Chapter 25 Part 25
Asher
“I’m back!” Asher said loudly, as he walked into the kitchen from the mudroom. Noticing the house was quiet, he frowned. He walked through to the living room, but the laptop was closed, and all the paperwork was neatly stored inside the box next to the coffee table.
He picked up the note that stuck out from beneath the coffee table and read it.
‘Asher
We’re at the main house. Shower before you join us!
Eden.’
He shook his head but headed upstairs to shower and change. He’d gotten a few phone calls and numerous texts throughout the day. Most were from his Army friends, with a few from people in town who he knew well.
Fifteen minutes later, he drove his truck to the main house. When he opened the screened door on the porch, he could hear laughter, and Melody’s babbles. It brought a smile to his face instantly. He walked through the house, and his brothers cheered loudly when he entered the dining room.
“There he is!”
“Happy birthday, slugger!”
“Congratulations, big brother.”
“One year older, Major!”
“Happy birthday, son.” Thomas hugged him tightly, and Asher grinned.
“Thank you.”
“Happy birthday, brother,” Eden said, hugging him.
Maggie sat on a chair next to Asher’s chair, smiling up at him. “Happy birthday.”
“Thank you,” Asher said. Melody clapped her hands, and stretched her arms out toward him. “I guess that’s a happy birthday from you, too.”
Asher sat down with Melody, who was trying to stand on his thighs as they all sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him. The food was brought in from the kitchen, and they dished it up. “This smells wonderful, Eden. Thank you.”
“Maggie helped.”
“How are your ribs?” Blair asked, and Thomas looked at him through narrowed eyes.
“You got hurt today? Was it after you made Maggie cry, and I caught you canoodling on the couch, like two teenagers?”
Colt and Dylan both looked up. “You made Maggie cry?”
Asher chuckled, and his hand went to his side. “I didn’t make her cry, well, not completely, and we were not canoodling on the couch.”
“I caught them canoodling in her kitchen, too,” Dylan said.
“What happened?” Thomas asked him.
“Bull slammed me into the railing. The ribs are cracked.”
“Rick couldn’t hold on to the rope. He’s on thin ice with me,” Blair said.
“It’s fine,” Asher said.
“Canoodling, huh?” Finn grinned at him.
“We were not canoodling.”
“Then what do you call it?”
Asher shook his head. “Fine, we were canoodling.”
“Does that mean little Melody over there’s going to call me Grandpa soon?”
Maggie choked on her food, and coughed. Everyone was laughing, and Asher couldn’t help but join in. “Pops, I barely got her to agree to live with me.”
“Well, she ain’t stupid,” Thomas said. More laughter broke out, as Eden pretended to wipe a tear from her eye.
“Thanks, Pops, that really makes my day.”
“At least, you got to saddle and ride Comet. He doesn’t let anyone else saddle him,” Blair said.
“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with that horse now. I can’t ride him, and none of the hands can ride him. You whispered that horse to the wrong side,” Colt said.
“Whispered? What does that mean?” Maggie asked.
“Asher’s our very own horse whisperer. He can calm any horse, get a saddle on them, and ride them. Asher never breaks in a horse; he whispers the horse to his side,” Dylan said.
“Really?” Maggie looked in awe, and Asher looked down.
“I’m not a horse whisperer,” Asher said. “I’m just good with horses.”
“He’s a horse whisperer,” Eden said, as she leaned closer to Maggie.
They laughed and shared stories from their childhoods, Maggie remaining quiet. Asher noticed, and wondered if her years with her adoptive family had been so bad that she had no good memories worth sharing.
“For dessert, there’s my famous chocolate fudge cake, and Maggie made a pecan pie,” Eden said.
Asher looked up, his eyes wide. “You let Maggie make a pie?”
Maggie laughed, swatting his arm. “Eden helped me. I promised I wouldn’t poison you again.”
Asher closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. “I’ll take a slice of each.”
“It’s really not that bad,” Maggie said.
“It takes a lot of effort to mess up a pie,” Finn said, and Maggie glared at him.
“It was my first time making a pie, and I got the recipe from the internet. I tried, okay.”
Thomas grinned, looking at Maggie. “I’m sure this pie will be a winner. You, my dear girl, can do anything you put your mind to.”
Eden returned with the cake and the pie, setting both dishes down on the table. She started cutting them into large slices for everyone. Asher took his plate, and looked at the piece of pie. Maggie snorted, and he grinned.
“Here goes,” he said, and dug his fork into the piece of pie. He took the first bite, a small one, and chewed. His eyes widened as he looked at Maggie.
“Is it bad? Oh, no,” Maggie said.
“It’s great,” Asher said, and took another bite.
Maggie clapped her hands, and so did Melody. Everyone chuckled as she smeared the icing over her face and licked her fingers. “I’m not sure we should’ve given her sugar. She’s too little.”
“Nonsense. It’s not like she eats cake every day. A little sugar won’t kill her,” Blair said.
“What do you know about babies?”
“If we can eat it, so can she,” he said.
Asher chuckled, and shook his head. “We can all have bourbon; it doesn’t mean it’s good for Melody.”
“It’s just cake, Asher,” Finn said.
Melody watched them with interest, giggling. They finished the night with coffee, good conversation, and laughter. The pecan pie was finished first, and Maggie looked pleased. It was a good end to a good day.
As Asher drove back to his house, he held Maggie’s hand, Melody sleeping peacefully in her car seat. Asher got Melody settled, and found Maggie halfway up the stairs. He scooped her up in his arms and winced slightly.
“I’ll give you some space to change for bed. Ten minutes long enough?”
Maggie nodded her head. “See you in ten minutes.”
Asher felt nervous as he changed into pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. He brushed his teeth, and checked all the doors. Upstairs, he knocked on her door, and opened it with a smile. Maggie was smiling nervously, and Asher chuckled.
“This is stupid,” he said. “We’re both adults.”
“True,” Maggie said, patting the empty space next to her.