Page 6 of Asher

I smiled, then called out, “Yeah. And if you will wait to open your gift, you’ll know what you’re getting.”

I looked up at Mr. Hendrix and said, “Five. Four. Three. Two. One.”

And just like that, she came racing into the kitchen, skidding on her socks, gasping, “You didn’t?”

I mockingly gasped, “I didn’t do what?”

Stella jerked her head up to her dad, “Can we open presents now?”

He chuckled, then ruffled her hair, “Yeah, Princess. Yeah.”

Once everyone gathered in the living room, presents were exchanged.

This was my favorite part about giving gifts to people, seeing their smiles.

Stella’s gasp and then the dreamy look at her new present from me had me giggling.

She would be able to get her something about thoseSupernaturalboys fix anytime she wanted to.

I felt eyes on the side of my face, but I didn’t dare turn it.

It didn’t hit me until I closed my eyes that night in the living room that Stella’s dad hadn’t asked any of our friends to call him Asher but me. That was weird.

Chapter 2

Asher – Past – Age 37

Two weeks before Stella’s sweet sixteen party, I had an idea.

And to do this idea, I had to somehow get Chloe alone for a minute.

Thankfully, I managed that when they were at the clubhouse doing their homework.

Stella had run to the kitchen to get something to eat.

I sat down beside Chloe, who looked at me and smiled, and then said, “Hey, Mr. Hendrix.”

Somehow.

Some way, I was going to get her to stop calling me that shit. It made me feel older than dirt.

But now wasn’t the time.

I had to do this before Stella came back.

I lowered my tone and said, “Need you to do me a favor?”

She looked at me, tilted her head to the side, and said, “Umm, okay.”

“Need you to go with Stella to this.” I told her and showed her the tickets I got for Stella.

It was the first part of her birthday present.

I’d already talked to Chloe’s parents, and they had been fine with it.

It was two tickets to Comic-Con, and the actors who played in Supernatural were going to be there.

Chloe saw what it was and knew, then she groaned, “Seriously? You know how much squealing she’s going to do. Do you want my ears to bleed?”

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