Page 10 of Forgotten Desires

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“I am now.”

It’s the truth. While this hasn’t exactly been fun and stress free, I’m surviving better than I thought I would at the start of the night.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

I smile up at my protective and loving older brother. “No.”

He chuckles. “I figured.”

“You’re not exactly known for handling things well when it comes to the women in your life.”

Asher jerks his head back. “Me? I’m completely rational.”

Definitely not the word I’d use. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you drive twelve hours to punch a certain person in the face because he hurt Phoebe?”

Not that he didn’t deserve it, but still, twelve hours is a long time to hang onto a bad decision. Knowing Asher, he probably just got angrier the farther he went instead of calming down like a normal person who might question whether something is a good idea.

“And you. Let’s not forget that. But, yes, I did, and I’d do it again.”

“Exactly my point,” I laugh.

“Does this guy require an ass kicking?”

I roll my eyes. “What is with you Whitlock men? Are you just all itching to fight someone?”

He spins me around the dance floor and grins. “We’ll fight for the things we love.”

“As much as I appreciate it, I promise it’s fine. He just took me by surprise, that’s all.”

“Can you give me a little more than that?”

Though telling Asher is at the bottom of my to-do list, I know that if I don’t give him some of the story, he’ll probably say or do something that will make things worse—like deck Crew.

“Carson and I met a long time ago on one of my spring break trips in college. Things didn’t end great. He kind of ghosted me and I was really hurt by it. We haven’t seen each other in ten years and really, the last place in the world I ever expected to see him again was at Rowan’s wedding.”

That should do it.

“Why would that upset you so much?” he pries further.

I should’ve known that with Asher, no amount of information is good enough. “I liked him. I loved him, really. I know you think that it’s asinine falling for someone in a week, but I did. Instead of saying goodbye to me, he left, and we didn’t even have each other’s phone numbers, it was . . . sad.”

“And you’re sure you don’t want me to kick his ass?”

I laugh a little. “No, Asher, I don’t.”

The song ends and he kisses my cheek. “I don’t think falling for someone fast is asinine, Brynn. You have a very open heart, you always have, and it’s what we all love about you. I fell for Phoebe fast, and let’s not even talk about Rowan and Charlotte. What I think is asinine is that he could live his life after walking away from you.”

Tears fill my eyes and I blink them back. “That was sweet.”

“It was honest.”

I give my big brother a hug, tell him how much I love him, and we part ways. As I’m going to find another dance partner, Crew steps in front of me.

I stop short and my pulse jumps. “Crew.”

“Will you dance with me?”

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