Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“No, you’re fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“This is your home, Molly. You can come to dinner however you want.”
“Right.” Except this isn’t my home. If anything, it feels like a hotel that I’ve been staying at far too long. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this place. I follow her out of the bedroom and down the hallway.
“How did your studying go?” Is she really making small talk? I grab her hand and give it a squeeze.
“It’s going to be fine,” I whisper to her. I know people say your mom shouldn’t be your friend, but in a way, we grew up together. It was always the two of us, and I know this is scaring her. She let herself fall in love. Growing up, I never saw my mom go on one date. Tomas swept her off her feet once she let him catch her.
I can hear Emily chattering away before we make it to the dining room. Tomas stands from his chair as we enter the room. Emily gives me a warm smile. She’s still in her cheerleading uniform. I can’t find the will to glance toward Asher.
Tomas gives my mom a kiss before pulling out a chair for her. I debate where the hell I should sit. I don’t want to be across from Asher, but I also don’t want to be next to him. Not having a ton of options, I go sit beside him. This way, I don’t have to make eye contact. For some reason, that seems safer to me.
“How was your day, Molly?” Tomas asks as the food starts to be brought in.
“Thank you, Richard,” I say when he puts a plate in front of me filled with steak and asparagus. “Classes were the same. Everything is wrapping up,” I answer Tomas.
“I know. Graduation is so close I can taste it.” Emily bounces in her chair.
“Are you ready to be done with school?” Asher asks her.
“Ready for the next chapter.” Emily beams. I wish I could have that kind of excitement about the future. Am I broken?
“She’s ready to date.” Tomas shakes his head.
“Who is it that you're looking to date?” Asher asks. I peek over to see him glaring at his sister. He might be a jerk, but it’s kind of sweet that he’s protective of her.
“Emily won’t date high school boys. She’s waiting,” my mom says.
“Yep. High school boys are annoying. They are way too immature.” My mom nods in agreement. Asher glances over toward her.
Good. He can see for himself that Emily and Mom get along just fine. Enough that Emily confides in her. At first, Emily was on guard with Mom. Not the way Asher is, but she kept a wall up. It slowly started to come down, and they’ve begun to form their own bond. I think Emily was worried that Mom and Tomas could fall apart with how quickly they’d gotten together. She didn’t want to open herself up and be disappointed.
Once she realized the two of them are in love, she opened up more and more to my mom. I’m not even going to lie. For a moment, I’d felt a stab of jealousy. It was short-lived when I realized Emily never had a mom really. I couldn’t imagine not having a mom. I don’t wish that on anyone. If Mom can give her that, then I will support that in any way I can.
“Or jerks,” I mutter under my breath. Asher’s attention turns back to me, having heard me. I cut into my steak.
Thankfully, Emily fills the table with chatter. I try to pretend I don’t feel Asher staring my way when he thinks no one is looking.
6
Asher
I’m officially a stalker. First thing I did this morning was look up whatever information I could on Emily. I was happy to find out she is in fact eighteen. Thank fuck. I didn’t stop there though; I’d even gone onto the Bradford Prep School website to make sure classes still started at the same time as they did when I went there. They were the same. Not that it's much help. I might know what time she has to be to class, but I don’t know when she comes out of her bedroom. I can only surmise a guess.
That guess has me standing at my own door listening for another door to open. Why I’m doing this, I have no fucking clue. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her all through dinner. Emily may have filled the silence with chatter, but my thoughts kept wandering to Molly.
I know Emily was trying to break any tension. It’s how she’s always been. She wants to make peace, but for the first time, I’d wanted her to stop talking. Then maybe Molly might have spoken. The girl barely said anything. With how she wouldn’t meet my eyes, I know she heard a lot of what my father and I were talking about in his office. I was pissed. At whom, I’m not sure.