Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“How’s he doing?” I ask quietly, as Ash flips the eggs in the frying pan like a pro.
“Hanging in there, I guess.” He shrugs.
“Are you okay?” I know Asher doesn’t have much of a relationship with John, and I know he plays it off like he couldn’t care less, but deep down, he does care. He has to. He’s twenty-one years old and about to be parent-less. That would be hard on anyone. Something dark passes over his features, but then it’s gone, leaving me to wonder if I imagined it.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Just making sure.”
Ash loads up three plates with eggs—sunny side up—bacon, and toast. I walk one of them over to John so he can eat in his chair. Asher sets our plates at the table in the kitchen. Risking his wrath, I snatch his plate from under his nose and grab my own before bringing them to the coffee table in the living room. Next to John. Ash isn’t happy about it, but he follows suit, glaring all the way.
“So, you two have become fast friends, I see,” Ash says, his accusation clear, but if he’s looking for a reaction from John, he’s not getting one. Like father, like son, I think. Both of the Kelley men are so adept at keeping their emotions concealed. They aren’t easily ruffled, at least on the exterior.
“Yep,” John mumbles around a mouthful of food. “Got our BFF necklaces and everything. You jealous?”
Ash lets out an unamused huff.
“The house looks good,” I note. It’s much cleaner than it used to be, and it’s mostly packed up. I can’t help but feel a little sad thinking about it. I can’t imagine preparing for my own death. Seeing my entire life reduced to a few boxes. Trying to make amends before it’s too late. My heart hurts for both of them.
“Mostly Asher’s doing,” John says. “He’s been sorting through everything, cleaning, packing, you name it.”
I’m slightly thrown by the almost-compliment, until he tacks on, “Anything to avoid actually talking to his old man, right?” He laughs it off, self-deprecating as always, but I sense the pain behind his words. I know Asher is conflicted. You wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at him, but I know him. His words are his weapons, but when it comes to his father, he doesn’t always bite back, and that speaks volumes. I want him to give John another chance, but that doesn’t mean he should ever, for one second, feel guilty about not being able to forgive him.
“Two months of sobriety doesn’t erase the past six years,” I say, shocking even myself. It just slips out. “I didn’t mean to say that,” I confess, eyes wide. “But it doesn’t make it any less true.”
“She’s right,” John says after a beat of silence. “I’m glad you have someone in your corner.” Then he goes back to eating as if nothing ever happened.
Ash squeezes my knee, and I let out a relieved breath. That little gesture says more than words ever will.
“Do you want to go somewhere with me?” Ash asks, catching me off guard.
“Now?”
“Right now. I want to show you something.”
I beam at him.
“Let’s go.”
Chapter 11
Asher
I glance down at Briar’s sleeping form. She’s so tiny that she’s curled right up on the bench of my truck with her head on my lap, living up to her namesake. When I asked her if she wanted to go somewhere, she wasn’t prepared for a twelve-hour drive. I’ve done it so many times that it’s nothing to me. Once we left my dad’s house, we stopped at Briar’s to pack a bag and change our clothes, then we were off.
After spending time with her at my dad’s, without fear of anyone seeing us, I decided I needed more of that feeling. We wouldn’t have to sneak around, I wouldn’t have to share her with other people, and most of all, I’d get to fuck her whenever I wanted.
I shoot Dare a text, informing him that we’re close. The air has turned crisp, the roads windy, and the pine trees outnumber the people.
“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” I say, tucking her hair behind her ear. She lets out a sleepy moan, and the sound goes straight to my cock.
“Where are we?” she asks, rubbing her eyes.
“Almost there. I didn’t want you to miss this,” I say, gesturing to the scenery that’s vastly different from Arizona. Everything is green, and there’s nothing but mountains and pine trees, as far as the eye can see.
“It’s beautiful,” she says. “I can see why you stayed so long.”
“It’s a lot better than the alternative.”
“Arizona isn’t that bad.” She laughs.
“Not Arizona,” I surprise myself by admitting.
“Then what do you mean? Where else did you go?”
“With my uncle in Southern California, at first.”
“You have an uncle?” she asks, her nose crinkling in confusion.