CHAPTER 14 #3
I… I expected a different response. I was ready to argue my point, thinking he would defend his brother. What just happened? “Yes, but just so I know we’re on the same page, what do you mean by ‘normal circumstances’?”
“I mean if my brother had a normal job. Even if he lived on the other side of the country it wouldn’t matter.
We know couples who found each other online, and despite starting out in different states, they ended up married.
One of our college buddies did that. He’s been married for four years now, and his wife is expecting their second kid. So, distance isn’t the problem.”
“Wait, you went to college?”
He tilts his head and eyes me suspiciously for a second. “Is that what you got out of that?”
What can I say? I thought he was just a YouTuber. “Kind of. I’m just surprised, is all.”
He shakes it off with a playful grin. “I should be offended, but the truth is, I get that a lot. I have an engineering degree from Purdue. Ash went to Yale. Before we started doing this full-time, he was a data analyst for one of the largest private-equity firms in the world. He’s the smart one.”
“Seriously? He went to Yale? No way!” Hmm. That might have come across the wrong way, but it’s Ash. Can you blame me?
He chuckles. “I won’t tell him you said that, but I can see where you’re coming from.
Most of the time he doesn’t come across as an intellectual, I’ll give you that.
But he’ll surprise you when he wants to.
He’s fluent in four languages. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish, Russian, and Mandarin. ”
“No way!” It just comes out again involuntarily; I can’t help it.
And talk about not judging a book by its cover.
If there was ever a poster child for a big dumb jock, it’s Ash, only apparently not.
“I don’t really know him, but from the few times we’ve talked, I never would have guessed that about him.
” That has me curious and my eyes dart up to his.
“What about you? Do you speak other languages?”
“Sorry to disappoint, but it’s just English for me. I can do some pretty impressive upper-level math, though.”
“So, you’re a virgin.”
He gives me a sidelong glance then bursts out laughing. “You think because I’m a math geek, I’ve never had sex? I think that might be the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.”
I cock a brow at him. “Glad I can entertain you. Let’s circle back to what you were saying about Ash and normal circumstances.”
He coughs to clear his throat. “Yeah, I was saying it’s reasonable for Rhonda to expect Ash to stick around long enough for them to get to know each other. And why shouldn’t she? That makes perfect sense.”
“But?”
“But Ash and I travel. We talked about this, how we’re home only a few months out of the year. That’s not normal circumstances.”
It’s like he’s actually on my side. I didn’t know a guy was capable of agreeing with a mere woman. Jake always took the opposite view, no matter what I said. He probably thought it made him superior, but it only made him an ass. “I get what you’re saying. I just hope Rhonda gets it.”
He meets my gaze with the sincerest look in his eyes. “Look, I don’t want your friend to get hurt, especially if my brother is careless with her feelings. That would be terrible. I’ll talk to him, get him to manage expectations. Rhonda deserves to know where things are headed.”
Manage expectations? That’s exactly what I thought she needed. Well, this is turning out better than I hoped. Color me satisfied.
Out of the blue, he submerges his whole body then whips his head up out of the water and smooths his thick, dark hair back with both hands.
I swear, it’s almost like I’m seeing it in slow motion.
Yeah, it’s that hot. I have no idea why he did it, but dang, he looks so darn good, and he’s being incredibly sensitive.
It’s a lethal combination, and a girl has only so much willpower to say no when everything inside of her is screaming, YES!
And speaking of managing expectations—I expect he’ll be inside me soon if I don’t leave now.
I close my mouth and gather my composure. “Good. I’m glad that’s settled.” I step out of the tub and pick up my phone. “What’s your number? I’ll send you a text so you can let me know how your conversation with Ash goes.”
“What name should I put with your number?”
That’s right. I’ve never told him my name. Do I give him a fake one? Maybe, but that would make things complicated, and I hate complicated. “Madeline, but everyone calls me Maddie.”
“Good to know.”
He gives me his number, and I send the text. With that out of the way, I gather my wine bottle, the wrapper from the chocolate bar, and my plastic wineglass, then tell him good night.
“Have a good night, Maddie.”
I can’t help it. I give him one more long look, probably too long. All the wrong kinds of thoughts are swirling in my head, but with a deep breath, I force myself to turn and walk away. As I head to the elevator, I have one last thought on my mind.
My pillow is about to get a real workout!