What If You

by Sandi Lynn

  Walking over to her, I took hold of her hand.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Tillie.”

  “Is there anything I can get you, Grandma?” Everly asked her.

  “No. I’m fine.”

  We stayed for a while and talked until Tillie could no longer stay awake.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Grandma,” Everly said as she gave her a kiss.

  “It was nice to meet you, Tillie.” I placed my hand on hers.

  “You as well.” She closed her eyes.

  “Here we are,” Everly said as we pulled into the driveway.

  Climbing out of the car, I stood back and stared at the turn of the century style colonial home with the dark blue vinyl siding and white porch and trim.

  “Wow, Everly.”

  “Wow, what?” She smiled as we stood on the lawn.

  “This house.”

  “You like it?”

  “I do. I can’t wait to see the inside.”

  “Follow me, Mr. Remington.” She grinned as we walked up the steps to the porch.

  When she opened the door and we stepped inside, I was in awe of the winding staircase that led upstairs.

  “We can start the tour upstairs and you can set your bag in my room.”

  “This house is every realtor’s dream,” I spoke as we toured the upstairs. “It had to be built in the early 1900’s.”

  “It was built in the year 1900. A wealthy family lived here. A husband and wife with their four children. He owned one of the largest manufacturing plants in the city. She stayed at home with the children and they had a maid who occupied the sixth bedroom.”

  “Really? You must have done a lot of research on the house,” I said as we walked down the stairs.

  “No. I didn’t have to.”

  I stopped at the bottom step and turned and looked at her.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” I shook my head.

  “All was good until the husband started having an affair with the maid. He’d go to her room in the middle of the night when his wife was sound asleep and—well, you know what they did.”

  “How old were you when you found all this out?”

  “Six.” She smirked. “I saw it the moment me and my grandmother stepped through the door.”

  “Did the wife find out?” I couldn’t believe I had just asked her that.

  “She knew, but she never let on that she did. She wasn’t about to give up all the wealth.”

  “Smart woman.” I smirked and she playfully slapped my arm.

  Grabbing her, I pulled her into me as we stood in the kitchen and pressed my lips against hers. Picking her up and setting her on the counter, she wrapped her legs around me as our kiss grew more passionate. My cock was solid, and I was desperate to be inside her.

  “I missed this,” I breathlessly spoke.

  “Me too.”

  I pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor while her fingers undid my belt and pants. Unhooking her bra, I released her breasts and fondled them as my tongue traveled across her neck. She gasped as did I when her hand reached down the front of my pants and her fingers wrapped themselves around my cock. Quickly pulling my shirt over my head, I leaned down and took her hardened nipples between my teeth while her hands pulled my pants down from my hips. The short skirt she wore allowed me easy access as my hand ran up her thigh and grabbed the waistband of her panties. Quickly pulling them down, I swept my fingers over her sensitive area, making sure she was wet enough before thrusting inside her. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her.

  I pulled her forward until she was at the very edge of the counter and I pushed inside her as we both let out satisfying moans. Her nails dug into the flesh of my back as I moved in and out of her. The warmth inside her enveloped my cock as it prepared to erupt. Her moans intensified as her legs tightened around my waist and she came. As much as I wanted to hold back, I couldn’t. She had me so hard and turned on.

  “Oh my God.” I let out a groan as I exploded inside her.

  The corners of her mouth curved upward as I dropped my hand to the counter and stared into her eyes as I tried to regain my breath. Pulling out of her, I reached down and picked up her panties and shirt from the floor. Handing them to her with a smile, I spoke, “I really missed that.”

  “So did I.” She grinned as she hopped off the counter.

  Everly

  We snuggled together in my bed. Falling asleep in his arms was easy and I was happy he came to Providence. I loved him. For the first time in my life, I was in love. Being away from him hurt my heart every day. A hurt I hadn’t experienced before. The kind of hurt that lingered and no matter what I did, I always felt it. Now what? What happens when he goes back to New York? Did he feel the same about me? I didn’t know because I’d grown too close to him.

  I woke up and looked at the clock which read three a.m. I was thirsty so I decided to go down to the kitchen for a bottle of water. When I flipped the light switch, I saw my grandmother standing there. A great sadness tore through me.

  “Grandma, no.” Tears started to fall down my face.

  “It’s okay, Everly. We knew it was a matter of time. Tell Daniel and Diana that I love them very much, and I will always be watching over them and that sweet baby of theirs.”

  “I will.” I swallowed hard.

  “Dry your eyes, my sweet girl. You know this isn’t the end.”

  “I know.” I nodded my head as I wiped my tears. “But I needed more time.”

  “You’re going to be okay, and life will go on. You have a long life ahead of you, Everly.” She smiled at me. “There’s something you need to do. You must tell Asher the truth. He has the right to know, Everly. No matter what the cost.”

  “It’s going to hurt him, and he’s already been through enough.”

  “It doesn’t matter. In order for him to be free of the pain, he needs to know the truth.”

  “Everly?” I heard Asher’s voice from behind. “Were you just talking to someone?”

  Turning around, I looked at him with teary eyes.

  “What’s wrong?” He gripped my shoulders.

  “My grandmother passed away.”

  “What? How do—” He pulled me into a tight embrace.

  “She was just here.” I interrupted him. “I need to call Daniel.”

  “Your phone is on the nightstand.”

  He hooked his arm around me, and I laid my head on his shoulder as we walked up the stairs.

  28

  Three Days Later

  Everly

  “That was a lovely service,” Mrs. Riley spoke as she took hold of my hands. “Your grandmother was so proud of you, Everly.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Riley.”

  She was the last guest to leave the house after the luncheon had ended. While Diana and Daniel were in the kitchen cleaning up, I took a seat on the couch for a moment.

  “I was looking for you,” Asher spoke as he sat down next to me.

  “I was saying goodbye to Mrs. Riley.”

  “Everly, I’m sorry but I need to get back to New York. There are some major issues going on with one our properties, and I need to get back.”

  “I understand. I have a lot to do around here, anyway.”

  He hooked his arm around me and pulled me into him.

  “It was a beautiful service.” He kissed the side of my head. “The jet is coming to pick me up in a couple of hours. Are you going to be okay? I know how it feels after losing a loved one.”

  “I’m fine.” I gave him a small smile. “I appreciate you worrying about me, but don’t. I’ll be okay. Thank you for coming here.”

  “Of course. Thank you for letting me stay with you in this beautiful home.”

  “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” I gave him a light smile.

  “I’ve called a car service to come pick me up, so I better get upstairs and get my things together.”

  “Okay. I’m going to help Diana
and Daniel clean up.”

  He pressed his lips against my forehead and went upstairs. I didn’t want him to leave, but he was a busy man running a multi-billion-dollar company and he needed to be there. I understood to some extent, and I felt selfish for wanting him to stay longer. I had officially fallen in love with Asher Remington. Was it a good idea? Absolutely not. I knew how he felt about relationships and I knew he was incapable of giving love back.

  One Week Later

  Daniel and Diana left for New York shortly after the reading of our grandmother’s will. The shop had been closed since the night my grandmother passed away and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. The only time I’d heard from Asher was the day he went back to New York. He’d sent me a text message that night asking how I was doing. I was grateful for that, but I hadn’t heard anything from him since. Not only was I dealing with the sadness of my grandmother’s passing, I was also dealing with the sadness I felt since Asher left. I hated myself for letting these feelings come full circle, but I couldn’t help it. Like my gift, I had no control over them for I felt a connection to his soul. Something I had never felt with any man before. I could no longer see anything with Asher. Anything relevant, that is. I’d grown too close to him and that’s how it worked.

  Later that evening, as I was sitting on the couch watching The Bachelorette, my phone rang, and it was Daniel.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey. How are you?”

  “I’m okay. How are you?”

  “I’m okay. Listen, Everly. Diana and I want you to move to New York. You shouldn’t be in Rhode Island by yourself when you have family here. Now that Tillie is gone, you have no reason to stay there.”

  “It’s too soon for me to think about that, Daniel. I have the shop, the house.”

  “Sell the shop. Or better yet, move the shop to New York. Put the house up for sale and just leave. You’ll stay with us until you find an apartment here.”

  “I appreciate it, and I promise to give it some serious thought.”

  “Well, think about it quickly. We want you here. I love you, cuz.”

  “I love you too, Daniel. We’ll talk soon.”

  I sighed as I set my phone down on the couch. Picking it back up, I decided to call Asher.

  “Hey, you. Everything okay?” he asked when he answered the phone.

  “Everything’s fine. I just got off the phone with Daniel and he said he and Diana want me to move to New York.”

  There was a moment of silence on the other end and the nervousness inside me grew.

  “And what did you decide?” he asked.

  “I haven’t decided anything yet. I was hoping you could help me make a decision.”

  “Honestly, Everly, it’s up to you. Do you want to live here?”

  “I like New York and I think I would love living there. Plus, we could see each other all the time,” I cautiously spoke.

  “Listen. You know I work a lot and I wouldn’t want you to move here thinking there would be something between us. What I’m trying to say is, don’t move here just for me.”

  “Wow.” I swallowed hard. “You have a big ego there, Mr. Remington.” Tears formed in my eyes. “Do you not know me by now?”

  He let out a light laugh.

  “Does anyone ever truly know anyone, Everly?”

  “Sometimes, I know more about a person than I care to. Hey. I have to go. My grandmother’s lawyer is calling.” I lied. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

  I ended the call, took in a deep breath and let the tears stream down my face.

  “He’s a dumb ass you know.” I heard a voice behind me.

  Turning around, I saw Asher’s father standing there.

  “What are you doing here, Mr. Remington?” I let out a sigh as I went into the kitchen.

  “I guess my business here isn’t finished.”

  “You’re the reason he’s like he is.” I poured myself a glass of wine.

  “I know. I’m fully aware. I suppose you’re going to tell him what I’d done.”

  “He’ll hate you.” I brought the glass up to my lips.

  “I know he will. But in time, he’ll forgive me.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I said.

  “I did what I had to at the time for his future. Just like I had to step in and stop that merger. You think I want to stick around here? I know he has feelings for you. Feelings I haven’t seen in a very long time. You always do what’s best for everyone else, but never for yourself. You love my son. Tell him. Fight for his love.” Suddenly, he vanished.

  I was torn on what to do because I loved him, and we don’t want to hurt the people we love. We wanted to protect them, and me telling him, would be for my own selfish reasons.

  “God! I wish I could see the right thing to do!” I screamed.

  I was exhausted and I couldn’t think anymore, so I went upstairs and climbed into bed.

  29

  Asher

  The moment I stepped off the elevator, I walked over to my bar and poured myself a bourbon. I couldn’t stop thinking about Everly’s call. As hard as I tried not to think about her when I left Rhode Island, my mind wouldn’t stop. All the “what if’s” kept circling around in my head and the harder I fought to stop them, the louder they became. A part of me wanted to love her, but the other part of me stopped such a notion. I asked her if anyone ever truly knew anyone, and I meant it. I thought I knew someone inside and out once, only to discover I was completely wrong and was made a fool of. Then there was my Uncle Roland and Noah. Everyone in my life had betrayed me in some way. Everyone except my father. What Everly and I had was good. It was really good. But it was only temporary, and I needed to keep reminding myself of that. I ran a multi-billion-dollar company with great success, I lived in a multi-million-dollar penthouse, and I had all the money I would ever need. I was set in life, and I didn’t need anything else.

  A couple days had passed, and I had just gotten out of a meeting. Taking my phone from my pocket, I saw I had a text message from Everly.

  “Hi, Asher. I’m in New York for a couple days, and I would like to see you if possible. Maybe tonight after you get off work at your penthouse?”

  A nervousness fell over me as I read her message. Why was she in New York? Did she decide to move here after all? I felt an instant relief knowing she was here, but I also felt the fear inside me rise up as it felt like it was choking the life out of me.

  “Hi. We could meet there if you want and maybe go out for a nice dinner. How is six-thirty?”

  “I’ll see you then,” she replied.

  It was six-fifteen when I arrived home. Everly would be here in about fifteen minutes and I needed to quickly change before she came. Just as I finished changing, I heard the elevator ding. When the doors opened, Everly stepped out looking as beautiful as ever.

  “Hi.” I smiled as I kissed her cheek.

  “Hi.”

  “It’s good to see you,” I spoke.

  “It’s good to see you too.”

  “Come on in. Can I get you a drink?”

  “Sure. You know what, I’ll have what you’re having.”

  “Bourbon?” I arched my brow at her.

  “Yes.”

  She seemed extremely nervous, which was something she never seemed to be before.

  “Are you okay?” I asked as I walked over to the bar.

  Everly

  Seeing him again was surreal. I’d missed him, even though I didn’t want to. Maybe coming here was a mistake, but after seeing him, I knew I didn’t have a choice.

  “Here you go.” He smiled as he handed me my drink. “What brings you back to New York?”

  I hesitated, but it was now or never. The nervousness inside me intensified as my heart rapidly beat out of my chest. Maybe I wouldn’t have to tell him. Maybe he’d tell me he loved me, and I could put what I knew behind me and never speak of it. There was only one way to find out.

  “I came back because I love you, As
her. I’m in love with you and I needed to tell you.”

  He stood there in shock as he stared into my eyes and inhaled a sharp breath.

  “Everly, I don’t know what to say except I wish you never would have told me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you just shouldn’t have. The last thing I want to do is hurt you and now you’ve put me in that position.”

  “So you’re saying you don’t love me?” I could feel the tears spring to my eyes.

  “No. I don’t. I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but I can’t.” He turned away from me.

  “So after everything we’ve been through, you can stand there and say you feel nothing for me at all?”

  “Yes.” He lowered his head as I watched him clench his fist.

  “It’s all because of Brianna, right?”

  He spun around and the angry look on his face startled me.

  “You know nothing about her, and if you do, you stop!” he shouted.

  A single tear fell down my cheek.

  “No. I won’t stop. I know how much you loved her and how betrayed you felt by her, Asher. But you can’t let that one moment define the man you are today.”

  He stood there as he shook his finger at me.

  “The fuck I can’t. You have no idea. That girl was my life. Ever since the first day I laid eyes on her when I was fifteen years old. I would have given my life for her. She couldn’t stand the thought of me going off to Harvard without her. So I decided to forget about it and stay in New York and go to NYU with her. We were going to be married and live in an apartment on campus together. We were happy. Happier than two people could ever be. Then one night, the summer before college, she said she needed to talk to me. We went to Central Park and she told me she didn’t love me anymore and she handed me back the ring I had given her. She said we were too young, and she couldn’t see a future with me. She then proceeded to tell me that she didn’t think she ever really loved me. I begged her to stop, because I knew it wasn’t true. I knew her and I knew what we meant to each other, but she wouldn’t. She just kept going on and on about how sorry she was and how we weren’t meant to be. Then she walked away and left me standing there with my heart shredded into a million tiny pieces. I made a vow that night never to let anything ever happen like that again,” he shouted.