Page 122 of Scandal
“But Asher thinks it’s her?”
I nod, tucking one foot under the other as I make myself a little more comfortable on the chaise. “It makes sense. She thought she was doing Asher a favor by releasing those pictures,but instead, it ruined her career. Asher said she also had a longtime crush on him that he ignored for far too long.”
“Aye, that’ll do it.”
“The Blackstone security team has advised that we carry on as usual, though.”
She gives me a deathly stare. “Meaning I will continue to get the full cavity search every time I enter the grounds.”
Yikes. “Sorry?”
“No, you’re not. And it’s not all bad,” she says with a slight lift of her brow. “Especially when that blond bloke is on duty.” She holds out her palm. “Big hands.”
“Well, okay,” I say playfully.
“I’m assuming this means that you and Asher are together for real now?”
Based on what she heard the other night with Isobel, I doubt she’s asking. It’s more like she’s confirming what she already has in her head, but I nod my head anyway. “Yes.”
A faint smirk forms at the corner of her lips. “Good.”
“Yeah?”
She picks at an imaginary piece of lint on her floral blazer. Damn, that’s cute, too. I wonder where she got it? Maybe I should hire her as my stylist instead. “Just happy I don’t have to find a new job, is all.”
“Right.” I try not to grin. “Of course.”
“How’s your family taking it?” she asks in one of those rare moments of affection.
I shrug. “As well as can be expected. My dad said he was happy for us, but I know he’s mourning the idea of me being so far away. My mom cried for about twenty minutes straight. It oscillated between happy tears and sad. When my dad tried to explain she was feeling overly emotional because of menopause, the tears then turned to pure rage.”
“Men are so dumb.”
“You’d think after thirty-five years of marriage, he’d know better.”
“Thirty-five years?” She shakes her head in disbelief. “I can’t imagine being with someone for three months, let alone thirty-five years.”
“I don’t know,” I say with a dreamy sigh, thinking of all the ways Asher made me come last night. “Thirty-five years doesn’t sound so bad.”
Evie rolls her eyes. “Just make sure to give me a raise when you become a countess, okay?” My eyes widen at her words, and she laughs. “Please tell me you’ve realized that before now?”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
Am I really going to be a countess?
“We haven’t exactly discussed marriage,” I sputter out.
“But you’re moving here, correct?”
“Yes?”
Her brow raises. “You don’t sound so sure.”
“No, I’m sure,” I reply. “I’m just?—”
“Freaking out?”
“A little, yeah.”
