For Better or Hearse

by Ava Hunter

“I will be on guard,” she says. “But I will also be on my bullshit.” Augustus cackles.

“Apologies for the inconvenience of being a type-one diabetic,” Ash says calmly but sharply. “I can drop dead if you prefer.” Her response is met with nothing but silence

“I don’t want to be a main character. I want to be that statue in the corner of the room that sometimes gets mistaken for a ghost and scares the shit out of people.”

“We need a task force that stops white men from starting podcasts for no reason.”

Ash stands from the table. Moves into prime coconut position.

her heart has been wrapped in thorns. Stopping it from blooming. Though she wouldn’t get rid of them if she could. She likes those thorns. They cut. They protect.

She’s wide awake. The whirring of her brain won’t be silenced. It’s on a tilt-a-whirl ride to anxiety land, and she’s the lone passenger.

Instead of forcing me to play sports, they let me be me, and now I’m this person who has no talent or ambition. All I do is float through life like an unsatisfied wraith.”

“Don’t feel like you have to answer. I’m a doctor. I’m naturally—” “Nosy,” she finishes. Expression soft, he says, “I was going to say curious.”

Delaney stares at Ash. She’s practically bouncing on her toes, like she’s ready to erupt. “I swore I wouldn’t. But I am.” “Am what?” Nathaniel asks. Delaney traces Ash’s form. “Vibing with her.” Nathaniel groans. The last thing he needs is for the two of them to bond.

“Please don’t take my horsey,” Ash says, sitting cross-legged on her lounge chair. “I like it.” As they sit in companionable silence, Augustus examines the chessboard on the small table between them. Then her horse is knocked over. “Apologies in advance.” Two more moves, and Augustus has checkmate. Ash throws her hands to the sky. “You’re a cruel and cunning man, Augustus.”

“Maybe that’s the problem. You’re focusing on money, not your family. Don’t be like that old white man from Jurassic Park, Augustus.” He nods. “Denial.” “Bingo.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Ash says as she passes the people. “He’s a nepo baby. No one ever said no to him when he was a child.”

It must be the tequila. This is why Tessie always warns her away from the stuff. One sip, and she loses her marbles.

Ash dips her head. Wills the image to be deleted from her mind. Hotness overload.

Pulling back, he touches the flower in her hair. “When I saw this,” he rasps, “I knew that I’d waited too long.” Her breath hitches. “Too long for what?” “To tell you what you mean to me.” Emotion clogs her throat. “Nathaniel—” “Tomorrow, that plane,” he whispers. “It’s not how I lose you.” Her head spins. Her heart pounds against her sternum. “It’s not?”

“She’s an angel among us, but she doesn’t know much about minding her own business.”

She purrs, tugging him back into bed with her. “You leave, I kill you.” Hovering closer, he kisses her lips. “You act so tough until it’s time to cuddle in bed.”

“I love you. Until this world ends and our sun is nothing but a shriveled, dead star, I will love you.”

Love isn’t about fixing yourself so that someone loves you. It’s about finding the right person to love you as you are.