Page 48 of Worth the Scandal
I can’t breathe. Not from the champagne. Not from the backhanded media compliments or the glitter-covered hors d’oeuvres.
But from Asher Kingston.
Standing across the room like a walking secret. Like temptation personified. Like the only person in this entire town who can look at me and undo me with a glance.
And yet—I can’t stop thinking about what Caleb said.
“People like Asher—people with secrets—they bury them for a reason.”
Asher has since been avoiding me, which naturally has made me uneasy about it all. Sure, I’m attracted to him, I’m only human. I thought it was more than that, but my mind keeps reminding me that there has to be more to the bullshit that Caleb keeps bringing up and using to get inside my head.
I down another flute of imposter champagne, the thought makes me chuckle because what if Asher is just like this cheap brut perusing as champagne—as something more than he is. The extra bit of liquid courage has given me the strength to question him, even though I probably have no right. It’s not like we are dating. No, but I am about to be his manager. If he has skeletonsin the closet, I need to assess the bones before the detectives come knocking AKA the vulture media.
I eye Asher leaving for the hallway again, fishing his phone from his pocket and watch as he answers the incoming call in the darkness. Right back where we started this Caleb fiasco less than an hour ago.
I wait for his call to end; it’s sounds like he was speaking to a lawyer or maybe the agent he is letting go judging by the serious tone in his voice.
This time, I don’t let him speak first.
“What is he talking about?” I demand. He looks down at his phone as if to say, my phone call. “Caleb. What is it you’re hiding?” I reiterate, making my question perfectly clear.
Asher’s leaning against the wall, and he slips one hand in his pocket, jaw tight. “It’s nothing.”
“Nothing?” I echo, crossing my arms. “Because it didn’t sound like nothing when he basically told me to run for the hills.”
He exhales, hard. “You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Don’t need to—excuse me? I’m about to be your agent. You think I’m going to represent someone who could explode on a national scale and not know what I’m walking into?”
Using the agent card and not the I might be falling for you, and I don’t know you well enough card, catches Asher off guard.
His eyes flash, and his hurt does the talking “It’s already out there. All of it. The accident. The fallout. The media frenzy. If you want to Google it, go ahead. But I’m not explaining myself to you like I owe you something.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No,” he snaps, voice low and heated, “what’s not fair is everyone in this damn town acting like I’m radioactive. I’m signing with your agency, Scarlett. You want the truth? That’sit. It’s nothing new. It’s just shit I already lived through once.” He runs his hand through his hair, and I can tell he’s telling the truth. Caleb is once again just stirring the pot.
My heart pounds, but I stay still. Quiet. Studying him. He hasn’t looked away yet, his eyes are searching for mine, pleading with me to believe him. His brother died in an accident I know that, he did tell me that. I’m being stupid, I do know it all. Caleb just thinks he has one up on me. He’s playing stupid games just like year 3 again.
“Okay,” I finally say.
He blinks. “Okay?” Like he can’t believe it was that easy, but I haven’t got the will power to fight with him for no reason right now.
“You’re signing with me.”
He nods, jaw still clenched.
“Then live a little, Kingston. I won’t tell your manager I promise.”
He raises an eyebrow.
I grab his hand.
“C’mon. Drive me home, before I stop listening to the champagne and start listening to my good friend’s logic and reason.”
I’m not sure what this strategy is I’m going for here, but I’m choosing to find out the details later and truly live in the moment—I’ve been trying my hardest to do more of that since mum…you know. Jen reckons it’s a great coping mechanism and that it’s a sure way to help me grieve if I live each day in the present and not worry about what’s next. I have been doing a lot of that lately with the move and the business, it’s been all future gazing. I’m not letting him slip away like I did last time in Sydney.
11:44 PM–The Walker Residence
