ARIELLA
He smiled sheepishly.
" I just brought it up because I thought it would be funny or something, but you seem really disturbed by it.”
I forced myself to respond. I didn’t want him to think I was jealous and desperate. I didn’t want him to see how much what he said, had actually affected me.
“No,” I said, shrugging. “I just thought it was something I should have known.”
I swallowed.
“I mean… growing up, I had a few harmless crushes too. And Asher was… Asher. Everyone knew he was the Don’s son. So I guess it wasn’t just me. My friends and probably everyone I knew all had a crush on him.”
I let out a small breath. “It's just like you said, it was years ago, and now it doesn’t mean anything,” I finished quietly.
He nodded, satisfied with that answer, and threw his arm over my shoulder again, pulling me forward.
“Exactly,” he said. “You know how women can be....especially Italian women. I thought you’d react differently, but you’re calmer than most. I like that.”
Then he laughed again.
“Especially when Leon has such a crush on Sia now,” he added, laughing harder, his hand even going to his chest.
He had no idea what his words were doing to me.
“And wow,” he continued, still chuckling, not even looking at me as he pushed me forward. “How the tables have turned. Now it’s Asher’s turn.”
I frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”
“It’s Asher’s turn to know how it feels to have a member of your family crushing hard on your best friend,” he said with a grin. “You know, I had to watch my sister crush on my best friend for years, knowing very well that was never going to happen.”
I blinked. Wait....what?
“I just wish Sia is over her little crash on Usher,” he added, still laughing as we reached the dining room. And then he walked in. Still laughing.
Like he hadn’t just said something that completely stopped me in my tracks. I stayed there Frozen, right outside the door. That wasn’t bad news, not really. But it wasn’t nothing either.
And I didn’t have time to process it because suddenly Arms wrapped around me from behind. Warm and Familiar..... Asher.
He kissed the side of my head gently.


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