#Chapter 157: Maybe Someday Soon

“Yeah. Date,” Lamar said. “I’m taking Cynthia out tonight.” Asher’s attention turned to me. I immediately dropped my gaze, unable to meet his eyes. Soft as a whisper, Asher said, “Cynthia?” He made my name sound like a question, and I knew what he was really asking. He wanted me to confirm what Lamar was saying. He likely wouldn’t leave until I did. It took me longer to answer than it should have. Maybe I wanted him to stay. But prolonging this was only hurting us both. Even now, my heart ached. “It’s true,” I said. By some miracle, I kept the tremor out of my voice. “Lamar and I are going on a date.” I worded it carefully. A date. One date. Not dating, which implied multiple dates. Hopefully Asher could hear that specific detail. Yet when I glanced up at him, he was looking at me but also somehow staring straight through me, like he was a thousand miles away. This distance startled me, and before I realized what I was doing, I reached out and placed a hand on his arm