Page 102 of Love is a Dance Step
Asher’s eyes narrowed, and he reached for the club soda that still sat on the bar. “Here’s your drink. Let’s go outside. I need to talk to you.”
She sent an apologetic smile to the three men. Part of her wanted to tell Asher to lay off, that she wasn’t going anywhere with him when he’d obviously had a bit too much to drink. She could smell the whisky on his breath.
But the other part of her, the one who’d been friends with him for so long, hoped she’d finally get answers. So, she let him lead her away. She left her drink on their table for Brooke to watch, and followed him out the door.
Cold air struck Lola as it barreled through the windy city streets. She wrapped her arms around herself and stepped between clusters of people until reaching a part of the sidewalk where she and Asher could talk in private.
Asher leaned against the outside wall, tipping his face to the lights above.
Lola’s phone buzzed again, reminding her of the text she had yet to look at. She pulled it out and unlocked it. The screen lit up with a text from the last person she expected to hear from.
Drew:Can we talk?
No good conversation ever started with those words. Tears burned the back of her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall, not in front of Asher.
“Who is texting you?” His words slurred.
She quickly slipped her phone back into her pocket. “No one.”
“Was it Drew?” He kicked away from the wall and stalked toward her.
“What? No.” She rarely lied to Asher, but the words fell from her lips.
“Do you love him?”
“Asher, you’re drunk.”
“You’re right, he doesn’t matter. All that matters is us.”
“Us?” She stepped back away from him. “Asher, what are you talking about?” There was no ‘us’ when it came to them. That was a lesson she’d learned time and again. “We’ve had this conversation.”
He reached for her, his hands clenching down on her arm. “Of course there’s an us. Lo, I’ve always known how you felt about me.”
Her breath stuttered. He’d known, and yet, until now, he’d never been there for her. Not really. Until he thought there might be something going on between her and his brother. Everything became so clear and a sense of déjà vu overcame her. “Why are you here, Asher?”
“Your friends invited us.”
She gave him a hard look. “Not this bar. New York. Why did you come?”
“You know why.”
“Actually.” She pushed off his hand. “I don’t. The last time I saw you, we went through this same song and dance.”
It happened so suddenly, she didn’t know what to do. Asher kissed her for the second time in her life, and all she could do was stand frozen.
And again, it wasn’t right.
She put a hand on his chest, forcing him away. “Ash,” she whispered.
“Don’t tell me to stop, Lola. Please, don’t say it.”
“You have to.”
“Because you’re in love with him now?” Red crept into his cheeks as he flinched at his own words.
She didn’t have an answer that wouldn’t hurt him. The tears broke free, rolling down her cheeks. “This doesn’t have anything to do with him. Asher, we aren’t right. You’ve always known that, and now I do too.”
He shook his head. “No, it wasn’t right before, but it can be. I can change for you.”
