“What do you mean?”
“Don’t play stupid. It’s not a good color on you.”
“Here, brother.” Paul stopped on my other side with a glass of scotch poised in front of me. “To the man of many surprises.”
I took the glass and clinked his. “Not many, just the one.”
“She got a sister?”
I snorted and choked enough Asher turned my way with brows raised. I shook my head and held up my free hand to stop him from worrying. Once I could speak again, I said, “Yes, several, but they’re all younger. Maybe she has a cousin.” And I patted myself on the back for getting that out without breaking into laughter.
The desire to do so died when Mother stopped beside my father to introduce Asher.
“Excuse me,” I said and stormed to them.
“Brandt,” my father was saying. “Any relation to the railway Brandts? Pretty sure I know a few of those.”
“I doubt it,” Asher said. “But that’s my stepdad’s name. He adopted me and my brother when he married our momma.”
“Oh,” Mother said with a sad tone Asher wouldn’t understand the meaning of. Mother saw divorce as something for the lower classes. Us rich folk had too much money on the table and stuck it out, for better or worse—with a side of quiet infidelity.
“What was your father’s last name?” Father asked just as I came to stand at Asher’s side and curled my arm around his waist. Father hadn’t figured out this was the very man who’d demanded an apology from him.
Asher snuggled into my shoulder, not missing a beat of the conversation. “Wilson, but Momma never married him, so my brother and I had her maiden name of Davis until she married Ben.” He laughed softly. “No matter how many last names you ask of me, none will be someone you know.”
Mother and Father blinked, clearly unsure how to respond.
Father cleared his throat, brows lowering, before he shifted his gaze to me. “I see. Well, I’m at a loss as to what you two have in common, but it was nice to meet you.”
Dismissed. A part of me wanted to remain in his face to make him uncomfortable, but the part that won out was the side of me that wanted to take Asher far from their toxicity.
“Come meet my sister and brother,” I said as I pulled Asher away.
“I can’t tell if they’re all robots or brainwashed.” Asher glanced around at those we passed. “Remind me not to drink the Kool-Aid tonight.”
“Definitely.” I kept a genuine smile on my face as I brought Asher to my siblings. They both noticed, giving me odd stares before finding their manners.
“I’m so happy to meet you.” Mary beamed.
“Same,” Paul added. “You’re like a unicorn. The women of this state will be vying to scratch your eyes out for taking the most eligible bachelor.”
I rolled my eyes. “We aren’t engaged.”
Asher poked me with an elbow. “You didn’t tell me you were the most eligible bachelor. I have a cousin that makes personalized T-shirts. I’m getting one made for this, you know.”
Mary laughed.
Asher turned his bright eyes to her. “Help me with what it should say? ‘I survived the fight to the death’ with a pile of dead women below my feet?”
“No, no. It should be simple. Who needs so many words once you’ve won?”
“That’s enough, you two,” I said.
Paul chimed in with a laugh. “Just his face stamped with ‘Game Over’ should do it.”
“Perfect,” Asher said as I pulled him away.
“You’re my siblings. You should be on my side,” I chastised them both.
