Chapter 19 – Asher
Nineteen
PRESENT DAY
ASHER
Two Days Later
The Start of Wedding Week #2
Something is off with this entire situation…
Whenever I met with potential clients, I could sense their uneasiness the moment they stepped into the room. It followed them like a cloud as they settled in front of me.
And no matter how much small talk they attempted to make at first, I could see the pain and fear in their eyes long before they ever uttered, “I can’t go through with this.”
With Michelle, I wasn’t seeing a thing.
I’d been racking my brain for days, trying to find anything strange I might’ve missed in the years she’d been around my brother—except for the fact that she seemed to like true crime podcasts a little too much. That, and she suffered from hopeless romantic syndrome just like Katie.
But every day she sent Katie new “SOS” messages, as if things were not as they seemed.
Either she was one hell of an actress, or I was losing my touch.
I pulled up Michelle’s “Best Bride Ever” itinerary and saw that she had an afternoon massage scheduled at the spa.
After that, she had jet-skiing and “couple time” with my brother.
* * *
I slipped through the spa’s doors at the exact moment Michelle stepped out.
“Hey there, Asher!” She smiled. “Come here for a second.”
I stepped forward and she pulled two ribbons from her pocket.
“Do you think I should go with the tulle ribbon or the satin for the dinner menus?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “The guests won’t notice the difference.”
“That’s not the point,” she said. “This is the most important day of my life and everything—and I do mean everything—has to be perfect.”
“Why don’t you ask your wedding planner?”
“I did,” she said. “She left me with these two choices, and I feel like that makes it even harder, you know?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I have no idea.”
“Just throw out a choice for me, Asher.”
“Tulle.”
“Okay, so satin.” She smiled. “Thank you.”
“We need to talk about something,” I said. “Something extremely personal.”
“If it’s about your brother funding that ridiculous teenager’s startup company right after we get married, I already know,” she said. “I’ve already tried talking him out of it.”
“This is about you breaking my brother’s heart.”
“What?”
“You’re happy, right?” I asked.
She blinked. “Of course I am.”
“Good.” I held her gaze. “Because it’d be a shame if you weren’t honest about that.”
She suddenly froze, and the ribbons slipped from her fingers.
“If you don’t want to marry him, just tell him before the rest of the guests get to the resort,” I said.
“Okay, seriously.” She looked genuinely confused. “What the hell are you talking about, Asher?”
“You of all people should know better than to drag this thing out and change your mind at the last minute.”
“Doesn’t that make you a bit of a hypocrite, given that’s exactly how you make a living?”
“No, but glad you’re not playing stupid anymore.” I narrowed my eyes. “I will make sure you regret betraying him for the rest of your life if you pull this shit after today,” I said. “Just tell him.”
“Tell him what, Asher?”
“Stop playing dumb.” I spoke slowly. “I will make your life a living hell if you don’t handle this. Today.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“I’m making you a personal guarantee.”
“Um…” She cleared her throat. “How much have you had to drink today?”
“I’m one hundred percent sober.”
“He’s not a day drinker,” a familiar voice said from behind. “You know that, babe. This evening will probably be a different story for him, though.”
Chris suddenly stepped between us, pulling her into his arms for a kiss she didn’t deserve. Then he moved to her side.
“Am I interrupting a secret conversation?” he asked.
“Not at all,” she said. “Your brother was just threatening me if I chose not to marry you.”
“Oh.” Chris smiled. “Good to know. Ready to go jet-skiing?”
“Beyond ready.” She shot me a final look. “Go take a chill pill, Asher.”