“Thanks,” we tell him in unison.
His eyes come back to mine, and my heart begins to race.
“You said you needed to talk to me?”
Maggie touches his arm lightly but looks at me. “We will give you two a minute.”
Maggie walks over to Rain and loops her arm through Rain’s, and they walk out together, leaving Calloway and me alone.
“What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
“Aspen…” he warns.
“I’m serious. Nothing is wrong. In fact, for the first time ever, I think everything is right.”
His eyes soften. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, which is why I wanted to talk to you.” I lick my lips and take a deep breath. “Thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me?” he asks as he leans against a table with a frown between his eyebrows.
I walk over and take a seat across from him.
“Thank you for loving me, for saving me. Thank you for giving Asher a chance to prospect. For letting him join.”
Calloway smiles as he shakes his head. “He earned his spot in the club. It was a unanimous decision to join. It wasn’t just my decision.”
“Still. Thank you.” I shrug.
“He makes you happy,” he says rather than asks.
“He does.”
Calloway looks away. “You know, growing up, I never thought anyone would be good enough for you. In fact, it used to keep me up at night. You were a wild child and had no fear. I used to worry like crazy about what you would get yourself into, but then you met him. While I might not like how you two met, there’s no denying that you two belong together.” He looks back at me. “Asher proved he’s willing to put you first. That you are his main priority and he’s willing to lay down his life for yours. He showed all of us that he loves you, that he’s worthy of you. I’d be a fool to let him go.”
I look down at my hands and smile.
Asher has proved all of those things and then some.
He’s been patient with me while I worked my way through the shit we went through. He forgave me when he didn’t have to, and he’s saved me time and time again. Even in ways he doesn’t know.
It’s the little things.
“He’s pretty amazing,” I say quietly.
“You’re amazing too. You know that, right?”
“That’s sweet of you to say, but we all know he’s the real prize in this relationship. I’m just the lucky fool who caught him.”
“You’re wrong,” he says, shaking his head.
“Agree to disagree.”
Calloway sighs. “Well, I guess it’s on brand for us Alstone siblings to think we don’t deserve good things.”
“But we’re working on it,” I add.
