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I glanced through the hole in the door to see Asher standing off to the side, hands in his pockets. He couldn’t have appeared at a worse time I thought to myself. He was wearing perfectly fitted jeans and a white ribbed-knit sweater that hugged him in all the right spots. He looked amazing. I licked my lips and then glanced at Brielle and gave her the same look she’d shared with me so many times over the years.
“Uh-huh. Not hiding anything hmmm…” Brielle giggled.
“I’m not,” I replied.
“Okay, okay, fine. Go.” She laughed.
I pushed the door open and stepped out behind the counter just as Asher turned around.
“Hey,” I whispered, making my way over to him.
“Hey. I was hoping you’d be here. I had to go out of town for a few days, but I wanted to stop in and see you before I made my way home. I was hoping you might like to go out for dinner sometime this week.”
I bit my bottom lip while thinking of any reason I could to get out of dinner. I even went to the extent of pulling my phone out of my back pocket and scrolling through my very empty, non-existent social calendar while my mind raced with any reason I couldn’t go.
“It’s not a date, if that is what you are thinking.” He’d read my mind. He cleared his throat and placed his hand on my arm, pulling me aside. “Listen, I could really use a night out to take my mind off of some things, and since you are the only person I know here, I thought I’d ask you.”
I met his eyes and could see the look of someone who really needed a friend. “Sure, what night?”
“Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow works,” I said. “What time?”
“How about I pick you up at seven?”
I thought for a moment, and then nodded. “Seven it is.”
“Great.” He rubbed his hands together and smiled. “Oh, do you like seafood? I’ve had a craving for it since I came to Eastport.”
I nodded. “Love it.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Asher didn’t give me a minute to protest or change my mind because he was already in his car and heading out of the parking lot by the time I realized what it was I’d just agreed to. As I shoved my phone back into my pants pocket, I realized I couldn’t even text him to cancel because, once again, I hadn’t gotten his number.I really needed to get his number.
I let out a sigh and made my way back to the office. The kitchen door had just swung shut behind me when I heard Brielle.
“Well? What was that all about?” she grilled as I walked through the door and back to our shared office.
“Nothing, just a friendly conversation.”
Brielle stood there, a knowing look on her face. “Whatever, not with a hottie like that. I can guarantee it wasn’t just a friendly conversation. Are you seeing him?”
I shook my head and laughed. “Brielle, not being ready for a relationship isn’t just an answer I give you to stop fixing me up with people. It was also the answer I gave him. He’s just a friend,” I said.
“A friend?” Brielle was quiet for a moment. Then she looked at me. “Please, Bella, don’t disappoint me.”
“Yes, he’s a friend. If you must know, we went to high school together. He was actually one of guys who played on the high school football team with Miles.”
“Oh.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice as she flopped back down into her chair.
“Yes, oh.” I giggled, turning my attention back to what I’d been working on.
Asher
I just hungup the phone after confirming reservations for two at The Harbourview Restaurant and returned to the bathroom where I started the shower. I’d just finished my workout for the day, and I had a little less than two hours to get ready before I picked up Bella.
I quickly showered, dried, and then wrapped the white towel around my waist. I shaved, then splashed some cologne on my neck. Then I wandered over to the closet, sifting through the hanging clothes, until I found my favorite pair of dark-blue jeans and crew neck.
