Page 56 of Shapes of Love
“Want to know a trick?” Asher places a gentle hand on Kai’s shoulder. “Focus on something else.” He hooks his thumb under Kai’s chin and redirects his gaze to the snow, grazing the roof of the buildings. “We don’t usually get snow in December. Beautiful, right?”
Kai stiffens. “I guess.” His eyes remain on Asher before he turns around and clears his throat, shrugging him off. “Move. I need space.”
Kai’s been warming up to Asher, even if he won’t admit it. He swings by our set every other day, claiming that the Wi-Fi is better in my trailer and he’d rather do his homework from there. He’s been showing Asher some of his drawings,too. It’s something he only does with the people he trusts. And Asher’s been taking him on a lot of walks, ever since the doctor said it was safe to take off the boot and he could start strengthening his ankle again.
“I wanted to bring you two here before you left,” Asher says. His gaze is lost on the skyscrapers in the distance, a hint of sadness in his voice.
I’m going to miss you.
“It’s not like you’re never going to see us again. You can, I don’t know, visit us sometime,” Kai says. His eyes seem to dim as he watches Asher. “Got any plans for winter break?”
“My parents and I have a few appearances scheduled.” Asher smiles, but it feels empty.
“Appearances?” Kai asks.
“Fundraisers.” He shrugs. “Our assistants are trying to make it work.”
“Your parents are going to make you spend your holidays doing photo ops?”
“It’s not all I’ll do. And it’s not like my parents are forcing me to. I don’t mind—in fact, I want to. My mum is on set for a few more weeks, and my dad has a foundation. It does a lot of good, but it’s a lot of work,” he says. “They’re good people, and they’re normal in private. They’re just busy. I’m busy, too. I have some scripts to read through, so I’ll probably do that while I hang out with Muse. Then, as soon as Mum is off, we’ll bake together and watch holiday movies, and we’ll go skiing with Dad, if we all have a day off.”
If we all have a day off, not when. My heart sinks. Asher’salways in the centrifuge—he’s been spinning since he was born. He doesn’t know what it’s like to get a break from it.
I don’t know his parents, or how much of the real him he allows himself to show them, although he did say they know he’s queer and support him. But his admission from the other night still hangs in my mind.I was a PR baby.
I’m sure he doesn’t want to disappoint them—his parents are both so perfect in public all the time, but it’s a lot of pressure to live up to.
“What are your plans? What’s Christmas like in Los Angeles? Must be sad not to have snow. I could never.”
“Well, Sash has this massive tree in her yard,” Kai says. “Her sister and I have plans for it. We’re going to decorate it with Legos and Playmobil instead of ornaments.”
“Sounds nice.”
I expect Asher to taunt Kai, since he’s good at building model kits, but he doesn’t.
“You could come with us,” I blurt out. Asher turns to me, probably startled since this is the most I’ve spoken today. “Spend the holidays in LA until your parents’ schedule opens up. No cameras. If you want to.”
Asher blinks. “I… Sounds like I’d be imposing.”
I stare at him, trying to decipher his reaction. Is he trying to turn me down politely or does he actually think he would impose on us? Maybe he doesn’t want to come. I wish he’d just say what he meant.
“You won’t,” Kai says, an urgency in his voice. “You can stay in my basement. We have an extra room.”
Asher grimaces. “In your basement? As in, the place that’s underneath your house?”
“What’s wrong with it? I sleep down there all the time.”
“If you want us to share a bed, just say so.” Asher smirks.
Kai grunts. “Fine. Book yourself a fancy hotel then.”
“Of course I will. Who do you take me for?”
“Does that mean you’re in?” I say, a tinge of excitement bubbling up in my chest.
Asher’s response is a warm smile. “Can I bring Muse?”
“Merry almost Christmas, Sasha,” Marissa says on the other end of the phone. “We’re finally in the same time zone. Good riddance. Did you miss LA?”
