He grinned wider, then let it relax a bit. “For real, though, I’m not sure. Freshmen’re supposed to live in the dorms, but maybe if I show myself often enough, they won’t catch on.”
I held up a carton of orange juice and raised my brows. Asher nodded.
As I got glasses from a cabinet, I said, “I didn’t have any plansbeyond last night.” I handed him a full glass. “I want you to stay if you want to, but if you can’t, then I’ll understand.”
He sipped the OJ, then bit the inside of his mouth and tapped the glass. “Is it too fast? I mean, me staying here almost feels like we’re vacationing together. What do they call that? Staycations?”
“I’m not sure anything about how we came together has been normal. Does it feel wrong? Does it feel too fast?”
“No, but I don’t know if it should.”
I sat my glass down and came around the island. Asher turned and wrapped himself around my middle as if he knew I needed it.
“How about you stay until it doesn’t work?” I kissed the top of his head, then sniffed the scent of my shampoo on him because, fuck yeah, that did things to my heart. “When you feel like it’s too fast or too much, just talk to me. We’ll work it out then.”
Asher rubbed his cheek on my chest. “You do the same. If you need your space back, you kick me out. Nicely.”
I kissed his nose. “I can do that. Though I’ve had my space long enough. I’m ready to share.”
“The tongues will wag.”
I nodded at my phone charging on the counter. “I turned it off. I’m sure there are a few messages from my parents, either telling me never to set foot in their house again or condemning my life choices. Probably both.”
Asher squirmed, shaking his head, concern lowering his brows, but I wouldn’t let go.
“Shh, don’t worry about it. I expected it, and I’ve made peace with it. Last night was very public, and I meant it to be so. My parents won’t be able to hide it or me. I’m sure the gossip is juicy today.”
“I want to feel bad about that, but I can’t seem to. I mean”—Asher pulled away, but I kept my arms around him—“I do feelbad that it might hurt you, but your parents are horrible. I don’t want you around them anyway.”
I pinched his chin. “So protective of me.”
He shrugged. “Yeah. I think it’s just part of who I am. Can you deal with that?”
“More than deal with it. I’m kind of in love with it.”
“Only kind of?”
“Overflowing with it,” I corrected.
We spent the afternoon tangled in each other, teasing, eating barely enough to sustain us, but not caring at all. I didn’t go into the office on Monday, just worked from home for a few hours. I wasn’t fired yet, since all of my access still worked. Asher drove the Range Rover to school, while I worked on my exit strategy.
Even if my father didn’t insist I leave, I would anyway. They’d take my inheritance as they threatened, but I wouldn’t waste my life working to grow a company run by such a man any longer.
Over the years, I’d had many offers to change firms, to use my talents on a broader scale than my father’s family-owned business. They were all possibilities now, but I was checking into working for myself as well. Maybe not starting a firm—I didn’t want to be a boss—but working for myself had a nice ring to it.
When Asher returned that night, he held a bag of clothes and a bag of food. This was our routine for the week. While he did homework or talked with his friends, I worked on a belated Valentine’s present. Or by the time it arrived, maybe a Saint Patrick’s Day present. Did people give gifts for that one?
Saturday, we drove to the garage where the car collection was housed, just checking to see if my keys and codes still worked. They did. Asher took pictures, sending them to a group chat he had with his friends, later telling me they’d have to get to know me more before I could be added. It was the rule all of them had established.
On our way back to my place, I finally checked the messages I’d accrued while my phone was off. I let them play through the Bluetooth so Asher could hear. When Mother’s outraged voice screeched through the car, I listened long enough to get the gist, then deleted it.
“She sounded upset,” Asher deadpanned.
“I can’t imagine why.”
There were messages from William, Paul, and Mary too, all wanting to meet up this week. I glanced at Asher with brows raised. He nodded, so I called them back, and we set a date.
He didn’t get another break from classes until March, which would be here sooner rather than later. He’d already planned to spend a few days in Hickory Bend with his family, so now that was my plan too.
