Landlady: A New Adult Romance (Northbridge Nights Book 1)

by Jackie Wang

  “I'll be fine. I'll just get changed and head out before it gets bad,” Asher said.

  “What if I want you to stay?”

  “I'll be back in the morning,” he promised. “I need to clean up the house before my landlady comes back.” Asher winked, then added, “Tomorrow I'll tell your parents I'm bringing you home.”

  “You better come bearing gifts then,” I said. “Mom will have a fit.”

  “Don't worry, I'll turn them around.”

  Dad came back in with Asher's suit. Asher took his things and thanked him.

  When Asher had changed back to his formal attire, he gave me a kiss on the lips before shuffling on his shoes.

  Mom popped in and said, “Asher, you haven't eaten dinner yet!”

  “Sorry, Lillian, I'm afraid I need to go. Before the roads get worse.”

  “You're more than welcome to stay the night again,” Mom offered.

  “Thank you, but I really do have some things I need to take care of back home. Thank you for a lovely afternoon, though. I had a lot of fun.”

  “You're welcome back, anytime,” Dad said. “I'd love to give you more riding lessons. You'll need them if you want to impress Sisi here. She loves horses more than anything.”

  I'd never seen my parents act so nicely toward any man I'd ever dated or brought home. He had their approval. My approval. Everything was perfect.

  “I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning,” Asher said. “And I'd love to go riding again. It was fun.”

  “First thing? My, my, you're head over heels in love aren't you?” Mom joked.

  “Mom!” I glared at her, but she'd already disappeared into the kitchen again.

  I stood up and hobbled over to see Asher out. I gave him another kiss and said, “Drive safe. I'll see you tomorrow.”

  “Night, princess,” Asher said. “Dream of me.”

  I pinched his arm. “Oh, get going already.”

  CHAPTER 18

  ASHER

  I’D FALLEN FACE-FIRST INTO mud. Me, Asher Morgan, attorney-at-law, covered in mud. And I’d loved it. I’d loved watching Sierra's face struggle to hold back laughter at the sight of my clumsiness. I’d loved seeing the twinkle in her eye when I told her how much I enjoyed learning how to ride. The curl of her lips when she told me to drive safe.

  Even though I'd just pulled out of the driveway, I was already wishing I was back there, holding her in my arms.

  I merged onto the Interstate and flicked on the windshield wipers. Rain was coming down hard now, hammering the roof of my car and drastically reducing visibility on the road. I drove slower than the speed limit, squinting to read signs in the already waning light. Ernest had been right about the roads around here. They weren't very well lit, and many of the signs were scratched out or illegible.

  I navigated by memory because my GPS was a piece of shit and the storm made it impossible to check coordinates.

  I couldn't have been going faster than thirty miles an hour, and I was starting to wonder when I'd ever reach home. It was stupid of me to head home for a good night's rest and to try and clean up before Sierra's return. I was already mentally and physically exhausted. I should've just stayed over again.

  The day's events sifted through my mind.

  Getting fired had been one of the worst things that had ever happened in my life. Yet, somehow I felt as light as a cloud. Seeing Sierra had instantly banished my misery. I'd gone from despondent to energized within seconds. Especially since she said she liked me back. That had been one of the best feelings I'd ever had in my life. I felt like some cheesy sap from a rom-com, but no joke, my chest had just about exploded when she’d kissed me today.

  This kiss was different than our first one.

  The first one had been driven by lust. I'd wanted to get into her pants.

  But this one was motivated by something else. An intense need to belong to her. And I wanted her to belong to me. Not just in a sexual way (though I badly wanted that too), but in a more intimate way. I wanted to fall asleep and wake up next to her every day. See that gorgeous smile before I went to work and after I came home...Every. Single. Day.

  I hadn't realized just how much Sierra had changed my life until now.

  In fact...I was in love with her. Head over heels. Just like Lillian had said.

  I was so distracted by my thoughts and so focused on the raindrops that I didn't notice the dark blur until it was too late.

  CLUNK!

  Fuck! What the fuck! Who would be crossing the middle of the road in this weather? Especially without looking for cars first? I hit the brakes and parked the car, heart ramming against my ribs.

  Luckily, I wasn't moving too fast, and the impact wasn't terribly hard, but still.

  I clicked off my seatbelt and bolted outside to assess the damage.

  There was no one there.

  I could've sworn I'd hit something. Had it just been a pile of trash? A fallen log or something?

  I crouched down and looked under the car. Rain was quickly soaking through my clothes, forcing the fabric to stick to me like a second skin. I couldn't hear anything other than the thundering rain. There was so much of it I felt like I was swimming on land.

  I was about to get back inside my car when I heard the whimpering. Then I saw the shadowy figure splayed across the side of the road.

  A dog. A mangy and scrawny German Shephard. His belly was bleeding fast; his fur matted with blood and dirt.

  Shit!

  I lunged for the dog, curling one arm around his neck and the other around his belly. I pressed my ear against his chest, listening for a heartbeat. Praying for one.

  Luckily, I could feel his feeble chest rise and fall against my cheek.

  I brought the dog into my car and placed him in the backseat. I didn't really have anything to cover him with, and my suit jacket was soaked so I cranked up the heat and hit the gas.

  I needed to find a vet, fast.

  But I barely even knew where I was, let alone where I could find a vet.

  I could turn back to Maywood Farm, but that was at least half an hour's drive. And they may not know what to do.

  After blindly driving for a few more miles, I pulled over and tried to make a call. Search through my GPS. Anything.

  Finally, I got one bar. I seized the chance and called Sierra.

  “Did you forget something?” she asked.

  “I hit a dog,” I said. “On the road. Where's the nearest vet?”

  “How—”

  “—No time, bad connection. Where is it?” I asked.

  “Where are you now?” Sierra asked. “Do you want my dad to come find you?”

  “I'm fine.” I looked at the sign in front of me. “I'm on Interstate Five near Westport.”

  “Okay, the nearest vet should be about ten miles straight ahead. Make a right at the hospital sign. There's a vet nearby.”

  “Thanks, Sierra. I'll call you later.” I ended the call and drove as fast as I could (considering the weather) down the highway.

  The dog let out a small howl, and I felt panic claw at my throat. “You're not dying on my watch,” I told him.

  Twenty minutes later, I was parking in the hospital parking lot. I scoured the area before finding a small storefront with a huge picture of a dog and a cat on the front. 24-Hour WestPort Vets, it read.

  I hugged the dog to my chest and hauled him out as carefully as I could. He was heavier than he looked, especially since his fur was soaked. I lumbered up to the vet's office, and a young brunette opened the door for me.

  “I hit him by accident,” I said, hardly able to catch my breath. “Help.”

  “Are you the owner?” the brunette asked.

  I shook my head. “He was wandering around out on Interstate Five. I didn't see him.”

  “Okay, let's bring him inside.” I followed her into one of the rooms. It looked organized and sterile.

  The brunette had a clipboard. “I'll need you to fill this out to the best of you
r ability. Doctor Hadras will be here shortly.”

  “Thank you.”

  I took the clipboard and started to fill out my contact information. Occasionally I'd sneak glances at the poor German Shepherd. His eyes were shut, and he was hardly moving at all now. The gash on his belly ran from his front to rear legs. It looked really bad.

  “Hi, my name is Dr. Susan Hadras,” a woman said behind me.

  “Asher Morgan.”

  The woman's eyes lit up. “I think I've seen you somewhere, right?”

  I scratched my head. “Yeah. There's a billboard out on the Interstate with my face on it. For a law firm.” A law firm I no longer worked at.

  “Yeah, that's probably it,” she said. “You look even better in person.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “How is he?” I gestured to the dog.

  “We'll need to clean him up and give him some stitches,” Susan said. “But his vitals look good.”

  “I feel awful,” I admitted.

  “Don't,” Susan said. “This is the second time someone's brought him in this month. He's a stray. He often wanders around and onto the highway. It's not your fault.”

  First, Sierra breaks her leg because of me. Now this dog might never walk again, also because of me. Was I just a magnet for bad luck?

  “The rain—I couldn't see.”

  Susan rested a hand on my arm. “It's okay, we'll fix him. Don't worry. Why don't you take a seat outside?”

  “Thanks, doctor.” I left the room and made my way back to the waiting area. Shit, what a load of rotten luck today. At least he would survive. I would've been gutted if I'd killed him, even if it was an accident.

  “Asher?”

  I bit my lip.

  That voice.

  No.

  Could it be?

  I looked up and rubbed my eyes. And there she was, looking like a mirage. “Vicky? Holy shit, what are you doing here?”

  “Asher Morgan,” Vicky smiled. “It is you.” She arched a perfectly plucked brow. “What brings you here? Is something wrong with Bowser?”

  “No, he's fine. Rowdy as ever,” I said. “I'm here because I accidentally hit a stray while I was heading home.”

  “What were you doing around these parts this time of night?” Vicky asked. “Seeing a client?”

  “No, I was—” I wanted to say 'visiting my girlfriend' but for some reason, the words refused to come out. “It's not important. Anyway, thank God I didn't kill him. Why are you here?”

  “I got a new puppy. He's getting his shots,” Vicky said.

  “Why'd you come here? Why not the vet in the city?”

  “I live here now,” Vicky said. “Moved to Westport about a week ago.”

  “You? On a farm? With your husband?” Somehow I couldn't quite picture that. Vicky couldn't stand getting dirty.

  “No,” Vicky said, brushing a stray lock of black hair from her eyes. “Just me and my puppy. Her name's Ella.”

  “Oh,” I said.

  “Hal and I separated about two weeks ago,” Vicky explained. “It wasn't working out.”

  I did the math in my head. They couldn't have been married for more than two months.

  “I'm sorry to hear that, Vicky,” I said.

  She was as gorgeous as ever, but I felt guilty for even noticing.

  Vicky Amari was a Persian princess and ex-model. She'd started modeling when she was only nineteen and semi-retired by the time she hit twenty-eight. She was thirty now and looked sexier than ever with long, midnight lashes and pouty pink lips.

  Even though it was pouring rain outside, Vicky was still dressed in a high fashion ensemble: an empire waist, floor-length evening gown paired with red stilettos.

  I gave her a quick once-over. “Were you planning to go to a party or something? You're dressed to the nines.”

  “Actually yes. Just a small dinner party in Eastport at eight. Thought I'd squeeze in the vaccines before heading over,” Vicky said.

  “Horrible weather today,” I remarked, feeling terrible for acting so awkward around someone I'd known for almost ten years. We'd met when she was twenty-two, a bright-eyed socialite, heavy into the drinking and party scene in college. We'd bonded over a few shots of tequila, and I'd invited her back to my place only to be spurned in front of all my friends. Of course, I'd chased after her like a lovesick puppy, but she never gave me a chance. She was more interested in dating older men at the time, sometimes men almost twice her age.

  We'd stayed in touch over the years. She traveled all over the world for work, and we'd meet up for drinks once in a while when she was back in town. Nothing happened until she came up with that stupid fake engagement charade. I was dumb enough to think it was the perfect opportunity to show her how good we could be together. Perhaps win her heart over so she'd give me a chance. She'd tantalized me for so many years that it was like a fantasy come true.

  To keep up with appearances, she'd slept over every night for a week. On the last night we were together, she even gave me a blowjob. It had been spontaneous. We'd had one too many drinks. It just happened, and I loved every second of it. Too bad she didn't feel the same way. For her, it'd just been a horrible mistake. One she opted to forget immediately afterward.

  She left without so much as a goodbye, and it wasn't until weeks later that I realized she'd gotten married to her secret boyfriend. She'd cheated on him with me and then run away. She was poison. She was the type of woman who gave me trust issues. I mean, she sucked my dick while she was dating that Haljit character. No wonder things didn't work out. I had no sympathy for her...

  So why the hell was I suddenly picturing her perfect lips wrapped around my cock again?

  Get a fucking grip, Asher!

  “I should get going,” Vicky said, picking up her puppy. “It was nice seeing you again, Asher.”

  “You too, Vicky.”

  “Maybe we can grab drinks sometime?”

  “Sure,” I replied without thinking.

  After Vicky had left, I felt as if I should've said something more. Asked for her number or some way to keep in touch with her. I obviously didn't want to rekindle anything romantically, but I'd missed talking and laughing with her. She was a bit of a wildcard, and her life was always full of drama, but she was also unbelievably fun to be around.

  I was still hating myself when Vicky popped back inside. Was this a sign?

  “This is super embarrassing, Asher, but my car has a flat, and I don't have a spare. Is there any way you can give me a ride?”

  I almost jumped to the occasion. Then I remembered I still had a dog in the operating room.

  “Probably,” I said. “Let me just ask about the dog.”

  I quickly asked the brunette about the dog's situation. She popped into the room and returned minutes later saying that I should return tomorrow morning since Dr. Hadras wanted to keep him overnight for observation. I thanked her and turned back to Vicky. “Where are you headed?”

  “It's just a ten-minute drive down the road,” she beamed. “Thanks so much, Asher. It'd be impossible to catch a taxi around here in this weather.”

  “No worries,” I said.

  Vicky's heady and familiar perfume swam under my nose as I opened the passenger door for her. She slinked inside, and I made my way around to the driver's side.

  When we were finally underway, Vicky thanked me again. She asked about work, and I said it was fine. She didn't need to know that I got fired today. I asked her what she was up to these days, and she said she was starting up a modeling agency in Eastport. She wanted to live on a farm to reconnect with nature and get away from all the paparazzi. It made sense, I guess.

  The conversation reached a lull, and I focused on the road ahead. The rain had died down somewhat, but the roads were still slick and wound around the hill in tight curves.

  “You know, you could join me,” Vicky said. “Have a few drinks. My friends won't mind. I think you might've even met some of them before. You remember Ulana Croller and Sidn
ey Malone?”

  The names conjured up vague memories and blurry faces. “They ring a bell. But listen, I should go home and take a shower. It's been a long day for me. Thanks, though, for the invite.”

  “Alright,” Vicky said, a little dejected. “Just pull up here.”

  I turned up the driveway of an impressive looking mansion. It was the largest property for miles, and the most modern-looking one nestled beside the endless farmland.

  “Strange place to build a mansion,” I noted.

  “The host, Peter Trianni, is an eccentric man,” Vicky said. “Are you sure you don't want to come in? At least change out of those clothes and let them dry off for a bit. Grab a bite to eat.”

  She did make a good point. Besides, I was famished. I hadn't eaten all day.

  “Alright, just until my clothes dry off,” I said.

  “It'll be fun, I promise, Asher,” Vicky said, patting my hand. She hoisted her puppy, a Chihuahua, under her arm and opened the door.

  We strode arm and arm into the mansion. I felt a sour taste in the back of my mouth. None of this sat right, but I was too miserable to think about anything other than a warm room and a good meal.

  “Vicky! About time you showed up,” a balding, stocky man said. “Who's your friend?”

  Vicky smiled at me. “Peter, this is an old friend of mine, Asher Morgan. I bumped into him at the vet, and he was gracious enough to drive me over after my car got a flat.”

  “Well,” Peter said, patting my back. “A friend of Vicky's is a friend of mine. Come in, come in.”

  Once I stepped inside, I noticed the tasteful modern artwork and massive chandelier dangling above my head. The vaulted ceilings and wide open space made Peter's home look like a palace.

  “You're soaked,” Peter noted. “Nasty weather, isn't it? Lucia will get you a change of clothes.”

  “Thank you...Peter.”

  “Now, Vicky, I have some friends who are dying to meet you,” Peter said.

  I looked around and found a wide-eyed Latina staring at me. “Follow me please,” she said.

  I trailed behind her as she led me down the hall and took me to a room filled with all sorts of clothing: from what looked like Halloween costumes to fluffy sleepwear.