Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76541 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76541 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Asher gives a tap to the microphone before putting his forearms on the podium where he casually leans. He beams out at the crowd and says, “Folks… we’ve come to the end of the night, and I want to report that we’ve raised a grand total of $268,000 for Children’s Hospital.”
The room erupts into thunderous applause.
Asher waits for it to die a little and adds, “And because it drives me nuts to see such an odd figure, I’m going to donate another thirty-two thousand dollars to make it an even $300,000.”
There’s more applause, and Hope grins at me as she claps enthusiastically. She and Asher have grown close this past year. Tonight, he’s absolutely walking on water in her eyes.
He’s pretty fine in my eyes, too. Sometimes I think it’s impossible for me to be more attracted to him than I already am, but damn… him in that tuxedo is driving me crazy. He’s going to stay the night at my apartment tonight, and I hope to hell I can keep it quiet.
“I want to thank my sister, Christina, for perfectly organizing this event year after year. She outdoes herself every time.” Asher pauses to search out our table, which is right in front of the stage. He smiles at Christina. “I’m so proud of you, sis, and you truly are the best of us Knights.”
This time, the applause is almost deafening, a testament to how much Christina is revered in this wealthy community for her charitable efforts. She stands and waves, the spotlight briefly swinging to her.
It’s touching when her father stands as well, overtly clapping for her like he’s her biggest champion. His wife, Mandy, is beside him, also giving praise to Christina with her own effusive applause.
Carlton and Mandy have been a pleasant twist to Asher’s life this past year. When his father married Mandy, thirty-two years his junior, he became a changed man. She’s a lovely woman who genuinely loves Carlton. He rarely comes into the offices to look over Asher’s shoulder anymore, content to concede the entire business to his son. He and Mandy instead travel the world. When they’re in Vegas, they are very present in his kids’ lives. I think he might have some making up to do, but I’ve enjoyed getting to know them. Best of all, they spoil Hope as if she were actually their grandchild, so they’re fairly esteemed in my book.
The applause dies down and the spotlight swings from Christina back to Asher on stage. God, he’s so handsome. And just such a good man. I’m very aware of how blessed I am that he decided to take a chance on me and on love. Since I returned with him to Vegas after Thanksgiving last year, I have not regretted a single second I’ve spent with him.
My life has become almost magical. I’m in love with the best man I’ve ever known. I work part time for his company, still in the secretarial pool since it’s all I’m really qualified for, but I also go to school part time where I’m working toward a general business degree. Asher wanted to pay my tuition so I could go full time and be done faster, but I think I finally made him understand there are some things I just need to do for myself.
I don’t always need my Knight rushing in to save me.
I still live in my apartment with Hope, much to Asher’s consternation, although he will stay some nights with us. At least once a day, he tries to talk me into us moving in with him. He’s resorted to begging, but I’ve held out. While we’re dating, I would like us to have separate residences. It’s not really part of a moral compass I’d like to instill in my daughter so much as I want to show her that it’s cool to be an independent woman.
Of course, no telling how long having our own residences will last. Since coming back to Vegas last year with Asher, there’s been no proposal or talk of marriage, but that was at my insistence. Even though he made it clear he wanted to marry me and would have gladly taken me to a justice of the peace back in South Carolina, I asked if we could take it a bit slow.
Not that I had any doubts about us, but because I wanted to show Hope it’s always good to take things slowly—to make sure that all of our dreams are being reached in the right way. While I’d kill to sleep by my man every night, I also know that our growth together has become so solid I won’t hesitate when he finally pops the question.
Admittedly, there’s a part of me that was a little hesitant early on. I take great care to give validation to the fears Asher has about me dying. While I’m at peace with my diagnosis and prognosis, he still struggles. This is emphasized if I get sick. He doesn’t necessarily freak out, but he goes way overboard in his zeal to take care of me. The last time I got a sniffle, he ran to the drugstore and brought back thirteen different over-the-counter medicines for me to try.