Chapter 2 – Asher
Two
PRESENT DAY
ASHER
Iswerved into my Park Avenue garage, ready to call it a night, but there was someone—no, something—standing in my spot.
Slamming on the brakes, I squinted to make sure it wasn’t a deranged client waiting on me.
I flashed my headlights, and the salt-and-pepper-haired man threw up his middle finger.
Jesus Christ… He was someone worse than any client.
He was a neighbor.
I rolled down my window and motioned for him to move.
“Get the hell out of my spot unless you have a death wish, Mr. Grisham,” I said.
He crossed his arms, holding his ground.
I reversed and parked in front of two of my other cars instead.
Cutting the engine, I grabbed my briefcase and stepped out.
“Hold on there, Mr. Brooks!” Mr. Grisham screeched. “Don’t you dare walk away from me.”
“Too late.” I headed for the elevator, but he jumped in front of me.
“I’m going to ask you this question one time and one time only,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Are you a drug dealer?”
“Excuse me?”
“Fentanyl, roxies, or heroin? Which one is it?”
I blinked.
“You didn’t think I would figure it out, did you?”
“I’m thinking about why you’re even asking me this…”
“Because you disappear for days at a time, come and go at all hours of the night, and then you just bought your fifth luxury car this year.” He stepped closer. “Which drug are you pushing?”
“I guess you could call it ‘regret.’”
“I knew it.” He nodded. “Well, even though you’re owning up to it, I’ll be reporting you to the building manager and our HOA about this. The last thing I want to do is live around a dope dealer.”
“Noted,” I said. “I look forward to the next meeting.”
“I’ve never seen you attend.”
“Exactly.” I moved past him and walked fast enough to get to the elevator before he could follow.
Taking it up to the penthouse suite, I swiped my card until the doors opened to a view I’d missed all week.
Pouring myself a glass of scotch, I walked over to the windows and looked out at a misty Manhattan below.
The clearest thing in view was the wedding venue rooftop next door, where a bride was twirling with her groom.
Sighing, I watched the guests shower them with rice before walking to the other side of my condo and taking in that view instead.
More fog-covered buildings, nothing clear.
Much better.
As I knocked back my drink, my phone buzzed in my hand.
My younger brother, Chris.
“Yeah?” I answered. “What do you need?”
“Well, hello to you, too.” He laughed. “You back in New York yet?”
“Until tomorrow.”
“Perfect,” he said. “I’ve got some huge news.”
“You finally sold your soul-sucking tech company and are going to live a real life now?”
“Never.” He laughed. “I’d rather tell you in person.”
“I can drive to New Jersey in the morning.”
“This can’t wait,” he said. “Open the door in ten seconds.”
He ended the call, and I picked up the remote to unlock my condo.
Seconds later, he walked inside, smiling harder than he had in years. He was gliding across my floor like it was pure sunshine.
“Okay, Chris.” I set down my glass and crossed my arms. “Don’t make me guess. Just spit it out.”
“I’m proposing to Michelle this weekend.”
“You can’t be this happy before she tells you yes or no…”
“We both know it’ll be a yes.” He patted my back. “But when she does say yes, I want you to be my best man.”
“No, thank you.” I shook my head. “But congratulations, and I’ll sit front row at the wedding.”
“There won’t be a seat for you.” He narrowed his eyes. “You will be in my wedding, whether you like it or not.”
“You have plenty of other close guy friends.” I wasn’t backing down from this. “Ask them.”
He looked at me like he was expecting me to laugh and say I was joking.
I’m definitely not…
“You know how I feel about weddings, Chris.”
“I’m aware, and I don’t care,” he said. “You’re my brother.”
“I just remembered I have plans on that day. Plans I can’t move.”
“We haven’t even picked a date.”
“Then hurry up and do that so I can make sure I won’t make it.”
He rolled his eyes. “Asher… You said that Michelle was the one for me after meeting her one time. You were the one who said I should never let her go.”
“You’ve been reading way too many romance novels with her these days,” I said. “I would never say something like that.”
“Okay, then. If you don’t agree to be my best man, I will disown you and liquidate all your stock in my company.”
“You would never…”
“Try me.” He glared at me, and I glared right back, waiting for him to back off, but he wasn’t bluffing.
“Fine.” I groaned. “I’ll be your best man whenever you get married.”
“Thank you for making that far more difficult than it needed to be.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Maybe if you find someone special between now and then, you’ll be able to bring a plus one.”
Right… “Just do me one favor.”
“Don’t hire Katie Elizabeth to be your wedding planner.”
“Uh, she’s the number one wedding planner in the country.”
“Only in her mind.” I rolled my eyes. “I have a list of far better planners for you two to choose from.”
“She’s also Michelle’s friend.”
“Since when?”
“They went to college together. They still talk pretty often, too.”
“And you’re just now telling me this because…?”
“It didn’t seem relevant until now.”
“Katie Elizabeth comes up all the time.” I waited for him to give a better explanation, but he just stared at me.
“Want to watch the second half of the Knicks game with me?” He tried to change the subject.
“Nice try,” I said. “Tell Michelle that Katie Elizabeth is one of the worst women I’ve ever met and she makes terrible decisions in her personal life. You two don’t need her bad energy around your wedding.”
“Noted. I still can’t believe people haven’t figured out that your presence means bad news whenever you walk into a wedding.”
“People don’t connect the dots.” And I make sure of that.
“Yeah, well… Just remember to back out of this business once you reach ten million dollars.”
I reached that number years ago… “Why would I want to do that?”
“Because that’s what you promised,” he said. “You said that would be enough for you to go back to your real dream or pursue a new one.”
Right… “What channel is the game on?” I took a page from his book and changed the subject. “I’ll order dinner…”