“I think you get the idea. We met at the event and have been dating since.”
“Darling, is this the reason you’ve been so adamantly refusing Georgina’s attentions?”
“Georgina …” That jolted me into gear, a topic to move away from the man in disguise beside me. “Attentions? That’s reaching a bit, Mother. Georgina is no more interested in me than I am in her.”
“Pfft. You two hit it off so well. The poor girl asks about you all the time.”
“She’s hardly a girl, and no, we didn’t.”
“It’s unfair to lead her on.”
I squared my shoulders and held Asher tighter. “Mother, I’m dating Ashley, and this conversation is best left for another time.”
What I thought might shut her up—Mother was never one to cause a scene—only made a foreboding glint flicker in her eyes.
“Is that so? Then you must bring her with you to our New Year’s Eve dinner party.” Mother turned to Asher. “You’ll come, won’t you, dear? After all, we’d love a chance to get to know the woman Luke is dating.”
“Um, sure,” Asher said.
“Great. Oh, what’s your family name, dear?” she asked.
“Mother. That’ll do. We’ll see you tomorrow.” I grabbed Asher’s hand and stalked off.
“Un-fucking-believable,” I muttered once we were far enough she wouldn’t hear. “Of all the people to run into, it had to be her.”
“C-can we slow down?” Asher asked, stumbling after me.
“Ah, dammit.” I stopped abruptly and pulled him into my arms, crushing him. I meant to reassure him but found myself clinging to his thin frame to find my own comfort. “I’m sorry,” I said at his temple. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Are you okay? I forgot about the heels.”
Asher kissed my cheek, then snickered. “It’s okay. I mean, easy to do, right?”
I stared into the smile shining out of him, just all of him, and finally released the tension in my shoulders. “Well, at least she was convinced you were female.”
“Sounds as if you had doubts.”
“I only now realize how strongly I had them.”
Asher’s expression softened slowly until he worried his bottom lip. “I’m sorry for pushin’ my stupid story on you.”
“It wasn’t stupid. I was.” I kissed his forehead, then tapped mine to it. “I’m sorry it took me a minute to understand why you told me about Shelley. I’m sorry for dismissing all the stories you’ve told me as nothing but entertainment.”
“They’re fun sometimes.”
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “They are. But they’re more than that. They’re part of the reason you’re such an amazing person. You’ve got all these great tales, but they’re also lessons you’ve learned from. Not everyone would do that. You’re really astonishing, Asher. I’ve thought so since the moment we met.”
His grin returned before he kissed me gently. “I like that you can admit to being wrong.”
“I would’ve done so at the table, but someone needed a minute.”
“Glad you only gave me one.”
I sighed, letting out a puff of warm air into the night. “Of all the people to run into.”
“Your momma is a lovely person.”
I snorted. “I won’t ask you to go to that dinner. It’s ridiculous.”
“What will you tell her?”
