“Yeah,” Finn said halfheartedly. “I’ve been staying here for a while.” His gaze briefly made it to Asher before trailing back to Blythe.
“Sorry,” Asher said, zipping down two steps to grab Blythe’s hand and pull her up the rest of the way. “Finn, this is my girl, Blythe. Blythe, this is my best friend.”
Blythe remained frozen, though now at the top of the stairs. “H-hi,” she said, unsure of what to say. How to explain this messed up situation.
“Hi,” Finn said. “I should’ve known when you said Asher…of course, of all the Ashers in New York City, it’d be this one.”
“What are the chances?” she asked, her gaze locked with his as she tried desperately to comprehend the situation.
“Well, we never did have much luck.”
“Wait, I’m missing something,” Asher said, his voice breaking their eye contact. “You two know each other?” His hand darted back and forth between them.
“Yeah, you could say that,” Blythe said softly. “He…um…well, I don’t really know what to say.”
“The apartment she’s living in?” Finn asked. When Asher nodded, he went on, “It used to be mine.”
“What do you mean? You two were, what, dating?”
“No,” Blythe said, probably too quickly.
“Our timing was never right,” Finn told him, though he was still looking at her. “But anyway, I’m really happy for you two.” He looked back at Asher. “Really. And it’s good to see you, man. I hear you finally got that office at Finer Things. Your dad’s been keeping me up to date. He didn’t mention her, though.”
Asher nodded, obviously thrown off. “Yeah, I, um, I did. He didn’t tell me you two were still in contact. I thought you’d fallen off the map.”
“I just needed some space, you know?”
“Ten years is a long time,” Asher said.
Finn reached for Asher, pulling him into another quick hug and patting Blythe’s shoulder. “Anyway, I’ve gotta run to town. It was great to see you, Ash. We’ll catch up soon.” As he rushed down the stairs, he turned one last time and met her eyes, but she forced herself to look away.
He’d walked away before, and he’d keep on doing it. She gripped Asher’s hand firmly. “Come on, let’s get our bags put away.”
Chapter Eighteen
Once they were in the room and the bags were set down, Blythe shut the door.
“So…how do you know Finn?” Asher asked. “Really.”
She sat down on the edge of the bed, avoiding eye contact as she ran her hands over her thighs nervously. “When I moved to New York, Finn was the first person I met. I can’t believe you know him.”
“Yeah,” he said softly, sitting down in the desk chair across from her. “Finn was my best friend growing up. I mean, I guess he still is. We were in the same grade and inseparable. But about ten years ago he disappeared, and today’s the first time I’ve seen him since then.”
“What do you mean he disappeared?” Blythe asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion.
“Literally…he disappeared. Like, he was here one day and then…gone. I tried calling and texting him, but his phone was disconnected.”
“Why would he disappear?” She stared at her hands, trying desperately to piece together what seemed to be Finn’s biggest secret.
“I have no idea,” Asher said. “I thought maybe he’d been recruited as a spy.” When she looked up, she noticed the smirk on his face, telling her he was only joking. She would’ve been lying to say that wasn’t one of the possibilities on her mind as well.
“I’m serious, Asher. Why would he be here? Why wouldn’t he have told you he was home, but he told your parents?”
“My parents took care of Finn his whole life. He was like a second son to them. Honestly, it doesn’t surprise me that he went to them when he resurfaced. And I can’t say I'm surprised he didn’t look me up right away. I’m sure he knew our reunion would be…awkward at best.”
“That’s a bit on the nose, isn’t it?” Blythe teased.
“Were you two…a thing?” Asher asked hesitantly, and she knew the jealousy in his voice was only mildly being kept at bay.
“No,” she said. “Like he said, our timing was never right. We went out a few times, I won’t lie to you, but I’m not even sure they were even dates.”
“But he left you his apartment.”
“He said he had to clear his head.”
Asher scoffed. “You’d think ten years would be long enough to do that.” He paused, chewing nervously on his bottom lip. “Look, be honest with me, do I have anything to worry about with you two?”
She took a breath. She wasn’t going to lie to him. He deserved to know the truth, if only she knew what that was. “When I found out you’d been seeing other people, I went to Finn. I don’t even know how I ended up there, but I did.” She twisted a finger in the palm of her hand, a nervous tic of hers. “And, for just a moment, I thought we might become something. When you came back to me, I told you I wasn’t sure I could be exclusive.” She took a deep breath, preparing herself for her next words. “That was because of Finn. Because I wasn’t sure what either of us wanted.”
“So, what are you saying?” he asked, his voice raised slightly.
She leaned forward, reaching for his hand. “I’m saying…there are feelings there. For me, at least. But I’m with you, Asher. The past months with you have been amazing. I’ve never been so happy. That’s because of you.” She patted his chest with her fingertips. “You don’t have anything to worry about with Finn. Not anymore.”
His eyes filled with relief as he pulled her into his chest. “I love you, you know that?”
“I love you, too,” she told him, kissing him firmly on the lips.
He stood, pushing her backwards on the bed with their lips still together. His hands took hold of her arms, pinning them back as he trailed kisses across her lips and down her neck. “What would I ever do without you?” he whispered into her ear, his warm breath on her skin causing cold chills to cover her body.
He pulled back slightly, their noses still connected. As she stared into his warm, dark eyes, she wondered the same thing. “Lucky for us both, you’ll never have to find out.”
“I’m serious, Blythe.” He kissed her in between sentence fragments. “I am,” kiss, “so happy with you.” Kiss. “Like…I didn’t even know this,” kiss, “was possible.”
She giggled. “You keep me pretty happy, too.”
His gaze moved from her lips to her eyes, darting back and forth between each eye. “I’m so sorry I ever hurt you.”
She sat up, lifting one leg over his lap. “Asher, we’ve talked about this. What you did—seeing other people—you don’t have to apologize for it. It was a long time ago, and we were so new, it wasn’t like you cheated on me. We hadn’t set boundaries or rules yet.”
“Yeah, but how could I have been so blind that I didn’t see I had it all right in front of me?”
She rolled her eyes playfully. “Well, that one’s all on you.”
He kissed her cheek, brushing a piece of her hair out of the way. “I’m just glad I didn’t ruin it.”
“Me too,” she told him. “We were both lucky you came to your senses in time.”
“Yeah,” he said softly. “Apparently just in time.”
Chapter Nineteen
Thanksgiving dinner at the Graces’ was nothing short of spectacular. Like Grandmother Lorene’s birthday party, no expense was spared. The Grace’s estate was breathtaking. The mansion was nestled on a two-hundred-acre maple farm, and the home alone was nearly eleven thousand square feet. With eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms, Blythe had to wonder why the family even bothered having three cabins for their guests to stay in. With a bit of effort, it would be entirely possible to have guests in the house you never had to see.
The dining room housed a one-hundred-and-twenty-five-foot-long table and, as Blythe and Asher arrived, the staff was busy setting it with
a feast that could have adorned the cover of any holiday magazine.
“There she is!” Mona screeched, scurrying across the expansive entryway when she spied the couple. She pulled Blythe into a hug before turning to Asher and hugging him as well. “I’m so glad you could make it. I was hoping you wouldn’t already have plans with your family.”
“Mom, I told you Blythe’s parents passed away,” Asher said, his voice filled with contempt.
Mona’s face went pale. “I’m so sorry, Blythe. He did tell me. I’d just forgotten.”
“It’s okay,” Blythe assured her. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“Oh, we wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said, appearing relieved. “Asher, did you see the special guest your father had at the cabins for you?” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully.
Asher looked confused for a moment before he nodded. “Finn?” His voice sounded much less enthused than it had yesterday at the mention of his best friend’s name, and Blythe couldn’t help worrying whether she’d caused irreparable harm to their friendship.
“Mhm,” she said gleefully, either intentionally ignoring or just not noticing her son’s lack of enthusiasm. “He’s out back with your father now. I’m sure he’d love to meet Blythe.”
Asher frowned. “Sure. Maybe later, Mom. Is there anything we can help with?”
“I don’t think so,” she told him. “Dinner is just about ready. We’re waiting on Martin and Sharon to arrive. Then we’ll be all set to eat.”
A member of their staff approached them suddenly, stealing Mona’s attention, and she hurried off after them and left Asher and Blythe alone in the doorway.
“Your home is immaculate,” Blythe told him. “I can’t believe you grew up here.”
Asher nodded. “Yeah, well, it’s nothing special.”
“Are you kidding me? My house was one of the biggest in Darlington, but it didn’t even compare to half of this place. Not to mention the furniture in one room costs as much as our whole house.”
He wrapped an arm around her. “I wish I could’ve seen it.”
“Me too,” she agreed sadly. It was one of the things that crossed her mind frequently as she and Asher grew closer. He would never know that side of her. Never meet her parents. Never see the bedroom she’d meticulously decorated as a teenager. It was all gone. Half of her life had gone up in a cloud of smoke, and sometimes she wasn’t sure what to do with the rest of it. Most people, when they met someone new, introduced them to their past. Her past was just that, the past, forever. She had no plans to ever return to Darlington.
“Do you want a tour?” he asked. “Or I could take you outside, see some of the land. It’s really beautiful out there.”
“I’d like that a lot. Shouldn’t we stay inside if dinner will start soon?”
“No one’s in any hurry,” he promised her.
As if on cue, the front door swung open and two strangers stood behind them. Asher greeted them, quickly introducing Blythe to his cousins and following them into the kitchen, promising to show her the grounds after dinner.
As the dining room began to fill with people—some faces she remembered, most not—Mona directed Blythe to the chair next to hers as Jacob gave a quick toast, thanking their guests both new and old and asking everyone to dig in.
Blythe’s body burned, her skin on fire with adrenaline as she remained consciously aware of Finn sitting just a few seats away. He seemed to be equally aware of her, his gaze trailing to her and then away from her every few minutes. He spoke to the family comfortably, obviously familiar with everyone.
As dinner wound down, Asher set back in his seat, sliding his hand under the table and onto Blythe’s thigh. She offered him a small smile before turning to Mona, who was rambling on about the Christmas shopping she was nearly done with.
“Dinner was wonderful, Mona,” she said politely, wiping the corners of her mouth with her cloth napkin.
“Thank you, dear,” she said. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I certainly hope you’ve left room for dessert.”
“I was hoping to show Blythe around for a bit, Mom. We’ll come back in to grab some dessert later.”
His mother’s smile wavered just a bit, but she eventually agreed. “Make sure to show her the view from off the deck,” she said. “No one should live without being able to see that once in their lifetime.” Without another word, she turned to the woman next to her, a stout, pretty young thing named Annie, and began talking about the two-year-old alongside her.
With that, Asher stood up, pulling Blythe’s arm carefully so she would stand as well. Blythe felt uncomfortable leaving the table while everyone else was still there, most done with their dinner, but still lingering to talk. Finn’s eyes fell on her, his mouth slightly opened as he watched her leave the table. She wanted desperately to talk to him. To have a few minutes alone to discuss everything on her mind, but she knew that opportunity wouldn’t present itself in this situation. Finn had to be forgotten. Asher was priority.
He led her out the back door and onto the large, covered back balcony. It overlooked the acres of woods in the valley below. Mona was right, the view was to die for.
“This is incredible.”
“Can I be honest with you about something?” Asher blurted out, his voice rushed, stressed. It was obvious he’d been holding it in for a while.
She glanced over at him, at the way his forehead held a wrinkle of stress she wasn’t used to seeing on his usually calm face. “Of course. What is it?”
“I…I’m not a jealous person, Blythe. I’m honestly not. I’ve always been the one with most of the power in relationships, and I’ve always made sure they weren’t exclusive for this exact reason.” He paused. “I don’t want to get hurt.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m not comfortable being around Finn anymore. I mean, the guy was my best friend. I used to know everything about him. But I don’t now. I don’t know hardly anything…except that you like him. Liked, maybe. But he likes you…present tense.”
“What are you saying, Asher? Has he said something to you?”
“He doesn’t have to. He hardly kept his eyes off of you all through dinner.”
“I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but even if it isn’t, I can’t help it if he was staring. I wasn’t staring back.”
“I know,” he said, and she let out a small breath of relief. “It’s just…why did it have to be him, ya know? I can handle a bit of competition, but my best friend?”
“I don’t want to cause any trouble between you two, Asher, believe me. If I’d known…”
“What?” he asked when she didn’t finish her sentence. “If you’d known…what?”
“I don’t know. I met Finn first. If I’d known you two were best friends, maybe I wouldn’t have allowed myself to fall in love with you…but I did. And I wouldn’t wish a life without you on myself. Truth is, Asher, as much as I wish this had happened any other way, I wouldn’t want to change the outcome. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too,” he told her. “I can’t stand the thought of losing you. I guess that’s all I’m really trying to say. Everytime I see him staring at you, I get this sick feeling in my stomach. Jealousy. Rage. I think I’m starting to hate him, and that’s not fair to anyone.”
“I don’t want to cause you to lose your best friend.”
He took her hand. “Finn was my best friend, that’s true, but I think…” His lips brushed her cheek. “I think you’re my best friend now.”
She ran her fingers over where his lips had been, her eyes filling with tears. “I am?”
“You’re who I want to tell everything to, Blythe. You’re the one I want to share everything with. I just love you so damn much it hurts.”
She pulled him into a hug, her heart filled with so much joy it felt as if it were going to explode. She’d never felt that way. She’d never loved someone so deeply. “I love you, too, Asher. So much.”
When they pulled apart, Asher tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Good, because there’s something I have to tell you.”
“What’s that?”
He took a deep breath, looking out across the sky before his gaze fell back to her. “I lied to you.”
“Lied? About what?”
“I do know where Finn was. I’m not supposed to, but I do.”
“We don’t have to talk about him,” she assured him, running a hand over his bicep.
“I know that. I just…I want you to know the truth about him. About why he left. Why he disappeared for ten years. You deserve to know how dangerous he is.”
“Dangerous?” she asked, swallowing. She blinked her eyes rapidly. “What do you mean ‘dangerous’?”
He closed his eyes as if bracing himself for a blow. “I wasn’t supposed to know. My dad hired a lawyer for him, and I overheard them talking one day. My dad assured me it was nothing to worry about. He said he was going to get it taken care of, but after a few months went by and I still hadn’t heard from Finn, I asked my dad again. He said Finn had gone away to clear his head. He said he needed space. But…I Googled him. I found out the truth.”
“I don’t understand. What are you saying?”
“He’s saying I was in prison,” the voice came from her right. She looked toward it, surprised to see Finn approaching them from inside. His lips were pressed into a thin line. “And he’s telling you the truth. Like I should have all along.”
Chapter Twenty
They all stood frozen, looking back and forth at each other, waiting for someone to make a move.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have interrupted,” Finn said softly. “Your dad wanted his jacket.” He pointed to the blazer draped over the railing as he strolled across the deck and grabbed it.
“Wait, Finn—” Asher called, as his friend disappeared into the house. He looked back at Blythe with a sad expression. “I have to go talk to him.”
“Go,” Blythe said, encouraging him with her words, though what she really meant was ‘Stay. Tell me everything.’ She watched as Asher did as he was told, going after Finn with haste. Her throat was dry as she swallowed the lump that filled it. What was she doing here? What was the plan? How could she possibly last another night in the cabin just feet away from Finn while lying next to Asher? She wasn’t sure she could survive it.
The Better Choice Page 10
