“Tryin’ to stop those two from arguin’ is like tryin’ to stop the sun from risin’,” Nash said.
“Swear they never retract their claws,” Gran agreed, accepting her own slice.
“There’ll be no fightin’ today. Not when we have so much to be thankful for.” Momma smiled at June as she helped pass out the pie, then to Owen who sat in his high chair, then finally settled her gaze on me. Her smile widened as she glanced down to where Asher’s hand rested on my thigh—something I hadn’t even noticed because this had all become second nature to us.
I picked at the pie, finally sliding it over to Asher to finish. “Well, I can tell you this now since we know the outcome, but I was fakin’ every bit of that confidence I swore I had.”
“You little liar.” Asher squeezed my thigh.
“I was worried for y’all, too,” Rory said. “But Edna was tellin’ me Judge Seville couldn’t walk three steps around town withoutsomeone commentin’ on y’all. Couldn’t even grab a cup of coffee without someone bendin’ his ear. Sounds like y’all had more character witnesses than just Daddy.”
My gaze snapped to Rory before I turned to my father. His cheeks had flushed, and he found his half-eaten slice of pie awfully interesting. “Wait…Daddy was a character witness? Judge Seville never said who?—”
“Well, not in an official capacity, of course. Just as a concerned father.” He cleared his throat and avoided eye contact. “My name doesn’t carry much weight anymore since I’m not the mayor, but I didn’t think it was right, what the Haywards were doin’, is all. Y’all deserve to be a family.”
My daddy had spent the early years of my life doing everything he could to bail me out of any bit of trouble I’d gotten myself into. With his money and his connections. But never with his words alone. Never for somethinggood, instead only to keep our pristine name shiny and untarnished. And though I’d never had to face consequences thanks to him, it had always felt like a power move more than anything. But this—him speaking out on our behalf—felt a lot like love.
“Did you put sunscreen on that bald patch at the back of your head? You’re gonna get burned,” I finally said, my voice thick with emotion.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Rory slapped her hands down on the table and rolled her eyes. “Y’all love each other. Fantastic. Now can we eat this pie in peace?”
“First, I’d like to propose a toast.” Momma held up her glass filled with sweet tea. “Congratulations on officially becomin’ a family. Daddy and I are both just so thrilled it means all our girls are finally home.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
ASHER
I had known grief.I’d learned it when my momma died, and then my dad. Had healed from that and come out on the other side, only to get swept under the wave again when my sister and brother-in-law passed away. Coming back to Havenbrook, I’d felt a little like I was a life raft, floating in the middle of the ocean with those two kids on my back.
But then Nat had stepped up when I’d needed her, and her family had taken us into their fold. I’d been a part of the Haven household since I was six years old, but I’d never felt that more so than I had today.
The only trouble was, it was all a lie.
“Thought this was a celebration.” Nash dropped into the chair next to me and passed me a beer.
I accepted it without hesitation because God knew I needed a drink. “Thanks.”
“Since we’re supposed to be celebrating, you wanna tell me why you look like you did when you dropped your ice cream cone on the sidewalk during the second-grade field trip?”
I cracked a grin, my gaze locked on Nat as she helped June attempt a cartwheel in the yard. “I am celebrating. You even brought me a drink.”
“Yeah, except your face doesn’t quite say celebrating as much as car-ran-over-my-dog.”
That was pretty spot-on then, since I felt a hell of a lot worse than someone running over my nonexistent dog.
I blew out a breath, my gaze focused on the beer bottle cupped in my hands. “I don’t know what you want from me, Nash. I’m happy. June and Owen are officially mine. What more could I possibly want?”
Nash snorted and leaned back in his chair, his beer bottle braced on one knee. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a certain beautiful, troublemaking best friend we share?”
“Just drop it, all right?”
Nash leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Look, man, we’ve got two decades of friendship under our belts, and I’ve never once let you take the easy road. That’s not how this works between the three of us. So, I’m sure as hell not gonna start now.”
“You’re tellin’ me fightin’ for these kids has been easy?”
“You know damn well I’m not talkin’ about the kids. I’m talkin’ about Nat and you lettin’ her go.”
I snapped my gaze to Nash, anger burning in my gut. “And you thinkthatis easy? You think Iwantto let her go? She did me a favor, comin’ here.”
