“Tell me there’s a reasonable explanation for him being here?”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I ground out, not liking the accusation in his voice.
“You told me he didn’t know where you were. You looked me in the eye and told me—”
“I didn’t tell him.” My blood ran cold. “He convinced my friend, Shona, to tell him. She tried to call me, but it was too late.”
Asher ran a hand down his face, cussing under his breath.
“Ash...” I laid a hand on his arm, hating the distance between us. “Seeing him surprised me as much as it did you.”
“So that’s your ex?” A sad smile tipped the corner of his lips. “I thought he’d be... taller.”
I managed a small laugh. “When I talk to him later, I’ll tell him he can’t be here. That it’s over. I’ll make him—”
The color drained from his face and I knew I’d messed up. “You’re not seriously going to meet him?”
Guilt slithered around my heart. “I have to. If I don’t...” I didn’t like to think about what Jermaine would do. No, the only logical plan was to meet and talk to him and hope I could make him see sense.
“I’ll come with you,” Asher said, defiance burning in his eyes.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Yanking his arm away, Asher folded into himself. “Do you still want him?” His eyes slid to mine, the vulnerability in his expression like a hammer to the chest, cracking my ribs wide open and leaving my heart bloody on the floor.
“No. No, Asher. I love you. I’m in love with you. But Jermaine is... complicated. I have to talk to him.” I shuffled across the seat and cupped his face, gently pressing my forehead to his. “I am so sorry he’s here. But he’s a part of my past, a part of who I am. I thought you accepted that.”
His hand drifted to my cheek. “I do. I just... shit, Mya. Seeing the two of you like that. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands.”
My eyes fluttered shut as I drew in a harsh breath. I didn’t want Asher anywhere near Jermaine. It had been hard enough watching the two of them square up to one another while Jason and Felicity all but dragged me away.
“We should go inside,” he said, breaking the heavy silence. “Everyone is waiting.”
I leaned in to kiss him, but Asher turned his head, my lips grazing his jaw. His rejection burned through me like acid. But I couldn’t blame him. Knowing about my past with Jermaine was one thing, having it shoved in his face was another.
We climbed out of his dad’s car and walked into Bell’s together, despite the growing distance between us. Felicity and Hailee came straight up to me while Asher disappeared into the sea of people gathered to celebrate the Raider’s win.
“Are you okay?” Flick asked, her eyes gleaming with concern.
“I can’t believe he’s here.” I swallowed hard. “He’s not supposed to be here.”
The second I’d turned on my cell and saw all the missed calls from Shona I knew something was wrong. But it was the single text of Jesse that confirmed it. Jermaine and his guys had followed Shona home to an empty house and threatened to trash the place if she didn’t tell him where I was. I knew my best friend and I knew how feisty she was, and deep down, I knew she wouldn’t have given up my whereabouts unless she felt she had no other choice.
“Where is he now?” Hailee asked.
“I told him I’d meet him later to talk.”
“What the hell, Mya?” Flick’s eyes almost bugged out of her head. “You know that is a bad idea. Asher will—”
“What else would you have me do?” I gritted out, trying to hide the nervous energy coursing through me.
Her eyes flitted past me and I didn’t need to turn around to know who was watching me. “Okay,” she let out a weary sigh, “let’s just try to get through dinner and then we can figure out what to do.”
With a small nod, I followed them to the long table Jerry had arranged for us. Mr. Bennet sat at the head of it, with Asher to his left and his wife to his right. His cold gaze met mine as he said, “Jason, son, why don’t you move up one and let the girls sit together?”
He didn’t need to say the words for me to know I was being cut out. I glanced at Asher, half-expecting him to come to my defense, but he didn’t, not this time.
My blood ran cold.
What had started as one of the best days of my life, standing in the bleachers wearing my boyfriend’s number as I cheered him and his team on, was turning into my worst nightmare.
As I took my seat between Felicity and Hailee, I’d never felt more of an outsider. Felicity grabbed my hand under the table and squeezed. “Just breathe,” she whispered.
Cameron’s mom sat opposite me, a picture of happiness as she played with Xander who sat between her and Mr. Chase.
“What’s your name?” he asked me.
“Hi, I’m Mya.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Mya,” Cameron’s mom smiled. “I’m Cameron and this little monster’s mom. You’re Asher’s girlfriend, right?”
I nodded, too choked up to reply.
“Asher ot a irlfriend.” Xander picked up his sippy cup and thrust it in the air, sending juice flying everywhere. “Asher kissy his irlfriend.”
Cameron, Hailee, and his parents smothered their laughter while the other end of the table remained quiet. It was like being stuck between sunshine and a thunderstorm.
“Xander, remember what we talked about, buddy?” Cameron gave his little brother his best serious stare.
“Me gots to behave if I want to be a big boy.”
“That’s right, buddy.”
“Cam?” A little grin tugged at his mouth.
“Yeah, Xan?”
“Do you kissy Ailee still?”
Quiet laughter came from the dreary end of the table and I peeked around Felicity and Jason at Asher. A half-smile barely hid his amusement. But when his eyes met mine, it melted away replaced with regret.
God, I hated this.
I hated that Jermaine, and his dad, and my aunt, had the power to come between us so easily.
I hated that no matter how much we tried to be strong, there would always be something—or someone—trying to come between us.
Asher looked away first, giving the server his full attention. Cameron’s mom offered me a knowing smile, but it did little to ease the tightness in my chest, because not only did I have to survive this dinner.
I also had to survive seeing Jermaine again.
For the next hour, I ate and smiled and pretended that on the inside it wasn’t killing me to sit there and act as if everything was okay.
In some ways, it was a relief I wasn’t seated closer to Asher and his parents. Xander provided constant amusement, entertaining us with his random toddler outbursts, and Mr. and Mrs. Chase were both warm and friendly, treating me with the respect Mr. Bennet hadn’t afforded me. But I’d kept an ear on the conversation between Asher’s and Jason’s parents. Surprisingly, Mr. Ford didn’t bring up football, and I wondered if Jason had warned him to not mention it.
“A toast,” Mr. Bennet’s deep voice commanded our attention. He stood up, glass raised. “To good friends and future adventures.”