Page 21 of Emergency Exit
“As you clearly have? Ash, how does Harper like her oysters?”
Ash glanced at Harper nervously, and Harper tried to figure out how to signal that she hated oysters.
“Right,” said Stephanie with a tight smile. “Because you know her so well. Excuse me.”
“She doesn’t like them,” Ash called after her, but it was to Stephanie’s back, and she didn’t turn around.
“I really don’t,” said Harper, glancing at Tommy and Colin and feeling like she’d somehow let Team Smoak and Ash down.
“Wrong texture,” said Ash.
“Slugs of the sea,” said Colin. “I wouldn’t touch them.”
“But somehow still so tasty with hot sauce,” said Ash, with a shrug. “What can I say? Oh, excuse us, I see Gareth Ross. I want to talk to him. Harper, come on, I’ll introduce you to a genuine philanthropist.”
“Aren’t all of these people philanthropists?” asked Harper, and Colin choked on his drink.
“No, they’re lawyers searching for a tax break. Tommy, Colin, it was good to see you.”
Harper took a look over her shoulder as Ash pulled Harper away. Tommy still looked thoughtful, but Colin had already moved on to someone else.
“Who is Tommy?” asked Harper. “His shoes were amazing.”
“Tommy Dean. Set designer. His boyfriend is in finance and he gets dragged to these things unwillingly. He’s friends with my mom.”
“Oh, that’s nice. Oh, wait. Uh… What if he tells your mom we’re dating? Is that going to be a problem?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Ash. “It’s my brothers I don’t want to tell.”
“Oh,” said Harper because she didn’t know what else to say.
“Don’t worry,” said Ash. “Twenty more minutes, and then we’re off to noodles. Promise.”
7
Ash
The Paralegal
Valkyrie Security was renting space on the top floor of the Hoskins Building while Rowan renovated a warehouse on the waterfront to be their headquarters. Ash parked in the garage and surveyed the surroundings to assess if his car was cooler than everyone else’s. Rowan’s custom-painted blue Ferrari stood out in the sea of black Beamers, and there was a cute little mint-green Mini-Cooper parked next to it, but mostly it was a garage full of boring. Ash felt he could successfully argue that his car was at least as cool as Rowan’s and headed for the elevator.
“Hey,” said Ash, dropping into the guest chair and propping his feet on Rowan’s desk.
Rowan eyed the feet, and Ash grinned impudently, waiting for a comment. Annoying his brothers was one of his all-time favorite sports. Ash noticed for the first time that Rowan’s dark hair had a sprinkling of gray in it. Or maybe it was the first time since the military that Rowan’s hair was at civilian length.
“Hey,” said Rowan, obviously deciding not to rise to the bait. “What brings you all the way here?”
“Forest hired a nanny.”
“Oh, thank God.”
“Yeah, maybe,” said Ash. “He called me last night and told me he had to pick up his temp nanny and wanted me to stay with Olly at the house while he went to get her.”
“OK,” said Rowan, standing up to move some papers from his desk to another location. Ash was never sure what peopledid with all their dead tree stuffs. It was so old-fashioned. “I’m feeling like there’s something you’re worried about in there.”
“Remember when Forest was living overseas, and every pic on his socials was some girl with extra piercings and tattoos?”
“Yes? Wild child was his type. I’ve been relieved he grew out of that.”
