“I know you hate to be interrupted but I have to. I was always going to check on you especially when it’s something this serious. You were run off the road and it knocked you out. Pappy was terrified when he called to inform me and I was immediately on the road.”
“Where you’d been?” I couldn’t help but question her. The absence of her in my life leaving room for her to be a suspect. I didn’t think she was but I wasn’t going to pretend like it wasn’t possible.
“New York. I wasn’t sure about things with the wedding but I wanted to have options in case—”
Shopping. Her excuse was shopping?
“Of course you’re invited. Don’t let that be a question. If for nothing else you and Pappy should be co-elders in position now that you’re back. But I’m asking you as my guest to come to the wedding.”
It would be easier to keep her close if she were guilty of this shit so giving her a reason to stay in town was necessary.
“Shouldn’t you wait on your bride?” She looked up from where she’d been staring at her lap.
“She would probably fight me on ensuring that you were coming. Very British. Very mannerly. Very much about ensuring things are done properly.” I shifted in the bed and Faith jumped up as though to assist me in getting comfortable. I held a hand up to gently rebuff her help but kept my facial features soft so she wouldn’t think I was rejecting her on principle.
Faith waited until I was settled before she sat back down a move that was too natural to have been practiced. She settled back in putting her bag back in her purse. “She must be something special if she’s able to get you to fall in line with no question. I like her.”
I ignored the like part but I had to agree Asha was someone that Faith would like. “You would. She’ll be here soon. Not the best way to meet one another but it has to happen.”
“Does she know…” Her face gave away the nerves she had about meeting Asha. Her eyes were wide, worried and she’d gotten back to fidgeting with her purse straps.
“No. Not a lot. Not enough. I wouldn’t taint her view of you just because of our situation.”
I thought my words would make her happy but she didn’t look any less stressed out. “She’s going to need to know. I can’t build a relationship with her based on a lie.”
“It’s not a lie. Things are complex. Between her and me and between the two of us. Fresh starts aren’t anything bad but I know there’s still stuff to work through. I don’t want to mess up what might be something amicable between y’all when it’s unnecessary.”
She blinked slowly probably wondering if this was the concussion speaking. My honesty something that seemed to move her. It was my way of telling her that things with us could improve, which was more than I’d given her in decades. “That’s… thank you.”
“She’s mean as hell though so you should be wary.”
“Pappy is on his way up but we brought—”
Asha bustled into the room ignorant of the fact that I wasn’t alone. She paused when she glanced at me then back at Faith who’d immediately stood up to help her with the items in her hands.
I hated this. Hated that they were meeting for the first time in these circumstances and I couldn’t even get out of bed to help them out. I could get through the pain and the nauseated feeling that standing provided me but Asha had threatened to end my life if I even thought about going against the doctor’s order to stay in bed.
“Hello. You must Asha. I’m Faith.” Faith stood up and sat her purse in the chair behind her. She was wearing a dress that almost touched the floor and flat sandals. Asha’s hair was in a curly ball on the top of her head and she had on casual pants and a t-shirt. She was devoid of all jewelry except the ring I’d given her.
“Ori’s mother.”
“Umm.. yes. Yes, I am.”
Asha took in that information while Faith just stood there. After a second, she seemed to snatch out of whatever thought she had and extended her hand out for Faith to shake. The relief was now on Faith’s face as they made contact.
“I apologize for not being here to greet you. I needed to run around—”
“Thank you for having the foresight to bring him something to eat. I was too worried about getting here that it didn’t cross my mind.” My mother gave that compliment as she sat back down. Asha washed her hands and then began pulling things out of the bags, playing hostess even in a hospital room.
I really need to give her those gifts.
“I brought plenty, as you can see and Pappy is bringing even more up. I’m sure you know just by the looks of him that he has an endless appetite.”
My dick shouldn’t have woken up hearing her say that but it had. Asha’s voice had a natural sexiness to it. A smoky depth that made me think of darkened rooms, moonlight skirting over the chestnut brown of her skin as pants and moans raised the humidity between us.
You might need to stop being so damn honorable and put you both out of your misery.
“I’ve been driving for several hours and I need to check into my hotel. I only wanted to lay eyes on you and ensure that you’re okay.”
