Page 43 of Addiction

I’ve wanted to try and change the way he believes Pete saw him. Yes, he’d known that Asher had his issues, but he’d loved his children and never spoken a bad word about either of them. The main thing that Asher has needed, and still needs, to be reassured of is that his father was extremely proud of him—something I’ve longed to have and feel from my own.

“I take it you come here often?” Asher asks as he takes a seat opposite me at the table.

“Yes. How can you tell?”

“Dude. Did you not see the blush on her face? The girl is crushing on you big time.”

I chuckle. “Ellie is a sweet girl, but sadly she will have no luck with me. You, however? I can easily persuade her to move on.”

He huffs out a low chuckle and conveniently picks up the menu to avoid commenting. “So what is the best thing to have around here?”

“Have you not been before?”

“Nope.”

“Well, I’m honored to accompany you with one of your firsts. My usual is waffles and strawberries.”

He raises a brow. “Seriously? There are eggs, bacon and sausages on this menu, and you go for something like that? Is this what yoga does to you?”

“I like to stay healthy. Don’t you?”

“Yeah, but still. There’s bacon.”

“Are you two ready to order?” Ellie asks, approaching the table.

“The usual for me, please, Ellie. And my friend here will have…”

With a defeated sigh, he places the menu down. “I’ll have the same as Wade.”

A grin spreads across my face as Ellie heads back to process our order. “But there’s bacon, Asher,” I tease, mimicking his words.

“Isn't there some saying about knowing a person by what they have for breakfast?”

“That’s an old wives’ tale. And it’s the one about eating breakfast like a King.”

“Exactly. A King needs bacon, but you’ve gone and ordered—”

“A breakfast for a pussy.”

He bursts out laughing. “I wasn’t going to put it like that.”

“But you thought it?”

“No.”

“Can’t a man enjoy something a little more refreshing than greasy bacon?” I add.

“Do you wanna eat your refreshing breakfast alone?”

“Door’s that way,” I smirk, leaning back in my chair without a care in the world. “Then again, you might wanna head out anyway.”

“Why?”

“Did I tell you that my usual also comes with a grapefruit juice?” I say just as Ellie places two glasses on the table.

He shakes his head, grinning. “For fucks sake. You drink this shit?”

“We do now.”