Chapter 24
EVERYBODY JUST CHILL
RAYA
After spending a blissful weekend wrapped up in each other, I’m not ready to re-enter the real world on Monday morning.
Zuri keeps sending me skeptical looks and treating me to passive aggressive comments about safety and vampires and taking care of myself and “whatever you think is best” or “as long as you’re sure” types of remarks.
“Okay, how about I bring him around sometime?” I say with a huff. “That way you can see for yourself that Asher isn’t some big, bad, evil vampire lord set on taking advantage of me and slowly sucking me dry or whatever.”
Reverie shrieks with glee. “Can you take me shopping? I need to buy a new outfit to meet him! It has to be perfect.”
Meanwhile, Zuri begrudgingly mumbles something that sounds as close to agreement as I’m likely to get, so I nod once at them both and grab a muffin, heading out the door for work seventeen minutes early.
I opt to wait in line at the local coffee shop around the corner so I can avoid interacting with others for a little longer.
I’m already people’ed out and this day has barely even started.
When I slump into the office with what I’m sure is an unconvincing smile plastered on my face, Alex immediately notices.
“What’s with you?” they ask, and I shrug.
“Mondays, am I right?” I say, hoping the deflection will get them to leave me alone.
“You got that right," Kendall is the one who grumbles a reply.
I glance at Asher’s empty desk as I open my laptop.
“I heard he won’t be in this morning, not sure why though," Alex says, apparently noticing my question before I voice it.
I simply nod in reply, figuring that sounds about right. Of course the only good thing in my day wouldn’t work out. When it rains, it pours, or whatever.
Feeling a tingle, I close my eyes and focus my breathing. Unfortunately, when I open my eyes, my eyesight has changed. Similarly to how it did on the plane when headed to San Diego, my sight seems to have sharpened with the colors all slightly warped.
I sigh. At least it’s not something super obvious. I angle my face down and focus on this email, letting the shift sort itself out.
As I step out of the building for my lunch break, a hand snatches my wrist and I shriek as I collide with a hard chest.
“Did you miss me, sunshine?”
The familiar rumble of Asher’s voice reaches my ears, and I punch my fist against his pec where both hands have landed.
“Asher, ugh. Don’t do that, you scared me," I grumble as I pull away from him.
When I look up, his face morphs into concern and confusion as his eyebrows draw together, the sides of his lips turning down.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, voice rough.
I fold my arms tight around myself, hugging my jacket to my chest as I walk down the sidewalk.
“Nothing. Just a stupid Monday," I say, then continue when I hear him following me. “Where were you this morning, anyway?”
“I had something to do.”
I huff and quicken my stride.
Typical male response.
Asher catches up and matches my pace, then softly asks if he can walk with me. Glancing up, I see the concern lingering in the tightness of his shoulders.
I shrug.
He walks next to me in silence for a few blocks, and I appreciate the quiet support.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asks, voice tentative.
I shrug again, and hear him sigh. Placing a gentle hand on my arm, he slows us both to a stop.
“Look, Raya.” Asher swipes a hand across the back of his neck. “I’m not good at this. I don’t know how to talk about emotions or, I don’t know, the real things. Deep things. But I’m trying. I want to give you what you need, I just don’t know what that is. Can you tell me?”
My frustration dissipates as his earnestness seeps in.
“I’m sorry. It’s me, I don’t get angry that often, but when I do.” I shake my head. “It’s hard to stop. I don’t know why.”
“If you want to talk about it, we can. Or we don’t have to. We can keep walking.”
I turn to keep walking, but then stop and hold out my hand in a peace offering. The stress visibly falls from his body as his hand envelopes mine and he tucks them both into his jacket pocket for warmth. We walk in silence for a couple more minutes until I feel ready to talk.
“Zuri is giving me a hard time,” I say, “about us.”
“What about us?” His voice is careful, neutral.
“She doesn’t like your family, which means she doesn’t like or trust you, and she doesn’t want me around you.” I peek up at him, but his face is set in an unreadable mask.
“You’ve mentioned her before, I’m assuming she comes from a progressive family.”
I nod, and he silently returns it.
“I know you don’t want to talk about them, but…” I trail off, and he sighs.
“They’re not good people. Zuri is right, but I’m not like them, Raya.”
I nod again, silent as I wait to see if he’ll say more.
He doesn’t.
“I was thinking maybe you could come over sometime.” My heart starts to pound, and I realize this is a bigger deal to me than I anticipated. “I’m certain once she gets to know you, she won’t think that anymore.”
Asher immediately agrees. “Of course, Raya. Anything. I don’t want to be the reason you and your friend aren’t getting along.”
“Okay. Maybe in a week or two. Are you still down for dinner at my parents on Thursday? It’s okay if you want a break from everything, I know this is a lot to put on you all at once," I say, my eyes on my feet as we walk back toward the office building.
He stops again and ducks his head to meet my gaze.
“Sunshine, listen to me. You are not too much. Your family is not too much. Your friends are not too much. I want to meet all of them, and if I didn’t, I would tell you. Okay?”
I blink as my eyes turn glassy, unable to turn away.
“Okay," I whisper.
A few days later, my week having much improved, Asher drives us over to my parents’ house for dinner.
I’m pretty sure I’m more nervous than he is based on how my skin keeps tingling in random places.
I can’t stop bouncing my leg, while he’s all calm control with one hand propped on top of the steering wheel as he drives.
The front door opens as we pull into the driveway so I don’t even have time for a quick pep talk before we head inside. My smiling mother gives us both hugs as I introduce them, and the men do that man handshake back slap thing that guys do.
We shrug off our coats and my dad starts right in.
“So, I hear you work with my daughter.”
“Dad, come on, we haven’t even taken our shoes off yet.” I protest the interrogation that’s about to start.
“I’m only making small talk, honey," he says, squeezing me in a one armed hug.
I shake my head and grab Asher’s hand.
“Come on. I’ll show you around.”
I pull him into the living room, where Wesley is playing video games, as usual.
“Wes, this is Asher.”
“Hey, man,” my brother at least meets his eyes and gives him one of those dude bro chin jerks as he says it. That’s more than I normally get.
“Hey, nice to meet you," Asher replies.
“You too.” He’s already turned back to his game, so we move on.
“Kitchen is through here.” We follow the sounds of soft jazz into the brightly lit room.
“Jo!” I stop in the doorway, beyond surprised to see my sister. “Why are you here on a work night?”
She’s already pulling me into a hug, and her voice is low in my ear, though not quiet enough that Asher doesn’t hear too.
“I couldn’t miss a chance to scope out the new guy," she says, eyeing him as we pull back from each other.
She holds out a hand to Asher and he meets her with a twinkle of amusement in his eye.
“Jo. Raya’s older sister,” she says. Then, narrowing her eyes with her hand still white knuckling Asher’s, she adds, “Panther shifter.”
He nods once, holding her gaze.
“Asher. Vampire.”
Their hands finally unclasp and I shake mine out in sympathy. Too many over protective cats in this house, that’s for sure. I snag Asher’s elbow as I turn out the door.
“That’s enough of that," I say, throwing a glare over my shoulder at Josephine, who smirks at my back. I point up the stairs to the bedrooms, then point out the bathroom, home office, laundry, and back patio.
“Nice place.” Asher comments as we walk back into the kitchen and my dad looks up from the stove.
“Can I help you cook, Mr. Merritt?” Asher asks.
My stomach flutters and I bite my lip at how cute he is, especially since I know he has next to no clue how to cook.
“You cook?” my dad asks with obvious surprise while waving him over.
“Not at all,” Asher replies with a wince, “but I’d love to learn. You mind teaching me?”
“Let’s see what you’ve got.” Dad slaps him on the back and hands him a knife. “We’re making fajitas. Slice the bell peppers into half inch strips. You know how to sauté veggies?”
“Honestly? I have no idea what you just said.” Asher grins sheepishly as my father lets out a deep belly laugh.
“You’re not half bad, are you, son?”
I sit at the table as I watch them work together, a smile stuck on my face. My stocky dad is a good head shorter than Asher, but he’s clearly the one in charge as he shows Asher what to do and watches closely as he follows directions.
I jump in my seat when Jo plops onto the chair next me.
“Stars, Josephine. You need to chill," I say, hand on my chest.
“Uh, I was not being stealthy. You’re just so lovesick you have no idea what else is happening around you.”
Is that true? It very well could be. Regardless, the dopey-feeling smile is already back on my face at the thought of how well things are going so far. Jo watches me for a few moments until I self-consciously smooth my hair behind my ear and tuck my lips into my teeth.
“What?” I say.
“You really like this guy, don’t you?” Jo asks after another moment of staring straight into my soul, her voice thoughtful.
My eyes drift across the kitchen again, watching Ash’s muscles ripple when he attempts to flip the veggies and chicken in the pan like my dad does.
“I think I really do," I say.
When we settle around the table to eat, I nudge my knee up against Asher’s, seeking contact. He nudges mine in return, and a couple minutes later places his hand on my leg under the table. Soon enough, as I knew it would, the conversation turns to us.