Chapter 39
It was after lunch when we got out of bed.
Asher tried to get me to shower with him, but if I had, we’d never make it downstairs to eat.
I was making a list of things I would need this week if Asher truly wanted to stay with me when he came downstairs wearing one of my T-shirts and a pair of sweats.
“Now that we aren’t naked and needy”—I winked at him—“are you staying here?”
He sat on a barstool and leaned heavily on the counter. “Is that cool with you? I don’t want to cramp your style.” He glanced around and grinned. “This snooty-britches bachelor pad must go over well with all the dates you bring home.”
“Yes, yes. I change the code to my security system often to keep them from returning.”
He grinned wider, then let it relax a bit. “For real, though, I’m not sure. Freshmen’re supposed to live in the dorms, but maybe if I show myself often enough, they won’t catch on.”
I held up a carton of orange juice and raised my brows. Asher nodded.
As I got glasses from a cabinet, I said, “I didn’t have any plans beyond last night.” I handed him a full glass. “I want you to stay if you want to, but if you can’t, then I’ll understand.”
He sipped the OJ, then bit the inside of his mouth and tapped the glass. “Is it too fast? I mean, me staying here almost feels like we’re vacationing together. What do they call that? Staycations?”
“I’m not sure anything about how we came together has been normal. Does it feel wrong? Does it feel too fast?”
“No, but I don’t know if it should.”
I sat my glass down and came around the island. Asher turned and wrapped himself around my middle as if he knew I needed it.
“How about you stay until it doesn’t work?” I kissed the top of his head, then sniffed the scent of my shampoo on him because, fuck yeah, that did things to my heart. “When you feel like it’s too fast or too much, just talk to me. We’ll work it out then.”
Asher rubbed his cheek on my chest. “You do the same. If you need your space back, you kick me out. Nicely.”
I kissed his nose. “I can do that. Though I’ve had my space long enough. I’m ready to share.”
“The tongues will wag.”
I nodded at my phone charging on the counter. “I turned it off. I’m sure there are a few messages from my parents, either telling me never to set foot in their house again or condemning my life choices. Probably both.”
Asher squirmed, shaking his head, concern lowering his brows, but I wouldn’t let go.
“Shh, don’t worry about it. I expected it, and I’ve made peace with it. Last night was very public, and I meant it to be so. My parents won’t be able to hide it or me. I’m sure the gossip is juicy today.”
“I want to feel bad about that, but I can’t seem to. I mean”—Asher pulled away, but I kept my arms around him—“I do feel bad that it might hurt you, but your parents are horrible. I don’t want you around them anyway.”
I pinched his chin. “So protective of me.”
He shrugged. “Yeah. I think it’s just part of who I am. Can you deal with that?”
“More than deal with it. I’m kind of in love with it.”
“Only kind of?”
“Overflowing with it,” I corrected.
We spent the afternoon tangled in each other, teasing, eating barely enough to sustain us, but not caring at all.
I didn’t go into the office on Monday, just worked from home for a few hours.
I wasn’t fired yet, since all of my access still worked.
Asher drove the Range Rover to school, while I worked on my exit strategy.
Even if my father didn’t insist I leave, I would anyway. They’d take my inheritance as they threatened, but I wouldn’t waste my life working to grow a company run by such a man any longer.
Over the years, I’d had many offers to change firms, to use my talents on a broader scale than my father’s family-owned business.
They were all possibilities now, but I was checking into working for myself as well.
Maybe not starting a firm—I didn’t want to be a boss—but working for myself had a nice ring to it.
When Asher returned that night, he held a bag of clothes and a bag of food.
This was our routine for the week. While he did homework or talked with his friends, I worked on a belated Valentine’s present.
Or by the time it arrived, maybe a Saint Patrick’s Day present. Did people give gifts for that one?
Saturday, we drove to the garage where the car collection was housed, just checking to see if my keys and codes still worked.
They did. Asher took pictures, sending them to a group chat he had with his friends, later telling me they’d have to get to know me more before I could be added.
It was the rule all of them had established.
On our way back to my place, I finally checked the messages I’d accrued while my phone was off. I let them play through the Bluetooth so Asher could hear. When Mother’s outraged voice screeched through the car, I listened long enough to get the gist, then deleted it.
“She sounded upset,” Asher deadpanned.
“I can’t imagine why.”
There were messages from William, Paul, and Mary too, all wanting to meet up this week. I glanced at Asher with brows raised. He nodded, so I called them back, and we set a date.
He didn’t get another break from classes until March, which would be here sooner rather than later. He’d already planned to spend a few days in Hickory Bend with his family, so now that was my plan too.
Our lives were slotting together surprisingly easily, which I told him, making some offhanded comment about my home, and then corrected myself to say our home. Asher wrapped his arms around me from behind, and I hugged them to me.
“I’m your home now,” he said.
I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Yes, you are.”
William brought a date to the dinner, which made it an even six. The woman was nice enough, but I didn’t think she was entirely comfortable with how much Asher and I stayed close to each other. William noticed it as well and was put off immediately.
Paul and Mary were amazing with Asher, and the last line of tension finally snapped.
They hadn’t seemed bothered when I told them about us, but I must’ve been holding on to a shred of anxiety over them being around Asher as Asher for the first time, needing to protect him from anything he shouldn’t have to put up with.
As the last strand of fear dissolved, I finally got it into my head that all of this would work out.
I didn’t need everyone’s approval. Hell, I didn’t need anyone’s approval except Asher’s.
I couldn’t and wouldn’t make everyone happy with my choices, but I no longer held the desire to do so.
I didn’t need permission, support, or blessings from my parents or anyone who would see my relationship with Asher as anything other than a precious gift.
By the end of the second week of mostly living with Asher, my access at work was finally removed. I told Asher at dinner that night, but I’d already moved on.
“It was inevitable.”
Asher chewed on his lip.
“Stop. I’m not upset. I haven’t spoken with them in two weeks. They stopped calling.” I shrugged. “It’s done.”
“Will you retain any of your clients?”
I nodded, enjoying the sushi Asher had picked up on his way in. “Some. Not all, and not many of those with larger portfolios. I’ve worked with smaller business owners, though. Father never agreed with me taking them on anyway, so I doubt he’d keep them without me handling their accounts.”
Asher grinned.
“What?”
“What? I can’t smile at you?”
“No. Not like that.”
He rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’m just so proud of you. I don’t really know what it’s like being out of the closet since I was never really in it. I didn’t officially come out in high school, but my family knew.”
“Honestly, it’s a bit surreal, but also not. You and I were together before, and we are now. Everything that held me back was such baggage. This feels good.” I laughed. “It feels really good.”
After another week of school for Asher and me drawing up business plans, he was finally on spring break, and we readied to head to Hickory Bend.
I hadn’t been able to visit with his mother or Ben at the Sweetheart Rose Ball.
Though we’d spoken on the phone a few times since, Asher always including me when he called home, this would be my first chance at visiting my new family, who had welcomed me with open arms since January. I was stoked.
More importantly, I was anxious for Asher to see his gift he knew nothing about. Not even a hint of a hint.
“I’ll take everything down and meet you,” I shouted to Asher, who was still in our room, getting ready. Our bags were near the door. Only two this time, since he’d insisted on packing for me.
Grinning like a fool, I opened the front door and shouted, “Shit,” not expecting anyone to be on the other side of it.
Mother and Father stood like statues, surprise in their eyes. Father had his fist raised as if he were just about to knock, and then both frowned, nonplussed at my language or probably at being here at all.
“Come on, we’ll be late for supper,” Asher said, rushing up behind me, not noticing our uninvited guests.
“We’re gonna be late,” I said. When I turned sideways, he saw who was at the door, and his expression hardened.
“No. Hell no,” he barked. “Y’all can turn right around and leave.”
I gave Asher what I hoped was a pleading gaze. “Let’s get it over with.” I didn’t want to do this, but I also didn’t want to muscle my mother out of my way. I could be an adult here, even if they wouldn't.
We backtracked to the kitchen. Mother and Father had followed and stood awkwardly in the space beside one counter, not fully coming into the room. Mother’s shoulders were around her ears as if she were afraid to come too close to anything lest she be tainted with gay.
Father’s posture wasn’t much better, but anger overrode any unease.