A Man Like Aaron Ashgrove

Chapter Nine

I heard him say the words, saw them fall out of his lips but I just can't seem to register them.

"My jet crashed..."

"Yasmine?"

I snap out of my train of thought. "Oh my God, how did it happen?."

He sighs. "Investigations are still ongoing, but we suspect fowl play. It happened on my way there, some things over at the company in Colombia were already sketchy. Sales not being accounted for properly, dealings with some interesting people. My father asked me to look into it personally so I had to go, and then..."

He closes his eyes shut and draws a long breath. I can tell thinking about it is hurting him.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you." I say reaching for his hands.

In a very fluid motion, without opening his eyes he reaches for me and wraps me in his arms. My head on his chest so I feel it vibrating when he starts speaking.

"After the crash, when I came to in the hospital. I thought about you." He pauses. "The idea that I might never see you again it almost killed me. Yasmine I need you to know that I came to you as soon as I could and I'm sorry for not reaching out soon enough. I never want to hurt you."

I believe him, when he's holding me like this he could tell me the earth is flat and I'd believe him.

There's a knock on the car window, I move out of Aaron's arms as we both stare at a frowning Archer.

Aaron rolls the window down. "Sorry to interrupt you love birds, we have a flight to catch."

I turn back to Aaron. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Yeah, I need to be in New York with Marvin. We have a lot of things to set up and I've already taken enough time away because of the accident."

"It's ok." I say. "I understand, you can leave now."

"I want to drive you home, make sure you get there safe. Can you please go tell your friends good night so we can leave?"

"Ok."

We walk hand in hand to the front door, Aaron throwing glances at me every now and then. He steals a kiss when we get inside. And Archer who is ahead of us, turns around, and I'm pretty sure he scoffs at us.

"I'll grab a drink, while you find your friends." He says curtly before heading to the kitchen.

I tug on Aarons shirt. "Hey, I get the feeling he doesn't really like me."

"That's Archer love, he doesn't really like anyone." He replies light heartedly.

"Ok. But have you talked about me to him before?"

He looks puzzled. "Why do you ask."

"Well I don't know, but like similar to when you introduced me to Marvin, Archer also acted like he knew about me?" I try to find the right wording. "Like they'd heard about me before?"

Before he can get a chance to respond. We hear any angry "Oh fuck!" Over the music coming from the kitchen.

Instinctively we decide to check it out.

And thank God we do, because it's Libby hunched over her own vomit. She stumbles lightly and manages to trip, and Archer catches her just in time. He tries to stabilize her, but it's obvious she's too drunk so she just falls back on him again.

Just then Aria and Hannah, run past Aaron and I, over to Libby.

I can't believe they let her get this drunk!