“Pen,” I call out.
“Yeah?”
“I want to ask a favor.”
She nods.
“Is Asher really in love with you?”
Her blush makes her look so young and innocent. The kind of Penny she was before life and adulting happened.
She takes a peek toward the bar and seems to look around before nodding at someone.
“Come with me.”
I follow her to the back door. At this time it’s usually closed because we don’t expect any deliveries, which means outside it’s deserted and dark.
A lone tall figure comes around the side of the building. Penny runs toward them. I’m about to ask her what she’s doing when I recognize Asher Martin.
Close up, he’s even better looking. An almost mirror image of his brother, which immediately makes me feel uneasy.
“Hey, Levi,” he says.
“What’s going on?” I ask, looking at Penny, who’s smiling while tucked under Asher’s arm. I don’t know how to feel about it because, on one hand, the wounds of the past are still a little raw, but on the other, she looks like she belongs there.
“I’m sorry, I asked Penny to arrange this,” Asher says, and I swear if I was a porcupine, my quills would be up and ready to pierce. “I know how important you are to her, so I wanted to clear the air before misunderstandings get in the way. I love Penny with everything I have. I’d walk her down the aisle right now if I could, but as you know, I come from a family with…expectations.”
“Asher, we never had much to do with each other, but if you’re going to spout some bullshit about me keeping your secret, then save it. It’s not my secret to tell. I just hope you know how special Penny is and how she deserves better than this.”
“Levi,” Penny warns.
“I’m sorry, Penny, but you deserve better than what I got,” I say without apology.
“She will, Levi. Look, I’m not my family. I know it’s hard to believe, especially when we’re having this conversation out here rather than inside over a drink. And I know I don’t owe you this, but…I want to marry Penny one day in the not-so-distant future.”
Penny’s gasp stops Asher.
“I’m sorry if you had any doubts about that, baby,” he says and kisses her forehead. Then he turns to me. “My parents are also my business partners. Without their investment, I would never have been able to open my vet practice. Whatever anyone thinks of them, this town desperately needed a vet. I'm really close to buying their share of the business, so I don't want to rock things, especially when they want me to date Mrs. Jenkins’s daughter. Can you see why I can't go public with Penny yet?
I can’t help warming up a little more to Asher as I see my friend melting into his embrace with her eyes full of hearts.
“I appreciate your words, Asher.” It’s true, and he does come across as sincere. When Jayden chased me in high school until I broke my resolve and started seeing him in secret, Asher was a few years older, so he’d left for college by the time everything went down. I have no reason to believe he’s like the rest of his family.
“We should get back,” Penny says.
I nod. What a weird fucking night. First Arlo and now Asher.
Arlo!
“Asher,” I call as he’s turning into the side street to the front of the bar. It’s time to test his sincerity.
“Yeah?”
“My friend, Arlo, has been trying to get a license to sell his art at the craft fair, but your mom and Mrs. Jenkins are hell-bent on refusing him. I don’t know why, but…is there anything you can do? Maybe have a word with her?”
He laughs, but there’s no amusement in it.
“You don’t know why?” he asks.
