“Wait, let me finish,” Nash continues. “Iwishthose things were different, but the fact is, he cares about you. He treats you right. And it took a hell of a lot of guts to come here and face meafter the way I acted last week. I respect the hell out of him for that. As long as he never hurts you, we won’t have a problem.”
Tears well in my eyes as I swallow the golf ball-sized lump in my throat. This past week has been rough, and I know Ben noticed. He saw through the smiles I tried to hide behind, and he fought for us, without asking for anything in return.
It means more than I can say.
Nights like this, surrounded by the people I love, is all I’ve ever wanted. And I still can’t believe it’s actually happening.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Ben
When Seb and I return to the booth with drinks for everyone, I feel a wave of relief seeing Ash smiling. I’ve been worried about her all week. She’s usually so full of life, always smiling and upbeat. I can tell the past couple of weeks have worn her down. Her brothers’ approval means the world to her, and tonight seems like a step toward finally earning it.
I hand out the drinks and settle into the booth next to Ash. She flashes a wide smile at me as my hand rests on her leg, and I can’t tear my eyes away from hers. She leans in, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
“Thank you,” she whispers, her lips still lingering on mine.
A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth, and I lean back just enough to look at her. “What for?” I ask softly.
“You fought for us,” she says simply, tangling her fingers with mine. “You came here and told Nash exactly why we’re good together. You changed his mind about us.”
Exhaling, I rest my forehead against hers. “I could see how much this was weighing on you, baby. I had to do something. I just wanted to see you smile again. Really smile.”
Her fingers tighten around mine. “I can’t believe you did that for me,” she murmurs.
My chest fills with warmth. “Like I told you before, Ash... anything for you.”
The evening is filled with effortless conversation, laughter, and a warmth I haven’t experienced in years. I love how close they all are and I’m excited to become a part of it. Ever since Molly’s accident, my world has revolved around work and raising Laney, leaving little room for anything else. Socializing became an afterthought, and it’s been so long since I’ve felt this genuinely happy. Now, the only missing piece is Laney. I can only hope that the more time she spends with Ash, the more she’ll realize just how incredible she is.
When Ash stifles a yawn, I lean in and whisper, “Ready to head home, baby?”
She nods, resting her head on my shoulder. “I’m exhausted. I haven’t been sleeping well this week.”
I press a kiss to her hair, silently hoping she’ll sleep better now that the tension with her brothers has eased.
“I think we’re going to call it a night,” I say to the group, wrapping an arm around Ash.
“Yeah, us too,” Nash agrees. “We’ll walk with you.”
As I stand, I slip my hand into Ash’s and glance down at her. “Want to stay at my place tonight? We can stop by your apartment to grab your stuff and call an Uber.”
Her face lights up with a grin. “I’d love to.”
I grin right back. “Good. I can’t wait to fall asleep with you in my arms.”
The four of us say goodnight to everyone before stepping outside. Despite the late hour, the air is still warm, and I slip my hand into Ash’s as we stroll along the sidewalk with Nash and Paisley.
“You two should come over for dinner one night,” Paisley suggests with a smile.
Ash looks up at me and I nod without hesitation. “We’d love to.”
“Great! I’ll message you, Ash, and we’ll set a date,” Paisley replies.
“Speaking of plans, we never talked about your bachelorette party!” Ash exclaims.
“Another bachelorette?” Nash chuckles. “Didn’t you already have one?”
“That’s what I said,” Paisley agrees with a laugh.
