“And you stopped it?”
“I did.”
“Thanks, bro,” Jaylen says.
“No problem.”
I roll my eyes, practically hearing the verbal high five. “Are you two and your bromance done yet?”
“No, I’m not done,” Jaylen says. “What the fuck are you thinking marrying that slimeball? You understand what kind of man he is, don’t you?”
“He’s a better man than either of you! Neither of you care about my happiness at all!”
“No, just your future,” Ash says, and I glare at him.
“He’s right. It would have been a major mistake,” Jaylen agrees.
“You know what? Screw both of you,” I snap, and I hang up on my brother before the conversation can go any further. Then I march over to Asher, stopping him mid-burpee.
“So if Jaylen didn’t have anything to do with it, then why?”
Asher stares down at me, breathing heavily, not a hint of teasing or sarcasm in his expression.
“You really want to know?” he asks.
“Yes!”
“I couldn’t let you marry him, not because I hate him, but because I’m in love with you.”
Chapter 7
Asher
It takes everything I have in me to hold a serious expression as I watch Harper process the words I just said.
My confession of love.
Is it the truth?
Technically, no.
The motive for stopping the wedding before vows were spoken was definitely driven by the fact that he’s a piece of shit who sleeps around while taking advantage of girls like Harper just to get his rocks off.
I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t some truth in it.
If I said I feel nothing for her, it would be very far from the truth.
I wait for her to say something; expecting some kind of tantrum. Maybe she’ll get flustered, or blush as she so often does.
What I’m not expecting is the reaction I get.
Harper’s lips tug into a smile, a full-blown grin, and then she starts to laugh. Not a nervous giggle or a snigger, but a deep-rooted belly laugh. It fills the room, and even though there is no one around to hear it, I am almost embarrassed by the reaction.
“What’s so funny?” I ask as her laugh rakes across my ego.
Harper shakes her head. “Nothing, I just…” her words are strangled in her giggles. “You did this, all of this, because you’re in love with me? You’re lying.”
“What if I’m not?” I ask.
