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We sit in silence, his last word echoing around us. I’m shocked at how open he’s being, and at how … sad this statement feels. I’d assumed Asher King’s life must be easy. The easiest there ever was. And while I’m sure there are things he’ll never have to worry about, I guess love might be one of them.
I open my mouth to ask something else, but Asher beats me to it, turning the conversation on me. “What about you? Any boyfriends?” He raises his glass to his lips.
I sigh, shrugging. “Not for a while. Nothing ever very serious.”
He smiles. “Your parents not pressuring you to settle down?”
I chuckle, staring down at my hands. It never feels normal, even though Mom’s been gone for quite a while, and I knew Dad’s death was coming. It never feels normal to not have them around. I shake my head. “No. My parents … they passed away. It’s just me.”
Asher’s face scrunches ever so slightly. “I’m sorry.”
I purse my lips. There’s never really anything to say to that.
“Was it recent?”
“Yes and no.” I shrug. “Mom passed away when I was a teenager, and Dad … just a few months ago.” I push down the lump forming in my throat and take a sip of wine.
Asher’s eyes widen. “Olivia, I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”
I nod. “It wasn’t unexpected. He’d had cancer for awhile. It doesn’t make it less horrible, though. And now, with all his medical bills and the house …” I trail off.
“That’s why you started working at the club?” Asher guesses. “To pay off your dad’s medical bills?”
“Basically. In order to keep the state from liquidating Dad’s assets to pay off those bills, I have to pay them myself.”
“And what’s wrong with them liquidating his assets?”
“The house,” I say simply. “It’s the last thing I have of them, and I want to keep it. Ineedto keep it.”
Asher nods slowly, his eyebrows scrunched.
I stare down at my wine glass, suddenly overwhelmed by exhaustion. The attack from earlier this week, the stress of potentially being stalked, the sexual tension between Asher and I, and the looming prospect of losing my parents’ home. It’s all too much, and all I want to do is sleep.
I glance up. “I’m tired,” I admit. “Is it okay if I take an early night?”
Asher stands. “Of course.” He reaches down to grab my bag and leads me to a door off the main hallway. “This is my guest bedroom. Make yourself at home.”
“Thank you,” I say, stepping inside and turning around to face Asher in the doorframe. “Really, Asher. This means a lot.”
He smiles, and those dimples make a rare appearance. “Goodnight, Olivia.”
I bid him goodnight and shut the door.
Chapter 15
I ride with Asher into work the next morning. As expected, his guest bed is incredible, and I slept amazingly. He offered me coffee from some expensive-looking espresso machine, and after a few minutes of some awkward small talk, we rode to work.
Nobody notices or cares when we walk in together, and I quickly head to my desk to start my day. It’s a regular workday at King Tech, handling emails, rearranging schedules, and working on documents. It’s busy enough to get my mind off my stalker, but not so busy that I’m overwhelmed. I even find myself relaxed enough to joke around with Ben.
When the day comes to a close though, anxiety settles over me. Realizing that my car obviously isn’t here since I’d ridden in with Asher this morning, I decide to ask him to drop me off at my place. I can’t continue to mooch of his kindness forever. And it’s not like I can just never go home.
Taking a deep breath, I grab my stuff and head to his office.
Asher looks up when I walk in. “I want to finish up this email, then we can head out,” he says.
I nod, taking a seat while I wait.
After a few minutes, he closes his computer, pushes his chair back, and stands. “Okay,” he says, reaching for his jacket draped over his chair. “Ready?”
