Rules Of Engagement

Chapter 9 - Family dinner

Chapter 9 – Family dinner

Asher Kincaid

POV

I stand in front of my childhood home, and I feel nothing, but dread consume my entire being.

My hand tightening around Vana’s, after the afternoon we had we had to come here to my worst nightmare.

I wasn’t looking forward to tonight. If there was a way, I could cancel I would.

My father wouldn’t take no for answer I know that.

“The faster we go in, the earlier we can leave Asher…” Vana reminds me.

I nod. “Of course.” I reach for the door handle when the door swings open.

“Asher, Savy I’m so glad you could make it…” Ryan Michaelson smiles widely.

The woman always had a smile on her face. I knew what Savannah would look like when she’s in her forties. And it’s not bad…

I smile and hug her. “Its good to see you Aunt Ryan…” ignoring the fact that we saw each other yesterday.

I didn’t think her already wide smile could get any wider. By she proves me wrong when she grabs both Savannah and I into a tighter hug…

“You know Asher you’re like a son to me. I always wanted a son, and I got you…” she pauses to take Savannah and my hand into hers. “Next year this time the two of you will be married and off college you won’t have time for us anymore. I’m taking in the already little time I get with the two of you…” she gets teary eyed.

I felt bad, I pulled Aunt Ryan into my arms. Savannah looks the same, she’s teary eyed as well. Against my better judgement I pull Savannah into a hug as well.

“Oh, what do we have here? you already have my daughter you are getting greedy Ash; you can’t take my wife as well.” Bruce Michaelson teases.

I look up at him and smile. “What can I say? The Michaelson women just dig me…”

His smile widens and Aunt Ryan pulls away hitting my chest.

I break out in a fit of laughter. “You might actually hurt my feelings aunt Ryan…”

She playfully glares at me before hugging her husband.

We all walk together into the drawing room.

My parents are seated by the piano, my father playing and my smiling at him.

That causes my steps to come to a halt. I couldn’t believe it, the two had smiles on their stony faces.

“Oh, Brian, I forgot you played.” Aunt Ryan says walking up to them.

My father smiles at Ryan, “I had to learn Lydia said she would only date a man who played the piano.” He kisses my mother on the lips.

“Oh, I remember that. She only said that to get rid of you, but who would have thought that’s what made her fall in love with you?” Uncle Bruce says walking up to my father.

“Master Kincaid dinner is ready…” a timid maid says softly before leaving almost immediately.

My father gets up extending his hand to help this wife up. Our parents walk together making small talk.

I take a deep breath and Savannah and I make our way to the dining room.

We take our seats. My father sitting at the head of the table, Uncle Bruce on the other side, and their wives sitting on the left of them. Savannah and I take our seats beside her mother. which happens to be furthest from my parents.

“How is the Melgrove project coming along?” my father asks placing dishes in my mother’s plate.

I look at him. “There was a problem with the building plans. Savannah and I both investigated the incident. Someone is deliberately messing with this project. If the contractor didn’t pick up the discrepancies in the building plans before they got to work, we would have been set back by another six months.” I explained honestly. I then go on to explain how we’re investigating and how we’re going to deal with the issue.

My father seems pleased with my assessment and how we’re choosing to deal with the issue.

“I’ll have Jackson look into who is behind it. Also, I suggest hiring a few bodyguards to guard not only the site but the workers as well. We don’t know to what end they would try to sabotage the project.” My father suggests.

I nod. I was thinking about that. This project meant a lot to not only Savannah but Aunt Ryan as well. Her sister died of cancer a few years back this project is to help those who can’t afford medical care, the profits aren’t as much as what we would normally invest in, but Savannah’s been taking money out of her own pocket for this project.

Savannah’s aunt left her a pretty penny when she died so she’s using that money.

“Let’s talk wedding…” Aunt Ryan says excitedly.

“Yes, let’s. We have a list of things we have to get done before the wedding. And there are quite a few things we need your help with.” My mother smiles.

“Yes, we have to book you an appointment with a designer, we have to get Asher’s tux sorted, bride’s maid dresses, flower arrangements, venues, officiants, cake tastings, we have to hire a wedding planner. Oh, last but not least we sort out the number of groomsmen. We need to get dresses for ourselves as well, Lydia. We need to get our men into suits as well… is there anything I left out?” Ryan lists off excitedly, I’m not even sure she breathed through all of that.

My head felt like it was going to explode.

“Actually, I was thinking about getting marriage on the beach in Florence…” Savannah says surprising me, she never gave any hint that she cared for the wedding, and she cares about where to have the wedding?

“Florence?” Aunt Ryan asks.

Savannah nods. “We have a villa out there that’s right on the beach. We could have a beach wedding…” she sounds genuinely excited.

I look at Aunt Ryan and my mother to see what they’re going to say about her request…

“Of course, honey, it’s your big day. You’re only married once. The day is all about you. You can have whatever you want…” my mother says.

Savannah nods. “Thank you…”

“What about you Ash do you have any request for your big day?” Uncle Bruce asks.

I pull a face. “I don’t really know what my part in the wedding is other than show up in a tux and say I do, to the woman I love…” I smile leaning into Savannah and giving her a pick on the lips.

“Oh no you don’t you’re going to be here for every single detail of this wedding. If I have to drag here by the ears I will.” Aunt Ryan threatens me.

My eyes widen and I raise my hands in surrender.

By the time we left my parents’ house I was exhausted. When we got to our apartment, I took a shower. I shrugged on a pair of boxers and got into bed.

I was going to my messages.

{Hannah:

A I’m in LA for a shoot we should meet up}

I cringe, hell no… I remember Hannah, we hooked up on spring break in Miami. I deleted and blocked her number.

I’m getting married next week. I probably should delete all these girls’ numbers off my phone.

And I do exactly that. It’s not like I hook up with anyone when Savannah and I are together. It’s stupid to do it then, Savannah and I share the same views in the bedroom, we have the same s*x drive, and we don’t have to fake anything with each other.

I go through some of the texts from my friends.

{Cole:

Got a couple of rolls for you will stop by your place in the morning…}

Great, Savannah hasn’t given the weed she stole from me yet. and I’m not going to grovel or kiss her feet for it.

I sent him a thumbs up emoji.

{Lyle:

Hitting the gym before school wanna join?}

{Asher:

Sure, let me know what time.}

I’m reading my other texts when Savannah screams out my name.

Shit I forgot about that. I get out of my bed and grab my night gown before walking into her bedroom. I give her my widest grin…

“Though this is great, I honest to God forgot I even did this, this morning. This is a nice surprise…”

She glares at me. “Really Asher? Adding glue to my hand cream?”

“Childish, I know. But we’re playing for the long haul.” I cross my arms watching between a panic and anger for me.

“Relax, I used cheap kiddies glue, run your hands under hot water.” I told her.

She sighs walking into her bathroom.

She’s in for another surprise when she gets out her other hand creams. I added glue to all of them. I emptied out all of her hand creams and filled them with glue. And I did all of that while I was waiting for my clothes this morning. She cut all my clothes up, even my f*****g socks and boxers and expected me to just sit back and call defeat? Does she not know me well?

It might be petty pranks, but Savannah and I have been doing this for years. Neither one of us wanted to admit defeat. I wasn’t ever going to admit defeat. Not now, not ever.

“When will you ever call it quits, Asher?” Savannah asks walking out of the bathroom.

She walks over to her vanity and takes out a new hand cream from one of the drawers.

She soon discovers there’s glue in this one as well. She sighs bowing her head. “You added glue to all of them, didn’t you?” she asks softly.

“Of course, I did. That’s why I told you how to get it off your hands.” I say before walking out of her room.

I knew she would get back at me, I needed to be prepared. I needed to brace myself.

I walk into my room shutting the door behind me. I get into bed. I lay down staring at the ceiling. My arm is behind my head.

To think next year this time I’ll be a married man, I’ll be off the market officially. Can you believe that?

Savannah and I haven’t spoken about when we’ll have kids, if it was up to our parents, we’d already popping out babies. Or right after the wedding.

I don’t even think I really want kids, thinking about my own father scarred me for life. I do know when I do have kids, I won’t treat them like my father treated me growing up.

My children won’t be pawns in a game, they won’t be forced into a marriage, and they definitely won’t be forced to join a company they didn’t want to join.