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*Asher*

I didn't exactly like the sight of Pine Creek looking so dead. It wasn't that it lost its beauty, but it was deserted. Things had really changed since I'd been here.

"How about by that tree?" Nolan pointed. "It has a clear view of the lake."

"Perfect." Personally, I didn't care where we sat. What I needed was a clear view of my son and Nolan, not the lake.

I carried the basket and blanket while he offered to carry a groggy Zion. When we reached the spot, I laid out the picnic blanket and set the basket down.

We sat down and Zion whined sleepily.

"It's okay," Nolan soothed, patting his back. "We're gonna have a picnic. Know what

that is?"

"Mhm." Zion nodded with eyes half closed. I smiled and held him.

"Sorry, buddy. Daddy doesn't work tomorrow so you can sleep in as long as you want, okay?"

"Okay," he mumbled, fighting to wake up. "Ooh, daddy! Grass!" he exclaimed, almost shooting out of my arms like a rocket. Yep, he was awake.

Nolan laughed and opened the basket, laying out some of the food.

"Oh, oh! A picnic!" Zion discovered as he stared at the food being pulled out.

Nolan smiled at him and offered him a grape. Zion opened his mouth and let Nolan feed him. I chuckled.

"He's so adorable," Nolan gushed.

"Daddy, I'm so adowable," Zion tried to repeat. I laughed.

"So, where's the house you found for my brother?" Nolan asked me after a while of munching on the delicacies he prepared.

"Oh, it's about ten minutes away from here, actually. He wants to be close to your house, I guess. Kalani... I don't know. She does like it, but I think she much

preferred the other house. The one before this one."

"How far is the one she preferred?"

"Like half an hour away."

He nodded and looked down at his chicken wrap. "She's like a sister to me. She's going to be my sister, anyway. Why doesn't she like me? I thought..."

"Nolan, she doesn't dislike you. Maybe she said what she said because she wants your brother all to herself. She feels like she comes first, and that's it. Not to defend her, but some women behave that way - and not even just women. Men, too. When

you love someone, of course you want them all to yourself."

He sighed. "I'm trying to stay out their way. I'm gonna talk to him, and tell him to just move in with her." He sucked in a breath and looked over at Zion who was stuffing his face with the s'mores squares.

"Baby, you gotta get some fruit, too," I told him. He was sticking another s'more in his mouth when he paused and looked up at me with huge eyes.

"Uh oh," he said. I ruffled his hair as he chewed on the s'more.

"So, I know you're a real estate agent and everything... have you considered other professions?"

"Um... yeah, I wanted to go into like... science." I shook my head. "Not good at it, at all. I love it, but I can't do it."

Nolan laughed. "You should become a model."

I gave him a weird look and he laughed some more.

"I'm serious here!" he claimed.

"You don't look serious," I teased.

"You're making me laugh! No, really, you have the face."

"I've been told."

"Asher." He tilted his head to plead with me.

"Nolan." I tilted my head the opposite way.

He straightened up and smiled. "You're really handsome, Asher. You should try it."

There it goes; the damned butterflies. In fact, they weren't even butterflies anymore,

they were full blown dragons in my stomach causing me to heat up.

He called me handsome. Whether he meant it in that way or not, he still thought I was handsome.

"I don't know..." I considered it.

He rolled his eyes. "I would hate to see such a beautiful face go unnoticed."

I met his eyes. Nolan...

I couldn't resist.

"You think I'd be good enough? Me?" I inquired.

"Yeah, I do."

I bit my lip then released it. "I'll see."

He beamed. "Yes!" He threw his arms around me and laughter erupted from his chest. I placed a hand near his waist and he pulled away, but I didn't let him get away so fast.

I took my chance and leaned incredibly close to him, to steal a kiss.

He saw it coming and his eyes widened. "Asher!" He pushed at my chest and I let him go completely. I looked down and shook my head.

"Nolan, I..."

"Since when, Asher?"

I glanced up at him to see his furrowed brows and confused face. "We... we just met, basically. You like me? Since when?" he repeated.

I looked at my oblivious son and gazed back at Nolan. "Since I saw your picture."

"So, before you met me?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I have feelings for you," my voice raised defensively.

"I'm not... mad that you have feelings for me-"

"You're just mad that I didn't tell you and because we sort of just met?"

He closed his eyes and let out a breath before reopening his blue eyes. "No, I'm not mad at all. I just... this makes me feel guilty."

"What does?"

"That I'm in love with Shane." He looked down at his hands. "I knew he was in love with Jace when we dated, and that we could never be. I don't want to put you through that. Let's face it, Asher, we probably don't belong together."

"You can't be so sure."

"I wouldn't risk it. I admit, Shane breaking up with me was one of the worst moments of my life." He shrugged. "It had to be done. Do you really wanna go through that?"

I looked out on the grass, my heart slowly sinking at the thought that I wouldn't get

Nolan to like me. He was in love still, and that was the most complicated problem here. And, of course, he was a minor.

"I want a chance," I responded.

He stared at Zion, who stared back at him.

"Hi!" Zion exclaimed.

"Hi, Z," Nolan quietly replied, as he pondered my request.

"You kiss daddy?"

Nolan blushed and chuckled. "Not yet."

"Oh, oh! I turn my back!" Zion stood up and turned around as Nolan gazed back at me with his ocean blue eyes.

"Not yet?" I repeated. Nolan took a deep breath.

"It would be nice to get over Shane. I could at least try. Can we start over?"

I nodded. "Please."

"Okay." He cleared his throat. "You should become a model."

I played along. "I don't know..."

"I would hate to see such a beautiful face go unnoticed."

"You think I'd be good enough?"

"Yes, I do."

I fought a smile. "I'll see."

He didn't cheer, but he threw his arms around me nonetheless. Slowly, he withdrew, but he kept his arms around my neck. I tentatively placed my hand on his waist and leaned closer.

If I remember correctly - because I indeed died and went to heaven - it was a blissful kiss. Nolan's lips were impossibly smooth and soft, and in my head I cursed his ex for not appreciating these lips.

We pulled away quickly when Zion giggled. He was staring at us with innocent eyes and a s'more stuck in his mouth. I took it out.

"Sweetheart, fruit."

He picked up some grapes with his little hand and I turned to look at Nolan, who had a flushed face.

"There's a sunset pretty soon. Wanna... watch it for a little bit and relax?" I asked.

He nodded, his entire demeanor changing to a reserved, quiet one.

"I'm truly sorry," I apologized. "I didn't mean to make you feel weird or..."

"I don't," he assured. "Just reflecting. I tend to stay a little silent and introverted when

I reflect. So, um... our age difference..."

"I know," I huffed. "Damned law, huh? You're not eighteen yet. Which sucks."

Nolan frowned. "We're not going to... do it, Asher."

"No!" I agreed. "No, of course! That wasn't what I meant. It's just, if we wanted to date, wouldn't it be wrong?"

He shook his head. "No. As long as we aren't sleeping together, we're safe. I only brought it up because my brother would kill me if he found out."

"He'd kill me first. I'm the adult and I should know better, that's how it always goes."

"Why don't we um... clean up? I'll let you take all the s'mores squares home so Zion can tear it up." He stroked Zion's hair with care and smiled.

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