Page 42 of Falling in Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings 1)

The corner of his lips tilted up in a grin. “It’s fucking insane.”

Relief washed over her knowing that she wasn’t the only one that was feeling like this was nuts. It was immediately replaced by disappointment when she saw that they were pulling into Mountain Ridge.

“Where do you want me to drop you?”

“Here’s fine.” She motioned to the end of the parking lot that was closest to the path that led to her cabin.

Asher pulled into a spot and she unfastened her seatbelt and started to reach for the door. “Well, thanks for—”

It was then that she realized Asher was getting out of the SUV. She watched as he walked around the front of the vehicle and opened the door for her. It was a small thing, but something she could definitely get used to. After she stepped out of the truck, she looked up at him. He was wearing his reflective aviators again, and she missed seeing his eyes.

“Thanks, for the ride.”

He grinned. “Anytime.”

She knew that she needed to walk away from him. That’s what her brain was telling her anyway. It was her feet that weren’t listening.

She smiled and sighed. “I feel like if this happened in a movie, no one would believe it could really happen.”

Asher smiled the smile that made her ovaries tingle. “I’ve always found truth stranger than fiction.”

She wanted to respond by saying something witty or charming, but her vocal cords were currently constricted by lust. All she could do was make a sound and nod. “Mmm, hmm.”

“Oh, I did have one more question about Monday night.” Asher pulled a small notebook out and flipped it open. “When I interviewed your sister, she mentioned that you saw someone who you referred toas tall, dark, and dangerous.”

She did?!

Ava felt her eyes widen and her cheeks flush with embarrassment. “Oh, um, yeah...that’s um—”

“Dad!”

Ava and Asher turned and saw Blake with two other girls, Angel and Rayna standing at the other edge of the parking lot near the community room. She did not look happy as her arms flew to her sides. “What are you doing here?! Are you spying on me?”

Asher looked back down to Ava and put his notebook back in his pocket. “I’d better go deal with that.”

“Of course.”

Asher paused for a brief second and she could see that he wanted to say something. Her heart was racing like it was on the Indy 500 track as she waited to hear what it could be.

Finally, he said, “I’m really glad that I got to see you again.”

Well, it wasn’t a declaration of love, but she’d take it.

“Me too.” Ava smiled and watched Asher cross the parking lot toward his daughter.

She said a silent thank you to Blake for saving her from telling her father that he was tall, dark, and dangerous. That particular piece of information was a loose string on a tapestry and admitting it was the equivalent of letting a cat pull at it. Her story would quickly unravel and she feared she’d reveal just how much she’d thought about him over the years. Which was a lot. Far more than she was comfortable confessing.

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