Page 136 of Crystal Luna

Isaiah pressed her between them, running his nose over her neck. “We want you to be the happiest you can be here. If that means giving you time, then you have it.”

“We don’t want you to forget what we did,” Asher offered. “You can hate the past us all you want. We just want you to see that we are no longer those boys.”

“I can see that. It’s just hard sometimes.”

“And that’s okay,” Isaiah reassured her. “Sleep now, we can feel how exhausted you are.”

The next morning, Ash awoke to his arms empty, but with Vel’s fingers twisted with his. Isaiah was turned away, but her other hand had a tight grip on his shirt. He didn’t dare move, not wanting to wake her. Though just a few moments later, her eyes fluttered open and she took in her surroundings.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Asher whispered.

She let go of them both and sat up, rubbing her eyes. “I usually only slept this long with Heath.”

“So when you needed some rest you went to his house?”

Vel smiled fondly. “Heath wasn’t a very good cook. Curtis inherited Laureen’s skills in the kitchen, so we had dinner together once a week so the kids could have a meal that wasn’t burned.”

Asher couldn’t help but snort a laugh.

“I’d stay over after dinner,” she continued.”

It was likely because of his anger that she didn’t talk much about her time with Heath, so Asher stayed quiet just to see that smile on her face a little longer.

“It was something we all looked forward to. No matter how hard the week was, we knew we would enjoy that one night.”

Deeming the conversation finished, she stretched and crawled out of bed. He watched as she disappeared into the bathroom and returned a few moments later dressed in loose shorts and a tank top with her hair braided over her shoulder.

“Are you going to the gym?”

“No for a run.”

“I know you said only once a week, but can I join?”

Asher was elated when she nodded, but before they could leave Isaiah stirred and reached out for her.

“Late to the game, brother. She’s already up and ready.”

Confused, Isaiah sat up and looked around the room. “What time is it?” he mumbled.

“Seven,” she chuckled, turning to the door. “I’m not waiting on either of you so if you want to come along you better move your lazy asses.”

Isaiah didn’t know what he was getting himself into, but he leapt out of bed anyway. Asher filled him in through their link as they went to their rooms to change. A few minutes later, they hastened into the kitchen where Vel was finishing up her breakfast.

“Do you have a trail in mind?” Asher asked as he bustled around the kitchen to make himself something to eat.

“I saw one yesterday that seemed doable.”

“What’s doable for you is going to kill me,” Isaiah grumbled. He wasn’t in bad shape, but he’d spent far more time in the office lately than the gym.

“I’ll be right next to you,” Asher agreed. “Cardio was never my thing.”

Vel studied them with a tilt of her head. A few moments later, she seemed to have changed her mind. “What about a hike instead?”

“You don’t have to—”

Vel cut Asher off with a wave of her hand. “I made the plan without you. Now that you want to come along, I can adjust them.”

Isaiah’s posture relaxed “We would prefer a hike.”