Thirty-Two
November
Porter
The Rockets were in Chicago for a long weekend, and with that, meant extra Asher-time.
She only flew out of Charleston early Monday morning, but as always, I missed her within moments of her plane leaving the runway.
What was great about Chicago was she would spend the weekend with me.
I set her up in the hotel where the team was staying, and while I couldn’t spend as much time with her as I wanted, Saturday was all hers.
Well, and Logan’s.
Saturday, today, was an off-day for both our teams, playing one another last night, and then again tomorrow afternoon. We planned on meeting Logan for authentic Chicago pizza after my practice wrapped up. I was running late, so Asher went ahead of me.
I checked my watch as I walked down the bustling sidewalk. It was chilly today, with snowflakes flurrying around. Returning my hands to my pockets, I wrapped my coat around myself tighter and looked up at the storefront signs, looking for the place Logan recommended.
Once I found it, I pushed through the revolving door into the dimly lit restaurant. It was lively with noise and the smell of tomato sauce was strong. Knowing where Asher was sitting thanks to a text message, I made my way to the back of the restaurant after smiling at the hostess, unwrapping my scarf from my neck.
My eyes searched the place as I walked with purpose to the back, just in case I misread her message. When my eyes landed on her, I fought the need to stop and take her in, unaware. It wasn’t often that I got this view of her, watching her when she didn’t realize she was being watched.
But it was these moments that I could swear I fell in love with her more.
She sat in a booth studying the menu, an untouched glass of white wine, courtesy of a really good fake ID, in front of her. My girl is going all out tonight, I thought with a grin.
I stepped forward, not wanting to be in the way of other patrons. Right before I reached the table, she looked up, a grin spreading across her face quickly.
She moved out of her seat and stood, her arms automatically moving around me as I stepped into her. I dropped my nose to her shoulder and breathed her in.
God, I missed her when I couldn’t be with her.
She hadn’t been able to come to the game last night, but would be there tomorrow. I didn’t have to be back to my room tonight until ten, either, so I was spending the day with her.
Asher pulled away first, moving to slide back into the booth. “How was practice?”
“Good,” I said, nodding. I took off my coat and Asher reached for it and my scarf, putting it on the bench beside her. “Logan’s not here yet?”
She shook her head. “No, I haven’t seen him.”
“These are his stomping grounds.” I chuckled as I moved to sit beside her. “I thought for sure he’d be here already.” I reached for her wine glass, sniffing the contents before bringing it to my lips.
“Too sweet,” I said after sipping it and putting the glass down.
“Only way I like it.” Asher reached for it and took a cautious sip from the glass. She made the slightest of faces as she swallowed, and I fought back a grin.
I relaxed into the booth then, reaching my arm around her shoulders as I slouched slightly. I crossed my arm over my middle so I could pick up her left hand, admiring the ring I put there.
Asher looked over at me and grinned.
“I did good,” I said, looking at the ring. The band was a simple pinkish-gold one that came up on the sides to hold two little diamonds. Further, the tiers ran up into a gorgeous halo of diamonds. However, this was not a typical diamond engagement ring. Nope, Asher was more special than just diamonds. The jeweler I went to had a selection of more unique stones and the moment I saw the gray moissanite, I knew it needed to be in the main setting.
It was a gray that when hit right, made the eye think it was seeing other colors.
Like her eyes.
I properly proposed to Asher when we got back to Charleston in September, and while she was still doing the back and forth thing for the time being, I knew it was only a matter of time before she was with me full-time.
I was trying to not seem so excited about it.
I brought her hand to my lips to kiss just beyond her ring, when Logan suddenly plopped down in the booth across from us.
“You two are sickening,” he said with a chuckle, dropping his own coat beside him. “Sorry I’m late.”
Asher pulled her hand from me, but only to place it on my thigh. “Porter just got here.”
“Thanks for throwing me under the bus,” I said good-naturedly.
“You get a chance to look at the menu?” Logan asked and I shook my head.
“Nope, but Asher was looking at it when I got here. I mean, pizza’s pizza, right?”
“Ah, but this is true Chicago pizza, my friend. So much better than any pizza you’ve had before.” Logan reached for a menu and opened it up. “We doing a large, or…?” He didn’t bother to look up.
“One should be enough,” Asher said, looking past Logan toward another table, where a pizza was.
“Have you never eaten with a hockey player?” I asked her sarcastically. She knew I could eat.
She bumped her shoulder into mine. “There’s frozen yogurt next door. I figured you’d rather save room for those nasty balls you like to eat.”
Logan looked up, grinning. “Oh yeah. He does like to eat balls, doesn’t he?”
“Let’s not make this an innuendo-fest,” I mumbled.
Proving that my best friend and girl were similar, they said in unintended unison, “Spoilsport.”
Logan dropped his menu and pointed at Asher. “Jinx.”
***
Asher excused herself to go to the bathroom when the waitress came to box up what was left of our pizza.
“How the hell did you luck out with a girl like Asher?” Logan crossed his arms on the table in front of him as he leaned forward.
I shook my head, turning my head to search her out, before looking back at my friend. “No fucking clue.”
“I’m going to be your best man. Just so you know.” Logan’s grin was cocky.
We may have only met during our junior year of high school, but I was as close to Logan as I was my brothers. Heck, Nico even.
I never expected to have a friendship that would last years, a friendship like my dad had with my Uncle Ketty—who wasn’t an uncle by blood. But even though miles separated us when Logan went to North Dakota for college, and I went to South Carolina to play pro, we kept up with our friendship.
Now he played near home while I was still playing far away, and our teams didn’t play each other often, but every time we got together—whether during the season or the off-season, when we were both home in Wisconsin—it was like time hadn’t passed.
“Who the fuck else would stand for me?” I asked him, grinning.
Asher and I hadn’t done too much wedding talk yet. We were focused on getting through the season, and it had only just begun.
But I knew Logan was going to be my best man.
“I hadn’t asked because Ash and I haven’t determined the size of our party yet.”
“Sure, sure.” Logan’s grin said he was joking, and it relaxed into the full, cocky smile I knew him for. “I’m going to throw you the most epic bachelor party. Who do you think will be Asher’s maid of honor? Avery?” Logan’s brows waggled and I laughed.
“Dude, Avery’s with CJ.”
“It’s on and off. I can totally take her attention from him.”
“Doubtful.”
“It wounds me, that you have such little hope for me,” he said, putting a hand over his chest.
“You’re such a fuck face.” I shook my head, grinning wide. “Ace is too fucking good for you anyway.”
“And Asher’s not too good for you?”
“She most definitely is, and I’m a damn lucky bastard that she wants to be with me,” I said seriously.
And I was.
Each day I had with her, was a thousand times better than the last.
Each night I slept with her in my arms, each time I kissed her lips, each time I held her hand…
The events that brought her into my life may not have been the best. There were hurtful things that I wished she hadn’t had to live through.
But if they got her to me?
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’d hold her through her nightmares. I’d kiss away her tears.
I’d keep her anchored in her storms.
I wasn’t going anywhere and, thank God, she finally understood that.
I loved that woman with everything I had, and I would love her until I took my last breath.
Not a damn thing was changing that.