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Asher:She’s not a fish
Dad:Sarcasm, Asher. Really?
Asher:Touché
Dad:We’ll call you about dinner this week. Love you
Asher:Sounds good. Love you, too
“Just how many women have you ‘tossed back?’” Ellie asked, once again twisting so she could see his face. He wasn’t a player. She knew that. But his father’s comment piqued her curiosity.
“Not as many as the text would imply,” Asher answered. When she continued to stare at him, he sighed. “Honestly, it’s not. But I have a habit of going on two or three dates with women then cutting it off. If there’s no chemistry from the beginning, why waste both our time? I know life—and especially a marriage—is about way more than chemistry. But I also believe that connecting on that level is important. It’s not just sexual. Although, that’s a part of it. But it’s something more. Something that’s hard to put a name to.”
As chance would have it, she felt the same. She’d only had one or two serious relationships because of it. Her life was full and rich. And if she was going to invite someone into it, then there needed to be something special between them. As elusive as that might be to define.
“Hm,” she said, turning back around. “I get it. And I agree. Now, your mom was the first to message you, right? I want to read hers next.”
Asher groaned. “Hers is themostpresumptuous.”
“Oh good,” she said with glee. “I’m looking forward to it.” Asher’s thumb hovered over the thread, then with a decisive tap, he opened it.
Mom:You and Ellie? You will have the most beautiful babies!!!
Ellie was glad she hadn’t taken a sip of wine. She would have snorted it out.
Asher:We’ve been together less than a week, Mom. I think it’s a little early for that
Mom:Nonsense. Your father and I knew right away. So did your brother. Well, maybe not right away, but within a few days. Chad knew within minutes. And if the rumors are right, Josh and Sofia went all of fifteen minutes before…well, I hear there was an encounter in the laundry room
Ellie laughed, the water rippling over her body. There had indeed been a laundry room encounter. Although it had been more like twenty minutes after Josh and Sofia met. Not fifteen.
Asher:Please don’t go there, Mom. I don’t even want to know how you know that
Mom:We’re Warwicks. I think this conversation proves nothing is secret
Asher:It’s not a secret, just new
Mom:Hmm
Asher:I don’t think I should ask, but what does that mean?
Mom:Nothing. Just that you’d have beautiful babies. And with Kara expecting, if you want the cousins to grow up close, like you and yours, then you might want to keep an eye on the clock
Asher:Goodbye, Mother. I have work to do
Mom:I’ll call you about dinner. Love you
Asher:Love you, too
“Sorry about that. I promise she won’t be this weird when we have dinner with them. Which I agreed to, on our behalf, for Saturday night,” he said. “You were okay with being open, so this is what comes with the territory.”
She smiled and snuggled against him, dropping a hand along his thigh. He banded an arm around her and placed a kiss on her shoulder.
“I’d be happy to have dinner with your parents. Isn’t your dad in session now, though?” Michael Warwick was a federal judge with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
“He’ll be back tomorrow night. He likes to be home on the weekends.” He paused then kissed her again. This time on her neck. “The day after the accident, you mentioned that your father raised you. And you didn’t mention your mother when asked about your estate today. I didn’t want to pry that first day, but are you comfortable talking about her?”
A small but sharp pain lanced through her chest. As much as she accepted how things were between her and her mother—as much as she adored the life she had with her father—the child in her still felt the pain of rejection. One thing she’d learned long ago, though, was that talking about it helped.
