Take a Chance (8 page)

Willow

While I was getting everything out of the fridge and cupboards to make my chili, Asher hauled himself up on the counter. He is sitting on the island watching me move around the kitchen, looking as relaxed as I’ve ever seen him. Browning the beef and the onions, I pour him a glass of lemonade and place it next to his thigh.

“H
ey, come back over here.” He grabs my hand and pulls me between his legs. He’s even taller than normal sitting on the counter. He jumps down and in one swift movement he lifts me up to where he was just sitting. Straddled between my legs he pulls me into a close hug. Wrapping his arms around my back, he kisses my neck and trails up and over to my lips. The beef starts sizzling louder in the pan on the stove.

“Crap, the chili!” I move to jump down.

“You sit, I’ve got it.” He moves over to the stove and finishes the beef and onions.

“I thought I was supposed to be cooking for you
. How about we both do it?”

“
Alright, come show me your magical chili recipe.”

“It’s not magical
, just famous.” Working together, we finish the chili in no time. While the chili simmers I grab a pot and fill it with water.

“What are you making now?”

“I need to boil water for the noodles.”

“Noodles
. For what?”

“The chili
, silly.”

“You eat noodles with your chili? Who does that?”

“Me. I’ve always eaten my chili over noodles. Doesn’t everyone?”

“Um no
, sweetheart, I’ve never heard of chili with noodles.”

“Huh, I though
t that’s how chili was served.”

“Well
, I’ll try it your way, just for you.”

“Thanks,
I promise you will love it this way and never go back to eating it plain again.” Soon everything is pulled together, dishing out noodles, then chili on top with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. As we get comfortable on the couch, I eye Asher to see his reaction to my chili.

“Well it’s definitely different, I’ll gi
ve you that. The chili is great, but I don’t think I’m sold on the noodles.”

“Really, well you won’t find me eating it any other way.
To each his own, I guess.”

After finishing din
ner Asher took all the dishes into the kitchen and loaded up the dishwasher. He comes back and sits next to me on the couch.

“Well it’s getting late, I should go.”

“Oh, alright,” I say, feeling sad that he’s leaving.

“Hey
, what’s wrong?” He tilts my chin so I’m looking in the eyes. “You feel alright?”

“Yes, it’s nothing like that
. I was just feeling sad that you were leaving. Asher this might be forward of me and I don’t want you to get the wrong idea here. You know I’m not ready to move our relationship to the next level just yet, but do you think you could stay here with me tonight?”

“Sure, I can sleep on the couch if you need me to stay with you.”

“I was kind of hoping you would sleep with me in my bed, and just hold me. I really don’t want to be alone tonight. If you don’t want to I totally understand, and I’m completely fine with whatever decision you make.”

“I would love that
, and I promise to be the perfect gentleman and keep my hands to myself.”

“Are you sure
you don’t mind? I just really don’t want to be alone tonight.”

“I’m sure
. I don’t want to be anyplace else.”

I take
his hand and lead him upstairs. Lucy runs ahead of us and jumps on the bed. She does a few twirls and plants herself in the center of the bed.

“I’m just going to get my pajamas and change in the bathroom. I’ll be right back.
”

After brushing my teeth
, I take a deep breath and head back into the bedroom. Asher is lying in my bed with the sheets just over his waist, his work clothes are draped nicely over the chair in the corner of the room. He’s still wearing his t-shirt. God he has to be the nicest man on the planet. Climbing under the covers, I get a quick glimpse of his black boxer briefs.

“G
oodnight, Asher,” I say nervously.

He rolls over to me
and Lucy gives a sigh. She gets up and lays by me feet. He kisses my neck sending shivers down my body.

“G
oodnight, Willow.” Laying his front tight to my back, he intertwines our fingers and rests them on my hip.

“Asher?”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

“Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Falling asleep with
Asher’s warm heat pressed against my back and our fingers laced together fills my heart. It is filled with love and peace. It’s a feeling I have never felt before.

Asher

Falling asleep with Willow felt like one more piece of my heart was being put back together. I didn’t feel like I was cheating on Olivia at all. All of my previous doubts and feelings of betrayal went away th
e last time I talked to Olivia.

Waking up the next morning, we had at some point switched positions. Willow was pressed up against my side with
her arm draped over my stomach, her head rested on my chest, and her leg tossed over my thigh. I hold her tight with my arm around her shoulder. She is still asleep, I kiss the top of her head not wanting to move. It’s just so comfortable and it feels so right. She sighs softly and squeezes my stomach.

“Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, I was already awake. I just didn’t want to move, I’m so comfortable.”

“I was just thinking the same thing, but
I need to get going. I need to go home first and change before going to the office.”

“
Mmmm right, just five more minutes.” She tightens her hold on my body with a sigh.

“Sure
, sweetheart. Anything you need,” I say returning the squeeze.

After
she got ready for work, we head back to my house. I showered and dressed. Coming into the kitchen, I find that Willow has made breakfast and coffee, she has two place settings waiting at the bar.

“You didn’t have to do all this.”

“It’s no trouble at all. Go ahead, dig in while it’s still hot.”

After breakfast, Simon drives us to work and I can’t help but think this is something I can quickly get used to.

As per our usual routine, we walked to the elevator together, stopping at her floor with a kiss and a promise to meet me for lunch at noon. I head to my office picking up my messages from Charlotte on the way. There’s a message from Aiden, so I return his call first.

“Hey big brother what’s up?”

“I got a lead on Willow’s mom,” he says.

“That fast? What did you find out?”

“She still lives in Illinois. She’s married, and has a good credit score. That’s about all I can tell you. I have an address and a phone number for her. I put all the info together, and it should be sitting in a file on your desk. I gave it to Charlotte last night for you.”

“Yep, I see
it sitting right here. Thanks, Aiden. There wasn’t anything else we could find out about her?”

“Nope, she doesn’t have a crimin
al record so without hiring a private investigator, I can only find out what’s available on the internet and through a regular background check.”

“Thanks for doing this
, Aiden, I appreciate it.”

Hanging up with Aiden
, I look over the file. There isn’t much information to go on. At least I have an address and a phone number, if that’s what Willow is looking for. Glancing down, I see the two yellow roses. Taking a book from the shelf, I press the roses between the pages and place it back on the shelf.

Lunch time rolls around and
it’s such a nice break in my day to have Willow join me. We enjoy each other’s company and our deli lunch.

“So how do you feel about Friday?”

“I won’t lie, I’m a little nervous. Not for the actual treatment itself. I guess I’m more nervous for the testing after and the results. This may sound strange, but I almost want them to do more chemo. I just want to make sure it’s all gone and never coming back. Does that sound strange?”

“Sweetheart, I don’t think it’s strange. I under
stand that you are scared and I hope you know I will be with you every step of the way. I’m not going anywhere.”

Wrapping her in a hug, I just hope I can someh
ow ooze confidence into her. I’m scared for her as well. I want her to be one hundred percent healthy.

Like the day before, we went back to her house and c
ooked dinner together. We work so well together. Dinner and clean up done, we sat and watched TV for a little while. There was no second thought about staying the night again, it just came naturally. I still slept in my boxers and a T-shirt but holding her close came as natural as ever. We fell asleep in the same position, me pressed up against her back, and our fingers entwined. We woke in the same morning position as the previous morning, her draped over my side, with her head on my chest.

Today is the big day.
This is her last treatment. She’s put on such a strong front, but I can’t help but wonder how she’s really doing on the inside. I feel helpless. All I can do is be there for her. I hope she knows I would give up everything to take this away from her. I just pray she’s beaten it, and she can move on to the next chapter of her life.

Of our life.

Willow

Waking up with Asher on the last day of treatment was such a big comfort. He’s been such a constant in my life since
we met. I hope he knows how much he’s done for me by being here with me. After getting dressed, we went back to Asher’s so he could get ready.

We head to the office with the same ritual
, stopping on my floor with a kiss and a promise to pick me up in a few hours to head next door. I greet Amelia and get to work. The short workday goes by fast, soon Asher is standing at my desk, and it’s time to go.

“Are you ready
, sweetheart?” he asks.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Walking hand in hand next door, it’s funny how the first half of my treatment I was running and hiding from Zoey because I had no one. Now I have a boyfriend who has been here for me every step of the way.

“Willow, Zoey
is ready for you. Come on back,” the receptionist says holding the door open for us.

Asher stands and takes my hand. With a deep sigh
, we head back to the treatment area. I am sitting nervously in my chair waiting for Zoey to come in and hook me up, still holding Asher’s hand. He squeezes my hand and smiles at me.

“
Are you doing alright?”

“I am now
, with you here.”

Zoey comes in
to connect my last treatment and says, “You know you get to ring the bell this visit right?”

“The bell, what bell?”
I ask confused.

“The last day of chemo, patients get to
ring the big bell. You made it through treatment, and it signifies the end of a chapter and the beginning of the rest of your life.”

Being unhooked for the last time is very scary
, like I said I almost want to do more treatments. What if it isn’t gone? I don’t know if I could do all of this again but then again, I have Asher in my life now. I can’t believe I was so naive to think I could’ve done it on my own to begin with. We walk over to the bell hanging from the ceiling. Asher takes out his cell phone and snaps a photo of me ringing the bell with a goofy grin on my face. He takes another one of me hugging Zoey. He hands me a long narrow gift-wrapped box with pink paper and a white bow on it.

“What’s this for?”

“Open it, sweetheart.”

Lifting the lid
, I pull out a platinum necklace. A breast cancer charm dangles from the center. It’s encrusted with diamonds and says ‘I kicked cancers butt’. I hurl myself into his arms with tears streaming down my cheeks, and kiss him all over his face.

“Thank you, it’s beautiful
. I love it. Will you help me put it on?”

Holding the chain out for him, he takes the two ends while I
hold my hair in my hand. Clasping the ends together, he places a soft kiss at the nape of my neck. Chills run down my arms.

“I’m so proud of you
, sweetheart,” he whispers in my ear.

Turning
, I look around the room one last time. I look at the others faces, from first timers to recurring patients. I feel sad for their journey and happy that mine is almost to an end. I still have some tests to do, probably for the rest of my life. Right now, I just want to take it one day at a time and enjoy what I have. Walking together, hand in hand back to the parking garage, Asher helps me into the car.

“So where would you like to go to celebrate?”

“Gosh, I don’t know.”

“Well
, I was hoping you would say that, I made reservations for us.”

Pulling up to a nice restaurant
, he valeted the car. We walk into the restaurant with my arm looped through his. We are escorted to a table in the back. Immediately, I see an arrangement of pink roses laying in the middle of the table. On the plate is a small box wrapped in soft pink paper with a pink bow. When did he have time to pull all of this off?

“Asher
, this is too much. You didn’t need to do all this. You already got me the necklace. I love it so much. Really, you didn’t need to go to all this trouble.”

“
Nonsense, and stop taking the fun out of spoiling you. I want to, so I am. So get used to it.” Pulling out my chair, I take a seat and pick up the box.

“Go ahead open it,
” he says.

“Asher
, you really didn’t have to do this.”

Ever so carefully I open the b
ox trying not to rip the paper. Opening the lid, I gasp. Inside is a thick platinum rounded rope type bracelet, with one pink heart charm with pave diamonds. It’s stunning. I look up at Asher with tears threatening to spill down my face.

“It’s a charm bracelet
. I got you started with the one charm and every year on the anniversary of being cancer free, I’ll add to it with another charm.”

Jumping
up from the table, knocking over glasses and my chair in the process, I launch myself at him sitting in his lap, squeeze his neck, and shower him with kisses. The tears have run freely down my cheeks now, and I don’t even care.

“Asher
, thank you so much. It’s perfect.” Suddenly noticing you could hear a pin drop, I remove my face from Asher’s neck and look around the restaurant. Everyone’s eyes are on me sitting in Asher’s lap.

Standing
, I apologize, “Sorry.” Oh, my gosh, I’m so embarrassed. The waiter has picked up my chair and fixed the glasses on the table. I take my seat, as red as a lobster. Asher reaches across the table and takes my hand.

“I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. I know
you went into this by yourself, but I have had the privilege of seeing you through the last half of your journey. You have brought such joy to my life. I think you are an amazing woman, and I look forward to wherever this new journey leads us.”

Asher

Seeing
Willow ring that bell with that smile on her face, I about lost it and cried. I love how excited she got when she opened her gifts. Giving to Willow and seeing her reaction is priceless. I wish I could have had a picture of her sitting in my lap showering me with kisses at the restaurant though. Glancing across the table she has the biggest grin on her face, and she covers her mouth with her hand.

“What’s so funny?”

“Your face,” she says. She can barely contain her giggles.

“My face,
what’s so funny about my face?”

“You have lipstick kisses all over your face.”
She reaches for a napkin. “Here let me wipe them off for you.”

“Are you kidd
ing, you’re not wiping them off. I love them,” I tell her, loving the smile on her face.

“You look like a goof.”

“Yes, well I’m your goof so get used to it.” I like the sound of her laughter. If sitting in a crowded restaurant with lipstick shaped kisses all over my face makes her laugh, then I have no problem with it. Dinner is wonderful and she seems to be really happy. I know she has a few more tests and the appointment to have her port removed. But all in all, she seems to have a glow about her. Being done with chemo must be a huge relief for her.

“I have an idea,
why don’t we drop by your house, pick up Lucy, and you both come spend the weekend with me at my house. We have a busy weekend, and it only makes sense to stay at my place.”

“
Alright, sounds like a good plan to me. Lucy will love exploring a new place.”

“Let’s go get you packed up then.” Heading to her place, she packs her things as well as things for Lu
cy. On the way back to my place the dang dog is sitting in her lap with her nose smooshed into my window. Walking in my front door, Lucy takes off in the house with her nose to the ground exploring. Putting Willow’s things in my bedroom, I come out to find her with her nose in the refrigerator.

“Are you hungry again?”

“No, I was just being nosy. I wanted to see what you stocked in your fridge.”

“Half the time I don’t’ even know what’s in there. My housekeeper comes twi
ce a week and stocks my fridge.”

“You have a housekeeper? Well
, I would think so with this big house and only you living here.”

Facing her
, I’m telling her with my eyes that this is the same house Olivia and I shared while we were married, hoping she can read minds.

“Willow,
” I start to say.

“This is the house you and Olivia shared?”
she says finishing my sentence.

“Yes, I never moved. I
never felt it was right.”

“Asher
, you don’t have to explain to me. I think it’s lovely. Why don’t you have any photos of her out?”

“I h
ad my sister take them all down. It was a really hard time in my life. Every day, I would come home and see reminders of her all over. They’re in a storage unit. Enough about that, it’s getting late. You have to be tired. You had a big day. What do you say we head on up to bed?”

“
Sure, but I want you to know this house doesn’t bother me at all. When you feel more comfortable, I’d like to see photos of the two of you. I want to hear all about her, she sounds like an amazing woman.”

Leading
her down the hall towards my bedroom, I can’t help but fall more in love with her. She’s not at all threatened by memories of Olivia. She’s more accepting of all of it than I could have ever hoped for. It’s such a relief, and I find that I want to share everything with her. I climb in bed while she changes into pajamas in the bathroom.

I leave my T
-shirt on and fold the covers back, waiting for her. She walks in wearing Scooby Doo flannel pajamas. The button-up top is unbuttoned with a tank top underneath. I grin at her, and she thinks that I’m a goof.

“What? Don’t you like Scooby Doo?”

“Actually I do, but I’ve never seen adult Scooby Doo pajamas before.”

“Where have you been living? You don’t eat chili with noodles
, and you’ve never seen adult Scooby Doo pajamas.” She stands at the side of the bed looking nervous. I pat the space next to me for her to join me. She hesitates, then grabs the flannel shirt and slowly takes it off and sets it on the end of the bed. Instantly, Lucy jumps up and plants herself in a little ball on the soft flannel shirt.

She stands there for a few seconds letting me look at her
, she’s beautiful. With our eyes locked together, I reach behind my back and pull my shirt off. Her eyes move slowly, traveling over my chest. I reach out my hand, and she places hers in mine and slides into bed. Rolling on her side I press my bare chest to her back holding her tight. Lacing our fingers together, she kisses my knuckles and places them under her chin. I bury my nose in her sweet-smelling hair, close my eyes and thank God for another chance to love someone as special as Willow.

Waking the next morni
ng with the warm sun on my face and an even warmer Willow draped over the side of my body, she lifts her head placing her chin on my bare chest.

“Good morning
, sunshine,” she says with a smile.

“Good morning
, sweetheart. How did you sleep?”

“
Mmmm, wonderful. Your bed is so comfortable, much nicer than mine. I just might not want to ever leave.”

“You know that could be arranged.” She places a kiss on my chest. Lucy walks up my body and curls up on
my chest next to Willow’s face.

“I think Lucy likes it here too.” Sitting up
, she heads to the bathroom, returns a few minutes later and snuggles back up to my side.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Amelia and Ava will be here soon to pick you up to take you shopping for a dress for tonight.”

“Amelia is coming too?” she asks surprised.

“Yes
, I invited her, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, I’m excited. Shopping with the girls.
Sounds like fun.”

“I thought you would like that. No arguing
, but I have an account set up for you with instructions for you to get everything you’ll need for tonight and tomorrow for dinner with my parents.”

“Asher
, no. That’s too much.”

With a kiss on her nose,
I say, “Ah, ah, ah, I said no arguing. Ava and Amelia have been instructed as well. Why don’t you get in the shower, I’ll head downstairs and make us some breakfast before you go.”

“You really are too much
, but it’s just too much fun for me to say no. Thank you. I’ll be down in a little while.” She reaches over and kisses me once before grabbing her bag and heading to the bathroom to shower.

“Come on Lucy, let’s go get you some break
fast and make Mom some too.”

I gently swat her on the ass
and give her a smile. She jumps with surprise and returns a sweet smile, then closes the bathroom door. Putting on a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, I pat my leg to call Lucy, “Come on girl, let’s go.”