Not even embarrassed about the emotion showing on his face, Asher swiped at his tears while Howard pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose and Terrence stood to the side, clearing his throat. He turned and looked back out over the yard, the vision of a little girl with sleek, dark hair flying out behind her as she ran after her brother, whose brown hair was sticking up in all directions. This was a house he was going to buy that he hoped would never see a renter.
Turning toward Howard, he stuck out his hand and said, “Mr. Washington, I’ll make you an offer of ten percent over your asking price, and I’ll pay all your closing costs.”
He ignored Terrence’s gasp and focused instead on Howard’s expression of incredulity morphing into delight. As Howard pumped his hand up and down, saying, “God bless you,” he grinned.
After settling on a few details, Howard looked up at him, and asked, “Don’t think I’m not grateful, son, but why are you willing to pay over what I’m asking?”
The three men had walked back into the house and moved toward the front door where Eileen still sat on the sofa, her calm face breaking into a wide grin when her eyes landed on her husband.
Choking back the tears again, Asher replied, “Because two people who’ve been in love since they were best friends as kids deserve to have everything they need.”
He and Terrence said goodbye, and they stepped out onto the wide front porch where Asher looked out over the expanse of lawn, feeling more of a connection to this home than he had any other with the exception of Miss Ethel’s. Turning toward Terrence to shake his hand, he was able to see through the window into the living room where Howard sat on the sofa, his arm around Eileen as she patted her husband’s hand lovingly.
His mind, earlier in such turmoil, now settled peacefully. He had no idea if Penny was going to forgive him, but he was going to do everything he could to convince her that she was his Eileen and he was her Howard.
28
Having taken the previous day off, Penny was at her desk early the next morning. She had not only spent the day thinking about her relationship with Asher but her work situation as well. She heard Mr. Weatherby coming down the hall, greeting some of the employees before going into his office, and she rose, smoothed her hands over her pants, reached for her cane, and calmly walked out of her office.
He looked up as soon as she stepped through his doorway, and she detected a sigh of resignation coming from him. Before giving him a chance to begin, she moved closer to his desk and said, “Mr. Weatherby, I’ve given a great deal of thought to our conversation from the other day. I’ve been working at your company for years, and while I have not been promoted according to what I think my abilities should allow, neither do I want the workplace to become contentious. My duties require a full-time job. The office manager is also a full-time job. I cannot be expected to do both. But I’m not an unreasonable person and realize that Janie is having difficulty adjusting. I can shift my schedule around so that I can give her one hour per week of assistance. I can certainly answer a question at any time, but the one hour a week will be for her to get assistance on something that she needs specific help with."
He nodded, and she felt sure she now detected relief coming from him as his smile widened and his body relaxed. “Penelope, I can tell that you’ve given thought to this matter, and I appreciate that. You’re right in that Janie does need to be held accountable to do the job, and if you’re willing, after all the assistance you given her in the past several weeks, to continue to give a dedicated hour of assistance, I think that’s excellent.”
He seemed to struggle for a moment before finally admitting, “I know Janie has the intelligence to succeed in the business world, but I have so often found that some young people who have just graduated from college expect to enter the workforce at a level that is often attained by others after several years of proving themselves. I know that she turned down several other entry-level positions, claiming they were beneath her. When my brother asked me to hire her, I explained to him what an office manager for a large real estate company would be like and that I had my doubts that she would be interested. I know he was getting a little desperate, and I feel very certain he convinced Janie to take the position, even if she had her eye on the door the whole time looking for the next better thing.” Shaking his head slowly, he muttered, “No loyalty. No loyalty.”
Uncertain what to say with his personal comments, she simply nodded. When it appeared that he was not going to say anything else, she stood and started toward the door. Stopping, she turned and said, “There is one other thing, Mr. Weatherby. I will not, under any circumstances, work in a hostile or demeaning environment." With her free hand, she swept it downward indicating her leg, and said, “An accident in childhood robbed me of more than you will ever know. But I am more than the sum of my scars. And I will not be treated less by Janie…or anyone.”
With her head held high and a sense of pride moving through every cell in her body, she walked back to her supply-closet office with a smile on her face.
* * *
Penny had received a text from Rosalie asking if she would have lunch with the girls. She almost declined, knowing that they would want to talk about Asher, but still on an emotional high from her declaration to Mr. Weatherby earlier, she realized how much she wanted to have a chance to get to know the girls.
Now, ensconced in a corner, U-shaped booth in a cute bistro not too far from where she worked, she sat with Rosalie, Eleanor, Regina, Morgan, and Ruby. She felt instantly at ease with them, and much to her surprise, instead of hoping they would avoid talking about Asher, she spilled everything to them. Careful to protect Asher’s personal history, she simply told them of her childhood friend, the accident, and the years since. Each expressed astonishment that she and Asher had been reunited after all those years.
“But it bothers you that he didn’t tell you as soon as he discovered who you were, doesn’t it?” Rosalie asked. When she nodded, Rosalie surprised her when she continued. “You know the story of how I was attacked outside of Grimm’s and spent a long time in the hospital in a coma. Zander stayed by my side and helped me figure out who I was when I awoke and could not remember. What you don’t know is what he didn’t tell me. He felt a lot of guilt because he felt it was his fault that I was placed in the position to be attacked. It took a while after I found out to trust him." Shrugging, Rosalie said, “I wondered if he was with me out of guilt.”
The other women began sharing their stories as well.
Tucking her hair behind her ears, Eleanor exposed more of the burn scars from the side of her face down her neck, disappearing into the top of her blouse. “As you can imagine, with these scars I was very nervous about being around people. When Rafe and I got together, I thought he was just a gardener and had no idea that he’d been a model. He kept that part of his life from me, and when I found out, I felt betrayed. Just like Rosalie and Zander, Rafe and I had to work through my feelings of insecurity and sense of betrayal." Smiling, she declared, “I think we’re stronger because of it.”
“Looking back, I’m stunned that Cael and I managed to get together,” Regina said, sipping some of her iced tea. “We were supposed to be a one-night stand that turned into a week of sex only and no names. We had so much hidden from each other that by the time we got together, we had a lot of work to build trust.”
Having seen these women with their men, it was hard for Penny to even consider that they had had such difficulties with trust issues. They were all so committed and happy, but she was beginning to discover how much work it took for them to get to that place.
“My problem was really insecurity,” Ruby said, her voice soft and small but her smile sincere. “I had a hard time trusting Jayden because I couldn’t understand why he was with me. It took a lot of patience on his part for me to finally realize that I was worth the kind of love he was offering.”
Her words resonated with Penny, thinking of her own battle with insecurity. As the mea
l was almost coming to an end, Morgan looked over and chuckled.
“Because my situation was splattered all across the media, I sometimes think there isn’t a whole lot to add." With her arm exposed, the scars that ran from her upper arm all the way to her hand were visible. “Like you, a car accident changed everything in my life." Sobering, Morgan held Penny’s gaze, and added, “I used to hate the scars. They reminded me of so much pain. I just wanted to forget what all I had lost. But then I read something that resonated with me. It was a quote attributed to Cormac McCarthy’s book, All the Pretty Horses. ‘Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real.’ It stayed with me. Penny, our scars do remind us that our past is real." Shrugging, she grinned and said, “It just so happens that your past includes Asher as well. That’s kinda cool.”
As they continued to eat, she said, “Miss Ethel came to visit me yesterday.” She almost expected to receive wide-eyed looks of surprise, but the other women just smiled. “I take it that’s not unusual.”
Ruby said, “I’m the one who drove Miss Ethel to your apartment yesterday. She knew I would be out early, but since I work for Jayden, I can set my own hours.”
“Thank you for that,” Penny said. “That was very kind of you.”
“Oh, posh,” Ruby said, waving her hand in front of her. “Any of us would do anything for Miss Ethel. I could tell she had something on her mind, and I knew she’d feel better if she had a chance to talk to you about it.” Her eyes widened suddenly, and she added, “Miss Ethel didn’t talk to me about whatever it was. I don’t want you to think we were talking behind your back.”
“Thank you for that, too, but it would’ve been okay.” Her lips curved slightly, as she added, “She’s an amazing woman, isn’t she?”
The other five women nodded with enthusiasm, each admitting how much their men were blessed to have Miss Ethel in their lives.
“For all intents and purposes, she’s adopted each of us as well,” Eleanor said. Her gaze held Penny’s, as she added, “And now you’ve been adopted by her. Believe me, there’s nothing better.”
Heart warm with the thoughts of Miss Ethel and her new group of friends, Penny leaned back in the soft cushions of the booth. The lunch was soon over, and Rosalie drove her back to her office after a round of hugs and promises to get together again soon with everyone. She was glad that her afternoon was spent doing rote tasks, considering that her mind was on the stories that the women had told her.
She thought of how Zander must have felt when Rosalie was injured outside his bar. Or how Rafe must have felt when his time in the military resulted in a modeling contract, and Eleanor’s military service ended in a horrible accident. Regina had not mentioned it, but Rosalie told her that when Regina cut her long hair knowing that chemo was going to take it from her anyway, she donated it to Cael’s niece who had lost her hair to chemo also. She was struck by the generous offer, but also how that selfless act would have affected Cael. She thought of how Jayden had to deal with Ruby’s insecurities. She shook her head in wonder of Jaxon and how he handled being involved with someone famous.
And her mind was full of Asher. He thought that I had died that day. What a horrible burden for a little boy to deal with, along with Tim’s abuse and his mom’s neglect. Squeezing her eyes shut, her heart ached for Johnny.
It had only been a couple of days since she told him she needed time to think, but now she was disgusted that she had not given him the chance to talk it out. Seeing that it was time to leave, she quickly shut down her computer, shoved receipts into a folder and left work.
She thought about driving straight to his apartment but had no idea where he might be working today. She sent him a text, hoping he would get it soon. I’m so sorry. Please come see me. I want to hear everything.
Driving home, she prayed he would come soon, desperate to see him again. Johnny…or Asher…it did not matter because she loved him no matter which name he used.
29
Pulling up to the front of her apartment building, Penny looked up and saw a motorcycle parked nearby. Her gaze jerked to the left toward the front, where, leaning against the low brick wall, was Asher. Jeans molded to his lean, muscular frame, long legs ending in booted feet, one crossed over the other. An unzipped leather jacket showed the tight, black T-shirt underneath. His head was bent slightly, arms folded across his chest, and her heart began to pound at the sight of him.
He slowly lifted his head, and she could have sworn she saw fear in his eyes as his penetrating gaze held hers. She grabbed her purse and opened her door as he pushed off the wall, moving swiftly. He was there with his hand out to assist, and she did not hesitate to place her hand in his.
They walked silently toward the apartment, where he used his key to let them enter the building. As landlord, he had master keys to all the apartments, but they were still in his hand as he hesitated. She jerked her head up and down slightly, signaling her permission, and he unlocked her apartment.
She walked in and laid her purse and now-folded cane onto the table by the front door. Her voice unsteady, she said, “You must’ve been very close to have gotten here so quickly from the time I sent my text.”
He shoved his hands in his front pockets and inhaled deeply. “The truth is, Penny, I was already here when your text came in. I…well, I just couldn’t wait any longer to see you. It’s only been two days, but my world’s just not right. I don’t want to rush you but—”
Shaking her head, she rushed, “No, I’m glad you’re here.” Standing by the counter, her breath left quickly as nerves hit her. “I would’ve been a wreck waiting around to see if you were going to answer my text.” They were only standing about five feet apart, but at the moment it felt like miles. Waving her hand toward the living room, she asked, “Would you like to sit?” Startling as another thought hit her, she asked, “Are you thirsty? I can get something to drink or…um…to eat.”
His mouth worked, and she was not sure if it was a smile or his own nerves, but then he said, “I’d like to sit. With you. Sit with you.”
Relieved that he wanted to stay, she moved to the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of water. As she turned back, she noticed he was still standing near the door, so she walked over and handed him the bottle. His hand touched hers during the exchange, the simple feeling of his fingers moving across hers sending warmth up her arm. Her eyes jerked upward as he sucked in a gasp, and she knew he felt it, too.
He took the bottle from her, and she itched to reach out and link fingers with him but hesitated. The act seemed too intimate when she had no idea how their conversation would go, so she chickened out.
She walked over to the sofa and settled on one end, shifting her body so that her good leg was bent up on the sofa and she faced him. He followed suit, settling on the other end of the sofa, his body shifting in the same way so that the only thing between them was the middle cushion, which felt like a great distance.
“I’m sorry—”
“I’m sorry—”
They both spoke at once then chuckled nervously.
Penny jumped in, “I’m sorry I left the other day without giving you a chance to explain more. I was just so shocked and then embarrassed.” Seeing his brows lower, she continued, “I was embarrassed that we had spent time together when you knew who I was, but I didn’t know you. I can’t really explain it other than that’s just how I felt at the time.”
He nodded slowly and replied, “I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you right away.” Lifting his hands to the sides, palms up, he said, “I was just so shocked to find that you were alive. That you had miraculously landed back into my life.”
They remained silent for a moment, not uncomfortably so, each to their own thoughts. As she looked at him, she could tell there was much going through his mind as he shifted again slightly, both hands clasped as his forearms rested on his knees. Now that his body was no longer facing her, it was as though he had turned inward, and she hated the feeling that h
e was suffering alone.
“Talk to me. Tell me anything. Tell me everything,” she begged, her voice barely above a whisper.
He looked over toward her, lifting one hand to rub his tatted neck, then suddenly jumped up from the sofa, pacing several steps forward.
“I never knew my dad. I was unplanned, and he had no desire to be a dad, but he stuck around at first. By the time I was about three, he was history." Shaking his head, he said, “My mom got rid of any pictures she had, so I don’t even know what he looked like."
Penny understood that Asher started his story at the beginning, both knowing how much he needed to do this and how much she needed to hear it all. Keeping her gaze on him, she nodded slightly in encouragement, settling back against the cushions, wanting to hear everything he had to say but steeling her heart at the same time, knowing it might break for the sufferings of little Johnny.
“With him gone, we ended up in homeless shelters, and sometimes we stayed with a friend of hers. We did that for about two years, and those are my first memories. I was either sleeping on a couch or blanket on the floor at one of her friends’ places, or we were at the shelter." With a sad shake of his head, he added, “I didn’t mind the shelters. People were nice to us, and I liked the food. It was nice to always have food there. I remember that I often slept in a little cot that they put next to Mom’s bed.”
Asher: Heroes at Heart Page 20
