~ ZARA ~
If I'd been drinking I would have sprayed my mouthful everywhere.
"Your—what now?!" I gasped.
"My wife," Ash said, looking like the cat who'd gotten the cream.
For the briefest second I got nervous. Was this a ploy? A way to get my attention—if so, it wouldn't work. But to my relief, his eyes didn't stay on me, but drifted back over his shoulder, towards the door, as if he wanted to go back to her. As if he was looking for her. As if he'd momentarily forgotten about me entirely.
Oh, thank God.
"Ash…" I couldn't breathe for a second. He turned back to face me, blinking like he was pushing other thoughts from his mind to focus. And I knew that feeling so distinctly, I couldn't help smiling. "Congratulations, Ash. I'm really happy for you."
He smiled and nodded. "Me too. And she's… she needs me," he said with a sheepish shrug. "She's been so mistreated…"
