Page 63 of Wish You Were Mine

“Summer!” Kennedy exclaimed, rushing into the room with Liam behind her. “Asher said you fell off your bike. You’re so lucky he saw it happen so he could make sure it was nothing serious. How are you doing?”

I smiled at her weakly. Right, so that’s how we were selling the fact he was at my house.

Looked like it would be an afternoon of lies…and not getting answers. Asher would never risk talking to me privately while Liam was here.

29

ASHER

Liam and I strolled down Centennial Street together, huddled beneath an umbrella. Water trickled down the back of my collar and onto my neck, and I shivered. It was one of those wet winter days when I never felt warm no matter how many layers I wore.

“Have you seen Summer since Saturday?” I asked, glancing at the entrance to Taste of Destiny up ahead, where we’d temporarily find shelter.

“No.” Liam glanced over at me. “Kennedy checked in on her and said she was doing all right.”

I grimaced. “I would have liked to drop by yesterday, but Mum called and asked for help clearing out the garage. By the time we were done, the day was basically over.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t expect you to hover over her just because you happened to be driving past when she fell,” Liam said. “She’s not hurt that badly. Max took a look at her ankle and said you were spot on. It’s a sprain and should heal by itself in a few weeks.”

“She won’t like having to take it easy.” Summer was always in action. I hardly ever saw her being still.It was my fault she’d have to slow down. I should have taken the lead, rather than sending her ahead of me down the trail. If I’d been in the front, she never would have hit that branch and come off.

I hated that I’d proved to both of us how inadequate I would be as the man in her life. I wanted to prove my fears wrong, not right.

“He told her not to use it too much, but I can’t see her paying any attention to that,” he agreed.

“Stubborn.”

He elbowed me. “Not at all like someone else I know.”

He pushed open the cafe door and held it open while I retracted the umbrella and shook the moisture off it. The morning was quiet, so we made our way to the counter and gave Eden the fire house’s order. Eight coffees and one herbal tea.

We sat at a small, round table near the counter while we waited. There was a jingle as the door swung inward and a sopping wet woman ran inside.

“It’s crazy out there,” she exclaimed, automatically scanning the shop’s interior.

I stiffened. I’d recognize those bright blue eyes anywhere, even if the rest of her looked like a bedraggled cat. “Hi, Ashley.”

Her eyes widened, and then she grinned. “Ash! It’s so good to see you!”

She strode toward me, her arms open for a hug, but something in my expression must have warned her off because she stopped before reaching me.

“Oops.” Her smile faltered but returned quickly. “I forgot how wet I am.”

“You must have been out in the rain for a while,” Liam said, eying the dripping ends of her hair.

“Yeah.” She scrunched her nose. “It wasn’t raining this heavily when I left Mum and Dad’s place. I wasn’t expecting it to go south so quickly. But Asher, I can’t believe I’m just running into you like this. We should get together properly sometime.”

“It’s nice to see you too,” I lied, unsure what to do in the face of her enthusiasm. “I heard you’re back for good.”

She nodded. “For a while, at least.” Her smile turned sly. “Definitely longer if I have a reason to stay.”

My chest constricted. I didn’t like the way she was looking at me, or the meaningful way she’d said that. “How are your parents? I haven’t seen them around for a while.”

It was the best thing I could think of to deflate any romantic ideas that might be whirling through her mind. No one could have sexy thoughts while discussing their parents.

“They’re fine. Both keeping busy. Dad did a course to renew his first aid certification on the weekend so he can continue being part of the search and rescue team. Speaking of, do you need more hands on deck there? I could take a course as well.”

I glanced at Liam, who knew more about those details than I did.

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