CHAPTER 2
My night with Claire left me clear headed and surprisingly optimistic. I was amazed by her ability to roll with the punches and rebuild her life. I had no idea what the future held, but I felt better prepared to face it.
I spent the first half of my day juggling meetings between artists, investigators, and board members. With Asher out of the office, Brian was officially in charge. But everyone knew I was Asher’s girlfriend and they flocked to my office, demanding answers. Only a handful of the employees knew exactly what was going on. Others had learned varying degrees of the truth. I did my best to keep everyone calm while feigning ignorance to the chaos around us.
When lunch time rolled around, I decided to take a break and visit Asher. I had a stack of paperwork for him to sign, but I was also eager to end the silence between us. He’d replied to my last text with a simple “I love you too.” I took it as a sign that he was ready to talk. My hope was short lived when I arrived at the house and found Asher, Parker, and Detective Austin huddled around the dining table. They tensed in unison as I pushed through the front door. Parker and Detective Austin relaxed when they spotted me; Asher’s face flushed red.
“Lauren, what are you doing here? Is everything okay at the office?” he asked, his voice rushed.
“Everything’s fine,” I assured him, lifting a manila folder from my shoulder bag. I held it up to him and then dropped it on the kitchen island.
“I need your signature on these so I can push the new orders through. Merritt finally understands the new protocols, so I thought I’d take advantage and have an actual lunch. I didn’t realize you were in the middle of something…”
“It’s okay,” Parker insisted. I could tell by her tone that she was relieved to see me. “Detective Austin and I had news to share with Asher. He’s less than thrilled with us. Maybe you can help him see reason.”
My stomach turned and all thoughts of lunch left my mind.
Good God. What’s happened now? How much worse does this have to get before we catch a break?
I searched Asher’s face, looking for any sign that he actually wanted to talk to me. He let out a resigned sigh, gave me a slight nod, and dropped his eyes to the chair across from him. I grabbed a cold bottle of water from the refrigerator and sat down at the table.
Asher cleared his throat. “Detective, I’ll let you explain what happened,” he directed, the order coming out like a bark. The police officer cringed and then met my eye.
“As you know, we issued an all-points bulletin on Rachel the day after she disappeared.”
“Yes,” I agreed with a slow nod.
“Her picture went out across the country. This morning, a member of the Goins family contacted the LAPD. One of Rachel’s cousins is now an officer in Wisconsin. He saw her picture and alerted her parents. They’re planning to hold a press conference this evening and intend to offer a large financial reward to anyone with information about Rachel’s whereabouts,” he explained, tension growing in his voice with every word.
Asher clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists. He opened his mouth, but Parker spoke up before he could comment.
“As we’ve explained to Asher, this is a positive development,” she insisted. “The family has been very forthcoming with Rachel’s medical history. Rachel has suffered from a personality disorder since she was a toddler. The family readily admits that they were ill equipped to deal with her. They were alerted when Rachel disappeared from protective custody and they’ve been looking for her ever since.”
I searched Asher’s eyes and for the first time, I felt like he finally saw the truth. I reached across the table and took him by the hand.
“I think Parker is right, Ash. It’s good that the Goins are involved.”
He shook his head defiantly. “Maybe they’re good people. Maybe Rachel lied about them. But they can’t hold a press conference. She doesn’t want to see them. If she really did run away on her own, which I’m still not convinced of, knowing her family is looking for her will just drive her deeper into hiding. And if I’m right and someone has her, they’ll just see her family as another source of quick cash. Not to mention the fact that they’re about to expose our identities. How long do you think it will take the Chavez family to find me once Cynthia Goins’s family announces her new name on the nightly news?”
Shit, shit, shit. I didn’t think about that.
I looked to Parker, my eyes full of panic. “He’s right. We can’t let them talk. What do we have to do to keep them from talking?”
“There’s nothing we can do,” she replied with a shrug. “I could try to arrange a meeting. I haven’t spoken to them myself, but from what I’ve heard, they seem like reasonable people. We can plead our case and see how they respond. But if they choose to talk, I can’t stop them.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but make the call and see if they’ll talk to me,” Asher insisted. “I can go to them or I can fly them here. I’ll do whatever they want. Please, just stress how important it is that they stay silent until they’ve had a chance to hear me out.”
Parker nodded and slid out of her seat. Her heels clicked against the tile floors as she made her way to Asher’s home office. Asher turned to Detective Austin, who cringed again and fidgeted with his ink pen.
“Detective Austin seems to think that it may be in my best interest to come forward with my identity,” Asher announced.
“Surely it hasn’t come to that,” I argued.
Detective Austin frowned. “At this point, it’s a matter of when, not if,” he warned. “The more people who know the truth, the harder it will be to contain. We have no idea who the Goins family may have already spoken to. We have no idea who Rachel may be speaking to. There are too many variables for us to assume that we can protect this secret much longer.”
“Which is exactly why I didn’t want to get you involved in the first place,” Asher finished with a deep exhale.
A small part of me felt guilty for encouraging Asher to hire Kennedy and take her advice. But another, much larger part of me knew I’d done the right thing. Short of disappearing, playing by the rules was our best shot of staying safe. And Asher’s safety was all that mattered to me. I didn’t care who got hurt or what secrets were exposed in the process.
“I know this is terrible, baby. But there’s no way we could have dealt with all of this on our own.”
Asher took a deep breath and arched his back, stretching his shoulders as he turned his neck from side to side.
“I know,” he agreed. “It’s just so damn hard.”
I could tell he had more to say, but after throwing another glance at Detective Austin, Asher closed his mouth again. My phone chimed and I realized it was probably past time for me to go back to the office.
“I should get going,” I announced, rising to my feet. I grabbed the folder from the island and passed it to Asher.
“If you’ll sign these really quick, I’ll process the orders as soon as I get back to the office. I have a meeting with production this afternoon and I promised Merritt and Shawna that I’d stay late to look over a few of their new designs.”
Asher took a pen from the table and signed the forms without reading them. He stuffed them back into the folder and rose to his feet.
“I’ll walk you out,” he insisted.
“Until next time, Detective,” I said with a nod. The officer looked back at me with a sad smile.
“Hopefully, I’ll have better news next time we meet, Miss Matthews.”
I slung my bag over my shoulder and followed Asher to the driveway. He leaned against the driver’s door of my car, blocking my path.
“Are you coming home tonight?” he asked softly, unable to meet my eye.
“Yes, I’m coming home tonight. Unless you’d rather I didn’t.”
I stood a few feet away from him, unsure of what to do with myself. Asher reached out and took me by the hips, pulling my body to his. He held me close and rested his head on my shoulder, inhaling my hair as his hot breath tickled my neck.
“I’d rather you never leave at all,” he exhaled. “I’m so sorry, Lauren. I’ve been such an ass. I can’t believe everything that’s happened this week. I can’t believe I’ve been so wrong. Please tell me I haven’t pushed you too far.”
I held his head in my hands and kissed him lightly on the lips. “You have been a total ass,” I agreed. “But with everything you’ve been dealing with, I’m willing to overlook it, just this once. And I have to take responsibility for my part. I should have told you that I asked Kennedy to investigate Rachel’s history. I knew you’d be pissed, but I did it anyway.”
“I know you were trying to look out for me. I guess you were able to see things about her that I just couldn’t. But I still don’t believe—”
“Asher?”
We looked up and saw Parker’s head peeping out of the front door.
“I just got off the phone with David Goins. The family is very anxious to talk to you. I told them we’d leave for LA as soon as possible,” she announced.
“I put a charter on standby a few days ago. I’ll call the airport. I can be ready to leave in ten minutes.”
“I need fifteen,” she replied. “I’ll start gathering my things.”
Parker disappeared again and Asher pulled me into another hug.
“I wish I could come with you,” I told him with a sigh.
“So come with me,” he insisted.
I shook my head. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m intrigued by Rachel’s long lost family. And I know you must be nervous about meeting them, knowing what you know now. But you were right the other day. I’ll be most helpful at the office. I feel useful there.”
He squeezed me against him. “You’ve been a godsend through this, Lauren. And when it’s all over, I’m going to make everything up to you,” Asher promised.
“When all of this is over, I’m going to let you,” I teased.
A brief smile flashed across Asher’s face for the first time since we left London. He kissed me on the forehead and moved away from my car.
“What do you say we have a nice, long dinner tonight, just you and me?” he suggested. “Depending on how this meeting goes, we’ll either toast my success or drink to my demise.”
“Just be honest with them, Asher. And try to really listen to what they have to say. Everyone involved has the same goal — finding Rachel safely. Focus on that and I’m sure you’ll be able to find some common ground.”
“I hope you’re right. I really don’t want to think about what tomorrow will be like if they hold that press conference tonight.”
“If the worst happens, we’ll deal with it,” I promised. “Let’s just try to focus on one thing at a time.”
***
The rest of Friday passed in a blur. As soon as I got back to my office, I realized I had no business being there. My efforts to push thoughts of Asher’s meeting with the Goins family from my mind were completely futile. I was very aware that if the family decided to go ahead with their press conference, Asher’s identity would likely be exposed before he landed in San Francisco. I promised him we’d deal with the worst, should it happen. But I had no idea what that might mean.
I managed to get through the production meeting without incident. But when I met with Merritt and Shawna, they could tell I was distracted. The fourth time I checked my phone for an update, Merritt suggested that we call it a day.
“We can go over this some other time,” she offered. “I know you have a lot going on right now.”
“I’m sorry, ladies. Your designs are right in line with what I’m envisioning for the new game. My head just isn’t here right now. I know that’s not exactly fair.”
“You’re doing a great job,” Shawna insisted. “At least you’re here trying to keep things on track. That’s more than we can say for our fearless leader.”
Merritt’s face flushed red, but her eyes sparkled at the mention of Asher. “I know it’s bad manners to ask, but can you tell us anything at all, Lauren? I mean, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that Asher hasn’t come in to work since Rachel left. And we’ve all seen the cops milling around, asking questions. It’s pretty clear that this is more serious than a simple leave of absence.”
Okay… neither of them have any idea what’s really going on. I don’t know who started the leave of absence rumor, but I guess I should just go with it. If all of this falls apart and the truth gets out, I’m going to have some explaining to do. But I guess I’ll worry about that if and when it happens.
“To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what the cops were doing here,” I insisted. “Asher mentioned something about hiring some outside contractors to test the security systems. I’m sure that’s all it is. As far as Rachel goes, I think she just got a little burnt out. I didn’t realize how heavy her workload is until she went on leave. I’m sure she’ll be back and as good as new as soon as she gets some rest. And I promise I’ll get my head together soon. Let’s plan on meeting again early next week.”
“Sounds good to me,” Merritt agreed. The women were clearly disappointed that I hadn’t fed their gossip mill, but neither of them pressed me for more information. Instead, they gathered their things and wished me a good weekend. I waited until their voices faded away and made my way back to my car.
It’s five o’clock. It’s probably a good sign that I haven’t heard from Asher yet. It means they’re still talking. No news is good news. But what the hell am I supposed to do with myself while I wait?
My first instinct was to drive to Deacon’s penthouse and take my nerves out on a canvas. But I knew Claire was home and I didn’t feel like burdening her with my problems again.
Asher isn’t going to feel like cooking when he gets home. This has probably been one of the most difficult days of his life. But he’s coming a long way in accepting the truth about Rachel. I’ll stop by the farmer’s market and pick up a few of his favorite things. It’s a small gesture, but it might make him feel better.
I drove through the valley, stopping at the small outdoor market at the base of the mountain. I stocked up on smoked meats, fresh farm cheeses, and fresh vegetables. When I got to Asher’s, it took me ten minutes to slice everything and arrange it on trays. Then, I was alone again with nothing to do.
I checked my phone, but there was still no word from Asher. I hit Kennedy’s speed dial and hoped she’d have news.
“Hey, Lauren. I know why you’re calling. But no, I haven’t heard from Parker yet,” she greeted me after the first ring.
“I’ve been telling myself that no news is good news. It stopped working about ten minutes ago, so now I need you to tell me.”
“No news is good news,” she repeated. “And for what it’s worth, I really believe that. If the family decides to hold the press conference, I’ll be one of the first to know. I haven’t heard anything since Parker and Asher landed in LA. Parker said he’s finally starting to open his eyes to the truth. Have things gotten any better between the two of you?”
“We talked today for the first time since you were here,” I replied. “He’s realized Rachel lied to him about her family. But he doesn’t think she stole the money and ran away on her own. To be honest, I’m not sure he isn’t right. I don’t know what to think of any of this anymore. Parker mentioned a personality disorder, but she didn’t have a chance to explain it.”
“According to the family, Rachel never received a definite diagnosis. A few doctors suggested she has Borderline Personality Disorder. A few thought she may be schizophrenic. One said he’s willing to bet his practice that she’s a sociopath. A solid diagnosis would have required some cooperation on Rachel’s part, which she was never willing to provide. From what I’ve learned, I’d say Rachel’s pretty much a powder keg. And it’s nothing short of a miracle that she hasn’t destroyed Asher’s life before now.”
I hugged myself as I processed her words. It was sad and scary at the same time. “Do you think they’ll be able to convince her family to stay quiet?”
“I’d say the chances of that are incredibly good. Think about it, Lauren. In a moment of desperation, these people signed over their rights to their child. And they’ve regretted it ever since. They’ve spent the last decade wondering what happened to her. Asher is the only one who can fill in the blanks for them. Once he’s told them everything, they won’t have any need to talk to anyone else. And the last thing they’ll want to do is expose their daughter to more danger before they even lay eyes on her.”
“So you think this meeting is basically a formality?”
“I think the very mention of the press conference was the family’s way of making sure the right people talked to them. And it worked.”
Kennedy sounded confident, but Detective Austin’s warning still danced in my head.
“The cops seem to think that it’s only a matter of time before Asher’s past is exposed. Austin said too many people know the truth for it to possibly remain a secret.”
“I wish I could tell you he’s wrong. But we have absolutely no idea where Rachel is or who she’s talking to. If the time comes, it will help if Asher breaks the story himself. I hate to say it, but you may need to start warming him up to the idea,” she warned.
“I’m not sure he’d ever agree to that,” I admitted, my voice full of defeat.
“He’ll do it when it’s the only option he has,” she assured me. “And everyone else will do their best to protect him. Have you thought about how you want to handle this, Lauren? If Asher’s past is exposed, you almost certainly will be in danger. I know you love the guy, but I love you. And I don’t want to see you hurt in the crossfire.”
I stretched out on the sofa, propping myself up with a set of throw pillows.
“Do you mean have I thought about leaving? Of course I have. I think that thought would cross any sane person’s mind in this situation. I understand the risks I’m taking. But I know in my heart that Asher is worth the risk. If the truth comes out, I’m going to stand by his side and face it with him.”
“And what if he runs?” she countered. “Are you willing to give up everything and everyone you love to run with him?”
It was the question I’d been asking myself since I’d learned the truth about Asher’s past. For the first time, I was certain of my answer.
“Yes, Kennedy. If Asher runs, I’m going with him.”
***
I stirred awake to the sounds of Asher’s dress shoes shuffling across the tile floor. The living room was dark and soft moonlight flooded through the terrace windows. I rolled over as Asher wiggled in beside me.
“Hey, baby,” he whispered, nuzzling into my neck. “I was worried when you didn’t answer my calls. But I’m glad to see you got some rest. How long have you been sleeping?”
“I don’t know,” I replied through a yawn. “What time is it?”
“Ten-fifteen. The meeting went much longer than I expected.”
I pushed myself upright, moving Asher with me. “I must have dozed off after I ate. I tried to wait for you, but I was starving… and thirsty,” I added, gesturing to the half empty bottle of wine on the coffee table. “So… how did it go?”
“In some ways, better than I could have ever expected. Cynthia’s parents are very nice people. And they’re willing to keep quiet on the condition that we merge our investigation with theirs. At this point, I feel like it’s the least I can do.”
“You’re calling her Cynthia now?” I asked, rising to my feet. I crossed the room and flipped on the kitchen light.
“Yes. Over the years, the Goins have collected an entire team of doctors to help them with their daughter, should they ever find her. They brought three of them to the meeting. I got a crash course on all things mental health and at the moment, I feel about this big.”
Asher lifted his right hand and held his thumb and forefinger half an inch apart. I decided to forgo the wine and reached for the scotch instead. I filled two highball glasses and carried them back to the couch.
“Tell me what happened,” I encouraged him, passing him a glass. He downed half of the liquor and sat the drink on the coffee table.
“I always assumed that leaving California was the same for Rachel as it was for me. Changing my name, erasing my past, it was difficult. It was downright painful. But it never made me question who I am. The doctors doubt that was the case for Rachel. They said her sense of self was already severely distorted when we met. They used a lot of clinical terms, but bottom line, I took an already fragile girl and broke her even worse by taking away her name and whisking her away from everything she’d ever known.”
“You were just a kid back then too, Ash,” I reminded him. “You saved her life. And at the time, you were the only person who gave enough of a damn to bother. Don’t let her family make you feel guilty for what you had to do. None of them were around back then to save her.”
I felt an indignant rage build in my chest as I thought about Asher being lectured by the family’s doctors.
“David and Maude said the same thing,” he told me. “They even apologized and acknowledged that their decisions put Rachel and I both in our situation. After hearing their side of the story, I’m not sure I can blame them for what they did. David found a specialist in New York who agreed to take Rachel on as a study patient. She’d already become violent with family members and Maude suspected the family dog hadn’t just disappeared. They knew Rachel wouldn’t agree to the treatment, so they kept it a secret as long as possible. She found a preadmission checklist on David’s computer and went on a rampage. She broke her elderly grandmother’s shin with one swift kick. That’s when she ran away. When the cops found her and her parents went to the station to pick her up, she looked them dead in the eye and threatened to kill them in their sleep. They panicked and took her seriously.”
I shook my head in complete disbelief. “How the hell did this happen?” I demanded. “Surely the family told social services about her mental condition. Why the hell didn’t anyone get her help?”
“I’ve been asking myself that all night. David told me they had all of Rachel’s records faxed over to her caseworker. I don’t know if they got misplaced or ended up in the wrong hands. But somewhere along the way, everyone started to believe Rachel’s story instead of theirs. The part I’m having trouble with is that I didn’t see it. For the last decade, it’s been Rachel and I against the world. I knew that she struggled. I noticed the unhealthy behaviors. But it never once crossed my mind to get her any help. I just assumed it was her personality and ignored all of the warning signs. I let her flail out of control. Maybe I deserve to pay for that.”
“I won’t hear another word of this,” I insisted. “You did the best you could with the knowledge you had to go on. When the Chavez family turned on Rachel, you saved her and went to the police. When they failed you, you saved her again. You kept her alive. You kept her safe. And even now, when all evidence says she’s stolen your money and run away, you are choosing to believe the best of her. You’ve paid with your past, and your present, and you made it abundantly clear that you’re willing to pay with our future. You’re finished paying, Asher.”
“Okay, okay… calm down,” he teased, holding up his hands in mock defeat.
I met his eyes and realized I was standing. At some point during my rant, I’d started pacing the living room.
“I’m sorry. It kills me to hear you blame yourself. You’re definitely guilty of overlooking Rachel’s behavior. But think about it. How much has she really changed since you first met?”
“Not much at all,” he confessed. “I mean, she sort of cycles through good spells and bad spells. But I can’t think of any drastic deviation from her usual patterns.”
“And when you first met, did you have any reason to think she had a serious mental problem?” I pressed.
Asher thought for a moment and shook his head. “No. I just thought she was a hurt, abandoned girl who deserved to have someone on her side for a change. But you saw it, Lauren. You knew something was wrong with Rachel. You tried to get me to see the truth and I pushed you away.”
“I’m looking at the situation from a much different perspective,” I reminded him. “And you pushed me away because you weren’t ready to see it. I understand that. I don’t like it, but I understand.”
Asher pulled me into his lap and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“You know, you were wrong about something,” he breathed into my ear.
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“There is no way in hell I will ever sacrifice our future. Not for Rachel, not for anyone. I know I made you feel that way, and I’m sorry. I don’t want you to ever feel like you come second or that I take you for granted. You are the strength and light that calms my chaos. And from now on, I’m going to make a point of showing you exactly how much I love you, starting with this.”
Asher pressed his tender lips to mine and I melted into his touch. He lifted me into his arms and carried me into the bedroom.
“I love you so much, Lauren,” he whispered, dropping his lips to my neck. He lowered me to the mattress and fell beside me. I ran my fingers through his curls and watched the gold flecks in his eyes sparkle in the moonlight.
“I love you too, baby,” I cooed.
He held my gaze and kissed me again, teasing my tongue with his. My eyelids fluttered and he brought a single hand to my cheek, tracing the outline of my face with a soft finger.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, his other hand crawling up my thigh. He teased me through my yoga pants and I reached for his belt.
“You’ve had a hard day. Let me take care of you,” I insisted. I pushed him onto his back and crawled off the bed, stripping him out of his clothes while he laid back and watched. I pulled my t-shirt over my head and stepped out of my pants before climbing on top of him.
“Oh, baby,” Asher groaned as I slid my naked body against his skin. I lightly stroked his cock with an open hand and nibbled at his earlobe.
“You’re making me crazy,” he exhaled.
“That’s the idea,” I purred. I ran my tongue down his neck, kissing his collarbone before continuing down his chest. He squirmed beneath me, instinctively angling his cock toward my open mouth. I closed my hand around his shaft and took the head between my lips.
“Oh, God,” he moaned, weaving his fingers through my hair. He teased my scalp while I flicked my tongue against his cock and dropped my other hand to his balls. I rolled them gently in my hand in rhythm with my strokes and he quivered in my mouth.
“Slow down,” he gasped. “I don’t want to come yet.”
I stilled my hands, but kept my mouth moving. Asher took long, deep breaths and reached between my legs.
“Oh, baby,” he moaned, pushing a finger into my slick, eager pussy. “You’re already so wet.”
He pulled his hand to his mouth and licked my juices off his finger. “I want you,” he moaned after tasting me. “Come here.”
Asher grabbed me roughly by the hips, pulling me onto his chest. I planted my knees on the bed and lapped faster at his cock while he drove his tongue inside me. His chin pressed against my clit as he plunged deeper and I moaned against his cock.
Asher gripped my ass cheeks with firm, rough hands and I felt myself climb toward release. I bucked against his face and he pushed two fingers in behind his tongue, sending me over the edge. The orgasm washed over me in coursing, powerful waves and I collapsed on top of him. Asher gave me a long, final lick and I jerked away from him, too overwhelmed to take any more of his touch.
“Are you okay?” he whispered, giving me my space.
I rolled to the side of the bed, struggling to regain my breath. “I’m fine,” I gasped. “I’m fantastic. I just need a minute.”
He curled up beside me and looked into my eyes. “Take as long as you need.”
I stretched my neck forward and planted a soft kiss on his lips. “That got a little off track. It was supposed to be about you.”
He smiled and kissed me again. “Believe me, it felt like it was.”
I reached down and stroked his cock lightly. “I’ve been on the pill for a month now,” I reminded him with a grin.
His eyes lit up and he pulled me toward him. “Mmm… I like hearing that.”
He covered my lips with his, kissing me with wild, instinctive rapture. I moved one leg over his hip and his cock found its destination with no guidance. Asher pushed inside me with one long, quick motion and then held his hips still. I clenched my pussy around him and kissed him back hungrily, reveling in the sensations that coursed through my body.
Asher slipped an arm under my leg, lifting it to his shoulder and opening me wider. He rocked his hips back and forth, building his speed as I cried out in passion. His cock hit the magic spot deep within me and my body shook uncontrollably.
“Right there, baby?” he gasped as I clenched down on him again.
“Yes,” I moaned. “Right there… don’t stop, Asher. Oh God, don’t stop.”
Asher moved his hand from my thigh to the small of my back and pushed into me harder. I came with loud cries and wild thrashes, triggering Asher’s release. He trembled and exploded inside me. We lay together for long, silent minutes, still connected.
Asher ran a soft hand down my side and kissed my forehead. He slipped out of me and propped himself up on an elbow.
“I love you so much, Lauren. And I feel like I’ve gotten off easy. You have no idea how much I regret pushing you away. I didn’t think about what I was doing. The moment Merritt called and told us Rachel was missing, I sort of switched over to autopilot.”
“Your instincts took over. I love you, Asher. I know that you love me. But everything about us has happened so fast. And you and Rachel have been through so much. I understand that it will take time for your instincts to change. Like I told you before, I don’t love the way you acted. But I appreciate that you’ve realized your mistakes. And the last thing I want to do is beat you over the head with them.”
“Are you telling me to stop apologizing?” he asked with a grin.
“Yes,” I agreed, grinning back.
Asher’s stomach let out a loud grumble; I rolled out of bed and pulled on my bathrobe, remembering the trays of food stored in the fridge.
“Where are you going?” he called after me.
“You’re hungry. I stopped at the market and picked up all of your favorite things. I have smoked prosciutto, marinated artichokes. I’ll be right back with the trays. Do you want red wine or white?”
“White. I’ll come help,” he offered.
Asher followed me into the kitchen and retrieved a bottle from the wine fridge while I arranged the food on the island.
“We should go easy with this,” he warned. “We have an early day tomorrow.”
“We do?” I asked, at a loss for what he was talking about.
“We’re going to Vermont, remember? We leave at eight. I talked to Kennedy earlier tonight. We’re going to touch down in Boston and pick her up on our way.”
“I forgot all about the trip,” I confessed.
“You’ve had a lot going on,” he reminded me. “If you’re not up to it, I’ll understand. But I really feel like I should go with Kennedy. I need to learn as much as possible about what’s going on.” He popped a cherry tomato into his mouth and reached for his wine.
“I get it. I feel the same way,” I agreed. “And I’d never miss the trip. I’m surprised Kennedy didn’t mention it when we talked.”
“When I spoke to her, she said Claire’s joining us as well,” he replied.
That’s right. Shit, I need to tell him that Claire knows the truth.
“About Claire,” I began, my voice hesitant. I met Asher’s eyes and he studied me for a moment before lifting his brow.
“You told her?”
I nodded. “I’m sorry. I know this wasn’t my secret to tell. I just—”
“It’s fine, baby,” he assured me. “You needed someone to talk to. You’ve known Claire your whole life. I’m not upset that you told her.”
Asher sat his wine on the island and pulled me into his arms. “I’m glad you had someone to talk to while I was being stupid. I like your friends, Lauren. I hope to make them my friends. Now, why don’t you let me carry you off to bed again and show you how much I love you?”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and laughed as he lifted me into his arms.
“I can’t think of any reason to say no to that.”