Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“That’s…exhausting,” I said, and Nathan laughed.
“It is,” he agreed. “But you get used to it. Learn when to pick your battles and learn when to simply silently support your person.”
My heart warmed to him another fraction. “Harper is lucky to have you.”
Nathan shrugged. “I’m the lucky one. Even with all this, she’s worth it and more.” He sighed. “Her mom, though. She’s tougher on Asher because he’s the tech-billionaire and she thinks he could always be doing more. And she’s always been worried someone would date him just for his money. She’s grilled that into him since before I even came into the picture.”
“I’m not—”
“I know that,” he cut me off. “Hell, everyone at that table can see that except for his mom.”
I blew out a breath. “I’ve gotten used to judgment pretty well since becoming a romance author,” I said, shaking my head. “But that was only part of it in there. The scrutiny she put on Asher, the way she cut him to size for being successful in things she doesn’t deem worthy…I don’t think I’ll ever be able to remain silent while that’s happening.”
“I get that,” Nathan said. “Love is easy most of the time, but there are pockets of difficult that you have to get through.” He glanced over his shoulder, back toward Asher’s home. “Harper’s family has always been one of those pockets.”
We finished our beers, settling into a weighted sort of silence, but it felt good to talk to someone who understood.
“I better get back in there and check on her,” he said after a while.
“Thanks for the drink,” I said. “And the talk. It means a lot to me.”
Nathan stood, looking down at me. “Anytime,” he said. “I’ve been around Asher long enough to know when he’s passionate about something. And I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you.”
I gave him a soft smile, and he headed back toward the estate. The sounds of the night wrapped around me, filled with thoughts about how to weather this new obstacle before I realized there was no weathering it.
Asher and I had only known each other a few short months, and while I loved him and I knew he loved me, I suddenly knew how this would end.
I’d seen this story before.
He’d never choose me after his family reacted the way they had.
I was too chaotic, too much of a distraction, too much of a wildcard with a profession none of them deemed worthy. New couples never survived that kind of stuff.
Another crack fissured in the foundation Asher and I had custom-built to stand on. We came from different worlds, and every day we spent together only pointed that out more and more.
I didn’t know if we’d built our foundation strong enough to withstand the weight that kept crashing down on top of us. And I couldn’t help but wonder how much joy I could give Asher before it all, inevitably, came crashing down.
* * *
“My parents just left for their hotel,” Asher said as he walked into his bedroom—way past his normal scheduled bedtime.
“Sorry I missed saying goodbye,” I said, only half-meaning it. I’d retreated up here not long after my chat with Nathan.
I’d been thinking. Trying to sort my mind out and not let what happened at dinner come between us, but it was hard.
“I just needed some space,” I said truthfully. I knew the last thing Asher needed was to open up the topic of conversation right after it had happened. I’d still been too heated on the subject, and I always found that if I took a few hours to think and breathe, I could see both sides of the situation better, calmer.
Asher slipped off his tie, the tension feeling like a tight-rope between us, and I hated the idea of crossing it to get to him. But this was Asher, and there wasn’t much I wouldn’t do for him.
“Asher,” I said, and he paused unbuttoning his shirt. His hair was slightly disheveled, as if he’d raked his hands through it while I was in my think session up here. I stood on the other side of his bed, unable to take that first step around it to where he stood on the other side. “I’m sorry about tonight,” I said.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said. “My mother was out of line—”
“She’s trying to protect you,” I cut him off, shrugging. “I understand that. I’ve never been one to care if people accept me or not. I’ve always lived my life where if you don’t like me, no worries, no one is forcing you to. Plus, I rarely ask for anyone’s approval.”
A small smile flashed across his lips. “I love that about you.”
My heart fluttered in my chest, even though it was heavy. “I know I’m not what your parents expected or wanted,” I said, swallowing hard around the lump in my throat. “But, Ash, I’m not going to change—”