He closed the door with him still inside before I could answer, effectively shutting the rest of the group out of the conversation.

“What’s up, Asher?” I asked, lowering my voice to a near whisper. I was deeply aware of Victor’s presence upstairs. And though Asher only wanted to give me a note or two, it still felt like I was doing something wrong just by talking to him.

“That’s the same question I had,” he said, lowering his voice as well. “What’s up, Dawn? One day you’re talking about going out with me after you file for divorce. But now your husband, who no one ever met before this year, is here and buying you overpriced food for your soft presentation? Kissing you in front of me? Picking you up from campus?”

I pause. Granted, I haven’t dated for ten years. But were guys really this entitled? How was this any of his business? “Okay, Asher, I understand that you’re upset, but I don’t think—”

“Are you getting back together with him?” Asher demanded, his voice pitching high. “After everything I did to make sure we’d be in the same city after you graduated? Do you think it was easy for me to get you that interview with Yinz Entertainment?”

What? He’d made it sound like all he’d done was put in a phone call in his email. “Asher, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to lead you on or anything like that. And I’m grateful for the job but—

Asher cut me off again. “But what? Are you trying to get back together with that rich asshole? Why? You think just because he’s here now, he won’t disappear on you again?”

Wow, this was crazy, but Asher was speaking out aloud all the hard questions I’d used on myself over the past couple of months to keep myself from falling head over heels for Victor again.

“No, I’m still getting a divorce,” I insisted to both him and myself. “It’s just…complicated.”

“Well, uncomplicate it for me,” Asher demanded. “Do you like me or not? Do you want to be with me or not? Because I like you. I want to be with you.”

I gawked at him. I get that he felt like I led him on or something, but I had never promised him anything. I mean, we hadn’t even kissed. Why was he acting so crazy over a date he never even asked me on? A date I would never agree to now after all this unnecessary drama?

“That’s what I thought,” Asher answered.