Family Business

27. Begging

**Faith POV**

I laughed hysterically as Ashley told me about Tristan accidentally ramming his car into her parents picket fence on their first date, frantically trying to fix it using a rock as a hammer, and eventually just cutting a check for a new fence. Xavier and Tristan were bringing us drinks, which didn't help my cause. Xavier was being way too forward again, and the only way I knew how to curb it was to ignore him. Which was difficult when I worked with him, sat by him at dinner, took drinks from him, and was now... staying at his house. But very few of those things were my choices. And with what I did at the office to help him and his father today, I'm positive I just put a big fat target on my fucking back. But I ignored that to be present for Ashley.

"Ooo, you have to see the venues we're going to visit next week." She grabbed her phone off the concrete, showing me pictures of all of them and narrating their services.

"These are so nice, absolutely stunning." I gushed, "You are going to absolutely be the most beautiful bride. Seriously, Ash, I'm super happy for you."

"You are the sweetest. You're coming to look at them with me, right?"

"I'll be there if you want me. Of course."

"I do! Really badly. I think Tristan's trying to get Xavier to go. But I know if you'll be there, he will too. So Tristan will be stoked." I rolled my eyes, but knew she was unfortunately right. "Trist... told me about what happened today at the office. About how you helped with all the science stuff. Says it like, really helped them. I guess Xavier and his dad are like, well..." she trailed off, as if she wasn't sure how to tell me. I just took a nervous drink of the way too strong cocktail Xavier had made me.

"It was really nothing. I think your fiancé is exaggerating a bit."

"I... don't think so. I was there when Trist was talking to Mr. Stone while you were getting dressed."

I toyed with the straw in my drink, trying to stab at one of the cherries he had menacingly put in my drink.

"They can talk all they want. I'm working there for the summer then never again. Derek offered me a car and I took it. Simple as that."

"But you and Xavier have some serious chemistry. I'm not even exaggerating."

"Ash-" I hesitated, not knowing how to tell her anything. I really wasn't good at opening up to people, especially about my personal life. I liked to ask them questions, keep them talking about themselves to distract from me. But she was insistent on this.

"Please just tell me if there's even anything going on. He's always touching you. Always looking at you. Seriously. You guys look like a couple."

I felt the thoughts rattling in my head, "We've never... I mean we've never had sex, if that's what you're asking."

"I'm asking that and, you know, anything else. You had to have kissed at least. Even," she held up two fingers to emphasize a minuscule amount, "even a little, teeny, tiny peck on the cheek."

"We've kissed." I conceded, making her squeal, "We've done... some stuff. But I've never had sex with him. I swear."

"Oh my gosh!" She nearly slipped right from the seat, sinking into the water and holding her drink up to save it, "oh my gosh, oooohhh my goodness."

"Ash," I laughed at her hysterics, the way she was nearly drowning herself from the excitement, "it's nothing crazy. Really."

"You have to tell me everything." She gushed fanning her hands dramatically, "Ooooo, I need another drink. Ohhhh my gosh."

"I have nothing else to tell you!"

"What! I need like dates, time, duration, what happened next. I need to take notes. Ahhh!!!"