Chapter 43
Asher
It’s been two days since I talked to my mom. Seeing her like that breaks me. Knowing she is fading slowly each day is almost more painful than when Dad died. At least with him, it was quick. With Mom, I feel like I am watching her die slowly. Losing her slowly. And honestly, that’s worse.
But if I’ve learned anything watching the greatest love story I’ve ever witnessed come to an end, it’s that you have to fight until the end. It’s taken me years to realize this and accept it in my own life. Seeing Mom this way has put all of that into perspective.
It’s been busy at the office since we opened the speakeasy.
Luckily, the grand opening fiasco didn’t leave too much of a crater in the Gatsby Underground’s overall success.
While there have been some whispers in the grapevine of Denver’s restaurant scene, most people know nothing about the drama.
There’s been a steady flow of people in and out since we opened.
It’s kept me busy at the office too. New cocktails with specialty ingredients mean a lot of networking.
Usually that’s Jaylen’s area of expertise, but we haven’t talked much so I’ve kind of just taken over things for now.
I wouldn’t say I’m avoiding him, but I haven’t really seen him either.
He is probably avoiding me, which I understand.
As I start to pack up for the day, there’s a knock on the doorframe of my office. I look up and see Jaylen standing there.
“Hey,” I say, standing up straight.
“Hey,” he says back, rubbing his neck. “You think we can talk?”
“Sure. Although if you’re going to try kicking my ass again, I’m not going to take it easy on you this time,” I say.
“Oh, is that what happened?” he asks.
“The way I remember it, yeah,” I say.
“I think your age is starting to show because I knocked you on your ass good…without trying,” he says. For a moment we stare at each other, and then we break, smiles forming at our mouths.
“Listen, Jay. I want to apolo–” I start, but he cuts me off.
“No. I am here to apologize to you,” he says, and I wait. Jaylen walks in and stands in front of my desk. “I’ve been acting childish about all of this. I lost my temper, and it nearly cost us the speakeasy. I upset Harper and hit you. I’m not proud of the way I handled things.”
I nod, shoving my hands in my pockets. “You had every right to be upset with us,” I tell him.
“Oh, I’m aware. I’m still mad. You pretended. You snuck around. You lied. You kept things from me. You acted like there was nothing going on when, really, you were hooking up with my sister right in front of my face. I have every right to be upset with you,” he says.
“You do,” I agree.
“I have every right to burn the relationship to the ground. You doused the bridge with gasoline, and I could light a match right now,” he says, and I nod.
“You could.”
Then Jaylen takes a deep breath and lets it out. “But I’m not going to do that,” he says.
“Okay,” I say. I don’t really know where this is going, but so far, I like the direction.
“If it were up to me and my feelings, I’d pop you in the mouth again,” he says.
“Like I said, if you wanna fight–”
“That’s the thing, Ash. I don’t want to fight. Not with you. Not with my sister. I talked to Harper. Well, she talked to me…after she chased me down.”
“Sounds about right,” I say, biting back a smile.
“She made me realize something. In all the years I’ve watched over her as her older brother, I have never, not even once, seen her like this,” he says.
“Seen her like what?” I ask.
“This energetic. This happy. At first, I thought it was the job, you know? Not waitressing for that douchebag anymore. Then, I realized it’s you. You’re the reason she’s so happy, and that hit me hard, and not in a good way,” Jaylen admits.
“I’m sorry?” I say, not entirely sure how I’m supposed to respond to that. But Jaylen smiles momentarily.
“No. Don’t be sorry. It was just a massively hard fucking pill for me to swallow. I realized I’ve never seen her in love before. And, for it to be with you…” he trails off.
“Yeah. I can’t imagine,” I say. “You have to believe I never meant for this to happen, and that’s the honest truth.
Falling in love wasn’t exactly on my list of things to do in my life, especially with your sister.
I have no intention of hurting her. I’d rather die than see her get hurt by me or anyone else. ”
“I believe you,” Jaylen says. “I suppose for a while I didn’t want to believe you because that meant admitting you might actually be good for her.”
“No one is good enough for her,” I say.
“Exactly,” he agrees. “But I guess if it has to be someone…obviously it does…I’d rather it was someone I trust and respect.”
I take a breath and let it out. “I have to admit, Jay, this is not the direction I was expecting this conversation to go.”
“Oh trust me, this is not a conversation I was expecting to have,” he says. “I do think we need some ground rules.”
“I think we need a drink…at least I do,” I say, reaching into the bottom drawer of my desk and pulling out a bottle of whiskey.
“Fair enough,” he says, and I pour us each a glass. We take a sip, and he sucks his teeth before going on. “One, I don’t want to fucking see it.”
“See what?” I ask.
“Anything. No kissing, no ogling, no grabbing her ass…stuff like that. Just because I am okay with all of this, and I use that word loosely, does not mean to go crazy with the PDA. Keep it in your pants. In the bedroom. Away from me. At least for now.”
“Done,” I say, holding back my amusement and any snide remarks that come to mind. I’ve got a few of them.
“Speaking of the bedroom…I don’t want to know. She’s obviously not a virgin anymore. Even though that wasn’t her plan, I guess sometimes plans change. Since that is the case now, leave me out of it.”
“No locker room details on hooking up with your sister. Got it,” I say. He looks at me with disgust momentarily before going on.
“I guess the last thing is…take care of her. You know? She’s not just my sister; she’s my best friend.
My other best friend. I don’t have to tell you this, but she’s been through hell.
And yet somehow, she’s come out on the other side: happy, vibrant, strong, and spirited. Don’t let anything change that. Ever.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I say soberly. “All of that is why I fell in love with her in the first place.”
“Alright,” he nods. “Then I guess you have my blessing,” he says as he raises his glass.
“Thank you, brother, I appreciate that,” I say.
“Don’t fuck it up,” he warns me with arched eyebrows.
“Understood,” I say.
“Or I’ll have to fuck you up,” he adds, and I grin.
“Got it,” I nod.
I take a sip and wince when the whiskey hits my split lip.
“How’s that mouth feeling?” he asks after tossing back his glass.
“Like shit,” I say.
“Good. Keep that as a little reminder,” he says.
“I want to remind you whose office you’re in. And whose whiskey you’re drinking.”
“Oh, you mean this whiskey?” he holds up the bottle. “The whiskey that, if I remember correctly, I gifted to you. Which, by the way, is really hitting the spot today.”
Jaylen pours himself another glass and then refills mine.
“You know you really are a pain in the ass sometimes,” I say as I prepare myself for another painful sip.
“You know it,” he grins, and I’ve never been so happy to be putting up with him in my life.