CHAPTER TWO: FINDING A WAY OUT

Five weeks later, Ashton scowled at his computer screen for several minutes and when it didn’t respond, his scowl got even deeper. Computers could be so stupid sometimes. Being a computer engineer himself, he knew how dumb they could be. Couldn’t do anything properly until precisely programmed.

He scowled again at his secretary who was peeping in his office. Humans could be so stupid sometimes. Being a human himself, he could easily sense how foolish some people were. Couldn’t do anything properly until precisely tuned.

Again he sighed. Or maybe it was one of those days when he was simply in a bad mood. Happened too many times lately however. Maybe it was because of the gloomy weather. Or maybe of the routine work. He was simply bored. Had been feeling that way for far too long a time now. Maybe he should just take a break, go away for a long holiday. Problem was that he had done exactly that some months back and it had not helped at all!

Tabbing the top of his pen on and off and tried to concentrate on his work but his mind drew a blank. Annoyed, he saved the program he had been working before quickly exiting it.

“What’s bugging you, Cooper?” he chided himself looking pensively out of the window.

Somehow, he knew the reason of his foul mood but was afraid to admit the truth, even to himself. It had begun ever since he had heard that his best friend and partner Jake Crighton was getting married. They had been best friends since first day at high school. And he had been forcibly married to their childhood friend Rachel Lloyd by his father Devin. But he and Jake had been inseparable ever since. When he had fallen in love with his wife, they had drifted apart. It was not intentional but Jake had other priorities in life while he was still standing at the same place he had ten years ago.

It was not that he was jealous – more probably envious and it had got him thinking and he hated that. Thinking. Was a stupid unnecessary process. Was it time for him to settle down? He couldn’t avoid thinking of such stuff. Usually it was the job of his mother to worry about such kinda of bull.

What the hell was the matter with him? He was still pretty young in his early twenties and could still have everything he wanted. Maybe that was the problem finally; that he could have everything he wanted. And that made life become so boring. He was no cynic but merely someone who had lived life and witnessed its reality.

Or perhaps he was reacting too hastily. He still had lot of time to choose his bride-if he ever wanted to. Problem was there was nobody in his life to which he wanted to get married to. There was no woman on this planet that wouldn’t be ready to jump on his bed at his request. Or maybe there was one. The ‘Miss Touch me not’. And she would never do it. Not even out of pity. Would prefer murder him to even think about it.

Involuntarily, he smiled to himself. There was absolutely no problem in that matter for he hated her with same, if not more vehemence. Had begun since childhood and he could not remember feeling anything other than hatred for her.

Ohh!! Now that was a very big lie. Even he could not deny the flagrant desire he felt for her every time he went near her. It was one of the major reasons he hated her so.

“Get a grip Cooper. There’s no way she’ll sleep with you not even if you were the last man on Earth,” he said to himself mimicking her tone. And succeeded so wonderfully that he had to let out a hoot.

“My, my. Are we in a good mood or what?” queried Jake peeping at him, looking sinfully happy.

“Welcome back, pal,” he greeted brightly. “You could not have had a better timing. So how was your paternity expedition?”

“It was simply Heavens! I think that married life suits me.”

“I can see that,” he sneered.

“And how about you? How have you been doing without your bestest friend and ever dependable partner?” Jake asked grinning as he sat on the desk and snatched the file out of Ashton’s hand and studying it. 

“Pretty much as you can see. I have not even finished the latest contract yet, and there is still the maintenance part for the GEMS software” he sighed tiredly. He was referring to their last software his company Ashware Inc. had developed for one of their biggest clients and it seemed that their requirements were changing every day. Which suited them just fine because it meant more money. But they were starting to get demanding and out of bounds.

“That’s no problem. We’ll work on it together afterwards. So how’s your personal life?” Jake asked casually closing the file. So casually in fact that Ashton immediately sensed that something was amiss.

“Funny you should ask such a question,” he treaded carefully, without giving much away.

“Why?”

“Because I was thinking about how empty my personal life was lately,” he delivered deliberately supplying an opening line to know what was on his mind.

“Exactly!” his best friend exclaimed unknowingly rising to the bait. “And that’s why I think you should drop in for dinner tonight.”

That made him even more suspicious. Usually for the past two weeks when Jake or Rachel invited him over for dinner, Rachel’s best friend Kyra Hart had always been ever present.  

Everyone in the family knew that Devin Crighton, Jake’s father was a hopeless romantic and he had picked up some clue during the recent family gatherings that he wanted to get him married to Rachel’s best friend. He was damned if they thought he would play along as Jake had. He was smarter and had a dare devil attitude and would never never give in to such obnoxious demands. Ashton would find a way to outsmart them if ever they decided to put him in a tight spot.

“Who else is going to be there?” he queried treading carefully.

“You could bring someone.”

“Someone? Who?” he asked puzzled now at the mystery Jake was trying to set.

“I don’t know. A date.” Jake answered groaning as he stood, stretching his stiff muscles as a pretext to be casual.

He scowled. “I’m not dating anyone.”

“Really? Surprise me?” Jake asked grinning mischievously.

“Cut it out, Jake. What’s with you? I’m not interested. Only curious I must admit.”

“Fair enough but it’s not a big deal. She’s just a friend of Rachel’s and we invited her to diner. And I thought of inviting you too. No big deal, as you see.”

“What’s her name?” he queried suspiciously.

“Why are you so suspicious, man?”

“Be-cause my best friend I know you are trying to fix me up with that Kyra and I have already told you that I’m not interested in her. I get quite awkward around her now and I don’t want to repeat such an encounter.”

“Ok,” Jake answered raising his hand in defeat. “Heather Knight I think.”

Ashton stared at him for several seconds as if trying to test the truth of his statement then finally conceded. Fine maybe he was telling the truth after all. But he was still not interested. And suddenly remembered to ask.

“Is Selena going to be present too?”

Jake sighed heavily.

“Ok, ok. Sorry about being such an old stick in the mud. It’s just that I am tired and don’t want any encounter with Selena, at least not tonight.”

“Why? Afraid you wouldn’t be able to resist her?”

Those words froze him to the spot and he sat rigid for a long time before finally being able to face his best friend with a neutral expression. “What? What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. I’ve seen you two for the past two months. Your quarrels are getting redundant and I’m sure you try to get under her skin because she gets under yours.”

 “I hate her,” he pronounced solemnly.

“Aw come on, buddy. You’re not kids anymore, you know. Things can change. So why don’t you let go of the past and start afresh with her?”

“Whoa! Are you through? Is this my personal life we are talking about?” he snapped at his best friend.

“Are you telling me to back out, pal? After the way you had raped my personal life before I accepted that I was in love? No way!” Jake replied chuckling delightfully, appearing pleased by the prospect that his friend was in a dilemma.

“How did we even get started on such a conversation? Just imagine me and Selena. It would make such a wonderful horror movie!”

“I guess it’s a good sign that you didn’t deny the fact that you’re attracted to her.”

“Oh gimme a break, Jake. I’ll come to the damned dinner if it means so much to you,” he finally said throwing down his pen in a fit of temper. “I’m not asking much of you, only to butt out of my life. I know you care and believe me it touches me deeply. But please I can make my own decisions thank you very much.”

“I’ve never taken a decision for you. I’m only suggesting that you and Selena set some sparks when you are together. Since none of you are interested, it would probably never happen. End of story.”

“Exactly! That is what I have been trying to tell you since the beginning!” he delivered in a loud voice glad that his office was sound-proof. At least nobody could hear the presumptuous suggestions his supposedly best friends was throwing his way.  

“Ok,” shrugged Jake care freely, opening a bottle of ice tea from their small office fridge. “Can I ask you something?”

Ashton sighed heavily making him know that he didn’t appreciate such interference. However, Jake threw him a sheepish grin and looked at him expectantly as he’d done as a kid when he’d wanted Ashton to do his homework.

He sighed again.

“Shoot,” he finally conceded impatiently.

“Have you ever kissed her?” Jake queried casually ignoring the indrawn breath.

Ashton was simply outraged!

“What the hell! Do I have to…?” he exploded and Jake cut him with an upraised hand and looked at him candidly before replying.

“If you don’t want to answer that’s fine. I was only wondering about something.”

Despite himself, he found his curiosity growing. “What thing?”

“You have to answer me first.”

“Ok. No,” he finally growled in a voice that told Jake clearly how displeased he was.

He slapped his hand as if he had been expecting that same reply. “So, do you want to kiss her when you’re around her?”

“What are you getting at?” Ashton asked puzzled.

“So why don’t you try it out?”

 “Jake have you been listening? I hate her!”

“Ashton!” Jake repeated in the same tone. “Do you have to love her to kiss her? Don’t you know how it’s done?” he asked in a mild tone as if talking to a child. “What are you so afraid of, anyway? It would only be a kiss. No big deal. Let’s see whether it sets a spark?”

“Set a spark?” he repeated hotly. “Holy Jesus, why don’t I kiss all the ladies in the town while we are at it just to see whether it would set a spark?” Ashton yelled.

Jake threw him a look that sent a thousand of messages but he was not one to be scared by the attitude of Ash. He knew him since they were kids and he used sarcasm as an arm of defense whenever something didn’t go as he planned. 

Ashton paused and sighed. He never understood how his conversations always got around Selena McKenzie. She, who wasn’t supposed to be involved in his life in any way. And what the hell? Last he knew, Jake had been trying to set him up with Kyra. Now suddenly, he was so keen on him kissing Selena. What the hell was going on?

“Cut the crap, buddy. Why do you want me to be with Selena now instead of Kyra?” he said in a weary tone. Things were getting out of hand now. There was no way in hell he was going to kiss Selena McKenzie and he had several reasons for that. First being, the chick hated even the sight of him and if ever he tried to kiss her, she would slap him and Ashton was too proud to even undertake such a risk.

“Hell, no! I never wanted to fix you up with Kyra. It was dad and Rachel’s idea,” Jake admitted and looked as if he had made the mistake of his life by revealing such a secret.

“Aha! So you admit that it was part of the plan?” Ashton cried out too happy to have discovered their sordid affair.

Jake appeared guilty as hell. “Well, they have thought about…”

“Hell! I knew there was something fishy going on here. I can still remember the last time they locked us in a room for two whole hours! I’m so going to throw that in their face now.”

“Ash, listen. Don’t do anything foolish okay?”

Ash frowned. What did his friend mean by that? He asked him the question and Jake sighed resignedly.

“I don’t know. I know you. You will try something out of the norm just to prove that you are not going to be defeated. But you know you will eventually love the woman dad has chosen for you and before you realize…”

“Hell! No way!” Ash cried out in fury. The damn old man was really out of his mind if he thought he would marry the woman of his choice. He had not given anyone the right to interfere in his personal matters and would never allow it to happen.

“Welcome to the club pal.” Jake said in a sympathetic voice. “I think I have a solution for you.” he said finally taking pity on his friend’s state and ash cocked his eyebrows at him in question. “But you’ve admitted to be attracted to Selena and..”

“I’ve admitted no such thing!” Ash protested. He was confused.

“Okay! You hate her?” Jake asked and Ashton was surprised he needed such confirmation. What the hell? Wasn’t it obvious?

“Of course I do!”

“And there’s no way in hell you are going to fall for her or vice versa? Right?” Jake asked and Ash frowned at him not having a clue where he was trying to get.

“Yes, dude. Hell, even the thought of kissing her has sent me in my hibernate mode, if you know what I mean!” Ash said in his mocking voice although he knew it was an outright lie. The thought of kissing Miss McKenzie had done the exact opposite; it had sent his libido into action and he was trying his best not to show his discomfort to his best friend.

He was damned if he admitted that he was attracted to Selena. Everybody would make such a fool out of him and it was not as if he fancied her. Sexual chemistry always had the bad timing of being present where it was least expected and Ash was not going to make a big deal out of it.

Jake grinned at him in glee. “Then my dear brother, your problem is solved! There is no way my father is going to win this time.”

Now he was talking!

Ash was interested now. He was sure his friend had finally found a way out for him and they were finally able to get to something. If Devin thought he would accept marrying Kyra Hart, the bride of his choice without a fight, he could think twice! Even if his best friend had married, he knew it would be a terrible mistake for him to do so. He was a free bird liked to live dangerously and marriage would change his whole lifestyle something which he wasn’t prepared at all. And the thought of committing to one woman for his entire life gave him goose bumps of disgust if ever such a thing existed!

Hell, he had not even been impressed at the sight of the baby at the hospital one month ago as the others had been. Ashton Cooper was not one to go goo-goo eyed over as insignificant thing as a baby. He was simply not husband or dad material and would never be.

He had always thought that Selena was a piece of art like he was and when she had cried at the sight of the baby, he had been disappointed. And there he was thinking that he had finally met a female version of himself; his match.

Even if his parents had tried their best to give him familial stability and had been very much in love with each other. It was against his maverick nature, he sometimes wondered. Domestic life was not his cup of tea and the sooner the others realized that, the better off he will be.

“Yeah? Pray tell,” he mocked feeling excited for the first time in months.