Path To Realization (Fighter's Den, #4)

Chapter 20 - Asher

PRESENT

"Eat dirt, asshole!"

I duck just as my dad throws a snowball the size of my head at me. It flies over me without so much as a graze and I pop back up, swinging my arm to throw the snowball I had prepared for him. It hits him square in the face and I snicker.

"You're getting too old to keep up with me." I call out to him and he holds his gloved hand up.

"You can't tell but I'm giving you the finger."

"I'm so offended." I goad, cracking a smirk.

"I don't like you today." He decides and I chuckle under my breath.

"Boys! Come inside already!" Mom calls out to us from the door. She's bouncing on her toes to keep warm and I realize just how chilly it's getting. The sun is starting to set and the frigid night air pricks at my skin painfully.

I start to head back inside the cabin with Dad hot on my heels.

"So," He starts conversationally. There's something in his tone that makes me turn to look at him and I raise a brow when I find him barely containing a grin.

"What?" I ask impatiently when he doesn't elaborate.

He debates it for a couple of more seconds before finally asking, "You and Aria?"

Not following, I shrug. "What about us?"

"Are you two together?"

"No." I frown. "What makes you say that?"

Dad stops in his tracks and I do too. He gapes at me. "Son, you called her 'baby' yesterday at dinner. I know you two are affectionate with each other but that one was a first."

"No, I didn't." I shake my head.

"Yes, you did." He clears his throat and deepens his voice to—failingly—imitate mine. "Can you pass me some of that, baby?"

What? I wrack my brain over last night's events. Had I really said that in front of everyone? I feel my brows shoot up when I realize that I did. Shit, I did.

"Oh, man." I run a hand through my hair. "I guess it slipped out."

When I don't say anything else, Dad looks ready to pull his hair out. "So? Are you together or not? Are you guys messing around or is this the real deal?"

"Would you lower your voice?" I scowl. I chance a glance at the door to make sure it's shut. The last thing I need is for someone to overhear us—like Aria herself—and have everything become messed up. "We're figuring it out but yeah, I'm going to fucking be with her. She's mine and she always has been."

"Thank fuck!" He actually sinks to his knees, his face facing the sky, and I think my jaw unhinges. "For all that is good in this world, thank you Jesus. I thought I would die before you two figured your shit out but I'm here to see the day."

"Get up, Dad." I grumble and yank him up by the collar of his jacket. I feel my cheeks grow warm. "Christ. You're so goddamn dramatic."

"Sixteen years your mother and I have waited for this moment." He points an accusative finger at me. "Don't think I don't realize you partly cooperated with us when we first started fostering you was because you didn't want to leave Aria. You've been in love with her your entire life and you know it. It's about time you're doing something about it."