What If You Read online

  “I know. I felt your pain the moment our hands first touched. I felt everything, Asher. But there’s something you need to know. You need to know the truth of what really happened that night.”

  I looked over and saw his father standing over by the bar.

  “Damn you!” I spoke.

  “What? Damn me? Really?” Asher shouted.

  “I wasn’t talking to you.”

  “Tell him, Everly. Tell him what I did. Tell him the truth!”

  “Your father was the one who was responsible for Brianna breaking up with you,” I finally spoke.

  “What?” He let out a frightening laugh. “Who the hell do you think you are? But go ahead and humor me and tell me exactly how my father did that.”

  “He took her to lunch one day and offered her a lot of money to break up with you and to never see or talk to you again. When she refused, he offered her an ultimatum. She either did what he asked, or he would financially ruin her father’s company, shut it down and make sure he lost everything.”

  “How dare you,” he shouted. “My father would never do such a thing.”

  “Your father would do anything he had to in order to protect you, Asher!” I shouted back. “He didn’t want you to ruin your future and he saw it was a possibility if you married her. Your lifelong dream had always been to attend Harvard and he saw you giving all that up for Brianna. He knew you weren’t thinking right at the time. You were young and in love. It happens. I get it.”

  “You don’t get anything! I want you to leave now.” He forcefully grabbed hold of my arm.

  The moment he did that, his father’s favorite book flew off the bookcase in the living room and onto the floor. Asher stopped, let go of my arm and bent down to pick up the book.

  “Is he here?” he asked with anger.

  “Yep. He sure is. I’m sorry, Asher. He wanted me to tell you. I knew how deeply it would hurt you, and I didn’t want to. But he said his business wasn’t finished here yet.”

  “Get out, Everly. Just go.” His voice was calm as he held the book in his hand.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I grabbed my purse, and the moment I pressed the button to the elevator, the doors opened, and I stepped inside.

  The crushing feeling in my chest was unbearable as I gripped it. The struggle to breath was real and had me in its grip for what felt like forever. I went back to the apartment, told Diana and Daniel everything and grabbed the last flight out of New York.

  30

  One Week Later

  Asher

  Burying myself in my work had always been the way to cope when things weren’t going right in my life. This time, I stayed at home. Alone. Isolated from the outside world so I could think and wallow in my own self-pity. I hadn’t shaved in over a week and I barely showered. Bottles of bourbon laid around the penthouse as well as boxes of pizza, Chinese food, Italian and Mexican from all the takeout I ordered. The place was filthy, and I didn’t care. I’d told everyone at the office that I was taking a trip. I couldn’t let anyone see me this way. If this was what hitting rock bottom was, I sure as hell had hit it. If my father had done was Everly said, everything about him was a lie. Or she was lying. Why not? Everyone else in my life lied to me. Why would she be any different? I knew women. They would say anything to get a man’s attention. But Everly was Everly. She wasn’t like any other woman I knew. She was selfless, caring, kind and had a beautiful soul. What could she have possibly expected to gain by telling me? She said my father made her, and in some way, I believed it because he had a way of always making people do things they didn’t want to.

  “Oh my God,” I spoke out loud.

  I went into my office and sat down behind my desk. Turning on my computer, I searched for Brianna Nicholson. I’d remembered the day after she broke up with me, she deleted all of her social media and changed her phone number. I googled her name, and it took a while, but I’d found her. She was married and had two children. She wasn’t Brianna Nicholson anymore. She was now Brianna Copeland. I was lucky enough to come across one picture she posted publicly of her and her coworkers celebrating a birthday at the office. Directly behind the women was the company name: Dynamic Advertising Group. Putting the name of the company in the Google search bar, I wrote down the address and booked the first flight out to Los Angeles tomorrow morning.

  I cleaned myself up. I shaved, showered and cleaned up the wreckage I’d done to the penthouse. Grabbing my bag, I headed to the airport and got on the plane to California. After checking into the Hotel Bel-Air, I hired a car service to drive me to her place of employment.

  “May I help you?” A young brunette behind the glass desk asked.

  “I’m here to see Brianna Copeland.”

  “Her office is down the hall and the first door on the right.”

  “Thank you.”

  I wouldn’t lie and say I wasn’t nervous, because I was. It had been a long time since I’d last seen her. When I reached her office, the door was shut and there wasn’t a secretary or desk sitting outside it. I gently knocked on the door and she told me to come in. The moment I stepped inside, our eyes locked and the color from her face quickly drained.

  “Asher?” Her brows furrowed.

  “Hello, Brianna.”

  She stared at me as she slowly rose from her chair. She was shocked to say the least.

  “Wh—What are you doing here?”

  “I need to talk to you about my father.”

  She looked down as she held onto the edge of her desk.

  “I heard he passed and I’m very sorry,” she softly spoke.

  “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  “I knew this day would eventually come. This isn’t the place to talk though.” She looked at her watch. “Let’s go to the Santa Monica Pier and talk.”

  “Okay. I have a car waiting downstairs.”

  “Just let me tell my boss that I’ll be taking the rest of the day off. I’ll meet you down there.”

  I gave her a nod as I took the elevator down to the lobby and waited for her. A few moments later she joined me, and we climbed into the back of the limo.

  “Santa Monica Pier, please,” I spoke to the driver.

  She was still a beautiful woman, and I thought seeing her again would ignite everything I’d ever felt for her, but it didn’t. I felt nothing at all.

  “You’re here to find out about that night, aren’t you? ” she asked as we walked along the pier.

  “I am. I need the truth, Brianna. Did my father have anything to do with our breakup?”

  “Yes. He did. But you have to understand that I was a frightened eighteen-year-old girl.”

  “Did he threaten to harm your father’s company if you didn’t break up with me?”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “You know my father’s company was already in trouble at the time and he was struggling to keep it afloat. After we broke up, he got a call that an anonymous investor decided to invest in the company and suddenly, all of our financial troubles were over. I’m not proud of what I did, but you need to understand that I couldn’t let anything happen to my family.”

  “I understand, Brianna. We’d do anything in our power to protect our family. I just wish you would have told me.”

  “I couldn’t, Asher. You need to understand that. I’m so sorry, and all those things I said, I never meant. I had no choice. I had to convince you that it was over for good. God, I hated your father for that, and I hated him because I’ve had to live with this guilt for all these years.”

  “I know, and I don’t blame you for hating him. I hate him right now myself.”

  We stopped at the railing and looked out at the blue pacific ocean as the waves made their way across the shore.

  “Why now, Asher? Why after all these years are you seeking the truth? Did your father tell you before he died?”

  “No. He decided to be a coward and wait until after he died to let me know.”

  “What? I’m not sure I understand?�
� Her brows furrowed at me.

  “It’s a long story and I’m sure you wouldn’t even believe me.”

  “Try me.” She smiled. “I think you’d be amazed at what I’d believe.”

  “There’s this woman, and her name is Everly. We’d been seeing each other on and off recently and she’s different.”

  “Different how?”

  God, I felt so stupid for even saying it.

  “She can see things, and she dreams about things that have or are going to happen.”

  “Is she a psychic?”

  “I guess you could say that. Anyway, she told me my father wanted me to know the truth, and that he can’t go to wherever it is you go, until I knew the truth.”

  “Wow. Okay.”

  “I know. It’s crazy, right?”

  “No. Not at all. I truly believe in that sort of thing. In fact, not too long after we broke up, my dad took us on a trip to Rhode Island for a vacation. It was kind of a celebratory vacation because the company had turned around. While we there, we went into this shop that sold crystals, spiritual books, cards, and all that other spiritual stuff. My mom was done looking around and decided to go to the shop next door. I told her I would meet her there because I was still looking around. I was still very upset over us, and the woman that worked there walked over to me and told me to hold out my hand. So I did, and she placed this beautiful small pink crystal in my hand, then closed my hand around it. She told me that my sadness wouldn’t last forever and that I’d done the right thing even though I went about it all wrong. She said that when two souls are meant to be together forever, there is nothing, no one, or no circumstance that could ever break them apart. Then she said she saw my future and I was going to marry my soulmate and have two beautiful children. I’ll never forget her because she had an unusual name. Her name was Tillie.”

  I swallowed hard as I stared straight at the calm and peaceful water.

  “And you did marry your soulmate and have two beautiful children.” I gave her a small smile as I glanced at her.

  “I did. How did you know?”

  “I saw your profile picture on your Facebook page. Your children are beautiful, Brianna.”

  “Thank you, Asher. How about you? What’s going on with you?”

  “I work a lot.” I smirked. “There really isn’t much time for anything else.”

  “Are you still seeing Everly?”

  “Not really. But I’m hoping to change all that.”

  “Why don’t you come to the house for dinner tonight. I’d love for you to meet my husband. I know the two of you would get along great.”

  “Thanks for the offer and I’m sure he’s a really great guy, but I need to get back to New York.”

  “You know I only go for the great guys.” She smiled as she nudged my shoulder with hers.

  The limo drove us back to her office and into the parking garage where her car was parked.

  “It was really good to see you, Asher. I mean that.” She placed her hand on mine.

  “It was good to see you too, Brianna.”

  “Next time you’re in Los Angeles, give me a call. That dinner invitation is always open. Here’s my number.” She handed me her business card.

  “I will.”

  “Have a safe flight home.” She smiled as she climbed out of the limo.

  31

  Everly

  It was nine o’clock by the time I got home. Samantha’s mother had stopped in the shop and insisted I joined them for dinner. She had always been such a good cook and a home cooked meal was exactly what I needed. I hadn’t cooked at all in the past few weeks. Unless you consider making a sandwich, cooking. It was always that I didn’t have time, was too tired, or too sad to cook anything. So I took the easy way out and ordered take out. As I was approaching my house, I could see the shadow of a person sitting on my porch.

  “What the hell?” I said as a nervousness crept up inside me. I wasn’t sure if the person was deceased or alive.

  The closer I got, the more the person came into focus. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it was Asher. Pulling in the driveway, I parked the car and climbed out.

  “Do you always just sit on random people’s porches when they’re not home?”

  The corners of his mouth curved upward.

  “You’re not a random person, Miss King.”

  “What are you doing here, Asher?” I asked with a hint of irritation as I walked past him and unlocked the front door.

  “I need to talk to you.”

  I sighed as I stepped inside and flipped on the light switch.

  “I’m not playing this game anymore. You kick me out, then you need to talk, kick me out, need to talk.”

  I set my purse down on the bench in the foyer and went into the kitchen.

  “I know and I’m sorry.” He followed behind. “I’m here to apologize to you.”

  “A simple text would have sufficed,” I said as I opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of wine.

  “I suppose I could have sent you a text, but I figured an in-person apology would be much more sincere.”

  “Wine?” I held up the bottle.

  “No, thank you. How are you, Everly?”

  “I’m good, Asher. I’m really fucking good,” I spoke sarcastically.

  “You’re being a smart ass again.” He smiled. “I was beginning to think you weren’t ever coming home. May I ask where you were?”

  “With my boyfriend. On a date.”

  “You’re lying.” A smirk crossed his lips. “No man besides me would put up with you.”

  “Well, that may be true, but you don’t put up with me either.” I held up my glass before bringing it to my lips.

  “Have I told you how beautiful you are? Oh shit. Hold on a second,” he said as he walked out the front door. Within seconds, he walked back into the kitchen holding a beautiful bouquet of red roses. “For you, madame.”

  “Thank you. What are these for?” I took them and brought them up to my nose.

  “I believe I read somewhere that red roses symbolize affection, love and admiration.”

  “And?” I arched my brow at him.

  “All three of those words apply to you. I missed you, Everly. God, I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Really? Because I do believe the last words you said to me were, ‘Get out, Everly. Just go.’”

  I turned to the cabinet and took down a vase.

  “I know what I said and I’m sorry.”

  “You know what?” I turned and looked at him as I set the vase on the counter. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a man who is sorry as much as you are.”

  “See there. What does that tell you?” He grinned.

  “It tells me that you speak before you think, and you react before you think.”

  He stood there and narrowed his eye at me.

  “You’re right. You are one hundred percent right. And again, I’m sorry. Listen, Everly, I’m an asshole. I admit it. I’ve said things to you that I’m not proud of, but I’m not that person. At least not anymore.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since the moment I realized that I need you in my life. I went and talked to Brianna. It’s not that I didn’t believe you. I just needed to hear it from her mouth. I needed to hear her say my father was responsible.”

  “And how did that go?”

  “It went really well. We talked and then I left. She’s happily married with two beautiful children.”

  “That’s great, Asher. I’m happy for you. Now maybe your father will find some peace and leave me the hell alone.”

  “Have you seen him again?”

  “Not since that night.”

  “Good. I probably scared him straight to Hell.”

  I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

  “I’m serious. I had a talk with him. I told him exactly how I felt and what I thought about him.”

  “Did it make you feel better?” I asked as I arranged the roses in the vase.


  “It did. It made me feel a lot better.” A smirk crossed his lips. He walked over to where I stood and took hold of both my hands and held them in his. “I never meant to hurt you, Everly. I know that’s probably hard for you to believe, but it’s the truth.”

  The problem with Asher was he always apologized, expected sex, and thought everything was good. But this time, I wasn’t going to give into him. I’d been yelled at, kicked out of his place and been told he never wanted to see me again one too many times.

  “Thank you, Asher. I appreciate it.” My lips gave way to a tender smile.

  He brought his hand up to my cheek and softly stroked it as his sexy eyes stared into mine.

  “I’ll never hurt you again. I promise,” he spoke with sincerity.

  “So, are you flying back to New York tonight?” I asked.

  “No. It’s late. I figured I’d stay for a while.”

  “What about the company?”

  “It’s in good hands and it won’t fall apart while I’m gone.” His thumb swept over my lips.

  “Are you staying at a hotel?” I arched my brow at him.

  “I wasn’t planning on it.” His eye narrowed at me. “I was hoping to stay here with you.”

  “Of course.” I nodded my head. “You can stay here. Follow me upstairs and I’ll show you the guestroom.” I turned and walked out of the kitchen.

  “What?” He followed behind. “The guestroom?”

  “Yes.” I turned my head and smiled at him.

  I showed him to the room with the double bed, a window seat, a dresser with a TV sitting on it and two nightstands.

  “Is there a reason why you’re not letting me in your bed?” he asked.

  “Well.” I paced around the room. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”