Page 41 of Mystery in the Mountains

“I can help with the house. Abe and I can fix just about anything, and when Bridget is back, I’m sure she’ll have an idea.”

“Okay,” she said, shifting uncomfortably.

“Let’s go sit down.”

He couldn’t tolerate the look of her in pain, and she was still dealing with the sprain.

Once inside, he sat on her couch. The same place where Sunny had told him why she left and what it’s been like.

But he hadn’t shared his truth.

It was time.

“You told me what it was like when you left, but I don’t think I ever told you what it was like here. Your leaving split me in half. I know you feel the mate bond differently than I do. But it was like half of me was gone, and I had no idea how to heal from that. I had no idea if you were coming back. I had no idea if you were alive or dead because I couldn’t feel you. I could just feel the cold, empty pit inside of me.”

He shifted his weight, wanting to do anything but talk about it.

He had never talked about it. Abe was the best brother in the world, but until recently, he wasn’t really into talking about feelings—or even expressing any, from what Asher could see. Asher, on the other hand, had always had feelings . . . too many feelings.

“After you left, it was a big hubbub in the town, as I’m sure you can imagine. But after a couple weeks, they were onto something else, but I wasn’t. I never could. I tried to numb the pain anyway I could, but nothing ever helped. Now you’re back, and while that void is gone, I’m still a fucking mess of emotions.” He blew out a rough breath, yanked the tie out of his hair, and ran his hands through his dark curls.

“Yesterday . . . even the idea of you leaving again was too much. That thought of feeling like that again . . .” He swallowed hard. “Well, I can’t even think about it.”

“Asher,” she said, tentatively reaching for him. “I’m so sorry. You deserved better than that. I’m going to show you I’m here to stay.”

“Do you want to sell your van?”

She shrugged but was not convincing.

“Okay, let’s take this down. Let Abe and I do what we can. Would you like to get your parlor back open? I know people here will come to you like they did your mom.”

She nodded and chewed on her lip. “Okay, I won’t sell my van, but I’m not sure about the parlor. I mean, I would love it. I’d love to have the house back to what it once was and have people come here for help, but that room has been closed for a long time.”

“Well,” he said, slipping his hand into hers. “Maybe it’s time we opened it back up.”

Her face scrunched, and she sat on the couch.

“What is it?”

She chewed on her lips and wrung out her hands.

“Sunny, what is it?” He came over to her and put his hand on her leg.

At that mere contact, a jolt of electricity shot through him that had his wolf ready to go. But with as much as this touch made him want to do things, he wasn’t sure if he was there yet.

“That door has been closed since she died. My dad wouldn’t let me in it when he was still alive . . . I did try to open it when I first got back.”

She paused, and the pain on her face was clear. Like always, she was his sunshine. He never could stand to see her upset.

“What happened?”

“I had a vision,” she said quietly.

He nodded.

He also knew visions could mean just about anything when it came to Sunny. It could be a feeling, a dream-like vision, or something that almost transported her.

“And it’s been the same vision since I’ve been back. It’s like I’m at the accident and choking on the smoke.”

---