Trail To Abiding Love

By Emeree Rosewood

Ian is a hard man. His childhood made him that way. Raised by an unloving aunt and uncle, he isn't sure he will ever know true love or if it even exists.

Ashton is a young lady who has made choices in her life to honor herself, God, and her grandmother. These choices are tested when she literally is carried away by Ian Black. His good looks and charm are enough to make her rethink who she knows she really is.

Will Ashton give in to temptation, or will she remain strong? Find out how each of their past relationships bring together an unlikely couple and the love that is formed through adversity, fate, and a little help from their friends.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886447378

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Chapter 1: Man of My Dreams

Chapter 2: Tough Childhood

Chapter 3: Get Me Out of Here

Chapter 4: Carried Away

Chapter 5: Not You Again

Chapter 6: Out of Her League?

Chapter 7: The Theater

Chapter 8: Everywhere

Chapter 9: How Are You Getting Home?

Chapter 10: Staying or Leaving?

Chapter 11: She Almost Blew It

Chapter 12: Moving So Fast

Chapter 13: Closure

Chapter 14: Moth to the Flame

Chapter 15: Out of Control or Take Charge?

Chapter 16: Getting Answers

Chapter 17: The Bear

Chapter 18: Threats Made

Chapter 19: Protective

Chapter 20: Too Much Too Soon

Chapter 21: He Knew

Chapter 22: Company?

Chapter 23: Words Finally Spoken

Chapter 24: Speed Dial… Slow Down

Chapter 25: Protecting His Princess

Chapter 26: Don't Fade

Chapter 27: One-Woman Man

Chapter 28: The Proposal and Secret Shared

Chapter 29: Wedding Preparations

Chapter 30: The Wedding and the Perfect Gift

Chapter 31: The Honeymoon

Epilogue: A Cherished Life

About the Author

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Trail To Abiding Love

Emeree Rosewood

ISBN 979-8-88644-736-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88644-737-8 (Digital)

Copyright © 2023 Emeree Rosewood

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Trial to Abiding love is dedicated to my sweet daughter. I wrote this book with her in mind. She is an inspiration to so many as she lives out her faith no matter what others think. She is a precious gift that God gave to me and I am forever grateful for such a treasure. I love you, baby girl!

Chapter 1

Man of My Dreams

Ashton

She opened her eyes, blinking, trying to clear the fog from her dream-filled night. Ashton was struggling to clear her thoughts and bring them back to the reality that could in no way be as good as the dream she was drawn from when the phone chimed.

In her dream, there was a warm breeze blowing the strands of her hair that had escaped a messy bun, sun shining down on the white sand of the beach as the waves ebbed and flowed, and she was in his arms. He was tall, maybe six feet two inches to her five foot seven inches. His hair was deep chestnut brown, and his eyes had a tenderness to them as if he could see into her soul.

He was holding her with one arm around her waist and the other caressing her cheek with his knuckles. The touch of his hand to her skin sent awareness throughout her body. His expression one of deep devotion and love as he beheld her with such intensity, she was powerless to look away.

They were so close, their foreheads were near to touching, and she could feel his breath upon her face as he stood there, as if mesmerized by all that was her. She had her arms wrapped around his shoulders, running her fingers through his hair with one hand.

She could feel his body pressed against her. The dream was so real that her heart felt full to overflowing in this dream state, but as she became more cognizant, these feelings turned to disappointment.

She turned to lie flat on her back and stared at the ceiling, blowing out a frustrated breath. She had been having this dream over and over for several weeks. She tried everything she could to keep the dream from occurring from trying to clear her mind before she went to sleep, trying fill up her mind before she laid her head down for the night. She even started reading more books before she went to sleep and on and on. She tried so many things. At this point, she was ready to give up trying.

It seemed the harder she tried to elevate the beauty that was only hers in her subconscious while she was sleeping, the more vivid the dream became. Her dream about a man she really didn't know started out as a brief encounter on the beach, but each night, the scene became more intense, more vivid. She had never been to this beach before, she loved taking time away at the beach. It was one of her favorite getaway spots, but this particular beach wasn't from anywhere she had been before or even seen pictures of.

She had never been one to have dreams that she awoke from and still remembered or even felt the effects from. However, this dream was so real that she awoke feeling flushed, heart beating rapidly and still feeling the drizzling effect of their lips almost meeting. This morning when she awoke, he had been on the verge of kissing her. She could feel it. She could sense it. She could see it in his eyes as he looked deep through hooded lids into hers. She could still see the desire in his eyes even in her lucid state.

What was wrong with her? Why was she dreaming of him repeatedly? He, the man who came to life in her dreams, didn't know she existed not really, sure she had spoken to him repeatedly as in Good morning. What would you like today? with her normal sweet smile and easy way about her.

Then he would respond in his usual deep baritone voice, The red eye, Ian. That was it. He did not return her, Good morning. It wasn't that he was rude, but he wasn't overly friendly either.

The first time she saw him had been four weeks ago when she started working for her mother's friend Cherry, the owner of Cherry Bean Coffee House. The coffeehouse was located smack-dab in the middle between her apartment and the university. Ashton had worked her courses so that she didn't have any early classes and could be available to work most days as Cherry had need.

She had worked for Cherry before when she was in high school, but when she went away to college for her bachelor's degree, she had chosen to leave home and get a feel for the real world. This said, real world had not been all it was cracked up to be. Thus, Ashton returned close to her hometown after she graduated and was living on the outskirts of Seattle.

Now she was doing some freelance work from home, working part-time for Cherry, and going to or taking online classes to get her master's degree in English literature. The tips were considerable at the coffeehouse, and Ashton's sweet, friendly personality helped these to only increase.

She was very efficient, orderly, and smart as a whip. Only twice the entire time she had worked for Cherry previously had she made a mess of the orders, and both times, she had been distracted by her best friend Melody. Cherry hated to have to, but she had to ask that Melody not hang around during the busy times, and at Cherry Bean Coffee House, one of two coffeehouses in the town on the outskirts of Seattle, it was always busy.

Ian, which was all she knew him by, came in at precisely eight o'clock every weekday morning. He hadn't missed a day since Ashton had returned to the coffeehouse.

She started working on a Monday morning two weeks before classes started. She wanted to get a routine down somewhat before adding more to her already busy schedule, so Cherry had agreed for her to jump in a couple weeks before she really needed her to begin. Cherry employed several university students, and a couple had graduated and were moving on. This left open positions, which Ashton filled one of.

He walked in at eight o'clock that first Monday morning that Ashton was working in well-fitted black slacks, a light-blue button-up shirt, no tie, and top button was open. He had expensive Italian leather shoes on and walked with nothing but self-assured confidence. Just his presence screamed sex appeal and all things man. He had an aura about him that gave the impression he was not to be trifled with, not in a wild sort of way but a way that spoke all things control.

She stood there when he came in and stared—outright stared—as he took his place in line. He was none the wiser because he was scrolling through his phone. Ashton was drawn from her perusal of said hot guy by Cherry who cleared her throat somewhere from behind Ashton. When she did, Ashton realized a lady standing on the other side of the counter giving her the stink eye.

The lady was perfection in lady form. She had the perfect figure, the perfect facial features, the perfect hair. She was all things that Ashton knew herself not to be, and she was not happy. Ashton knew she had zoned out when he walked in, but she didn't think it had been so long that this lady perfect should be so annoyed, but whatever. Ashton wasn't one to let someone's bad attitude dictate her day, so she went about her normal routine.

Good morning. What can I get for you this morning? Ashton said in her cheerful normal Ashton way.

I want a large venti caramel crunch frappe with only three bananas and extra caramel, Lady Perfect said with a sneer on her face but a wicked gleam in her eye.

Ashton wasn't sure why she was getting this look but didn't think on it too long. She had a line to the door, and this lady needed to be moved along. Name please? Ashton asked

Sara, no H, and he's out of your league, darling, so keep your grubby eyes in your head Lady Perfect said with audacity.

Ashton didn't know how to respond to such a statement, especially from a perfect stranger, so she again let it roll off her back, took the next large-sized cup, wrote Sara without an H on it, and passed the order to Cherry to complete so she could concentrate on moving the line along.

One of the reason's most people went the Cherry Bean was for the fast service. Ashton was the only one taking the orders, but there were three in the background moving them out as quick as possible.

Finally, Sara No H moved to the pickup area, and Ashton was able to move the line along as planned. Then there he was right in front of her. She had been looking down as the previous customer stepped away, and when she moved her head and eyes up, she took a waist-up body scan of all things man perfection. It wasn't like she did it on purpose. It just happened that way, but as her eyes came to his face, Sara No H came strolling over to him and placed her hand on his forearm.

Morning, Ian. Haven't heard from you in a while. Hope everything is okay, she said with saccharine-sweet exuberance and a sweet smile to boot.

Sara, was all she got from him, and if Ashton wasn't mistaken, it was through clenched teeth.

"I heard American in Paris is playing at the theater in Seattle at the Fifth Avenue starting Saturday. I have two tickets if you want to come with," Sara No H said as she was rubbing her fingertips up and down on his arm.

He moved ever so slightly so that she was no longer touching him as he replied, Don't think so, but thanks for the invite, the entire time never looking at her, only looking straight ahead at Ashton.

Ashton was standing there, taking the entire interaction in, and hadn't even asked him for his order. This, she realized by the look on his face, was what he was waiting for so he could remove himself from Sara No H. He obviously was not a fan, so Ashton finally got over her inability to speak or look away. Good morning! What would you like this morning? she said with a smile that reached her eyes as she gazed into his.

Red eye, Ian, was all she got; no smile, no grimace, no frills—just the basic of information.

She sent his order back, took his money, and when she went to hand him his change, their hands brushed ever so slightly. When they touched, the both of them looked up. She thought she saw a glimmer in his eye, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared, if it even appeared to begin with, and his look became confused somewhat.

Ashton thought for sure her eyes were just playing tricks on her. Why would Mr. Ian Perfection have a glimmer in his eye for Ms. Ashton Commoner? She decided in a quick moment that he wouldn't, so she brushed the thought away but made sure to get a glimpse of his backside as he strolled out the door in all his confident and self-assured manner.

That was the first time she had ever seen Red Eye, Ian Mr. Perfection. However, it was not the last. She found he came every day, eight o'clock sharp, ordered the same drink in the same manner, but now it seemed he made sure to use his credit card each time.

Ashton dismissed this as being because she had touched him when she gave him his change the first day. She knew she was in no way the caliber of woman Mr. Red Eye, Ian Perfection would even be remotely interested in, so she chalked it up to the fact that he rarely carried cash. No big deal. Most people paid with a card. It was commonplace nowadays, so she let that one roll off her back as well.

Anyway, ever since that first day she saw him, she had been having dreams about him, which were growing with intensity nightly. What was Ashton going to do? She was now having difficulty keeping her emotions and facial expressions in check when he came at eight o'clock sharp every weekday. She didn't know if he came on weekends at eight o'clock sharp because Cherry had agreed that she would not schedule Ashton on weekends so she would use that time to catch up on her freelance work, rest, or go hiking like she loved to do.

Ashton had been raised in Issaquah, Washington. It was a beautiful town with the nickname of trailhead city because of all its network of lakes and mountains. When Ashton wanted peace and quiet, she would put on her hiking boots, fill her backpack with the necessities, and head off to one of her favorite spots.

She loved to get away on vacation to the beach. She had gone away to experience the real world. She had wanted to go someplace where there was nightlife, a day life, and a beach. There had to be a beach since she had been surrounded by mountains her entire life. She felt that she needed to experience something different, so she went to a university in Los Angeles that was right on the beach. There definitely was nightlife, a day life, and a beach.

There were also a lot of people. Ashton found that she could survive around a lot of people if she had alone time at the beach. However, there was never alone time at the beach; there were always people around.

So survive was what she had done. She received a full ride, so there were no student loans or postgraduate expenses. This was a good thing being she was now on her own, renting an apartment, and working essentially two jobs while attending classes to further her education. No way would she have been able to pay student loans on top of that.

Today was Saturday. Ashton had awoken in a state after her dream with Mr. Red Eye, Ian Perfection and needed to get out in the fresh air. She was momentarily caught up on her homework, which hadn't really kicked in heavily yet being as school had just started a couple of weeks ago. She knew from reviewing her syllabus she was headed toward a time when she would have little free time in the next few months. She had her freelance work and did not want to be without for long because it essentially paid the bills. She knew a few hours away from it would actually benefit her editing because the hike would clear her mind and give it a reset.

She made a quick decision after her disappointment set in that she would not—most assuredly would not—sit around her apartment today. She wanted to be busy so she wouldn't get roped into some plan or the other her mother would dream up to fill up Ashton's life. A way to get you out of the house and meet interesting people, her mother would say. What she meant was a way to get her to get out of the house and meet an interesting guy.

Ashton wasn't opposed to meeting a guy. She wasn't opposed to even dating, but she had just been so busy with school and work that she hadn't taken the time to let herself go there again. It had been a long while, and the pain that she endured she still felt even though she was finally at a place that she was moving past what he had done to her and how it ended in such a difficult way.

Ashton finally moved herself from her bed, jumped in the shower, got dressed, put on her hiking boots, grabbed her backpack, adding a couple of bottles of water and a sandwich with some fruit, and she was out the door. She took the stairs instead of the elevator. She wanted to keep herself in shape. She didn't do this for her body to look good in the eyes of others because that was just plain crazy but so she could feel good and be able to be active without growing tired before the fun even began. She had been escaping to the trails since she was old enough to be let out to do so alone.

She and her friend Melody used to meet at the peak they called it. It was an overlook that was breathtaking no matter how many times you saw it. They would have picnics there before they would spend hours exploring the trials and lakes. The water was always cold, but Ashton also had been known to take a swim even when there were no-swimming signs everywhere. She had lived this way for so long, it was commonplace to keep a towel and change of underwear in her bag as well as a T-shirt just in case there were others around and she couldn't swim in her underwear.

Ashton didn't really care what others thought of her. It wasn't that she was conceited or anything of that nature. It was that this just seemed to be how God created her to be. She had never known any differently. Thus, the normal drama that other females found themselves in during high school and some even in college, she walked away from without effect. It wasn't that she didn't care about people because she did care, and she cared deeply when she gave you a part of herself, but she had been blessed with a no-drama attitude, and it had proved to be a great advantage to her on more than one occasion.

So down the steps she went out to the trails to breathe the fresh fall air and get her mind off her fantasy man. Would she be able to put a stop the movie playing over and over in her head from her dream? She sure hoped so.

She said a prayer as she was on her way. Lord, please grant me a sound mind this day. Help me to rid my thoughts of things that are needless and of thoughts of people who do not exist in my world. Please grant me your grace to move past these crazy dreams.

Chapter 2

Tough Childhood

Ian

Ian Black was a hard, very private man who worked endlessly at keeping others at arm's length. He did not come from a close family. He was not raised in a loving environment. Ian had been raised by his uncle and aunt after his parents had gone missing on a business trip in the Middle East when Ian was six years old.

His parents were loving, from what he could remember. they cherished him and his little sister Amelia. However, that ended abruptly before it ever became a norm for either of the siblings. Ian's parents, Fredrick and Estelle Black, had been successful in the business that had been passed down from Fredrick's father, a real estate millionaire. Fredrick was an only child. Therefore, when he went missing, the board of directors took over the company until Ian was of age to be able to step into his father's shoes.

Estelle's sister Roseley and her husband, Sam, were not close to Ian's family because Sam felt that he was owed since he was married to a millionaire's sister, and he was always hitting them up for money or to get in on this or that scheme. This caused friction between the sisters. Unfortunately, when the time came when Ian and Amelia needed a home, Sam and Roseley were the only option for relatives to take over their care.

What caused Ian and Amelia's childhood to not be all that the Blacks had intended was that the money did not come with the children the way that Sam insisted it to be. No, the money was safeguarded for such a time as would come when they were of age to take over the company. Therefore, only the necessary amounts needed to provide for the youngsters were given as a stipend monthly.

Sam resented Fredrick and Estelle for hoarding their money, as he would say, and he took this out on Ian and Amelia. He was never physically abusive, but he was most certainly mentally and emotionally abusive. He provided just the bare necessities to them. They never had designer clothes or extras that most children raised by wealthy parents would have because Sam used all but what had to be spent on them to gamble, drink, and all things excessive for himself.

Roseley was a different story. She was loving in the beginning until Sam figured out she was spoiling Ian and Amelia, and he put a stop to it immediately. Sam and Roseley had one child, a boy by the name of Robert. Robert was two years older than Ian, and he caught on rather quickly that Ian and Amelia were beneath him. So through the years, the mental and emotional abuse came from Sam, Robert and lack of emotion whatsoever came from Roseley. She quit trying to fight the battle that Sam would cause every time she tried to show kindness to the siblings. Thus, Ian came to adulthood a hard man, one who did not really know how to show kindness and absolutely did not have a clue what real love looked like.

Ian had tossed and turned all night. He kept having the same dream over and over about a girl he hardly knew. He had never dreamed or he never remembered his dreams if he did. However, this dream was extremely vivid, and this dream would pick up each night and grow into more.

Ian never lacked for female company, if he so wished. He was a very handsome man but not conceited in any way. He just knew that women were always drawn to him, and if he desired, he would use that to his advantage.

As he became of age and moved out from his uncle's house to go to college, he learned more about the world, more about his father's business, and more about himself outside of who his uncle declared him to be. He realized he was gifted academically and in business, as if it were a God-given trait. He played upon this, graduated early, and went on to get his master's degree before he stepped into the running of Black International. His upbringing had taught him something even if it had been a long, hard road. It had taught him not to bow to anyone. It had taught him not to allow another to dictate who you are or who you can become. It had taught him that not everything comes easy.

He used the things he had learned to benefit him in the world-renowned company he now presided over as the CEO and became one of the most elusive and reclusive businessmen known in the business world. Ian did not need another person outside of his sister and his three best friends. He and his sister were very close. He doted on her and essentially took the role of parent even though there were only three years difference in their ages. He knew what horrible things she endured emotionally at the hands of their so-called family, and he vowed he would do everything within his power to overcome the demons that took hold in her mind during this time.

He had met his three best friends Jackson, Alaric, and Bain in college. They became so close to him that he considered them family as well. They all stepped into their family business or started their own straight out of college. This caused them to be extremely busy men, but they had decided upon graduation that they would make time for one another as much as possible.

Ian lay in bed for a while. It was Saturday, wasn't it? He could take a few moments of downtime. He startled himself with this train of thought because Ian was a self-motivated man who pushed himself beyond even his own limits at times. This was one of the reasons he seldom went out to socialize.

Another reason he seldom went out to socialize was because he would be around the same group of people it seemed. He could not get a breath of fresh air through meeting diverse groups of people outside the circle he seemed to be stuck with. His position and wealth brought about certain types of people in his social circles, thus the interaction with Sara No H in the coffeehouse the day before. He had taken her out as a friend with a group of friends, not even a real date, and she had been clingy ever since. He detested her character; she came from money, as did most of the others in their social circle.

For the most part, these people he interacted with had been raised not even realizing there was a whole other world out there where people had to actually work for their money. Thus, the attitude that they could have whatever they wanted was pushed on Ian time and time again by women like Sara.

The dream that kept coming each night to Ian was preoccupying his thoughts when he didn't need to have his thoughts preoccupied. However, as he lay there on the bed, giving himself a moment before he got up to start his day, he realized he needed to break the monotony and do something different today. Maybe that would help him refresh his mental state and thus elevate these bizarre dreams that kept coming to him each night.

This thought process led Ian to decide to do something he had not done in some time: he was going to get away from the city and go for a run on the hiking trails. Normally, Ian ran on his treadmill in his exercise room—alone, as he liked it. It was another means of control in his life. He so demanded to have control over all things. Today, however, he would get out in the fresh air and scenery that he usually didn't take the time to even realize exist.

After finally making this decision, Ian got up out of bed, took care of his morning