Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 89535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Holy shit.
I am thinking about it.
Not even in an abstract way either, as much as I want to trick myself into thinking that.
No, already my brain is trying to come up with logical and feasible options for us.
I want to stay with him. Long term.
That’s more important to me than worrying about details.
It should scare me that there are zero doubts circulating in my head. The voice that usually tries to argue reason is suspiciously silent.
Like with Hades, I just know.
Me and Asher, we were meant to end up here. We were meant to be together. Even when I first saw him and assumed “trouble,” there was always something there. Something that made me look a little longer, a little more carefully.
And now that I see him … I want to keep him.
Possibly forever.
Definitely forever.
This terrible, achy feeling hits me in the chest when I remember the look on Asher’s face at lunch. How his hand tensed over mine. He asked me. Early on, he asked me if I was there to spy on the team, and even though I hadn’t lied, it’s not like I put the truth out there. I barely knew him then.
And now I do know him … I know that Asher is sensitive when it’s anything to do with West interfering.
They’ve only just started to get their relationship to a good level—is this going to send it backward again?
And what about us?
My skin prickles like it’s too tight for my body, and I shift in the uncomfortable waiting room chair to lessen the feeling. It’s not like he’d break up with me over it … right? I mean, it’s not like I’ve been reporting back on him. West’s request literally brought Asher to my attention, and the rest was inevitable. And to be fair, I’m pretty sure I would have been attracted to Asher anyway.
None of the other guys on the hockey team got a second glance from me, and it took me ages even to learn some of their names. Asher is … special.
And if I’ve hurt the feelings he very rarely shows, that’s going to devastate me.
I push up from the chair and pace to the other side of the room, needing to stretch out my tense muscles. I hate uncertainty, which is why I’m always an up-front person, and not being able to talk this out now is making me restless.
My chair is immediately occupied, and there’s still no sign of Asher or Emmett, so I pull out my phone and call Katey. She’s back in Atlanta with her family, but we always check in on Christmas night, so I might as well get it over with now.
Hopefully take my mind off Asher.
“Hello, my beautiful best friend,” she answers, sounding deep into a vat of eggnog.
I chuckle. “You’re enjoying the festive season.”
“I am. Everyone’s here, and I’m stuffed from dinner, and the Christmas lights are so pretty …”
“And you’re drunk off your ass?”
“Yes, but …” Her loving tone turns sharp. “Why aren’t you?”
“Because I had to drive my boyfriend and his little brother to the hospital after an accident at Christmas lunch.”
“What the shit?” Her squeal is loud down the line. “Okay, whoa. Explain. Boyfriend?”
I’ve held off saying anything to her because I wasn’t sure how Katey would respond to me being in an actual couple, rather than just fooling around. “I’m dating Asher. Officially. And I’m actually really happy about it, so this is one of those times where you don’t need to be honest if you disapprove.”
“Aww, baby … listen to you being all gross and loved up. Now you’re making me feel all gross and squishy inside, and you’re lucky I’ve been drinking because I want to crawl down this phone and smoosh you in a hug.”
“Okay, you’re really drunk.”
“I really am. Is the little brother okay?”
“Yeah, pretty sure he’s getting some stitches.”
“What’s with the tone?”
“Tone?”
“The sudden life has me so defeated tone.”
I shake my head. “There was no tone. But yeah, I’m kind of stressing over something, and I want you to talk me down.”
“Shoot.”
I fill her in on what happened over lunch.
She groans. “You didn’t even do anything. If he’s mad at you, I’m going to jump on the next flight back to Vermont and kick his ass.”
“Easy, tiger.”
“I will go for the gonads, Kole. The gonads!”
“I love that you’re trying to make me feel better, but Asher is pretty sensitive about this stuff. The last thing I want is to hurt him.”
“Oh my god. Is my little Kole in love? Oh, this is too precious!”
“Shut your face.”
“Urg, I have to go. The war is about to start.”
“Monopoly?”
“You know it. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”
A reputation. Sure. I know for a fact she cheats—and she isn’t subtle about it. “You do realize you threatening to kick my boyfriend in the balls in no way solved any of my problems, right?”