Asher: A Second Chance Novel Read Online Free Page A

earshot he heard Dean ask, “What the hell is wrong with him?” He didn’t hear Travis’s response. He would call Dean and fill him in tomorrow. Right now there was only one person he wanted to see. He went to find Mia. He was hoping the sight of her beautiful face would make him feel better.
    **
    Mia had been a cheerleader for three years. She had also been watching her brother and Asher play football together since middle school. She knew a lot about the game for a girl and she knew that Asher had not had a good one tonight. The coach had pulled him out twice to ask him what he thought he was doing. His hits were direct and aggressive and in most cases tonight, unnecessary. She couldn’t help but wonder what was going on and worry about him. She waited by his car like they had planned earlier and when she saw his gorgeous face she knew that whatever had been bothering him during the game was still weighing heavily on his shoulders. She smiled when he got close and he offered her one back, but it was weak.
    “Hey, good game.” she lied.
    “Yeah, thanks. Where do you want to go?”
    “I don’t care. What are you hungry for?”
    He unlocked the passenger door and held it open for her. As she slid in he replied, “It doesn’t matter.” He closed her door and went around to his side. He climbed in behind the wheel of the mustang and for a few seconds he just sat there with his hands on the wheel, staring through the windshield.
    “Asher, is everything okay?”
    He looked at her with intense green eyes and for a second he looked like he was going to say something important. Instead he asked, “Is Little Romeo’s okay?”
    Little Romeo’s was a pizza place at the edge of town. She hadn’t missed that he didn’t answer her question, but she let it go for now and said, “Little Romeo’s is great.” He nodded slowly then started the car. They drove in silence to the pizza parlour. The parking lot was packed and it took a few minutes for him to find a spot. There were less than seven thousand people in their town and at least half of them had turned out for the game tonight. Now they were all eating out before they went home.
    “It might take a while, it looks crowded. Is that okay?” Mia couldn’t stand how sad he looked. Pizza didn’t interest her as much as why he looked so upset. Cautiously she reached over and placed her hand on his arm. He jumped like she had burned him.
    “Asher, what’s wrong?” She started to move her hand and he covered it with his own.
    “I’m sorry, Mia. Jesus. This is our first date and I’m screwing it all to hell.”
    “No you’re not. I can tell something is wrong. If it’s too personal you don’t have to tell me. I want you to know. I’m willing to listen if you need to talk.”
    She watched as he took a long, slow deep breath. “My mom is sick,” he said barely above a whisper.
    “She’s sick? Is it something bad?” Of course it was something bad. He wouldn’t be this upset and distracted over the flu.
    He nodded and stared out the windshield. She thought he was going to leave it at that at first. It took him several minutes to answer and when he finally did, she felt awful for him. “She has cancer. A brain tumor that I can’t even fucking pronounce.”
    “Oh Asher! I’m so sorry.” He nodded again. He wasn’t looking. She slid her hand under his chin and turned his face towards hers. “I’m really sorry. If you need to go home.”
    “No, she doesn’t want me to do that. She made me promise to go about my life like things were normal. I’m just not sure how to do that.”
    “Of course you’re not. You’re probably still in shock. It’s okay to let your feelings out.”
    He smiled then. It was a sad smile. “Thanks. I’ve really screwed this date up.”
    “No you haven’t. We’re friends, right? You can talk to me any time that you need to. We can go out on a date anytime. Why don’t we go somewhere and talk tonight?”
    “I don’t want