Kimber had texted her back the day after Asher’s backyard party. Once Glo and Asher had stopped having all the sex, Gloria retreated to the deck with a strong cup of coffee. There, she’d had a brief text conversation about how she needed to bounce a few ideas off Kimber and how she and Asher were spending time together.
Kimber hadn’t asked her to expound. Probably because she had already guessed what Asher and Gloria were spending time doing.
“It’s so nice to have a break,” Kimber said now.
Gloria turned to Landon, Kimber’s tall, bespectacled, deliciously built ad-exec husband. He owned Downey Design, an advertising firm in Chicago. He and Kimber had been together almost as long as Caleb had been alive.
“Hey, Glo.” Landon pulled her close for a half-hug and kissed her forehead.
And to think she’d once tried to convince Kimber to keep her distance from him. She still cringed thinking about how wrong she’d been. Luckily, neither of them held it against her.
“Who’s that?” Landon asked the boy at his side, shaking his hand in his own.
“Glo!” Caleb shouted, letting go of his father’s hand and wrapping his arms around her leg. She smiled and lowered to greet him, stroking her fingers through the fire-red hair he’d inherited from his mother.
Kimber took her son’s hand.
“Asher rented us a boat,” Gloria said, gesturing toward him.
“I see that. Thanks, Ash,” Kimber said with a smile that, while it wasn’t exactly unfriendly, still held a note of force. Gloria’s fault. Over the years, she hadn’t exactly shared flattering stories of the rock star. But like Faith, Kimber was being protective of her, and she loved that about her friend.
Landon’s and Asher’s paths had crossed several times over the years. From the Downey family vacations in the Cove, to weddings, funerals, and birthday parties. Landon extended a hand in formal greeting. “Nice to see you again.”
Asher shook Landon’s hand and muttered, “Glad you could come out.”
Gloria could tell Asher was nervous. Unsurprisingly. Landon, though not in his typical sharp suit and tie, carried an air of intimidation with him. Until you got to know him. He had a dry sense of humor and a hell of a lot of warmth.
Glo just hoped those two found something to talk about while visiting this afternoon.
“So, what’s the plan?” Kimber asked, her arm being yanked repeatedly by Caleb, who clearly was ready to go.
“Pick up Hawk, get a boat, and hit the lake. I figured we could grab lunch at the marina,” Asher said. “On me.”
Gloria felt her heart swell. Asher had been the one to insist that Kimber bring her son when she came up so that Caleb and Hawk could play.
Voices came from the side of the house and Evan, Charlie, and Lyon appeared on Asher’s deck next. Gloria practically felt Asher’s nerves dissipate. Having his best friend here would help get him through today.
“Uncle Landon!” Lyon shouted. Landon bent and accepted a bear hug from his nephew.
Evan strolled in and clapped his brother on the back next and Charlie offered her cheek for a kiss, then embraced Kimber and Caleb. The gang was all here…almost.
“Let’s go get my boy,” Asher announced.
Gloria, for once not caring who was looking, took his hand and walked with him to the car.
*
Please, God, let Hawk have a good day.
Asher pulled into the Trudeaus’ driveway, Evan behind him in his SUV with everyone else. Beside him, Gloria squeezed his hand.
Man, he liked when she had his back. He hadn’t seen her much this week, save for Wednesday when he’d stopped by her office unannounced with lunch. He locked her office door, left the sandwiches on her desk, and led her to the back room. There, he found a sturdy table and made good use of her thirty-minute lunch break by having sex with her for twenty minutes of it.
She hadn’t exactly been avoiding him, and to be fair he’d been busy most days and nights with the guys in the studio. He may have spoken too soon about the album “writing itself” because he’d hit a few snags in the process. The guys extended their stay for the month, renting a big, fancy house on Peak Point where they’d parked their asses semi-permanently. Asher had gone over there a few times to play and plan to see if the change of scenery would help. It did and it didn’t. They were resuming practice tomorrow at noon at his place and had committed to locking themselves in the studio until midnight if necessary.
Because of the busy week, he’d missed seeing Glo. Having her here, her hand in his, was nice. Something he could get used to.
“Be back,” he said, sliding out of the car and leaving her behind. He strolled to the front door and knocked, waiting for Emily to appear, her slim eyebrows high on her forehead, looking at him with her usual mix of disdain and mistrust. What Jordan had told her, he had no idea, but he had a long road ahead with Hawk’s grandmother.
He blinked in surprise when Jordan answered instead, wearing a bathing suit, a robe open over it. She smiled up at him brightly. “Hi.”
“Hey.” He frowned. What was she so chipper about? “Came to pick up Hawk.”