Kyomi was sharp and could easily read him. Asher wasn’t trying to hide anything. He was open, transparent, and adult. He was not ignoring today or how it could affect tomorrow. Asher was also not denying reality.
“Daisy. Daisy Rydell. I was in love with her for two years. We only separated because of clashing lifestyles: she could no more settle here than I could handle the big city. We parted amicably, but we were both heartbroken. I don’t want to lie but she might have been the love of my life. I’m not sure I can ever feel that way again. I would like to see you again, now that you know that, however. It’s your decision so please don’t ignore me. I’m not kidding or understating anything.”
Her eyebrows lifted and she studied him during his entire speech. Then she sniffed and folded her arms over her chest. “I like your honesty. I like you telling me that and putting it on me. I can make my own decision and live with that. My focus is on my dad right now and keeping our place from going under. I don’t expect to be anyone’s ideal date and all that. But I sure as hell enjoyed last night and I’m glad to know you. So, yes.” She put her hand out as if to shake on it. He stared at her face, stunned she accepted his explanation and offered her hand. She wiggled her fingers. “Let’s shake on it. Deal’s a deal and no one can be disappointed no matter how it goes. We can talk if something changes for either of us.”
His smile was genuine as he set his hand out to shake hers. Honest, forthright, hard-working, and family-oriented. She was struggling to save a legacy that only she valued and probably would ever know about. He’d have done the same thing. They were so similar that Asher could relax and trust her.
He knew she would do as she said and keep her word. She wasn’t afraid to voice her feelings with him. Sharing a stark but open honesty, they allayed each other’s loneliness while engaging in a mutually pleasurable sex life.
He knew she understood he didn’t love her, but he enjoyed the hell out of her body, her mind, her company and the sheer presence she created in his life. She supported him without any guilt and no explanations were required as to what he was doing and why.
She also loved his ranch as much as he did. Her keen interest was almost more important to him than the sex they liked so much.
“Have you bought seed yet? If you do, get it from Old Man Stinllers. It’s better quality if you ask me.” She spilled volumes of tidbits and trivia, tips and methods, which were invaluable to Asher, giving him something no one else could provide.
A few months after they started dating, a knock interrupted their dinner. It was rare and unusual to have guests drop by, so they looked at each other with obvious surprise. The snow was deep, and it was dark and frigid outside. “Who do you suppose that could be?” she asked.
Asher set his fork down and crossed the room to open the front door. On the porch, he found Hunter standing there.
Hunter looked like he’d been dragged up the hillside by one of his steers. Opening the door wider, he glanced past him, but Hunter was alone. “Hunter? What the hell are you doing all the way out here?”
“Can I come in?”
“Oh. Sure. Of course.” He allowed Hunter to step inside. He was tall like his father, Ian, with a rugged air and red hair. They had the same unusual, ice-blue eyes. Hunter’s habit of wearing immaculate attire was forgotten and the clothes he wore were sagging and drooping. The suit jacket was gone, and his tie was undone and hanging unevenly. His hair was rumpled as if his hands repeatedly ran through it. After observing his untidy attire and his bright, red-rimmed eyes, Asher was sure something was drastically wrong with Hunter.
“What happened?” Asher asked without preamble.
“She… she was fucking her stepbrother the entire time I knew her. All of it. From the minute we first started dating. I was the patsy so no one would guess what they were doing. Their stupid stooge. I was so blind and stupid by falling for it all—”
His voice trailed off when a movement caught his attention. Asher turned. “Oh, Hunter this is Kyomi. This is my cousin, Hunter. He’s Ian and Kailynn’s son.”
Kyomi nodded hello. “Well, it sure as shit isn’t nice for us to meet obviously, considering. I’ll just ah… go now. Give you some time together.”
Wasn’t she awesome? Asher gave her a quick kiss. “Good luck, Hunter,” she said as she turned around and left them alone.
Hunter glared at Asher. “You have a new girlfriend?”
“I guess. Not like Daisy. We’re just enjoying each other. Not sure I’d call her a girlfriend. Just a great, understanding girl.”
Hunter dramatically flopped on the nearest chair and leaned forward with his head hanging nearly to his knees. “Must be incredible. I might have to try that sometime. First, Daisy and now a fuck-buddy with no games or ulterior motives in mind?”
“It’s not like that, either. She’s not like that. So stop. But go back to what happened, Hunter. Obviously, we’re talking about Francine, right?”
“Fucking Francine,” he muttered, staring at his hands before shoving them into his hair again. “I need lots of alcohol. I sobered up to drive here. No damn ride-share or taxi will drive a fare into the woods out here. Christ, Asher couldn’t you try to be less reclusive? Do you use an outhouse too? No wonder Daisy couldn’t hack living here.”
Sighing, he found the bottle of vodka that Kyomi left and two glasses. It would be a long night. “No outhouse. And Daisy hacked life here just fine. She wanted other things. So back to Francine and her stepbrother. Did I catch that right?”
“Yeah. Been fucking him for ten years. Since they were seventeen. Isn’t that gross? Like incest. She’s in love, she claims, and she used me from the very beginning. I was too smitten to see it. Or through her. She married me and never stopped fucking her goddamned stepbrother.”
“Well, that’s a story on its own.”
“Yeah, yeah. Can you imagine the gall and nerve?”
“I’m sorry. That’s messed up. They should have never dragged you into it.”
“I thought—”
His voice cracked. Sympathy and compassion flooded Asher since he knew exactly what Hunter thought. And hoped for. What he believed in was now destroying him. He thought he found someone he could love forever and instead, he was used and abused. Hunter believed he and Francine shared a lifestyle and common goals. No. Asher knew the truth. He distinctly remembered Hunter’s wedding. It was almost as hard on him as it was for Hunter now. The last day of real joy and understanding with Daisy. The last time he was so fully honest and true to himself.
Shaking his head, he had to dislodge those memories from existence. He needed to focus on now. This crisis. The one he foresaw. “I sensed something wrong about her, but I could never pin it down. I told Daisy she would do you dirty, but I really couldn’t say how I knew or what made me think that. A gut-level feeling. She rubbed me the wrong way.”
“Stepbrother mother-fucker. I don’t know about the vibe you got, but I wish you’d said something.”
“What could I say? You were over the moon for her. You’d have hated me for saying it and refused to believe me. Daisy was right. She said I shouldn’t lose you over her. But for what it’s worth, I’m damn sorry.”