Chapter 85 Part 85
Asher
It was noon when Eden stomped on to his porch. “Go upstairs,” Asher said, and Emerson took the stairs two at a time. Asher almost chuckled when he looked up but immediately looked away. That dress was too short.
“Asher! Get the door! My hands are full!”
Asher opened the front door, and took the bags from her. “Why didn’t you just call me? You know I would’ve unloaded the truck for you.”
“Maybe I wanted to surprise you,” she said, and stepped inside. She looked around casually, and Asher smiled.
“She’s not here,” he said.
“Spill the beans, brother. I’m hungry, I’m tired, and I’ll cut you like yesterday’s roast pork, if you don’t tell me what I want to know,” she threatened.
“You’ll meet her tonight at dinner. I’m not saying a word before then,” he said. “But thank you for doing this. I owe you one.”
“You owe me more than one! Do you have any idea how busy that mall is! But you’re welcome, and you did buy me a beautiful new handbag,” she said, and smiled.
“I’m sure I did.”
“Fine, be a drag. I’ll see you tonight,” she said, and turned around dramatically, walking out of his house. He watched Eden get into her truck and drive off before he called Emerson to come back down.
“Am I your dirty secret?” she asked, as she walked down the stairs.
Asher laughed. “For now, maybe.”
Emerson looked at the bags Asher had left on the floor near the front door. “I thought we were going into town later.”
“We are,” Asher said. “For the next part, I need you in the bathroom.”
“Easy, macho man, I only just met you,” she said.
“To color your hair!” Asher said, as he grabbed the drugstore bag and walked upstairs.
“Are you always this serious?” she asked from behind him.
“When it comes to life and death? Yes.”
“Okay, fine, you win this round,” she said.
Out of habit, Asher walked to his room, and headed into the bathroom. Emerson followed him, and he put the bag on the counter. He took one box of the hair color out and grabbed a towel from the cupboard.
“Put this over your shoulders. This is my first time,” Asher said.
“Aww, I’m taking your virginity,” she said.
“Is everything a joke to you?”
“No, but when people are out to kill you, it’s better to laugh than to cry. I’m trying to make the best of a very bad situation here,” she snapped back.
“Sorry,” he said, softly. He mixed the bottles as the instructions said, and looked at the length of her hair. He opened one of the drawers and produced a pair of scissors.
“You’re going to cut my hair?” There was panic in her eyes, and Asher felt bad for doing it.
“I have to. You didn’t come downstairs this morning without doing your hair. Grover knows that, he won’t expect you to cut it off.”
“Those aren’t even meant to cut hair!”
“I can always grab the garden shears if you prefer.”
She bit her lower lip and nodded her head. Asher grabbed a fistful of her hair and started cutting. It wasn’t pretty but it was much shorter, falling on her shoulder blades.
It took him more time to color her hair than he thought it would. It was a good thing he’d given her a towel or her dress would’ve been ruined. He’d made quite a mess.
“I’ll help you rinse it off in 30 minutes,” Asher said.
“I think I might be a cute brunette,” she said, as she turned her head from side to side.
Asher wasn’t sure if he should answer that so he turned on his heel, and almost ran out of the bathroom. He swore he could hear her laugh as he descended the stairs, and walked out of the house.
He stood on the porch and stared out into the distance. The woods were calling to him, and he had the urge to saddle One Star, and just ride. He snapped out of it when Emerson knocked on the window.
“It’s been thirty minutes,” she said, when he turned to look at her.
He walked back into the house. “Let’s go rinse you off.” Her lips curled upwards. “Don’t say a word.” She laughed.
In the bathroom, Asher had her bend over the tub as he rinsed her hair. Eventually, the water ran clear and he wrapped the towel around her head before she stood up straight.
“Let me fix your hair.” She stood in front of the mirror, and their eyes clashed, and held each other’s gazes. Asher looked away first as he used the comb and started cutting her hair in a straight line. Asher took his time, combing her hair out and snipping away.
“It’s pretty damn straight,” he said, after a while.
“That’s good,” she said, and looked down. “Thank you.”
Asher cleared his throat, not sure why the sudden tension felt so overwhelming. “You’re welcome.”
She shifted past him, and started rubbing her hair dry. “I’ll be ready to go in a few minutes.”
Asher took a deep breath when she left the bathroom and leaned his hands on the counter. He looked at himself in the mirror and wondered what she saw. Did she see the hauntings of his past in his eyes? Did she see the brokenness of his soul? Could she see the scars on the inside?
He thought that maybe she could see all those things, just like he saw through her humor, through the act of smiling. She was a woman, terrified of being found, afraid for her life. If he could see all that, then surely she could see it, too.
He already knew she was going to be a thorn in his side, drive him up the walls with her brand of humor, and irritate him endlessly. She was used to being spoiled, and he didn’t have time for high maintenance drama. He finally left the sanctuary of his bathroom, and told her to change into the new clothes Eden had bought.