Page 131 of Ruthless Heir

“Then I can’t wait.” I sound like an excited child, because that’s exactly how I feel.

“What were you thinking about earlier when we went to the market?” Asher reaches across the table and takes my hand. “You looked worried.”

“I’m okay. I was just thinking about stuff.” I saw some newlyweds and it made me think about Asher and I.

“What kind of stuff?”

“Life.” That answer sums upeverything. “Is it bad that I don’t want to go back even though I get to finish my last year of college?”

He smirks and takes a sip of his wine. “Definitely not. In fact, you’re allowed to feel like that.”

I smile back at him. “Thank you.”

“You’ve come a long way. I think it’s impressive that you’ve reached this point. Next year at this time you’ll be a graduate.”

My heart lifts at the thought and I savor the feeling. That feeling inside me is what has kept me going all this time.

“I’m really hoping to get a placement with the New York Ballet or the New York Strings Orchestra. Daniella thinks I have a good shot.” One thing I can trust about Daniella is that she’ll always be honest with me. She’s not the kind of teacher who sells her students false hope.

“I believe her. You have a good shot.”

“I worry about the things I don’t remember. I feel like I wasted time when I was with Nick in more ways than one. Life was hard when I was with him.”

Asher’s expression hardens, but his eyes remain warm. “I wish I could have done something more about him. It felt like he got off too easy.”

“I know but I’m glad he doesn’t have a hope in hell of early release. He’ll be behind bars for the rest of his life. That’s some compensation for me.”

Asher nods. “Life will get better, I promise.”

“It’s already better. You’ve given me so much.” Including himself.

“Doesn’t feel like much to me.”

“It’s everything.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“I do. And I’m excited we get to work together.” I keep forgetting that part. My training has finished now so Layla will allow me to take charge of all the projects that come in.

“Forgive me in advance if I become the office grump when we get back. Nolan is going to be around more than usual.” He frowns and clenches his jaw.

“You really don’t like him, do you?”

“I guess that’s no secret.”

“Not even a little bit. What the hell did he do to you?”

Asher sits back and relaxes his shoulders. “It’s not just him. It’s the whole Fairchild family.”

The only thing he’s told me about the Fairchilds is his father’s idea for him to marry Portia.

“They were as close to your family as mine was.” I always thought it was odd that we never mixed but figured it was because my mother was his mother’s best friend and Nigel Fairchild was his father’s best friend.

After being around Nigel and Nolan over the last few weeks I’ve had the impression that they kept up that line between us because they came from old money. My family’s money wasn’t new but it wasn’t old enough. Now we have no money.

“Nigel and Nolan want to be part of the board at Le Blanche Global. I don’t trust either of them. I never have. Right now, they’re pissed that I don’t want to marry Portia.”

I like hearing him say that but I wonder whether he would marry her if he had no choice. The one constant I know about Asher is that he’s a Le Blanche through and through. He won’t allow anyone to stand in the way of his legacy.

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