Page 31 of Emergency Exit
“OK,” agreed Harper.
Ash kept his arm around Harper as they wound their way through the crowd of people toward the exit.
“Ash!” bellowed Robbie Callum, and Ash winced. “Where you going? The Jell-O shots are coming out!”
“We were just leaving,” said Ash through clenched teeth.
“You want Jell-O shots, don’t you?” demanded Robbie, getting far too close to Harper. “You have a nice ass. I bet Ash has a great time with you.”
Ash was about to step in between them when Harper, her expression still perfectly pleasant, lifted her arm and pointed to the other side of the pool.
“Oh, look, an eagle!” said Harper.
“What? Where?” Robbie spun around toward the pool, following Harper’s pointing finger. Harper began to walk away as Robbie took a step.
As if his brain was on fast-forward, Ash realized that Robbie was about to step into the pool gutter, but it wasn’t until his hand was in motion that Ash realized that Robbie would be getting completely soaked. It only took the slightest of nudges between Robbie’s shoulder blades to send him tumbling into the pool.
Robbie yelled and floundered, and Ash pulled Harper quickly toward the exit and into the elevator.
“You pushed him into the pool,” whispered Harper as the elevator descended, but she didn’t let go of his hand.
“I’m not bad. I just have poor impulse control,” said Ash, staring straight ahead. Harper didn’t respond and he finally stole a look at Harper’s damp face. “Oh, look, an eagle?”
Harper let out a giggle like she couldn’t keep it in anymore, her shoulders shaking, and Ash joined her.
The elevator opened, and they got out, still chuckling. It hadtaken Ash multiple visits to Julia’s to remember that there was an escalator down to the valet parking. Escalators were such an un-Seattle-like mode of transportation.
“OK, would it be weird if we got teriyaki?” asked Harper, trying to straighten the tangled fringe on her shawl. She was damp and her hair was escaping in tendrils around her face. She looked as though she’d blown in from outside like an exotic flower blossom.
Ash was about to reply when he saw Emma coming up the escalator toward him in a shimmery dress. As always, she had a burnished golden glow to her.Polishedwas a word that had been invented to describe Emma.
Ash froze. He had no idea how to respond.
“Asher, darling,” Emma called up to him. “Whereareyou going?”
He supposed he should have expected her to make an appearance somewhere. She put the social in socialite. A true extrovert, Emma’s insistence on staying for hours at an event was one of the things he did not miss. Although, this was a late arrival even for her.
“Don’t tell me you’re leaving!” Emma laughed. “Did Julia hire that horrible DJ again? Wait for me at the bottom, and I’ll join you. You can take me someplace expensive.”
Then Emma’s face froze, and Ash realized she must have caught sight of Harper. She opened her mouth, and Ash realized she was about to say something spiteful. Anger finally kicked him into action—he would not let her hurt Harper.
“Sorry,” said Ash. “We’re going someplace cheap. You wouldn’t feel comfortable.”
“Bye, Emma,” said Harper sweetly, and their escalators carried them in opposite directions, leaving Emma glaring after them in mute fury.
10
Harper
Misfires
Ash pushed them to get out of the building as fast as possible. October rain pelted down, and the guy holding the car door open for Harper looked drenched and miserable. She dove inside and wiggled to get into the seatbelt while Ash tipped the valet.
Ash got in, shaking himself off, and Harper tried to think of something to say while he shoved the Porsche into traffic.
“I was right the first time. We should get married,” he said.
“What?” Harper was lost.
