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“She was the closest person to me in the world, my best friend. And when she died, I guess I just lost it. You weren’t the only thing I left behind, Julie. I didn’t even attend her funeral. I- I blamed her husband for her death. It was all so hard. She was gone and I decided I had to be gone to. So I just packed up and left. I went to Denmark. Her sister lives there and I thought she could help me. I was only twenty, Juliette, and I lost my mom in such a heart-breaking way.”
He takes a deep breath. I’m sitting so still right now as I listen to him.
“I didn’t know how to act. My aunt tried her best to console me for the first few weeks. Eventually, I pulled myself together enough to return. My mom’s funeral had come and gone and I was so ashamed. I couldn’t face anyone. I dropped out of college and I decided to just travel the world, like I had always wanted to.”
“I’m sorry you lost your mom,” I say quietly when he’s done. “I can’t believe you didn’t attend her funeral, Asher. That was cowardly.”
He gives me a pained smile. “You haven’t changed, Juliette. No bullshit.”
I nod. “No bullshit. I’ve always given it to you straight and I’ll do so now.”
“I’m listening.”
“I hate that you had to go through something like that, but it doesn’t excuse what you did. A part of me understands that you were young back then. And let’s be real, you weren’t that mature. Judging by that, I can see where you’re coming from. But there was nothing stopping you from letting me help you. I could have been there for you. I loved you enough to try.”
He shakes his head. “I couldn’t. My family’s really private and you might not have liked to know who I really was. It was why I never introduced anyone to you outside our mutual friends.”
“What? Are you royalty?” I question dryly.
“No,” he says with a half-smile, the dimple in his right cheek making an appearance.
“Anyway, I’m guessing you’re telling me all this now to help me see where you’re coming from. And I do, Asher. I get it. You were hurting and I wasn’t enough for you. I’ve made my peace with it. It all happened a long time ago.”
“So you forgive me?” he asks hopefully.
“I don’t know about forgiveness..” I trail off. “But I’m saying we can move on. We’re older now. And I think we’re both mature enough to let the past stay in the past.”
He finally smiles, a bright smile that chips away some of the ice around my heart. I guess I really did need this. Closure. And more than anything, I’m glad he showed up to give it to me.
“So, friends?”
I roll my eyes. It would serve me well to stay the hell away from him, but I’m sorely lacking in the friend department right now with Lisabell all the way in L.A. We’ve been talking every day, but it isn’t the same. I knew it wasn’t going to be.
“Alright, fine. Friends,” I concede.
He whoops before rounding the table and pulling me into his chest.
“Thanks, beautiful.”
I hug him back with a laugh before he releases me and returns to the other side of the table.
“We have so much to catch up on,” he breathes.
“You can tell me all about your adventures,” I tell him.
“And you can tell me all about what you’ve been up to in the past five years. I’m sure it was something amazing.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” I mutter. I grab my phone and check the time before letting out a sigh. “Catching up will have to wait, Asher. I need to go and get some rest. I have to work tomorrow.”
“Oh, yeah? Where do you work?”
“A hotel,” I tell him biting my bottom lip.
His expression turns serious for a moment as he ponders something. “Tell you what, how about you come somewhere with me tomorrow.”
“Where?” I ask suspiciously.
“My family’s throwing a party. And I think it’s time you met them.”
