He made for a black car, a freaking Bentley, that I'd never seen before. In it, behind the tinted windows, I spotted three other men dressed in suits. One studied me through dark sunglasses.
“I don't see how you plan to win this thing. I'm getting married before time is up, and once I do, you're sunk.”
He paused with his hand on the car door. “I told you already that you are not to marry Sarah Masters. That simply isn't going to happen.”
“Oh? I could elope to Vegas with her, or head on down to the courthouse right now, and you can't do a thing to stop me.”
I could see that I was getting a rise out of him. Making him shake was a rare accomplishment, so I wasn't gonna back down now.
“Don't you dare involve our family with hers. If you marry her, besides, everyone in town knows it's a sham.”
I looked for her in the window again, but she was gone. A van had just pulled up in front of her store that said “Jimmy's Catering” on the side.
“It isn't a sham. I love her, and I told you I would prove it – not that I should have to. I thought you and mom wanted me to find someone and get married. Figured you'd both be delighted.”
Dad wrung his hands together. “She will never be part of our family, Asher. Marry her if you really like, but it won't save your store.”
“Hmm. I wonder what my attorney would have to say about that once he goes over your contract with a fine-tooth comb.”
Someone from Slicker Image paged me over the loudspeaker; I was needed in customer service, but I refused to leave this parking lot until I'd put dad in his place.
“What's your problem with her, anyway?” I asked, recalling what Hazel had told us about her and Charles. “You don't want me to marry her 'cause her family's lower class, is that it?”
Anger burned in his eyes that startled me so much, I backed up hard into a mailbox.
“No. Your mom and I do want you to find love, truly. If you'd actually settle down and stop playing the field so much, we'd not care if you married a penniless bum.”
That I very much doubted, but whatever.
“Then what is it? Something happened between our families, didn't it?”
He seemed surprised that I even knew. Of course, how would I have known? He never mentioned a word of it to me or Macy. And my grandpa, Charles, died long ago so I'd be unable to ask about his philandering ways.
“What happened, dad? I have a right to know,” I snapped, getting more and more offended that he'd hidden some huge secret from me.
His face turned redder, and I figured he was about to explode and let me have it. Instead, he somehow composed himself, although his words dripped with barely-hidden rage.
“The Masters and the Carringtons do not associate, and that's all you need to know. Marrying her would be... disastrous.”
“Why, goddamn it? Stop talking in riddles and just tell me why!”
His hands clenched into fists. Were his business associates not watching this whole debacle, he probably would have taken a swing at me for my “disrespect.”
“Hey, Asher! Can you come over here for a second?”
Sarah's sweet voice was a welcome distraction. She was in the parking lot, all bundled up in her poofy coat and waving to me. One look at her, and dad's nonsense didn't matter to me anymore.
He looked at her with disdain as he slipped into the car. “I suppose this is goodbye, then. I imagine you'll be coming over for Christmas dinner? The rest of the family will be there.”
They sped off before I could say I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than eat with them. After that delicious meal at the Masters' house, which was filled with such warmth, kindness, and love, I'd come to realize how cold and distant my own family had always been.
“Asher!” Sarah yelled for me again.
I jogged across the street despite Ken paging me – again – to come to the customer service desk. Whatever annoying problem the shopper had to bitch about, it could wait just a little bit longer.
“Looks like you and Heath were getting into it,” she murmured when I reached her.
“Eh, he's just an asshole.” I pointed to the cars that slowly filled the parking lot. “How about you? How's your big holiday publicity stunt coming along?”
“It hasn't actually started yet, but already I've got more customers browsing the shop than I've had all week.” She smiled. God, she had such a nice smile. “Whether they'll buy anything or they're just here for the free stuff, I don't know.”
She fiddled with the ring on her finger, the diamond ring that I'd bought her and cost more than three months' rent. Totally worth every penny, though. Sarah was an awesome woman, and she deserved a ring just as nice.
“You look nervous,” I told her.
“No, it's just...” She tried to keep it together, but finally cracked. “The DJ's having trouble with his equipment, the caterer's hot dogs are cold, and my guy playing Santa Claus hasn't even shown up yet!”
I sank an arm around her and led her back into the building before she got frostbite. Inside, Lana was running the register, which had two customers waiting in line. She looked even more frazzled than Sarah did.
“You have to try and stay calm. Look at Slicker Image on Black Friday; it was a total madhouse. Even so, we came out all right.”
She grumbled. “I wouldn't call only stocking ten of this year's hottest TV and nearly being lynched by angry
