Unconditionally

Chapter Thirty-eight

"Competition is good and has served us well." -Harold H. Greene

You know you're in trouble when you wake from sleeping on your boyfriend's chest to see your protective uncle glaring at you.

I gasp and hit Ashton on his chest as Uncle Henry keeps on glaring at us- mostly Ashton. I sit up and try not to fall off the couch. Ashton groans and slowly opens his eyes, but then comes to attention when he notices my uncle. He sits up also.

"Uh, good morning, Hen-"

Henry interrupts him. "It doesn't seem to be a very good morning does it, Ashton?"

"No, sir."

Hearing Ashton's answer makes my uncle smile, but not in a nice way. Sill walks into the living room with a dish towel on her shoulder. She rolls her and hits her husband with the white towel.

"Henry, I don't know why you always pick on the poor boy." She says.

I get off the couch and reach for the blanket that Ashton and I used last night and fold it back up. Ashton nonchalantly fluffs the throw pillows while not meeting Henry's eyes.

"They were sleeping together, Sill." Henry says.

"And you seem to keep on forgetting that they're teenagers, Henry," Sill gives Henry a final look before turning to us. "Now, breakfast is on the counter, ready for you guys to eat."

Ashton and I walk out the living room together while Sill and Henry stay back. I glance at Ashton. He rubs the back of his neck as he gets a plate and piles on scrambled eggs and strawberry jammed toast to his plate.

"I warned you that you'll get me killed." He says.

I laugh and fill my own breakfast plate. "I think we lived." I say with a mouth full of toast.

We head to the sun room and eat our breakfast in silence until we hear a scratching on the door. I set my cup of orange juice down and open the screen door that face's the lush backyard. A moment later a puppy rushes into the sun room, running head first into the glassed table.

Ashton grabs the cups in a panic before looking down to see Trouble licking his leg. I laugh and the screen door slams closed.

"Trouble, how have you been?" I exclaim in my puppy voice.

He runs to me and attacks me in slobbery kisses over my neck and cheeks. I rub his ears with a smile on my face, looking at Ashton. He's smiling too.

"How can you not love his cuteness?" I ask him.

Ashton rolls his green eyes. "Because I'm cuter?"

I snort and kiss Trouble's head with my lips dramatically puckered. After playing with him for a few more minutes, I stand up and finish my breakfast beside Ashton. We go in the kitchen with Trouble on our heels to wash off the dishes.

Ashton's cell phone rings and he takes it out of his pocket to answer. Right away I know who it is by their voice.

"I know, Mom," Ashton hands me the fork. "Okay, I'll see if I can get a hold of Carter. Bye."

I smile and close the dishwasher after putting everything in. "What does Cassandra want?" I ask him.

Ashton groans and wraps his arms around my waist. I laugh, trying to push him away but he has me locked.

"She wants me to start training." He grumbles from resting his head in my shoulder.

I furrow my eyebrows together in confusion. Giving Ashton one last push, he finally takes a step back.