Page 16 of Emergency Exit
Come for the cool car. Stay for the weird texture aversions.
Harper sent back laughing emojis.
I have one sister and no nieces or nephews. Hailey lives in Denver near my Mom and Stepdad.
She’d reached the family portion of his dossier. He didn’t know if her text required a response, but her next comment came through before he could decide on an answer.
I don’t know what time blindness is.
Ash tried to formulate an answer. He’d partially prepared the dossier to inform her of his general life statistics but also to warn her of some of his ADHD foibles. He had zero ability to tell how long something would take and could obsess over something for hours without realizing it.
I Googled! And now I think I have that, too. I have the worst time allocating travel time or figuring out how long some tasks will take. No wonder I’m usually late to everything. I don’t understand how other people predict these things!
There was a pause.
This may be a problem. If we both have it, we may never be on time for anything.
Don’t worry. I have an assistant. He programs calendar reminders so that I know when to leave. I will add your address to his information, and he will calculate, and then there will be a reminder that includes when I should pick you up and then we will be on time.
Ash thought about that and added a caveat.
On time within normal parameters for me.
You outsourced. That is brilliant, and I’m jealous.
His car got him nowhere, but at least he got kudos for his hiring practices.
OK. I have skimmed the dossier. I can respond tomorrow.
You don’t have to! Once my assistant tells me when I’m supposedto pick you up, I’ll text you all the details. You can tell me your favorite movies or whatever, then.
If you’re sure. I want to hold up my end of the bargain.
I’m positive. Plus, you’ve already given me a lot to work with. Cotton balls, Honda, spicy chocolate. I’d follow you on TikTok, but you don’t appear to be on social media.
There was a silence that went on longer than Ash was comfortable with.
I quit everything when I moved. I’m trying to social media detox or whatever.
Is there a twelve-step program for that? I’m still clinging to Twitter, and it’s a dumpster fire.
She sent more laughing emojis.
See you tomorrow, Ash!
See you tomorrow, Smoak!
Ash was still smiling at his phone when Forest came home. Forest was an inch or two shorter than Ash but had the same dark hair and hazel eyes as Rowan. Ash consciously tried to avoid the thought that his brothers looked more like their father while Ash looked like their mother. It was the kind of thing that was too easy to transfer to their personalities.
“Hey,” said Forest quietly as he came in through the mud room, toting a giant plastic tub.
“Hey,” said Ash from his spot at the kitchen island. “Olly hasn’t made a peep, but this did force me to get some work done, so thanks.”
Forest chuckled and set the tub down to remove his shoes as the nanny entered behind him. Ash hadn’t thought about what nannies should look like, but young, hot, and purple-haired definitely wouldn’t have made his list.
“Hi,” said Ash, standing up to hold out a hand. “I’m Forest’s brother, Asher.
“Hello,” she said softly, shaking his hand. “I’m Chloe.”
