Page 85 of Emergency Exit
“Chloe n’ Daddy, come home?” asked Olly, pulling on Ash’s arm and trying to look at the phone.
“Chloe and Daddy are on their way home, bud,” said Rowan, obviously trying to be extra loud and clear for Olly.
Olly made a grunt of affirmation and let go of Ash’s arm. By the time Rowan hung up, Ash felt relieved, and Olly was playing Legos.
“Ugh,” said Ash, shaking his head. “You know, it would besuper great if my brothers could not do crazy, life-imperiling shit for like, I don’t know, one month? Can we just make it to New Year’s without anyone nearly dying?”
Vivian chuckled. “I thought that was just how the Valkyrie family rolled.”
“No! I swear, usually, we are very sane people.”
“With dangerous taste in women, apparently,” said Vivian, her eyes twinkling. “Makes me wonder about who you’re dating. How is... Harper, I believe Rowan said?”
“Harper is not crazy,” said Ash. “She works in Emergency Management. She is perfectly sensible and only had a goat on her roof once.”
Vivian laughed wholeheartedly. “I want to meet Harper. She sounds awesome.”
“She kind of is,” said Ash, blushing.
“Is she coming to New Year’s?” asked Vivian. It was a normal question, and Ash felt like he should have seen it coming, but it wasn’t until she said it that Ash tried to remember if he’d told Harper about the New Year’s party. He’d told Mel, and Romeo was helping plan it, so those were the important people. He had to have mentioned it to Harper, right?
“Um, yeah, I hope so. And my Mom. Do you think Rowan will freak?”
“No, he said Harper seemed nice.”
“No, I meant freaking out about my Mom coming to the party.”
“Oh. Uh. No? I don’t think so? He’s been trying to arrange a lunch with us for a couple of weeks. He thinks she’s nervous, so maybe that question should go the other way.”
“Oh. Right. Rowan said he was going to do that.” But Ash hadn’t thought he was serious. “Well, I’ll see if I can’t get Mom to agree to lunch. She does get anxiety.”
“I don’t want to freak her out,” said Vivian.
“No, it went really well when she met Chloe and Olly. So, lunch with you ought to be a breeze. You probably won’t even spill water on her.” Vivian’s brow furrowed. “Olly knocked over a water glass.”
“Ah. Well, I’ll get a sippy cup, and then we’ll be fine.”
Ash chuckled. “Thanks.”
27
Harper
Christmas
“You spent a bunch of money, didn’t you?” asked Harper nervously.
She’d had the most luxurious Christmas morning. Ash had left her at his apartment while he celebrated with his family. Which she supposed would sound horrible to some people, but Ash had left her a massive and decadent cinnamon roll, an entire vat of hot chocolate, and a basket of bath items. Harper had spent the morning in Ash’s enormous bathtub and stuffing her face in deluxe alone-ness. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been left by herself in so much comfort.
“Uh… I mean, if you’d told me I would spend this much money when I was twelve, I probably would have thought I’d gone crazy. But it is way less money than I spent on Emma for her birthday. And that’s not because I think you’re worth less.” The speed of his words had picked up, and Harper recognized that Ash was feeling something. “That is because she had certain budgetary expectations, and I thought you would be uncomfortable if I spent more.”
“Are you anxious?” asked Harper, trying to figure out why Ash was doing the thing that she thought of as flapping about like a nervous bird. She thought he also felt guilty about leaving her alone all morning. But compared to her previous Christmas of trying to make food for Cooper’s family and being harangued by her own family, her day was one of unmarred perfection.
“Yes! I want you to like your presents!”
“But I will like all of them,” said Harper, feeling confidentabout the prediction. She was swanning about in a silk bathrobe and the lacey thing he’d included in her bath basket. She felt well-fed and silky all over. If his warm-up gifts were any indication, then his actual gifts would be fantastic.
“You haven’t even seen them yet.”
