Chapter Eight
Leigh
The rain poured down, soaking us and making our clothing cling to our skin.
“We need to get you inside before you get sick,” he said, kissing the top of my head as we began to walk back into the house.
“I like the rain. I always have. It’s like it’s washing away the garbage in life,” I said as I looked up at Asher.
He pulled me tighter into him.
“I really like you wet,” he said with an incredibly sexy smirk.
I just slapped his stomach.
“This is really no time to joke. We’re about to enter the dragon’s lair,” I said as we walked back to the house and were greeted by my mother and stepfather.
“I’m putting on a pot of coffee and we are talking,” my mother said before addressing Alistair, “calmly.”
“Wasn’t that calm? I’m pretty fucking calm—calm as a cucumber. As calm as any man could be in my situation,” Alistair said and then gestured for us to take a seat on the white leather sofa.
Everything about this house was so pristine, so perfect. The house belonged more in a Martha Stewart feature spread than anything else. There we sat, the three of us, silent, each wanting to say a million things and all scared to start. And then my mother walked back into the room.
“Asher, she is a child. My child. You are old,” my mother stated matter-of-factly. That was my mom, never mincing words, just saying how she felt, no matter what the outcome was.
“Frankly, Miriam, you have no say in this,” Asher said coldly.
His words actually shook me. He grabbed my hand in his, and I wasn’t sure if it was to comfort me or himself.
“She’s a legal adult. She’s able to fight a war, consume alcohol, and vote. She’s perfectly able to decide who she wants to be with. And I can promise you this, I will treat her like the queen she is for the rest of my life. I will make sure she is happy and taken care of. Forever. You know I’m a man of my word. This is my word.”
My mother and Alistair looked at each other. They didn’t say a word, but in that silence, it appeared like they were communicating volumes. I smiled at the exchange. My mother had had a hard life, and Alistair was her rainbow at the end of the storm. He really was her perfect match. Just like Asher was mine.
“Leigh, you’re my only child. I love you with every single fiber of my being. Is this what you want?” my mother asked.
I looked at Asher and smiled.
“More than anything else I’ve ever wanted in my entire life.”
“Then, that settles it. You’re an adult, and I know Asher is a good man,” my mother said as she extended her hand and held Alistair’s. “I know he comes from good stalk.” She then looked at Asher, giving him a cold stare. “But if you ever do anything to hurt my baby, I will gut you like a fish.”
“Miriam, I would rather die than hurt Leigh,” Asher said in a soft tone, a tone that told me he was beyond sincere. I looked at the man I loved, feeling warm and complete.
Alistair walked over to us, and Asher let go of my hand and stood. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but it looked like two wolves about to battle it out for dominance.
“She may not be my daughter by blood, but I love her mother, and that love makes her under my protection. We may not always agree, and God knows we fight like cats and dogs, but I know you’re a good man. If you are what Leigh wants, I won’t stand in the way because I know you would never make a move like this unless she was the one.” Then the two of them shook hands, and just like that—the thing we were most worried about, the thing that was keeping us from moving forward three years ago, became a nonissue.
“I think it’s time for us to head home,” Asher said as he shook his brother’s hand.
“Home?” my mother asked.
“Well, Asher and I… We’re going to move in together,” I said, and in that moment, I could swear I saw my mom’s eye begin to twitch.
“Move in together…” she said while she began to pace back and forth, something she did when she was nervous. I walked over to her, catching her in a warm hug. I wanted her to know that I was okay—no, more than okay.
“Mom, this is what I want. I love him. He makes me happy. We aren’t rushing into anything.” I looked at Asher, and a smile automatically formed on my lips. “He’s it for me.”
“As long as I can remember, you’ve been stubborn and confident in your choices. I can’t see you not being that now. You have my blessing,” Mom said before she embraced me in a bone-crushing squeeze. “I love you, Lee-Lee,” she whispered in my ear.