get out of this claustrophobic house. I could only imagine how trapped Anastasia felt. No wonder she was working all the shifts possible to stay away. She only came home in time to sleep before preparing for her next shift the next day.

We walked around the back of the house almost to a copse of trees where he spotted a huge playhouse in the backyard.

"Annie's," Ray said. "I built her this little retreat when she was in elementary school. It was an area for her to study and just get away from it all."

I read that as an escape from Carla. Because it had to have been built in the years leading to the divorce. I wonder how often she ran away to that place before she went to Texas. Ana hasn't confided to me what had taken place, but I had suspicions. Ana was the kind of person that wouldn't hurt a fly. And if she accidentally hurt the fly, she would most likely apologize. The fact that she was harboring such rage towards her mother years later led me to believe that Ray had never been told what occurred. There's no fucking way he'd be so pleasant toward this bitch if he knew. At least I hoped not.

"Well, you know that Ana and I have spent some time together and that we've become friends, yes?" I probed.

"Well, I heard that people have seen you around town chatting her up at the cafe. Isn't she a little young for you?" he derided.

So, he went there. I'd expected him to attack my age, not Ana's. She's easily the most mature person in his house.

"You're only as old as you feel," I replied genially.

"And you're old enough to be her father! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" he pleaded.

"I may be old enough to be Ana's father, but I am not her father," I retorted. Not that Raymond Steele was doing such a stellar job. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with two people spending time together of their own volition. We have a good time. Besides, it's not as if Montesano is a hotbed of activity. I don't consider any single guys around her age competition."

"Well, you shouldn't be competing for her in the first place. She's here to help her family in our time of need! This isn't any time for her to be courting anyway," he said.

Oh, hell no. Ana was a grown woman, long past the age of being sent to bed without dinner for not doing her chores. Ana only found out about this crap because she made an unexpected appearance. Now he's acting like this is her duty? By all means, dumbass, take up your cross, but don't you dare attempt to crucify Ana with you.

"That's where you're wrong. She may have come to support her family," I said snidely, "but we all know that she's here for you. Personally, I don't think Ana would piss on Carla if she was on fire. She's throwing up a promising future. She was an inch away from graduating when Carla showed up. You can't mean to tell me that this is a life you would want for her," I bargained. "Growing old before her time and what's this I hear you're trying to even sell your property, too. Where the hell are you planning to live after you sell your house and land? What's going to happen to Carla when you have no more money to spare? There's only so long you can work like you've been doing and there's only so long Ana can throw away her opportunities on the off chance that Carla might get well."

The spineless bastard didn't have anything to say. There was no argument to justify their self-flagellation.

"And then she gets well, what's going to happen? Is she going to keep on living with you? There are people at the post office taking bets on her leaving as soon as she gets a second wind. Why don't you handle your own love life and let me handle mine?"

Ray was disgusted and angry but I was even more so. I turned my back walking away. I hadn't even gotten around to asking Ana's father for his blessing. Knowing Ray, even if he gave the blessing, it would probably bring bad luck. This misguided fucker didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

I might have left empty-handed, but I had a greater understanding of the silent abuses Ana had to suffer as a child. She had been groomed with a steady diet of self-sacrifice. She had been made ashamed to stand up for what she needed and wanted. And raised with Ray Steele's twisted version of pride. His halo had become Ana's albatross. With all the competing pressures in her life, I'm shocked she turned out so well.

My attorney's oldest son was due to visit. I was trying to set up an equitable financial settlement for Ana. It wasn't that long ago that a very young woman married a drastically old man; he was old enough to be her great-grandfather. But when he died, she found out he had not taken care of her as he had promised, and she was shut out of everything. Now, everyone knew it wasn't a matter of love for love's sake. But when a man with one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel proposes to a young, sexy woman, he better intend to be her sponsor and she's fully entitled to don her gold-digging gear.I knew what people would say. They'd label Ana a golddigger, and accuse her of seducing a much older man to be her sugar daddy, but it couldn't be further from the truth. This tiny town with its gossipy people. Just because it wasn't true didn't mean that the lie wouldn't gain traction. But I would do whatever I could to make this as easy for her as possible.

And I wasn't a fool, so there would be some damage limitation. I had absolutely no problem sharing my wealth, but there's a difference between sharing and outright squandering.

As I had looked over several documents with Daniel, hashing out the various stipulations, Dan sat back and said, "Wow, you must really love this woman. I'd have expected to see a few more clauses in there."

"Well, it's not as if I have any children. I've given a mint to important causes over the years, but I'm not one of those people who wants to turn my entire estate into bequests for different charitable organizations."

I had an embarrassing moment when I realized my medical directives, power of attorney, and living will weren't up to date. I'd hate to be hospitalized and have someone call Elena as my next of kin. Needless to say, I filled in Ana's name on all those lines.

"And you trust her with all of this?" he asked incredulously. Only the fact that he was the son of my oldest friend kept me from rebuking him.

"This woman? I'd trust her with my life," I declared.

"Alright then," he replied brusquely. "One small point. You remember a few years ago when you took Lincoln Timber semi-public?"

"Yes," I said gruffly, leaning forward. "With the changeover with the protected land and the mill upgrades, I needed some ready cash. My people needed it."

"We did the due diligence, and it turns out that a few of the shareholders who bought in were strawmen for the same entity."

"You don't say. Who?" I asked speculatively. I had my suspicions, but—

"Trail led almost directly to Christian Grey," he responded carefully.

Eureka! I couldn't help the laughter that burst from my chest. This was just too good. Dan had reeled back in shock at my reaction. I guess he'd assumed I'd be furious; he knew some of the details of my divorce. Oh, Lena-girl, you always did bring the most delicious irony. She couldn't have told him.

"Hmm, that's interesting," I finally said, showing my disregard for his information. That adolescent asshole didn't frighten me with his asinine posturing.

"I'll have these papers for you next week," he continued.

"Sure, son," I said, standing up to escort him out. "Give your mom a hug for me and tell your father I said hello and that the motherlode is in play."

"Thanks, Uncle Jesse," he replied. What I liked about Daniel Junior, he was very efficient. I wouldn't have to worry about any hiccups. He was a chip off the old block. I think they were all surprised that I was getting remarried. I'd already heard all the sayings. Was it Samuel Johnson or Oscar Wilde who said Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence, but second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience? I didn't care. If I couldn't trust a woman like Ana, there was no hope left in the world.

While some of her integrity came from Ray, I was sure the rest of it was intrinsic. After meeting Carla, I understood why she'd felt compelled to stay and protect Ray from her. But it wasn't a child's responsibility to protect a parent. It should go the other way around. It was quite unfair that Ray had decided to put the care of Carla on Ana's back. He had to know when Ana returned and saw the situation she would bend over backward, sacrificing everything to help.

Some might call that devotion. But it was drudgery. Because she wasn't doing this of her own free will. I knew good and damn well that if Ray wasn't making the sacrifice, Ana would've been in Seattle living her best life by now. Montesano was no place for a young, attractive, ambitious woman who wanted to pursue a career in publishing. It was a waste and a goddamn shame and if Ray couldn't see that. If he didn't talk her out of staying, shame on him.

Ana had promised to come by after her shift was over, although she'd done a double shift today. I took out some paperwork to read, glancing over a balance sheet. I was glad that I'd had the opportunity to talk to Daniel about repurchasing some outstanding stock. I liked having something that was family-owned, but long ago I realized the necessity of going public. Just like farming, the lumber industry was too big and diversified to ever remain a fully familial concern.

Around three hours later, I heard Ana's knock on the door. That's one thing I liked about living in a small town. I didn't need a high gate, just my two dogs. I was surprised though. Ana was the one that they would do anything for. My dogs simply loved her. Whereas most people were wary if not frightened by their rather large stature and loud barks, Ana thought absolutely nothing of falling on the ground letting them trample her in their excitement. She was one of the few people to whom they responded.

They loved them some Ana. I considered my dogs to be great judges of character; I should have known when their sires hated Elena. When Ana was around, they would frolic with her for hours if she let them. With Elena, I was forced to keep my dogs in a kennel most of the time. She wasn't even allergic, she just didn't want to have to deal with them. She would expect me to have them put up whenever I had to travel on business. She just didn't seem to like my dogs around her. I guess they could sniff out her evil or possibly some other man's jizz, I thought facetiously. Maybe she thought they were cum-sniffing dogs. besides they were so large and frightening they might have taken a bite out of crime had some other fucker been lurking around the house.

Ana spent a few minutes loving on the dogs as usual. Before taking a seat, my disloyal pups at her feet.

She looked up, her eyes laser-focused on me.

"That's it, Jess! You've been so quiet tonight. I'm supposed to be the depressed, neurotic one. Come to Ana and confess your sins," she teased.

I walked to my chef's kitchen to buy myself a little more time. I came back carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. I let it breathe for a few minutes.

"Wine?" I offered.

"I have an early shift," she demurred. "Just one."

I poured a small amount into both glasses. She brought the rim of the glass to her lips.

"Hmm. Sweet. What is it?" she asked curiously.

"Riesling," I told her.

"Sounds German," she said.

"Yeah, from that region thereabouts," I murmured. "Here's to Dutch courage. I'd like to think we're very good friends, Ana. Would you agree?"

"Of course. Why would you ask that?" she asked.

"Because I can't watch you run yourself into the ground. What use is all this money if I can't help you?" I demanded.

"I could never afford to repay you. You know that," she admonished gently. "Who knows? If I could've foreseen having to pay such exorbitant hospital bills, I might've majored in something more lucrative," she mused.

"That's my point. Why would you sacrifice your dream for someone you despise?"

"My father—"

"Fuck your father. He's responsible for this! Carla's bad enough, but he's a one-man Salvation Army, spurring her on. She'll die, Ana. He'll kill himself trying to save her. There will be nothing left. Can't you see that?" I growled in frustration.

"Don't you think I know that? I can see it as well as you, but he..is..my..father! I can't just abandon him to her bullshit," she whispered. "I have to be here when the dust settles."

"This is a shitstorm. The dust is never going to settle. What will you do after the land is sold? Where will you live? Will Carla live with you and Ray in some tiny apartment where you'll trip over one another? Can you honestly tell me you see an end to this?!" I peppered her with questions. I had to jolt her out of this apathy. I don't know what the fuck Ray was thinking. Carla wasn't some damsel in distress. This wasn't some heroic journey. He was tilting at windmills while using Ana as a human shield.

"Can't you tell I don't have a clue? I stumbled into this. I set myself on this path because I know it's the right thing to do. But that doesn't mean I'm foolish. I know what Carla is. Besides, the land, the house? It's all Ray's. He can do anything he wants with it," she stated bitterly.

Ah! That was my in. She's expected to play the dutiful daughter, but when it comes to ownership or inheritance, she was on her own. She's on the periphery of that family. Ray has set her up to be so insecure that she was afraid to challenge him.

"There's a third option," I pressed.

"What?" she sighed, with a rough exhale.

"Me," I said simply. There went her light buzz. She sat up, but I wasn't going to let this be a repeat of that afternoon at the diner. "Marry me."

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Thank you for reading.

Nichole Stewart FB