Page 34 of Charming
“It’s true. Plus of course there was the fact that I distinctly heard you say that you’d give up your butt for me. I mean, who could pass on an invitation like that?”
My water glass practically falls from my hand and of course at that moment the waiter comes up to take our order. I choke and begin coughing. The waiter and other diners look over to make sure I’m okay. Asher gets out of his chair and rubs my back. Eventually, I calm down and somehow manage to order but I’m so embarrassed I’m shaking. An egg could be fried on my hot face it’s so heated. When the waiter leaves, I wipe the tears from my eyes and try to find words, “I am so embarrassed.” I put my face in my hands. “I can’t believe you heard that.”
His hands pull mine away from my face, “Don’t be embarrassed, it was funny and I know you and Katie were drinking. Besides, don’t worry, I won’t hold you to it.” He winks at me and I know my face must redden further because he laughs outright. “Don’t be mad or embarrassed, seriously. I couldn’t resist teasing you.”
“Totally too late for that,” I mumble still unable to look him in the face once more. He chuckles again and I simply shake my head not knowing what else to do. Somehow, and I have no idea how, I manage to change the subject, “I told you about my family. Please rescue me from my slow death from embarrassment and tell me more about yours.”
A look of pure love and devotion crosses his face and if he never said another thing I would already know exactly how he feels toward them. “My mom and I are really close. I mean, how could we not be? She raised my sister and I on her own after my dad bailed when we were kids.”
“Bailed? That’s awful.”
“It was, but my mom protected us from it as much as she could.” He takes a drink of his water and clears his throat. “I only ever saw her cry over him one time, and it was the day she finally told us that he wasn’t coming back. When I was walking to my room I heard a sound in hers. The door was ajar and I looked through the crack to find her sitting in a corner, knees pulled up against her chest and tears falling down her face.” He looks lost in the memory for a while, his eyes unfocused.
“He just left you all? Do you know where he went?”
“No idea. He told my mom he was going to get some cigarettes and beer at the store and never came back. When he first left we asked her where he had gone and she told us he went to go visit some family. A few days later, I think when it was clear to her he wasn’t returning, she sat us down and told us the truth. We never really talked about him after that and we haven’t seen him since. If my mom knows where he is or what happened to him, she isn’t saying, and I don’t care to know.”
“I don’t even know what to say, Asher, I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
“There’s nothing to say. It’s his loss, no use in being angry over it. Besides, my mom more than made up for my shitty father.”
“She must be amazing that you would say such a thing.”
“She is,” he smiles.
Horror washes over me, “Oh god, she must be so mad at you right now.”
His smile falls and I know immediately I’m correct. “There may have been a phone call with some yelling.”
“Oh no,” I whisper and stop myself from apologizing because it isn’t my fault. It isn’t his either. We both did this and it is what it is but I still feel bad. Though, I was the one who posted the wedding announcement on Facebook.
Before I can analyze it further he states fairly indignantly, “She’ll get over it.”
“And your sister? Did she yell at you too?”
He laughs and it surprises me. Our food is brought to the table and as soon as our waiter leaves he picks up where he left off, “Allie? No, not at all,” he laughs again. “She called me and thanked me for eloping because it saved her from having to deal with attending a long drawn out wedding with my nieces.”
“Did you tell them that it’s just for a week? Or would that make things worse?”
“No. I didn’t tell them that.”
“No doubt that would only upset them further.”
“I’m an adult and while I love them, my decisions are my own.”
Nodding my understanding I smile and ask, “How old are your nieces?”
“Isabella is three and Francesca is five. The other two bracelets I bought today? They’re for them.”
“Aw, beautiful names. I bet they love their uncle very much.”
“As long as I supply them with lollipops and ice cream they think I’m the best uncle ever, of course.” His grin makes me laugh because it’s pure cockiness.
“Of course,” I laugh agreeing. “And no doubt you supply them with plenty of both.”
“Absolutely. Especially since I get to give them back to my sister afterwards.” He laughs, takes another bite of his food and then asks me, “Do you like kids?”
“I do. I used to wish for a little brother or sister.”
