Chapter 19
Asher
“I think the whole town is excited that they’re starting to see you at some of the local places in Crystal Fork,” Millie gushed as we sat around the table.
We were right in the middle of dinner, and none of my cousins had slowed down on their food consumption.
No doubt Millie had to cook in large portions for these family dinners.
The Remington family could put away a lot of food.
I couldn’t really make fun of Kaleb, Tanner, and Devon, though, since I was eating more than my fair share.
I glanced at Sierra’s plate, which was easy to do because she was sitting right next to me.
She was making good progress on her food, too.
“Not all of them,” I reminded her drily. “There are still some who think that Cole and I killed our father.”
That rumor had been circulating since our father had died decades ago.
The whole Remington family knew that it had been Lauren’s brother who had killed my father, but we’d decided to bury that information because he’d had a damn good reason for killing my father.
The man was dead, and Lauren’s brother didn’t deserve to have his good name tarnished because he’d eliminated an asshole before he’d died.
I’d always hated my father, but I’d wished I actually would have killed him myself when I found out that he’d killed my mother.
Sierra was probably the only person who knew the truth about who had killed my father that didn’t have the last name of Remington.
I’d told her the truth two days ago.
She was my woman, and every other Remington woman knew the truth.
In my mind, there was no reason that Sierra shouldn’t know the truth, too.
Millie waved away my comment. “Sensible people never believed that rumor. Silas hasn’t stopped talking about you fixing his dishwasher. He’s tickled that you stopped by his place.”
“Charlie was happy that you stopped by her restaurant, too,” Kaleb mentioned. “It’s good to see that you’re getting around town, Asher. Maybe we can all meet up at Charlie’s for dinner some night.”
I nodded. “I’d like that.”
I didn’t really have an issue meeting up with my family anymore.
It was the only way I was really going to get to know my cousins.
This dinner didn’t feel overwhelming for me.
It felt like…family.
“I’m thinking it’s about time for a girl’s night, too,” Anna said. “We haven’t had a chance to catch up for a while. We’d miss Lauren if we do it before she comes back, but it would be nice if Sierra could come.”
Sierra smiled at Anna. “Girl’s night?”
Hannah nodded. “We usually meet at my place because I can put Winter down to sleep and spend some time catching up. No men allowed. It would just be me, Anna, Reese, and Lauren if she’s back. It would be great if you could come.”
Tanner snickered. “There will definitely be wine.”
Hannah shot her husband a stop-or-you’re-going-to-be-in-trouble look. “Like you guys don’t have a few beers while you’re hanging out at Devon or Kaleb’s place?”
Tanner gave his wife an innocent look. “There’s nothing wrong with good wine. I just thought I’d mention it.”
“Come hang out with us, Asher,” Kaleb suggested. “We usually play some poker.”
“I wouldn’t mind,” I told him. “But Sierra and I will be away at the end of the week. I have to be at a meeting in Austin, and then we’re going to Houston.”
“We’ll do it when you get back,” Tanner said. “Depending on how long you’ll be gone, Cole might be back by then.”
Devon shot me a knowing look. “You and Sierra are going together?”
“Yeah,” I answered simply.
“Are you two officially a couple now?” he pushed.
I saw Reese elbow her husband, silently telling him he was going too far.
I didn’t mind, and I knew that Devon already thought that situation was inevitable.
“We’re living together now, and we’re a couple.”
I saw Sierra visibly tense next to me, and I hated it.
Did she think I was going to care what my family thought?
“That’s wonderful,” Millie said enthusiastically. “Are we going to be planning another wedding soon?”
She sounded pretty delighted about that idea.
“Millie,” Anna said firmly. “I think it’s a little soon for that. They just started dating.”
Millie smiled unabashedly. “An aunt can hope for her nephew.”
One glance at Sierra told me she was a little uncomfortable.
“We’re dating for now, Millie,” I explained. “Sierra is working on her illustration career, and I’d like a chance to take her on some real dates.”
In my opinion, Sierra and I wouldn’t really be dating until I took her to some places that weren’t just an opportunity for me to get out.
Preferably some nice places that she deserved.
“I’ve seen some of her work,” Millie mentioned as she looked at Sierra. “Actually, I saw it years ago. I was an admirer. You’re an incredible watercolor artist. You stopped for a while.”
I tensed up.
Fuck! I hadn’t planned on this.
I hated that I’d just put Sierra on the spot by mentioning her career.
Before I could try to fix my mistake, Sierra spoke. “I did. Something bad happened in my life, and I couldn’t concentrate well. I didn’t lose my love for creating illustrations, but it was impossible for me to finish a project or do my best work. Things got better for me, and I started again.”
Millie nodded. “I’ve had periods in my life when I couldn’t paint.
Deaths of people close to me and other sad events were hard.
It kills your creativity. I think we know when we need to take a break.
I’m so glad you’re resuming your career.
It would be a shame for talent like yours to be silenced forever. ”
“Thank you, Millie,” Sierra said in a genuinely touched voice. “That means a lot coming from a legendary artist like you.”
“You’ll have a legendary career of your own,” my aunt promised.
My muscles relaxed.
My aunt might be enthusiastic, but she was also intuitive.
She’d obviously sensed that Sierra wasn’t comfortable talking about some of her painful past, and Millie hadn’t pushed.
She’d simply put Sierra at ease and encouraged her.
“I’d love to see your work,” Anna said excitedly.
“I just realized that I think I have a book that you illustrated,” Hannah said in a quiet voice. “I bought it to read to Winter. It has amazing pictures by someone named Sierra Ellis. I didn’t connect you with those illustrations because I didn’t know your last name. Is that you?”
Sierra nodded. “That’s my last name. It has to be me. Nobody else illustrates under that name.”
“The illustrations are magical,” Hannah told Sierra excitedly.
“I’ll show you her website after dinner,” I told Anna.
Millie liked to keep her table a no-phone zone, so we’d all kept ours silenced and in our pockets to respect her wishes.
“You’re all very kind,” Sierra said, her cheeks flushed. “I’m really happy that I’m getting a lot of new projects.”
“Do you have artists in your family?” Millie asked conversationally.
Sierra shook her head. “Not on my mom’s side, but I don’t know about my dad. He was never in the picture. He left my mother when he found out she was pregnant. My mom worked hard. She had her cleaning business, but she was the only employee.”
Asshole!
No wonder things had been tight for Sierra and her mom.
Her so-called father had obviously skipped out on any and all responsibilities to his daughter.
“She sounds like an amazing woman,” Reese said.
“She is,” Sierra replied. “It’s hard to be so far away from her. That’s the only problem with living in Montana now. I miss her.”
Reese laughed. “That really won’t be a problem anymore.
You have a billionaire boyfriend with a billionaire brother and a bunch of billionaire cousins.
That’s a lot of private jets. Any of them can get you there as often as you want.
I’m glad you and Asher are going for a visit.
As a woman who was separated from her parents for way too long, I know how painful that can be. ”
“I don’t need anyone else to fly her,” I grumbled. “She can go to Texas whenever she wants.”
“Am I sensing a little possessiveness?” Devon asked mischievously.
I looked around the table to see everyone else grinning.
Hell, was I that damn obvious?
Yeah, maybe the thought of one of my cousins offering their plane to Sierra did rankle a little.
I mean, it would be fine if that was really necessary for some reason, but I didn’t want her on another jet if mine was available.
I lifted a brow at Devon. “Would you want me to fly your wife somewhere if your own jet was readily available?”
“Probably not,” Devon grumbled. “What if yours wasn’t available?”
I shrugged. “Then I might have to ask for a favor from my brother or one of you.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “Can you all stop with the caveman behavior. We’re extremely capable women. I think we all know how to take a domestic flight if we need to get somewhere.”
“Not happening,” Kaleb said gruffly. “I know how my plane is serviced.”
Hannah snickered, and the rest of the women smiled, including Millie and Sierra.
“Who wants cherry cobbler?” Millie asked as she pushed her plate away.
“I’ll serve it up,” Sierra insisted as she rose from her chair. “You cooked a huge and absolutely delicious meal already. You stay in your chair.”
“I’ll help,” Hannah said as she got up like her ass was on fire.
“Me, too,” Anna said.
“And me,” Reese added.
The women left the dining room before anyone could say another word.
I frowned as I looked at my cousins. “What was that all about?”
All of them grinned.
“That’s our wives dying to talk to Sierra about you two living together,” Devon informed me. “The cobbler might take a while.”
“Do I need to rescue her?” I asked in a concerned voice.
“Nah,” Tanner said. “None of them will push her for anything she doesn’t really want to share.”
“Besides, we have a few questions for you,” Millie said in an ominous voice.
I smiled at her, surprised that I really didn’t mind that I was about to get grilled by my family, too.