Holding You (The Asher Family #4)

Prologue

LAST SUMMER - DECLAN

There’s nothing better than meeting your new neighbor, all because your daughter kicked a soccer ball so hard that it broke the fence you share with them.

We have been here for two days.

She didn’t just crack it a little or put a small hole in it. No, she fully broke two boards and made a gap big enough that her body can fit through it. Given she’s only eight, it doesn't have to be very big, but it's … big.

“Hi,” I say with a wave as the back sliding door of the house next door opens. An older man pops out, looking up with a big smile as I jog across the yard to meet him.

“Declan Young. Is that you?”

I slow my steps, letting the older man fall into view. The sun is fading behind him, so I can make out his face.

“Paul Asher.” I chuckle. “It’s great to see you again,” I say, stopping on my side of the fence, waiting for him to meet me.

He grins and points to the fence. “Is this your handiwork?”

“Yeah, my daughter was kicking her soccer ball around and hit the fence. Any chance you can grab her ball and send it back over here?”

His back door opens again, and a little boy with dark hair appears. He looks at me with big chocolate brown eyes but glances away when our gazes meet.

He looks like he is about the same age as my daughter as he hides behind who I can only assume is his grandfather. But it’s the little boy who spots the pink ball first.

He runs to it and without a second thought, pushes it through the fence.

It’s at that moment I notice Susie, my daughter, behind me. She’d run inside to hide after she broke the fence, but I didn’t see her sneak back outside.

“Thanks,” she says softly.

“Did you kick that?” the boy asks.

“Yeah.” Susie smiles.

Silence only lasts a split second before the boy asks, “Can I come play with you?”

Susie looks at me with wide eyes and a smile.

We’ve been back in Lovers for a couple of days now and haven’t had a chance to make friends for her yet. So I can see right away that she wants me to say yes.

“Sure, if his parents say it’s okay.”

“Go for it,” Paul says, and Max climbs through the fence to my yard.

Both kids begin to play as if they have known each other for years.

If only it were that easy for adults.

“I heard this place was for rent, but unfortunately, the rumor mill didn’t provide me with much detail outside of that.” Paul grins with a shrug.

I nod. “It happened pretty fast, so I gather there wasn't time to let the gossip spread.”

“The town will be thrilled when they figure out that golden boy Declan Young is back.”

I laugh.

My parents once told me that people here call me that. Just because I was smart doesn’t mean I was perfect. I never understood it.

Born and raised in Lovers, I left to go to college. I’d always planned to come back, but then my parents moved away, and I met Susie’s mom, and life happened.

It took me a lot longer than I planned to get back here, but I did it.

“The town will be just fine if they find out quietly.”

Even as I say the words, I know they are pointless. This is Lovers. Gossip is basically a rite of passage here.

“Well, between you and Ruby moving back within the same week, I can only imagine what they will say.”

“Ruby moved back. That’s amazing. Is this her son?”

Paul beams as he nods. “Having them back has meant the world to me.”

I don't know much about the story there, but I remember my parents talking about how hard it was on him when his daughter left.

Ruby Asher is younger than me. I went to school with her twin brothers and didn’t really know much about her. Heck, her brothers and I were complete opposites, and even though we lived in a small town, we hardly spoke.

“She’s actually moving into my house.” He points at the one next to mine. “I’m downsizing into an apartment Miles built for me behind his shop.”

“That’s great.” My eyes drift to where Susie is attempting to show Max a trick shot. He fails and lands on his butt, and the two of them erupt into laughter.

“Oh, here she is now,” he says.

The patio door to his house slides open for a third time.

A bare leg steps out. Next, it’s an animal-print skirt that has a slit up the side, and from the way it flows, a pair of short, short black shorts underneath.

Then my gaze falls to the simple white shirt that hugs her curves and displays a full chest.

I suck in a breath as her face comes into view.

Strawberry blonde hair frames her pink pretty lips, high cheekbones, and bright green eyes.

“Dad, have you seen Max?” she asks, clearly oblivious to the fact that the guy on the other side of the fence just spent a solid thirty seconds taking in every inch of her.

Wow.

Ruby Asher is nothing like I remember.

She’s grown into a stunning woman, and I can’t peel my eyes off her.

“He’s playing soccer next door,” Paul says and then he claps. “I think he made a friend.”

“What? Really?” Ruby lights up and then rushes to the fence to peek over.

I’m hit with a floral scent, and my heart picks up.

It’s been years since I’ve reacted like this to a woman.

I was beginning to think Susie’s mom broke me.

But it seems maybe not.

“This is great. I’ve been worried about him making friends since we moved back.” Ruby turns her attention to me, and a sweet, almost shy smile touches her lips.

Our eyes lock, and I swear she sucks in a breath.

“Hi,” she says. “I’m Ruby.”

“Ruby, hun, you know who this is, don’t you?” her dad asks.

She blushes and shakes her head.

“No, should I?” Her tone is flirty as she looks at me for the answer.

I chuckle and am about to give her my name, but her dad beats me to it.

“It’s Declan Young.”

Now it’s my turn to blush. He said my name like I’m important and she’s supposed to be impressed by the name alone.

It’s got to be a parent thing to do this to us.

“You’re kidding,” she says and the sweet innocent tone that laced her voice just seconds ago is gone, replaced with complete distaste. “Declan. Young.”

I glance at her dad and then at her.

Ah, she’s definitely not impressed by my name.

“That’s … me,” I say awkwardly.

She crosses her arms and pops her hip. I’d say it’s cute, but I’m starting to get the feeling that she doesn't like me.

Which is crazy, because I can’t think for the life of me of a moment where we interacted and it went badly.

“And you live there?” She points to my house.

I nod. “Yes.”

“Since when? For how long?”

I let out a nervous laugh at the horror in her voice.

“We just came back and I’m not sure yet. A while, though.”

“A while,” she repeats.

“A while,” I repeat, but this time with a little more snap.

Okay, her tone is starting to piss me off a little. You can't be rude to someone for no reason and expect them to just take it.

“Well, this is just great. I’m thrilled to have you next door.”

I grin, crossing my arms and facing her. “You know, I'm just going to put this out there, but I don’t think you mean that.”

“Ha, you think?” She huffs and walks off. “Dad, bring Max home with you when you come inside, please.”

Paul and I stand in silence until the door closes and Ruby is inside.

“Huh,” he says first. “I get the feeling my daughter doesn’t care for you very much.”

I rub the back of my neck, watching the children again to clear my mind.

“Yeah … I caught on to that, too.”

“Care to tell me why?”

His guess is as good as mine.

“If I knew, I’d tell you.”

He laughs at that, and we fall into a conversation about how I landed back in Lovers and how much it hasn’t changed over the years.

He can carry on a conversation, which is nice because all I can think about is how the woman next door doesn't like me.

And I have no idea why.

It bothers me.

“So yeah, you and your little girl should come to breakfast on Sunday. I won’t take no for an answer.”

“We’ll be there,” I tell him.

He calls Max in, and I lead Susie inside for dinner.

He might not take no for an answer, but I have a feeling I know who will have no problem giving him that answer, or me for that matter.

The one and only Ruby Asher.