39. Asher
Asher
“You know I have a dishwasher,” I grumbled as Jane passed me another dinner plate.
“And we each have two good hands,” Jane replied with a smile. She had joined us for dinner and was staying here tonight with Sophie so we could go out. Sutton was upstairs doing her bathtime routine with Soph. Although I was sad to miss it, I also knew she was giving me time.
Jane had gotten here at four since Quinn sent Sutton home early on Jane’s demand and she had been spending as much of that time with Sophie as possible.
She had crawled around on the floor with her, played with her toys, and listened to her babble, talking back.
Jane was obsessed with my girl and had threatened me with bodily harm if I didn’t bring them to London to see her regularly too.
“She’s something special,” Jane said after a few quiet moments.
I had been waiting for this. We spoke at least once a week and our conversations always included me talking about Sutton and Soph.
There wasn’t a moment of the day I wasn’t thinking about them so it made sense.
Jane so far hadn’t asked many questions, not when she had visited last and not on the phone. But I was dying for her opinion.
She had been more of a mother to me all these years than the woman who gave birth to me.
She gave me lectures when I was doing stupid shit as a kid, she sat through my university graduation and screamed for me when I walked the stage.
She gave me love when I was in desperate need of it, a safe space to heal, and brought me into her family without a second thought.
I would not be where I am today without her.
“She is,” I agreed, putting the towel down and facing her.
“I imagine it isn’t simple dating a woman with a child.” She looked at me with a straight face, no judgment, no opinion until I gave mine. I knew the look well.
“I would put both of them above myself. It’s actually been the easiest thing in the world, fitting myself into their life.” I rubbed a hand over my jaw, just like Sophie did.
“I can see that, Asher, but—”
“I know it isn’t simple, I know that building a relationship and taking care of Sophie isn’t an easy balance.
But there are very few things in my life I have ever been absolutely sure of.
One of them was joining Knight to create Knight Enterprises and the other was that the rest of the guys should be part of it.
“The only other time was when I met Sutton and then Sophie. So there is nothing that would stop me from being Sophie’s father and Sutton’s husband.
I will put everything I can into making this work.
I want what is best for them, and I want them.
And I am ruthless when I know what I want.
” I let out a breath at the end of my passionate speech and was met with a wide grin from Jane.
She shook her head and pulled me into her arms.
“I am so proud of the man you’ve become, Asher.” She patted my back and squeezed me before pulling back.
“It’s because of you,” I muttered as she looked at me with tears in her eyes. I glared at her because I did not want to see her cry.
“That was a lot of talking.”
“I think he has a bad rap,” Sutton said from behind us. I turned to see her there with Sophie. Sophie squealed and reached for me.
“Hi, sunshine.” I stepped forward and took her into my arms. I nuzzled my face into her neck and smelled the baby shampoo Sutton used that I loved. It was crazy how much she’d grown since I first met her. It was also kind of depressing that I’d missed nine months of her life.
I wouldn’t miss another.
“Why don’t you go get ready, Sutton? Asher and I can handle Sophie,” Jane commented as she looked at Sophie like she was going to steal her from me.
But she was going to get her all night. I had tried again to convince Sutton that we could leave after we put Sophie to bed but then she had gone and texted it to the group and outrage ensued, so I knew I didn’t want to argue with all of them over this today.
We’d been at the club for a few hours, all sitting together, and the conversation hadn’t stopped. I normally hoped that I could leave early but tonight I was more than happy to stay with Sutton by my side.
We could be doing the most boring thing and it was better because she was beside me. Like right now, we were listening to Noah explain why he still thought we should re-vote on the name “The Pleasure Palace” and everyone was telling him it made it seem like a different kind of business.
Will made an argument for getting horses and offering trail rides and Oli argued back about the cost of horse upkeep.
It was our normal chaotic, loud night.
I loved my family. Even when I was annoyed or someone said something stupid that caused me to rub the bridge of my nose. They were still mine.
Plus, Sutton kept laughing, resting her hand on my thigh, and having fun. I was starting to think that she was realizing just how serious I was. How I wasn’t going to leave her. That no one in this group would abandon her. That once she was in, she was in for life.
I wasn’t sure that I could exist without her anymore. She was the perfect woman for me, something I never expected to find and something I wouldn’t let go of.
She had worked her way so far under my skin that sometimes I couldn’t think straight, and there was no way she could ever get out.
As I pressed a kiss to her forehead as she laughed at something Quinn said, I made a silent vow to make sure nothing bad ever touched her again.