“Hi, sweetie. What have you had your head down doing?”
I pull her into a hug. “Just some work things to finish up. I promise I’m yours the next two days.” Mom worries about Gray, Conn, and me working too much. She’s probably right to worry, but it takes dedication, hard work, and a lot of hours to be successful. Yet the only thing she sees is a husband taken from her too early because he dedicated his life to his company. A company that I now run.
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Kissing her head, I release her. Grabbing a cold one from the fridge, I twist off the top and take a long pull.
“Anyone special snag your attention yet, Asher?” she asks.
Why are mothers always trying to marry you off? I’ll tell you why in one word: grandchildren.
I look around to see if anyone else heard her question and it doesn’t appear they did. “Possibly,” I reply softly, not wanting anyone else to hear. “But keep it on the down low, okay?”
She winks and I smile. I fucking love my mother.
I notice Gray and Livia sitting at the kitchen table. They appear to be going over a checklist of sorts. Probably more wedding shit. I don’t know how he has the patience to go through all that crap. When I get married, whatever my wife wants, she’ll get. Wait…did I just think when?
“You look nice, brother,” Conn quips, a smug smirk on his face. I mouth, “fuck you” while throwing up my middle finger. Behind my mother’s back, of course.
“I’m meeting some of the guys at Stubby’s later. You coming?”
“Who?” I ask, just to be conversational. I have no intention of going. I plan on spending the whole evening with Alyse. If she’ll let me. Even if she doesn’t, I don’t really have any desire to spend an evening with a bunch of old high school people who I couldn’t care less about. Everything I care about is in this room right here. With the exception of one person. I find myself mulling over that thought when Conn answers.
“Alan, Bud, Mark. The usual.”
“I have plans.” At that declaration, Gray’s head snaps in my direction. The withering look he gives does the opposite of what it’s supposed to do. I laugh. He whispers something to Livia, then stands, making his way to me.
“Can I talk to you for a second? Alone?”
I roll my eyes, but follow him into the darkened sunroom anyway, far away from the prying ears of others.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he hisses.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I told you to stay away from Alyse.”
I just chuckle. “Yes, you did.”
“Then what do you think you’re doing? That’s Livvy’s sister you’re fucking with.”
Amusement is quickly replaced by anger. “First of all, this is none of your goddamn business, Gray. Second of all, I would never hurt Alyse. I like her.”
“Yes, Asher. I’m familiar with your definition of ‘like’. Can’t you find someone else to wet the wick in besides her?”
I get right in my brother’s angry face, mine a perfect mirror. My voice comes out low and threatening, which is exactly how I feel. My older brother may be bigger and can likely to beat me in a fight, but I’ll get in a few good hits before I go down. If he’s lucky, his face will be healed before his wedding day. “You’d better watch how you talk about her.”
Surprise quickly flashes in his eyes. He takes a deep breath, slowly letting it out. “I don’t want Alyse to get hurt.”
While I somewhat deserve that jab, it stings nonetheless. I admit that since Natalie, I haven’t been willing to give a woman more than one or two dates—fucks, whatever—but Alyse is different. I know that already. Trust me, I’ve been struggling with it for two long months, warring with myself on how, or if, I pursue this intense attraction I have for her.
But no matter what I do, I cannot get her out of my head. She’s like a fucking magnet and I’m inexplicably drawn to her, exactly as I was so many years ago. I like her. I don’t want to hurt her. And for the first time since Natalie, I find myself wanting someone to like me back. That’s some scary shit.
“And what about me?” I ask quietly.
“What about you?”
“What about me getting hurt? Do you care about that?” I sit heavily on the couch behind me and drop my gaze from Gray’s. I have no idea how Alyse feels about me. After today, there’s no doubt she’s attracted to me, but does it go beyond physical? After two months of doing nothing but thinking about her, now that I’ve seen her again today, I know it’s more than physical for me.