Chapter 103 Part 103
Emerson
She sat in the guest room with her straightener and pulled it through her short hair. It felt odd straightening it instead of curling the ends; Grover had preferred it that way. She always had to look her best. Once she stepped foot out of their bedroom, she had to look like she was going to a red carpet event, no matter the time of day.
She relished the times that she and Asher wore sweats, and walked around the house with only their socks on. She was comfortable here, and she thought back to Grover’s words.
‘Men cheat because their women look like crap. If you look good for your man all the time, there will be no need to look elsewhere.’
She shuddered at that thought. Thinking back now, there were so many red flags she’d ignored and missed. How was that possible? She was an intelligent woman, but she’d been blind almost her entire adult life.
Out of habit, she picked up her eyeshadow and created a smoky effect. She put another layer of mascara on and picked up her lipstick. Her hand froze as she looked at herself. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she lowered her head.
“Moving back to your room already?” Asher asked from the doorway.
She shook her head trying to compose herself, but her shoulders shook, and she lifted her hands to her face. Asher’s hands were on her shoulders, turning her in the chair.
“Flashback?” he asked, and she nodded her head.
She finally removed her hands and looked up at him. Her tears had streaked the mascara down her cheeks. “I always had to look my best. I wasn’t allowed to leave the bedroom without a full face of makeup. I didn’t even realize I was putting makeup on until I reached for the lipstick.”
“I’ve seen you every which way, Emerson, even a few I didn’t think was possible,” he said, and she laughed, her cheeks turning pink. “My point is, I like the way you look. It doesn’t matter what you wear, or if you just woke up and your hair stands in different directions; I still like the way you look, because what you look like isn’t what matters. You’re still Emerson on the inside, sassy, and witty, and sometimes infuriating, but it’s what makes you who you are.”
“You were just born charming, weren’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am. My momma wouldn’t have it any other way.” Asher used his thumbs to wipe the mascara from beneath her eyes, and looked intently at her. “It’s not a costume party, so I’m not sure if the panda look will work, but you’re confident enough to pull it off.”
Emerson laughed, and swatted his arm. “I’ll be ready in five minutes.”
“You’ve got time. I still have to shower and change,” he said. He kissed the top of her head, and left her alone in the room.
She washed the mascara and eyeshadow off, dabbed some powder under her eyes to hide the blotchiness, and put a dab of perfume behind her ears. It was something her grandmother had taught her. ‘Never smell like you fell into the bottle, Emerson. The only man that should come close enough to smell your perfume, should be the man your heart belongs to.’
Asher appeared ten minutes later, somehow looking like he’d stepped off a cowboy runway. He grinned, and she swore her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.
Asher kept her hand on his thigh the entire drive to Winchester McRoy’s family ranch. It had sprawling fields like Bear Meadow Ranch, but the mansion that appeared when the road turned made Emerson frown. It didn’t fit and she didn’t like it.
“Ignore the looks,” Asher said, as he parked the truck and opened his door.
Emerson’s gaze snapped toward him but he was already rounding the front of the truck to open her door. He gave her a smile and offered his hand to help her out.
“What do you mean, ignore the looks?”
“The whole town’s here. By now, everyone knows about you, but they haven’t met you. There will be looks. It’s a close-knit community, and people will be curious as to who you are, how we met, and all that other stuff,” he said.
“Oh, for a minute there I thought you were going to say your crazy ex is here.”
Asher chuckled. “Oh, she’s here.”
“Great!” Emerson pulled a face, and Asher laughed. He took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers.
“Well, since I only have hearts in my eyes for you, I think we’ll be fine.”
They started walking toward the mansion, then Asher led them down a footpath which led toward the back. She heard the music and voices, laughter, and conversations.
She was awe-struck when they finally rounded the corner of the big house, and the party was in full swing. She could smell the barbecue, and there were people everywhere.
People were drawn to Asher. They were stopped and she was introduced to hundreds of new faces. Asher knew them all, asked after their families, or talked about cattle prices, and when he was available to take a look at someone’s horse. She was stunned by the sheer friendliness she experienced from these people.
Asher pulled her to one side and blocked her view with his large body. “You look a little overwhelmed.”
“This is…a lot. You know everybody, like really know them,” she said.
He grinned. “I grew up here. I’ve lived here my whole life.”
“It’s insane,” she said, with wide eyes.
“Let’s get something to drink, and maybe then I’ll go show you a little remote spot where nobody will bother us.”
“Good thing I wore a dress,” she said, and Asher stopped walking.
“That’s not at all what I meant.”
Emerson smiled, innocently. “Wasn’t it?”
She smiled broadly when she spotted Eden and the rest of the Fitzgerald men by the bar, and relaxed when they finally joined them. She could see the sadness in Eden’s eyes, and wondered if Asher would pick up on it as well.