My One and Only: Book 1 in the Love and Weddings Trilogy (16 page)

              How in the world could she gamble on Asher? Sure he was a good kisser and a good friend and smart and funny and kind of sweet too. So what if he looked at her with those deep, dark looks that made her breathless. None of it mattered because something would happen and she’d lose him, just like she lost everybody.

              Meredith kicked a stray leaf out of her way and moaned. Why did life have to be so complicated and hard? She walked up to the front door of The Iron Skillet and opened it with a yank. She was in no mood for any pep talks or one on ones. She was just going to drop off the dang flyer and then go home and take a very long bubble bath followed by a Hobbit marathon. Watching Bilbo fight the good fight always put her in a better mood for some reason. That, or watching Legolas leap around boulders and houses.

              She waved half-heartedly at the hostess and walked back to Taryn and Rob’s offices. Brogan had already talked to them and gotten the okay but she wanted to make sure. She could see that Rob’s office door was shut and the light was off, so she moved on to the next office.
Of course she’d have to talk to Taryn today of all days.
Rob was so easy going and charming. Taryn? Kind of the exact opposite.

              She knocked lightly on the open door and poked her head in. She saw Taryn on the phone and held up the flyer and smiled brightly. Taryn narrowed her eyes at the flyer and held up her finger as she finished her call. Meredith tried to hide a sigh and walked over and sat on the chair in front of Taryn’s desk and pushed the flyer towards Taryn as she set her cell phone down.

              “So you want to put a flyer in our employee lounge, huh?” she asked, picking up the flyer and frowning at it as if it was dirty.

              Meredith sat up straighter and nodded her head, trying to channel Asher. He was always very confident and blunt with Taryn and that seemed to work best. “That’s right. Brogan said you already gave him the go ahead but I wanted to make sure it was okay with you first.”

              Taryn nodded her head with a small smile. “Good. Well, it’s fine with me.”

              Meredith sighed in relief and stood up, snatching the flyer back and moving towards the door. She was getting closer and closer to that bubble bath every second.

              “
Not so fast.”

              Meredith slowly turned around and swallowed nervously before straightening her shoulders and smiling brightly. “What’s up?”

              Taryn pointed to the vacated chair and waited while she walked back and sat down. “It’s come to my knowledge recently that you and I have a lot in common.”

              Meredith stared blankly at Taryn.
This could not be happening.

              “
Um
…..,” she managed as she looked past Taryn’s shoulder wondering for the life of her what an appropriate response would be to that.

              “Don’t be cute. Look, we’re both in the same boat here. It only makes sense that we band together and help each other through these trying months ahead. I don’t exactly have a lot of friends who are girls and I’ve realized lately that I might need a few. I need someone I can talk to about what I’m experiencing and feeling without being judged or talked about. Don’t you feel the same way?” Taryn asked, not looking so self-assured or scary any more. She actually looked kind of vulnerable and hopeful.

              Meredith nodded her head slowly. “Yeah, of course I do. Having girlfriends is one of the best parts of life really. I remember when my best friend, Tawni had to move overseas with her husband Feke because he’s in the military. I thought I’d go crazy. Having Cleo and Jane to talk to keeps my sanity in check.” she said with a grin, knowing it was true.

              Taryn frowned. “Well, I don’t have Jane or Cleo to talk to.”

              Meredith took off her damp, knit hat and ran a hand through her hair. “Well, you have Bailey of course and your mom,” she said helpfully wondering if she could divert this friendship back to a polite acquaintanceship.

              Taryn shook her head. “My mother drives me crazy and when she finds out about everything she’ll be off the charts. And Bailey,
well
, I love my sister and we’re close, but she’s so busy with work that she doesn’t have much time for me. But
you
have plenty of time.”

              Meredith pointed at her chest and frowned in confusion. “
Me?”

              Taryn nodded her head. “You. It’s been decided and it’s done. You and I are now not only friends but we’re close friends. So from now on, we get to hang out.”

              Meredith blinked her eyes quickly as she looked behind her at the door, wondering if she ran for it if Taryn would tackle her and drag her back. “Wow, that’s so kind of you to think of me in that way. Being friends with you would be awesome,” she said, thinking
awesomely stupid
in her mind as she watched Taryn smile complacently. “
However,
you might have forgotten one tiny detail. You and I don’t get along very well.”

              Taryn waved her hand in the air. “All in the past. Now that we’re good friends and we’ve decided to be there for each other through the good and the bad and everything in between, none of that matters. Honestly, the only reason we didn’t get along in the first place was because you were trying to steal my sister’s boyfriend. Now that you’re together with Asher, who cares?” she asked with a laugh.

              Meredith choked and looked in horror at Taryn. No way could she be this woman’s close friend.
No. Way
.

              “I’m so honored,
really.
But I’m not with Asher. Who told you that?” she asked, frowning darkly at her lap. Who was spreading gossip about her? She was going to find out who and take them down.
One inch at a time
, she thought nastily. She hated being gossiped about more than anything.

              Taryn shrugged. “I get it, I get it, it’s all hush, hush until you two figure things out, but you might want to hurry things along because you’re running out of time.”

              Meredith reared back. “Running out of time? Taryn, what in the world are you talking about?” she demanded, standing up and clutching her flyer in her hand as she walked to the door.

              Taryn rolled her eyes and then yawned wide enough so she could see clear back to her tonsils. “Whatever, calm down. I understand about feeling pressured into a relationship you’re not ready for, but don’t you think you should have thought of that
before
,…” she said, letting her words trail off as she pointed at her stomach with one long, red manicured nail.

              Meredith put a protective hand over her stomach. So she’d eaten a donut and a grilled cheese sandwich. Was her stomach poking out now? Did Taryn want to diet with her? Meredith blushed bright red in embarrassment.
Could today get any worse?
Now Taryn was pointing out how chubby she was.

              “Fine, Taryn. We’ll support each other and all that stuff. But um, I gotta run. Talk to you later,” she said hurriedly and rushed out of the door while Taryn called out to her, wanting to talk about little gyms.

              “I already have a gym membership I don’t use!” she yelled back, refusing to talk about gyms with the woman. “Of all the nerve,” she muttered as she pushed through the door to the employee lounge and tacked up the flyer. Two waiters eating shrimp salads and rolls watched her curiously and stood up to read the flyer.

              “A dating website for our area?” the tall redhead asked with a bright smile.

              Meredith wiped the irritated frown off her face and smiled brightly. “Yep, and if you join within the next few days you can use that code to get fifty percent off of membership. People are already being matched and we’re going to have a huge social event down at the ice rink. You guys should really join,” she said heading for the door.

              The cute, dark haired waiter named Terrence winked at her. “If you’re signed up, I’m signing up tonight.”

              Meredith laughed flirtatiously back before disappearing out the door, where her snarl immediately reappeared. “
As if
,” she muttered and headed for the front door as fast as she could. “Men,” she spit out as she stared up at the stormy sky. “Who needs ‘em?”

              Asher ran a hand through his wavy brown hair and wished for the millionth time that day that that he hadn’t volunteered to go to the store and get Taryn that rotten pregnancy test. He’d heard from five people just that afternoon, congratulations on expecting a baby with Meredith. One of his Facebook friends who coincidently was friends with both him and Garrett had just announced in front of all 1,347 of his closest and dearest friends that he was excited for his decision to be a father.

             
Hence the phone call from his big brother.

              He had been ordered on pain of death to make an appearance at his brother’s house at six o’clock sharp or he’d be in his truck hunting him down. After a few conference calls with clients and then another call to Brogan who was still in the dark about his wife’s pregnancy, he was now just five minutes late to his brother’s house.

              He pulled up in the driveway just as Garrett walked outside with his truck keys in his hand and a mean looking scowl on his face.

              Asher jumped out and held up his hands in surrender. “Dude, please just let me explain before you go crazy on me.
Please
,” he added, hoping that politeness would help his cause.

              Garrett sneered at him and gestured with his chin for the house without saying a word. Asher swallowed, feeling a little nervous now. Garrett had practically raised him after his mother abandoned them and since their father had been a trucker and was gone constantly, Garrett was more of a dad to him than he was a brother. And he
hated
letting down his brother. More than anything.

              He walked into the house and headed for the kitchen where Rayne was standing at the stove stirring something delicious smelling in a pot. When she looked up and caught sight of him though, her beautiful green eyes clouded with worry and disappointment.

              Asher groaned and shook his head. “You too?” he asked, sitting down at the counter.

              Rayne glanced at her husband and then ladled a bowl of beef stew and pushed it towards him with a large, buttered roll. “Eat up, Ash. You’re going to need your strength.”

              Asher sighed but did as he was told and took a bite as Garrett walked around the counter to stand next to Rayne.

              “Ash, I don’t even know what to say to you. I thought I’d raised you better,” Garrett said, looking dumbfounded and shaken.

              Asher opened his mouth to deny all wrong doing but was shushed immediately when Garrett held up a finger and glared at him. Well, his big brother was going to have his say and there was nothing he could do about it so he might as well enjoy dinner. He took another bite and looked up at Garrett expectantly.

              Garrett nodded his head. “I’ve heard from two people today that you got Meredith Jensen pregnant. Brogan came by to get some flowers for Taryn and he couldn’t stop smiling he was so excited for you. Said something like, you and Meredith were a match made in heaven. Then he said that now Meredith was pregnant, you’d probably be getting married soon. And there I was, standing there like an idiot, because
I had no idea
,” Garrett said, practically shouting now, his voice was so loud.

              Asher raised an eyebrow and looked at Rayne who put a restraining hand on her husband’s arm. “Honey, stay calm,” she said softly.

              Garrett closed his eyes, his jaw clenched as he stayed silent for a moment. Asher frowned hoping his brother didn’t have a heart attack from the stress.

              “How could you keep something like this from me? I know we’ve had our issues in the past, but we’re brothers. I thought that meant something to you,” he said, shaking his head.

              Asher opened his mouth to speak and Rayne glared at him and shook her head so he closed his mouth. He looked at his stew and pushed it away, no longer hungry. Someday, Taryn and Brogan were going to make this up to him because sitting here and seeing how disappointed and hurt his brother was, was not fun.

              “And Meredith Jensen of all people,” Garrett said, his jaw tight and his eyes fierce. “The woman is a menace. Taryn told me last year what Meredith did to Bailey. Of all the women in Fircrest to be expecting a baby with… well, let’s just say that’s probably the dumbest thing you’ve ever done. I can guarantee you right now you’ll be divorced within the year and paying child support.”

              Asher looked down at his clenched hands and felt steam build. He stood up slowly and stared at Garrett, eye to eye.

              “Oh, I’m not finished yet, so you can sit your butt right back down,” Garrett snarled, pointing at the seat.

              Asher swallowed back rage and shook his head. “No, Garrett.
You’re
done. I didn’t get Meredith pregnant. I was having lunch with Pule, Kam and Taryn when we realized Taryn was having a lot of signs of pregnancy. I offered to go pick her up a pregnancy test at the store. When I was checking out, Brogan came up behind me and I couldn’t tell him I was buying his wife a pregnancy test. So I didn’t say anything. He made his own assumptions and has been energetically spreading them around town as fast as he can. So for you to stand there and judge me and yell at me is kind of crappy. Yeah, Garrett. I thought we were brothers. I thought that meant something to you,” he said with a snap to his voice.

              Garrett’s mouth fell open in shock and he shook his head as he reached out a hand. “Dude, I’m so sorry.”

              Asher picked up his car keys and shook his head. “But here’s the part that ticks me off. Who do you think you are trashing Meredith? She’s an amazing woman. Yes, she’s made mistakes, but so have I and yeah, Garrett, so have you. And it just so happens I love her. I’d be the happiest man in the world if I could marry her and have a family with her. So if I’m ever lucky enough for that to happen, you better watch your mouth,” he said in a low voice, feeling slightly violent.

              Garrett’s head snapped back as he stared at him with surprise in his eyes.

              “Ash, don’t be like that,” Rayne said in a soothing voice as she hurried around the counter and grabbed his arm. “Your brother was just worried. He wasn’t thinking straight just now when he said what he did about Meredith. Of course she’s a wonderful woman. Please, come sit down and finish your dinner. You can’t leave like this,” she pleaded.

              Ash closed his eyes and shook his head. “No, not tonight,” he said and walked out.

              He jumped in his car but instead of heading home, he went to the gym. With all of the anger and frustration swimming around in his system he’d be a danger to anyone he came in contact with. As soon as he walked in, he saw Becket in the ring, taking off his gloves.

              “Put ‘em back on,” Asher said and vaulted over the edge of the ring.

              Becket grinned and glanced behind him. “No big brother with you today, huh?”

              Asher grinned back. “No one here but you and me. Let’s go.”

              Becket slipped his gloves back on, his brown eyes, now glowing practically gold. “My pleasure,
daddy
,” he added and then laughed… right before Asher hit him with an uppercut to the chin that sent him flying backwards.

              “Get up!” he yelled, hoping he hadn’t knocked him out with the first punch. Now that he was here to fight,
he wanted to fight.

              Becket jumped up, no longer laughing and smirking. He put his fists up and nodded with his chin. “Bring it,” he ordered.

              Asher nodded and went after Becket with everything he had. He took as many hits as he landed, but he could tell Becket was surprised. A half an hour later, the gym manager, a tall, black guy who was an ex-Marine rang the bell and called it.

              “It’s a draw. You two hit the showers,” he said, frowning at both of them as they stared at each other, breathing heavy and practically dropping from exhaustion.

              Becket slipped off his mask and wiped some blood from his lip. “You’re not bad. Maybe big brother doesn’t need to worry about you anymore.”

              Asher snorted. “Maybe big brother should be worrying about you now.”

              Becket laughed and pounded him on the back. “Not bad, Ash. There aren’t a lot of men who can go toe to toe with me, but you did. Of course, all that rage helped. Want to talk about it?”

              Asher surprised himself and told Becket everything. Everything about his feelings for Meredith, to the business and to the mix up over Taryn’s pregnancy and Garrett’s subsequent rage over it.

              “So then you knocked your brother out and stormed off?” Becket asked, his eyes glinting kindly.

              Ash shook his head. “No, but I told him to watch his mouth and left to come here and knock you out.”

              Becket laughed. “Well, better luck next time although that right hook almost got me.”

              Asher grinned, realizing that he really had fought Becket in the ring, man to man and he’d come out if not on top, at least right there with him. “              Yeah, maybe next time.”

              Becket grinned and shook his head. “You never know. See you around, buddy.”

              Asher watched Becket leave and felt much better. Now that he’d let off a little steam, he knew what he had to do. He had to find Meredith and tell her what was going on. It wasn’t right that everyone was talking about her just because Taryn couldn’t think of a cute way to tell Brogan he was going to be a daddy. When he’d called Taryn and confronted her about why she was dragging her feet, she’d burst into tears,
again
, swearing that she was spending hours on Pinterest trying to pick the very best way to tell Brogan he was going to be a father. She was so worried about messing it up that she refused to do anything until it was perfect.

              So that left him holding the bag.
Again.
He wondered what Meredith’s reaction was going to be. Anger.
Of course.
Violence.
Maybe.
Laughing it off?
Yeah, right.
Not going to happen. He sighed and drove home, taking a quick shower before heading over to Meredith’s house. He saw a light on in her apartment and ran up the stairs, two at a time. Better to just get it over with quickly. It would be just like ripping a band aid off.
Sure.

              He knocked on the door and blinked in surprise when Pule answered, followed closely by Cleo.

              “Hey guys, is Meredith here?” he asked, stepping inside and shutting the door as he scanned the room for bright blond hair and snappy blue eyes.

              Pule shook his head. “Nah, she’s down at The Iron Skillet. Anne Downing called an emergency wedding planning session and insisted that Meredith be there. Bailey and Taryn will be there too. Dude, she left with the meanest frown on her face I’ve ever seen. Girl is not in a good mood,” he added just to make sure Asher realized how close the fuse was to the dynamite.

              Asher groaned and walked over to the couch, collapsing and throwing his arms over his eyes. This was not good.

              Cleo looked back and forth between the two men and frowned suspiciously. “Something is going on and you two have not told me. I suggest you tell me right now, or no more smoothies for either one of you.”

              Pule looked up at her hopefully. “Promise?”

              Cleo threw a pillow at Pule and turned to glare at Asher. “Pule’s right. Meredith is in a really bad mood, which considering that your online dating website is up to two hundred profiles as of one hour ago, is not normal. Why would she be so upset if business is so good?” she asked.

              Asher glanced at Pule who shrugged. “I don’t care if you tell her. Heck, everyone else in Fircrest knows besides Meredith, Brogan and Taryn.”

              Asher blew out an exasperated breath and sat up, turning to look at Cleo. “I could seriously use some advice right now, so I’m going to tell you what happened and you’re going to help me fix things with Meredith. Okay?”

              Cleo nodded her head, eager to hear everything. “I’ll help, just tell me what’s going on,” Cleo said, her eyes wide with expectation.

              When Asher finished telling her though, her mouth was hanging open in horror. “No! Asher, how could you?”

              Asher shook his head in confusion. “Wait a second.
How could I?
Didn’t you hear anything I said? I was helping Taryn. I begged everyone at that table to pick anyone but Meredith to take the fall for this and Rob even threatened to kill me. Back me up, Pule,” he said.

              Pule moved to sit by Cleo and bumped her shoulder with his. “He’s right. He tried everything to get out of this but Rob wouldn’t budge.”

              Cleo covered her mouth with her hand for a moment before lowering it and staring sadly at Asher. “Meredith is going to kill you and feed your body to the sharks. What are you going to do?”