Small Town Pretender by Brighton Walsh

If Asher never stepped foot into another courtroom again as long as he lived, it would be too soon. The last time he’d been here had felt like a lifetime ago. Back when he’d been overwhelmed by grief and uncertainty over the future. Now, though the grief still swept over him in waves, it wasn’t the all-consuming tsunami it’d been in the beginning. The uncertainty, though… That was still weighing him down.

Before, he hadn’t known what the future would hold. Hadn’t known how to do any of this. Hadn’t known how to be the primary caregiver for two kids he’d only seen in small blinks of time.

Now, though, he knew Owen loved to rub Asher’s beard as he sang him to sleep. And though June fell asleep curled up in a ball, she woke upside down, sprawled in her bed. His nephew dreaded bath time, while his niece adored it so long as the tub was stacked a mile high with bubbles.

He’d kissed scraped knees, Googled home teething remedies, and even made a midnight drive to the twenty-four-hour pharmacy in Parkersville, all because of a fever of ninety-nine.

And through it all, Nat had held it together. Had kept their little family running, orbiting around her like she was the sun.

She’d certainly turned into his.

Even though he couldn’t see her right now, he felt her behind him. Her solid presence supporting him, unequivocally. He knew, no matter the outcome, she’d be there to support him. Even if that meant that, whatever the result, she wouldn’t actually be by his side while she did so.

Judge Seville cleared his throat and looked down at Asher over the rims of his reading glasses. “As you know, in cases involving child custodial rights, I have to look at much more than just the wishes of the parents, though those certainly play a large role in my decision. However, that’s not the only piece of information I need to consider.”

Asher folded his hands on the table and closed his eyes, a thousand memories flipping through his mind. Teaching June how to hold a guitar. Pushing Owen in a swing for the first time. Nat taking June up into her old tree house, Asher and Owen watching from the ground as the two had played peekaboo through the window, sending Owen into a fit of giggles.

“I took into account the reports from the social worker, the information Mr. Donovan sent over regarding the contract Mr. McCoy has signed for the publishing house, as well as several character witnesses who spoke to me on behalf of both Mr. and Mrs. McCoy.”

Fuck, it was strange hearing Nat referred to that way. Worse was the fact that she wouldn’t be that for much longer. Whatever happened today, Nat no longer had to be his wife.

He pictured June’s and Owen’s smiling faces just that morning as they’d wrestled him to the floor, Nat’s laughter ringing in his ears as she’d pulled out her phone to take a picture of them. She’d beamed at him, her smile bright and her eyes shining with love. No matter the outcome of this hearing, that was what he’d take with him.

“Based on those things,” Judge Seville continued, “I believe it is in the best interest of June and Owen Hayward that they remain in the custody of Asher McCoy and his wife, Natalie.”

Asher’s breath left him in a whoosh as the sounds of the courtroom merged together, the thudding of his heartbeat drowning out the rest of what Judge Seville said, as well as the Haywards’ reaction. Overwhelming relief and gratitude swamped him, knowing his sister and brother-in-law’s wishes would be carried out. Knowing the last of his family wasn’t leaving his side.

He stood, turning to face Nat, who met him with open arms.

“Told you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Everything worked out perfectly.”

“Yeah.” He wrapped her in his arms, closing his eyes as he squeezed her to him.

This was exactly the outcome he’d wanted. June and Owen were safe with him. He’d be able to raise them how his sister and brother-in-law had wanted. But still, he couldn’t ignore the pit in his stomach as he held Nat. He might’ve won guardianship of the kids, but that meant what had brought her there in the first place…what had kept her there…was no longer relevant.

Nat was free to go.

* * *

Prior to today,Nat hadn’t known she could feel overwhelming gratitude and dread all at once. Asher had won custody, and he and the kids would be a family. But that was the crux of the dread… Just Asher and the kids would be a family. Never mind that it’d started to feel a hell of a lot like she was part of that.

After the hearing, they walked into her parents’ backyard, stepping onto the patio to a chorus of congratulations. Her parents, Gran, as well as Rory and Nash, were there. Mac and Hudson had to work so they’d be by a little later, and Will and Finn were currently on their honeymoon. Both Mac and Will had already sent congratulatory texts with offers to talk if she needed it.

Talk because they knew the secret. Knew these congratulations weren’t meant for her because it wasn’t her win…wasn’t her family who’d been kept together. Even though it did feel like it was her heart breaking apart.

But because this was a celebration, she pasted a smile on her face and pretended everything was fine.

“Uncle Asher!” June yelled. “I baked a pie!”

“She sure did. Strawberry, Asher’s favorite.” Her momma walked over and enveloped them both in a hug. “I’m so thrilled for y’all. This is just the best news.”

“Yeah, it is,” Nat said, even as June tugged Asher from her side, their fingers separating in the space between them.

“We have to eat some now.” June pulled out a chair at the patio table before pushing Asher to sit.

With a laugh, he said, “Did you leave out the worms?”

“Should we have?” Gran asked from her spot under the table umbrella.

“We didn’t do worms, Gran,” June admonished. “Just strawberries and sugar and a whole lotta love. Right, Mimi?”

Nat’s breath caught in her throat.

“Right, sweetheart,” her momma said before turning back to her with worried eyes. “That’s okay, isn’t it? I just figured since y’all’re married and the kids are officially yours, best those little ones call me what all my grandbabies do.”

God, what had they done? Agreeing to this lie that didn’t involve just them. Yeah, the outcome was exactly what they’d hoped for, but at what cost? Everyone and their dog thought Nat and Asher were married. They were married. Both on paper and in her heart. But now, suddenly, they just wouldn’t be anymore?

“It’s fine, Momma. Perfect.”

Her mom blew out a relieved sigh and hooked her arm through Nat’s, pulling her toward the table where everyone sat.

“This must be such a relief for y’all.” Momma grabbed the dessert plates and started dishing up pie slices for everyone.

“Can’t tell you how much,” Asher agreed. “I was worried, but Nat never lost faith.”

“Nat’s certainty is pretty unshakable,” Gran agreed.

Rory sipped from her glass of sweet tea, one brow raised. “Some might call that bein’ bullheaded.”

Nat sat in the chair next to Asher. “Some might call you a—”

“Pie, sweetheart?” Momma interrupted, passing Nat a plate.

“Tryin’ to stop those two from arguin’ is like tryin’ to stop the sun from risin’,” Nash said.

“Swear they never retract their claws,” Gran agreed, accepting her own slice.

“There’ll be no fightin’ today. Not when we have so much to be thankful for.” Momma smiled at June as she helped pass out the pie, then to Owen who sat in his high chair, then finally settled her gaze on Nat. Her smile widened as she glanced down to where Asher’s hand rested on Nat’s thigh—something she hadn’t even noticed because this had all become second nature to them.

Nat picked at the pie, finally sliding it over to Asher to finish. “Well, I can tell you this now since we know the outcome, but I was fakin’ every bit of that confidence I swore I had.”

“You little liar.” Asher squeezed her thigh.

“I was worried for y’all, too,” Rory said. “But Edna was tellin’ me Judge Seville couldn’t walk three steps around town without someone commentin’ on y’all. Couldn’t even grab a cup of coffee without someone bendin’ his ear. Sounds like y’all had more character witnesses than just Daddy.”

Nat’s gaze snapped to Rory before she turned to her father. His cheeks had flushed, and he found his half-eaten slice of pie awfully interesting. “Wait…Daddy was a character witness? Judge Seville never said who—”

“Well, not in an official capacity, of course. Just as a concerned father.” He cleared his throat and avoided eye contact. “My name doesn’t carry much weight anymore since I’m not the mayor, but I didn’t think it was right, what the Haywards were doin’, is all. Y’all deserve to be a family.”

Her daddy had spent the early years of her life doing everything he could to bail her out of any bit of trouble she’d gotten herself into. With his money and his connections. But never with his words alone. Never for something good, instead only to keep their pristine name shiny and untarnished. And though she’d never had to face consequences thanks to him, it had always felt like a power move more than anything. But this—him speaking out on their behalf—felt a lot like love.

“Did you put sunscreen on that bald patch at the back of your head? You’re gonna get burned,” Nat finally said, her voice thick with emotion.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Rory slapped her hands down on the table and rolled her eyes. “Y’all love each other. Fantastic. Now can we eat this pie in peace?”

“First, I’d like to propose a toast.” Momma held up her glass filled with sweet tea. “Congratulations on officially becomin’ a family. Daddy and I are both just so thrilled it means all our girls are finally home.”

* * *

Asher had known grief.He’d learned it when his momma died, and then his dad. Had healed from that and come out on the other side, only to get swept under the wave again when his sister and brother-in-law passed away. Coming back to Havenbrook, he’d felt a little like he was a life raft, floating in the middle of the ocean with those two kids on his back.

But then Nat had stepped up when he’d needed her, and her family had taken them into their fold. He’d been a part of the Haven household since he was six years old, but he’d never felt that more so than he had today.

The only trouble was, it was all a lie.

“Thought this was a celebration.” Nash dropped into the chair next to Asher and passed him a beer.

He accepted it without hesitation because God knew he needed a drink. “Thanks.”

“Since we’re supposed to be celebrating, you wanna tell me why you look like you did when you dropped your ice cream cone on the sidewalk during the second-grade field trip?”

Asher cracked a grin, his gaze locked on Nat as she helped June attempt a cartwheel in the yard. “I am celebrating. You even brought me a drink.”

“Yeah, except your face doesn’t say quite say celebrating as much as car-ran-over-my-dog.”

That was pretty spot-on then, since he felt a hell of a lot worse than someone running over his nonexistent dog.

He blew out a breath, his gaze focused on the beer bottle cupped in his hands. “I don’t know what you want from me, Nash. I’m happy. June and Owen are officially mine. What more could I possibly want?”

Nash snorted and leaned back in his chair, his beer bottle braced on one knee. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a certain beautiful, troublemaking best friend we share?”

“Just drop it, all right?”

Nash leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Look, man, we’ve got two decades of friendship under our belts, and I’ve never once let you take the easy road. That’s not how this works between the three of us. So, I’m sure as hell not gonna start now.”

“You’re tellin’ me fightin’ for these kids has been easy?”

“You know damn well I’m not talkin’ about the kids. I’m talkin’ about Nat and you lettin’ her go.”

He snapped his gaze to Nash, anger burning in his gut. “And you think that is easy? You think I want to let her go? She did me a favor, comin’ here.”

“Don’t kid yourself.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Seein’ y’all together…it’s more than a favor, and you know it. Everyone can see it, so why can’t you?”

“It’s not more than that,” he said firmly. “Besides, we had an agreement. She’d stay just till I was named permanent guardian. And now that I am, she’s free to go.”

“You ever think about tellin’ her you might like her to stay?”

“Why the hell would I do something like that? You and I both know Havenbrook isn’t where she belongs. She’s never belonged here. And I’m sure as hell not gonna hold her back from a life she wants to live, just because I’m selfish enough to want her to stay.”

Nash expelled a heavy sigh. “Just talk to her, all right? I’ve known you two apart, and I love you both, but there’s something special about you two together.”

Not special enough to make her throw everything away for a life in a town she’d always been too big for.

“Are y’all havin’ a Nasher meetin’ without me?” Nat asked, dropping into the chair on the other side of Asher.

Nash snorted. “We haven’t done that since you threatened to rip our balls off in fifth grade if we ever thought about doin’ it again. You’ve always been a mouthy thing, haven’t you?”

“You probably want me to say I’m sorry, but I’m not. Where would you two fools be without me?”

Nowhere Asher wanted to be, that was for damn sure. He just didn’t see another option.

“Probably have spent the past twenty years with a hell of a lot fewer bruises,” Nash said.

Asher cracked a grin. “Fewer trips in the back of cop cars, too.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” she asked before pushing to stand. “It’s gettin’ late, so we should probably head out. I’ll go grab Owen. Rory’s hoggin’ him inside.”

“Sounds good.”

He watched her walk away, his gaze never straying from her. She turned and said something to Gran, a smile lighting up her face, and his heart soared and broke at once. He didn’t know what the hell to do. Only that watching her leave was going to be the hardest thing he ever did.

“Sure,” Nash said. “Nothing there. Right.”

“Fuck off, would you?” Asher downed the last of his beer and set the bottle on the table with a clink. “I can’t deal with your bullshit right now. I just got the kids…I still need to go through Aubrey and Nathan’s things. June’s in therapy. And now that this is all final, Nat and I need to figure out how the fuck we’re gonna tell her family. You know, the ones who are thrilled to have all their girls back home.”

Nash slapped a hand on Asher’s back, harder than necessary. “I’m there if you need help sortin’ through your sister’s things. And any time you want an ear as y’all are doin’ the therapy thing, you let me know. As far as the Havens? Well…if you’d get your stubborn head out of your ornery ass and tell Nat how you’re feelin’, maybe you wouldn’t have to tell them anything at all.”

“Asher,” Gran called. “Be a sweetheart and grab me my reading glasses from the kitchen island? June wants me to read her this book before y’all leave.”

“You got it.” He stood, grabbing his empty bottle to toss in the recycling bin.

“Just think about it,” Nash said.

Yeah, like Asher hadn’t spent the past month thinking about it. Hadn’t spent the past week trying to figure out a solution. Hadn’t written a fucking song about it.

He strode toward the French doors that led into the house, his emotions a jumble inside. Today had been so bittersweet—the celebration of no longer having to worry about his niece and nephew being taken away mingling with the one thing he’d known was coming.

Gran’s reading glasses were just where she said, sitting next to the baby monitor on the counter which crackled with Owen’s happy baby babbles, along with Rory’s and Nat’s voices.

“Y’all’ve been lookin’ awfully cozy together,” Rory said. “And don’t think I didn’t notice you sneakin’ off to the dressin’ room at the wedding. Never thought I’d say this, but the family life suits you.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“And I don’t know what to tell you. I saw what I saw. So, what’re y’all gonna do now?”

“Probably head back home.”

“You know I don’t just mean tonight. I’m talkin’ about you callin’ that place home.”

There was a pause where Asher held his breath, waiting for her response, knowing he shouldn’t be listening but unable to help himself. Maybe Nash was right and he should just ask her. Tell her how he was feeling and see if she might be feeling the same.

But then Nat laughed, and the sound shot daggers into his heart. “C’mon now, Rory. You know as well as I do that Havenbrook isn’t home. Hasn’t been for a long time, and I don’t imagine it’ll ever be.”

Asher closed his eyes, the crushing weight of her response settling on his chest. It didn’t matter what Nash thought he saw. What Rory—or anyone else, for that matter—thought they saw either. Not when, in the end, Nat didn’t want this life. She didn’t want to be stuck here. Not with her family and not with the family he’d strapped her with.

So, he was going to do what had always been the plan…what they’d agreed to at the start. He was going to let her go.