Chapter 200

Asher and I held each other on the sidewalk outside of the library for a while. And then we returned to Asher’s room to hold each other in private.

I knew he had gone to see Lamar today, but I had no idea what could have possibly been said to get Asher like this. It had almost seemed like…

“Joseph found me the moment I stepped foot on campus,” he said.

“What?” I sat up abruptly from where we cuddled on the bed.

“He made idle threats,” Asher said. “I made a few less-idle ones of my own.”

“Asher,” I lightly scolded, with no real heat. I knew his protective instincts were overwhelmingly strong, but I didn’t want him to get into any kind of trouble.

He traced a finger down the curve of my cheek. Following his warmth, I returned to my previous position in the curl of his arms.

“His father is Vice President,” Asher said.

I immediately snapped upright again. “What?!”

Twenty minutes later, Asher had finally managed to calm me down. We sat at the small table near the kitchenette now, hands together on the tabletop.

The news had left me shaken, despite twenty minutes of reassurances from Asher.

“With Joseph related to someone so high up, we need to formulate some kind of plan to protect ourselves,” I said. “Who knows how he could use this against us?”

“It seems like they mostly want us to back off,” Asher said. “We’ll take some time to plot our next move, and we’ll make sure to consider this new component.”

He squeezed my hands.

“I promise, Cynthia. We won’t do anything recklessly.”

I wanted to believe him, but Asher had a tendency to act first, think later when my safety was involved.

I sighed.

Maybe what we really needed was a break. From this. From everything.

A chance to have fun, and just be.

“Aimee’s birthday is tomorrow,” I said.

He didn’t seem to mind the sudden subject change. “Should we go buy her a present?”

The question gave me hope. It seemed like Asher wanted a chance to escape too. To a store, at the very least.

“She’s having a party tonight at her mom’s house. Nicole is going. I was planning on it, too. Why don’t you come with us?”

He leaned back into his chair. “I’d like to, but I’m not sure I’m welcome.”

“Are you kidding? You are welcome.” I left the table, only to retrieve my phone from atop the desk. “I’m texting her right now.”

Aimee’s reply was instant. Bring him!!!

I showed the screen to Asher, and he gave a little smile.

“We’ll need an extra good present now,” he said.

I laughed.

When we arrived to Aimee’s mom’s house, even though Aimee was the one who answered the door for us, her mom was the one to burst through and pull me into a big hug.

“It’s so great to see you again! I’m so glad you are here!” Her mom held my face in her hands and kissed both my cheeks. Then her gaze dropped to my belly. “And such news! Look at how you’ve grown!”

She turned to Aimee. “Don’t be rude, Aimee. Invite them inside!”

Aimee pushed past her mom to hug me and smile at Asher.

“Come on,” she said. “Nicole’s already here.”

Together, the four of us ate dinner and played board games. I was fairly certain that Aimee’s mom, who was also the banker, was cheating, but no one seemed to mind. Not even Aimee, who merely rolled her eyes.

We laughed and talked. Aimee’s mom pulled out the photo album and showed us embarrassing photos from Aimee’s childhood that made her whole face redden, even to the tips of her ears.

It was sweet, watching Aimee and her mom tease each other. They had the kind of loving mother-daughter relationship I had always wished I could have.

I was happy to witness such a loving little family, but it also made my heart ache.

Before long, it was too much to bear, and I excused myself. I went out into the backyard for some fresh air.

Before I could close the sliding glass door behind me, Asher was there, letting himself out behind me.

“You seemed upset,” he said.

I was, but I felt embarrassed about it. I wanted to be happy for my friend, but my own sour feelings made that happiness bittersweet.

We sat down at the end of the deck, with our feet dangling down the stair.

Softly, as the sun set and the stars began to shine, I admitted, “I wish my mom was like that.”

Asher didn’t say anything, but he did look at me. I knew he was offering to listen, if I wanted him to.

“My whole life, I’ve tried so hard to keep my family happy. I wanted nothing more than to please my parents. And I like to think, at least for a while, that maybe I did please them.”

I curled my hands around the curves of my knees.

“I don’t know what will happen when Mom finds out I’m pregnant.” The ache in my chest bloomed outward, filling me with a sense of foreboding. “She might disown me.”

Asher reached out and took one of my hands in his.

He didn’t say anything, but what could he say? Nothing would make my brittle relationship with my mom better.

Asher was here for me, offering me silent support.

That was enough.

As the night settled in, while Nicole and Aimee set up a bonfire in the backyard. Aimee’s mom waited for it to be lit before she hugged each of us goodnight and disappeared into the house.

In her absence, Nicole’s eyes sparkled with mischief.

“What is it?” I was almost too afraid to ask.

She clapped her hands together. “It’s time for Truth or Dare!”

Aimee gasped. “Can we?”

I looked at Asher. He shrugged.

“It’s okay with me,” I said.

Ten minutes later, we were in a circle, laughing over our fairly innocent answers.

Nicole’s most embarrassing moment, as it turned out, was when she accidentally released all the chickens at the fair, and then tried to chase them all back into their cages before anyone noticed.

In the end, she’d only managed to recover one, who had squawked at the indignity.

All the rest were later gathered by their original owners, unharmed.

So far no one had risked picking dare. I certainly didn’t, especially with Asher here! And with the way Nicole’s eyes sparkled in mischievous delight.

But now, it was Asher’s turn to answer, Nicole’s turn to ask.

I worried my hands together nervously.

Aimee elbowed me to get my attention, then gave me a wink. That didn’t make me feel better!

“Okay, Asher,” Nicole said. “Truth or dare.”

“Truth,” he said. If he was feeling any kind of nervousness himself, he was masterfully hiding it. He seemed cool as ever, resting peacefully in the grass.

Nicole’s smile stretched wide. “Okay, your question is…” She looked at me as she asked. “Are you in love with anyone?”

At once, my heart leapt in my chest. I pressed my hand over it, making sure it hadn’t escaped through my ribcage.

I desperately wanted to know the answer, but just as much, I didn’t.

What if he loved me? What if he didn’t?

What if he loved someone else?

Ugly jealous swirled within me.

He was taking a long time to answer.

I looked at him and found him watching me.

Nicole cleared her throat. “Well? What’s your answer?”