21. She’s going to hate this
21
SHE’S GOING TO HATE THIS
ASHER
“Do you think real love exists?” I look at my cousin from the corner of my eye. “You know, the kind that our parents are always saying is out there for us, the all-consuming love that makes you do crazy shit?”
Bringing the joint to my lips, I take a long drag, the smoke curling around me as I sink further into the couch and roll my head to the side to look at Aiden more closely as he packs his bong. Music thrums through my bones as a heavy weight falls over me. The blonde chick draped over his side, rubbing her tits all over his arm, makes me snicker as if that’s going to get his attention. Poor thing thinks she’s going to get laid tonight but he’s smoking the strong shit. He’ll be greened out in no time.
My head lolls back as I take in the other two girls grinding on each other in the far corner of the room. My dick twitches at their whimpers that slowly travel through the air to my ears.
“Mmm, nah,” I mumble, turning back to him, “that’s all fairytales and bullshit.”
Love like that isn’t real, and if it were, I sure as hell won’t ever find it.
I’m pulled from memories with a nudge to the arm. Jace stands beside me with a cold beer extended. Grabbing it, I nod in thanks and turn my attention back to Halle. She’s sitting with Ace, watching Madi and Tessa lose themselves to the music that’s pumping through the speakers in the backyard. A smile pulls at my lips as I watch her laugh, her cheeks taking on a pink hue as they try to pull her in to dance with them. But my girl’s a little shy right now, still reeling from our day at the bar and the line we crossed.
“Does he know?” Jace asks.
“Does who know what?” I reply, not taking my eyes off her.
The longer I stare, the more aware of me she becomes. I can see it in the way she pulls at her shirt, crosses her legs, and flicks her eyes around the place, avoiding mine at all costs.
“Does Hunter know you’re in love with Halle?”
My eyes snap back to Jace, finding him focused on the girls, the corner of his mouth twitching behind his beer as he takes a slow sip.
My grip tightens around my beer bottle as I lean back on the door. “Do you think real love exists?” I ask instead.
Aiden’s ghost sits heavy in my mind. Back then, I didn’t believe in love. In my hazy state of constant partying and having chicks throwing themselves at me, I never thought it could be real. Real love was for fairytales. But as I stare at Halle across the yard, everything shifts. All I can see in the years to come is her—her smile, her laugh, the way her eyes light up. I want to be standing by her side when she lives life to the fullest. I want to open doors for her, to make her dreams come true. My heart races at the picture in my mind—her hand in mine as we walk down Main Street, our kids racing ahead, their laughter loud as they run toward their uncles and aunts .
A feeling that has always been so out of reach settles over me. It’s undeniable. Love isn’t a fairytale, love is her.
I glance over at Jace to find him staring at the girls with a longing expression. “Yeah, man, I do.” He sighs. “But you need to talk to Hunter before it gets out.”
My stomach twists with the urge to claim her, to make it clear in front of everyone that she’s mine. I want to pull her down onto my lap, wrap my arm around her, and keep her there, even if there’s another seat free. Kicking off from the door, I slap Jace on the back with a wide grin and head inside.
My steps falter as I take in the scene in front of me. The air inside feels thick and hot compared to the warm summer night I just left behind. Conversations buzz to my left and right, the sound of bottle caps untwisting, cheers, and laughter erupt from all around. My gaze darts around the house, scanning the crowd of people who are standing here partying.
What the fuck is happening?
I glance back outside at the girls, still lost in their own little world. Madi and Tessa succeeded in pulling my girl into the fun. Their hands are linked as they spin in a circle with Ace in the middle. Their laughter carries over to me. Halle’s eyes find mine, and her smile widens effortlessly. For a moment, in the chaos that’s happening around me, everything fades, and a lightness seeps into me.
She’s home. We are her home.
I send her a wink, smirking as I catch the blush creeping up her neck.
“Asher, where you been man?”
“ASH.”
“Yo man, what’s up?”
Voices call out from all directions as I weave through the crowd. I spot Hunter disappearing into his room and take after him, sidestepping anyone who tries to grab my attention and nodding to those who do make eye contact. The energy in the house is loud and rowdier than ever. Halle’s going to lose her mind when she comes inside. That’s if the party hasn’t already spilled out the back.
“Hunter,” I say as I step into his room, my tone sharp, “what the hell is happening?”
Hunter picks up his phone from the dresser, spinning to face me, his jaw tightens and annoyance radiates off him. He’s clearly just as pissed as I am about this situation as he exhales sharply.
“Someone overheard Connor in town talking about tonight, word got out, and here we are,” he says with frustration.
“Halle’s going to hate this,” I say cautiously, taking a seat on the edge of his bed.
Hunter groans, running a hand through his hair. “Man, I know, but what can I do now? Can’t you distract her? I mean, I know you two have a thing going on.”
Shock jolts through me, my brain momentarily freezing before I start coughing, choking on air as his words sink in.
“What the hell?” I manage to choke out.
“Oh, come on… I’m not blind. You can’t keep your eyes off her, and she’s different around you. She doesn’t hide as much.” His words land like a punch, leaving me more confused than ever.
He doesn’t sound angry, but I sit here bracing myself, expecting his fist to fly any second. The tension in the room is suffocating, but he doesn’t make a move. Hunter just stands there, arms crossed, watching me. Waiting for me to say something, anything. But I’m stuck, still in shock that he’s known this whole time .
“Is it serious?” he asks, finally breaking the silence.
“It’s serious for me. Your sister…” I pause, choosing my next words carefully. “She’s stubborn. I can’t speak for her, but, Hunter,” I look at him, hoping he can see the sincerity and depth of what I feel for her in my eyes, “she means everything to me.”
“She’s always been stubborn, you know,” Hunter says, uncrossing his arms as he grins at me.
The knot in my chest loosens, and I let the weight of my worries fall from my shoulders. His acceptance isn’t something I was expecting, and I’m not going to question it. Being with Halle feels right.
“I’ve never seen my future clearly before,” I admit, my voice steady. “All these years, I’ve been running from my past, from the nightmares that haunt me. But for the first time, I can see clearly.” The words catch in my throat as I lean forward, bracing my arms on my knees before continuing. “She makes me want to stop running. Her strength… It’s addictive, and I want to fight all my demons, to give her all I have because she deserves everything and more.”
I lay it all out, raw and honest, hoping he understands how much she means to me, without saying the words I love her because when I say them for the first time, it’ll be to her and no one else.
Hunter steps up to me, his expression unreadable as he grabs my shoulder. “You deserve to be happy too, Asher,” he says in a brotherly tone. “You don’t give yourself enough credit for everything you’ve been through or for where you could be right now if you didn’t fight for this life.” He squeezes my shoulder and steps back. “You know, I always thought of you like a brother, Asher,” he says, making his way to the door. The tension creeps back in between us as he pauses to look back at me. “But if you hurt Halle in any way…” His tone hardens, and the muscle in his jaw ticks. “Brother or not, I’ll come for you. Don’t screw this up.”
With that, he walks out, leaving me to fall back onto the bed as a tidal wave of relief floods my system. The emotional tension of hiding my feelings finally breaks, and a low chuckle escapes me as I rake my hands through my curls just as the sound of a door slamming down the hallway cuts through the loud music.
I jolt upright as I hear Connor’s voice yell out, “Halle, I’m sorry!”
Worry slams into me when loud laughter follows his apology. I’m on my feet in an instant, my heart beating wildly as I push through the crowd, heading straight for Connor.