Page 66 of The Wish List
I didn’t care that his overcoat was cold. All I felt was the safety of his embrace. His scent surrounded me, calming me.
“How are you even here?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I’ll tell you later. I’m overstepping right now, and you’re going to let me. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Then get our boy and your things.” He shook me slightly. “I’m taking you home.”
Asher
I cursed as I stumbled up the stairs to Rosie’s apartment. When I pulled onto the street, I wasn’t shocked to see her building in darkness. A lot of streets were that way, the storm affecting the power. Knowing she and AJ were upstairs sitting in the cold and dark, alone and no doubt worried, was what kept my eyes on the road and my speed even as I drove back from Kingston, ignoring the warnings not to be on the road. The Hummer Suzy had teased me mercilessly for buying was perfect for this weather. The heavy body and the wide tires ate through the snow. My attempts to reach Rosie on the phone failed, and I knew the cell systems were faltering as well as power in many places. I couldn’t get through to Suzy either, so I concentrated on my driving, my only goal getting to Rosie and AJ.
The streets were deserted, abandoned cars littering the roads. I parked in front of her building, leaving the vehicle locked and running. The door lock to her building wasn’t engaged, and I was grateful the stairwells weren’t secured since the elevator wasn’t working. When she opened the door, the look on her face told me I’d made the right call in getting here. I could feel the cool air of her apartment and felt the tension in her body as I held her.
“Pack what you need for AJ,” I said to her. “I’ll grab some things for you.” I glanced to the sofa. “He can sleep through anything, can’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t wake him up. I’ll carry him down in blankets. We’ll take his coat.”
“Asher,” she said, pausing.
I cupped her cheek, feeling the coolness of her skin. “What, my love?”
“Thank you.”
I bent and kissed her. “I’ll always come for you, Rosie. Now get your stuff so I can get you warm.”
Twenty minutes later, I had them in the Hummer. Rosie was in my overcoat, her wet outer garment still hanging in her bathroom. I made her leave it, planning on getting her a new one. Overstepping and I were about to become best friends.
I wasn’t going to let her and AJ do without any longer. I had been patient enough.
The car seat I owned was in one of my other vehicles, so I laid AJ on the back seat, managing to get a seat belt around him. He barely stirred. The two small bags Rosie brought were tossed on the floor. I lifted Rosie into the passenger seat, fighting against the wind that threatened to slam the door on me, then hurried to the driver’s side and slid in. I cranked up the heat for all of us, grateful the vehicle was already warm. Rosie held her shaking hands over the vents. I peeled off my gloves, doing the same thing. Even outside for only a moment, I was chilled.
“Can we get to your place?” she asked, nervous.
“Without a doubt.”
I eased back onto the road, driving slowly. We barely spoke on the trip, and I sighed in relief as we got to my building, the garage door closing behind us and the lights on the parking level still glowing.
“You have power,” she said.
“And heat. How long was yours out?”
“About three hours. Maybe more. The heat before that. My cell didn’t work either.”
I gathered AJ in my arms, and she grabbed the bags. Upstairs, she followed me into AJ’s room, and we tucked him in. He stirred, his eyes opening. “Asher,” he muttered sleepily.
“I’m here. You and your momma are safe. You’re back in your big bed, bud. You sleep well, okay?”
He made a little noise of contentment, already slipping back into sleep. I made sure his teddy bear was tucked close.
I took Rosie’s arm, heading to the primary bedroom. Turning on the shower, I stripped off her clothes, then did the same, pushing her into the warmth. I followed her, wrapping her in my arms and holding her until the shaking stopped and her body warmed. I needed to hold her as much as she needed to be held. I had been so worried I wouldn’t be able to get to her. That she would be on a bus that broke down or unable to get home. I feared the power outage the radio talked about, certain it would affect her older building. All sorts of terrible scenarios had played through my head on the drive.
That she was safe and here helped me relax.
Until I realized she was crying. Rosie never cried.
