Page 29 of The Wish List
“I do. I adore you as well. I’ll call you later. Give AJ a kiss for me.”
“And me?”
“A hundred of them.”
I hung up and caught sight of Suzy’s shocked face. She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, and met my eyes.
“Asher, you had better start talking. Really talking. And I mean now before Bonnie walks through that door and monopolizes you again. Spill it.”
I told her everything. Mostly everything. Okay, the basics. Meeting Rosie and AJ. The connection. Spending Christmas with them. But I was honest about the draw I felt toward them. Especially Rosie.
She stared at me. “Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?”
I shrugged.
She narrowed her eyes. “Did you sleep with this woman, Asher?”
The front door opened, and Bonnie called my name, excited. “Uncle Ash, we got pizza!”
I stood. “I’ve been summoned.”
Suzy said my name, and I paused at the doorway.
“We’re not done.”
I nodded. Knowing my sister, we were far from finished with this conversation.
* * *
I avoided her until almost nine. I read Bonnie a story, sitting with her until she fell asleep. She loved her gifts, told me all about Christmas Day with her Gram and Gramps and her cousins.
“Uncle Vince and Auntie Laura were there, but you weren’t,” she observed. “I missed you.”
I chucked her under the chin. “We always have our own little Christmas, munchkin. You know that.”
“Why?”
It was too difficult to explain to a child. “Uncle Ash likes having you to himself,” I said instead. “I look forward to our time without everyone else.”
She thought about it for a moment, her adorable little brow furrowed in thought. Then she smiled. “Me too. And Mommy says if you miss someone, it means you love them.”
I thought about how much I was missing two people right now. All day and evening, they hadn’t been far from my thoughts.
I bent and kissed her. “Your mommy is very smart. Now go to sleep.”
I read a little more, and she drifted fast. I thought I was in the clear, but just as I headed to my room, Suzy appeared. “Not so fast,buster.”
“Must it be tonight?”
“Yes. I have scotch.”
“Well, at least that helps,” I muttered. “A little.”
In the living room, my brother-in-law handed me a generous glass of the amber liquid. “For the inquisition,” he said with a droll wink. “Suzy filled me in, and I have to admit, I have questions.”
I took the glass from his hand. “Thanks. I think I’m going to need it.”
Suzy came in, carrying a glass of wine. She sat across from me, James beside her, his hand on her knee. “Did you sleep with her?” she asked again.
