Chapter 2

Asher's POV

Lucinda fell silent for a few seconds. Then, she retorted, "There's no point in making comparisons like that."

"Right. There isn't," I said. I closed the bedroom door and tucked the expired queue ticket into the recipe book Mom had left behind.

The pages were open to the recipe for pudding, still covered with the notes I had made while repeatedly tweaking it for our wedding dessert.

A few minutes later, Lucinda's phone rang outside the door. She answered in a hushed voice, "Are you home?"

I couldn't hear what was said on the other end, but her tone softened. "He's not mad. Don't worry about it. Go to sleep early. I'll wait for you to hang up."

I leaned against the back of the door, listening as she waited patiently for a full three minutes. In the end, Jace hung up first.

On the day we went to try on wedding outfits, Lucinda was 40 minutes late. The sales assistant had already helped me change into my third suit when she finally walked through the door with Jace in tow.

"Asher, traffic was bad," she said, glancing at her watch. "Jace happened to be nearby, so I picked him up on the way."

Jace held a gift box and said apologetically, "Asher, don't blame Luce. I took too long picking out the wedding favors."

I adjusted the cuffs of my suit and stood in front of the mirror. I asked, "Who asked you to do that?"

"I did," Lucinda answered for him, placing the gift box on the table. "The one you picked was too plain. Jace has good taste, so I asked him to choose another one."

The smile on the sales assistant's face faltered for a moment.

I had visited seven stores and revised the design five times before finally settling on those wedding favors. I had stayed up for several nights personally adjusting the colors and fonts on the packaging.

At the time, Lucinda had said she didn't care what I chose. But now, she found them too plain.

Jace unwrapped the new gift box. Inside was a clear glass cup, its rim adorned with a gold ribbon. "Young people these days like things that are simple and sophisticated. The one you picked before looked a bit old-fashioned. You don't mind, right?"

"I do mind," I snapped.

The smile on Jace's face faded.

Lucinda sat down on the sofa and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "We've already paid the deposit. We can't get a refund."

"Then keep it and give it to someone else," I said, turning back to the mirror and having the sales assistant straighten my bow tie.

Lucinda walked up behind me and said, "It's just a wedding favor. Don't make a scene in front of an outsider."

"Is he really an outsider to you?" I snarked.

She frowned. "Do you really have to nitpick every word?"

Jace quickly stepped back. "It's all my fault. If he doesn't like it, I'll compensate for the loss. Please, don't let this affect the wedding," he said apologetically, his voice growing quieter.

Lucinda patted him on the shoulder. "It has nothing to do with you."

I looked at the two of them in the mirror. She put his gift box away and pulled out a chair for him. Remembering that he had a sensitive stomach, she even had the iced lemon tea the sales assistant brought replaced with a warm one.

Meanwhile, I had been standing there for 40 minutes in a heavy, elaborate handmade suit. After she walked through the door, she hadn't even noticed which one I was wearing.

The sales assistant asked quietly, "Mr. Patterson, should I take another inch off the shoulder width?"

I was just about to answer when Jace suddenly pointed to a dark red men's suit on display. "This one is beautiful."

Lucinda followed his gaze and said, "If you like it, go ahead and try it on."

With that, silence filled the room.

Jace quickly waved his hands in refusal. "No, this is a wedding boutique. I'm not getting married."

"It's just a suit." Lucinda had the sales assistant take it down. She sounded so casual, as if she were simply shopping for a coat at the mall.

The sales assistant looked at me hesitantly. "Ms. Walker, that's the outfit Mr. Patterson chose for the toast."

Lucinda glanced at me and said, "He's about the same size as you. Trying it on won't hurt. Jace hasn't been in a very good place. What's wrong with letting him have a little fun? The suit can disinfect itself after he tries it on. Don't be so petty."

Before I could answer her, Jace was already smiling. "In that case, I'll only try it on for a little while. Asher is so generous. Surely he won't hold it against me."

Half an hour later, he walked out wearing the suit I was supposed to wear for the toast.

Lucinda looked up, her gaze lingering on him for a long moment.

Jace adjusted his collar. "Do I look good?"

"It's not bad," she answered.

"Do I look better than Asher?"

Lucinda picked up her phone and said nothing. But somehow, her silence was clearer than any other answer she could have given.

Jace walked over to the mirror with a smile, the hem of the suit grazing my side as he passed.

I reached up and removed the brooch.

Lucinda looked up at me. "What is it now?"

"I'm done trying on suits," I said.

"There are still two more."

"There's no point."

She glanced at Jace, who was looking in the mirror, then reached out and grabbed my wrist. "Asher, the wedding is only five days away. Don't be difficult."

But I gently pulled my hand free. I said, "You said it yourself. We're about the same size. So, let him try them on for me."

As I walked into the changing room, Jace suddenly called out, "Luce! The buttons are hidden in this shirt. I don't know how to undo it."

Lucinda had already walked over to him. Her fingers rested on my suit as she undid the hidden buttons.