Page 358 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

“Maybe I was trying to avoid you,” I tell her, not completely joking. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to Ashtyn, it’s just that I know what she wants to talk about, and I’m just not ready for that.

“Are we going to talk about it?” I hate when she uses her soft voice. It’s the one she used the day I told her the truth about Ian and how our engagement was a sham. It’s also the same one she used when she asked me again and again if I was sure that moving to Moose Falls to be close to my dad was the right choice. Not that I’m happy about moving back into the same house as my dad, but I knew I’d be safe and that if I failed at getting my life together, I wouldn’t be on my own to pick up the pieces this time.

“Nope, not today.”

“Lo, you need to talk to someone about it. You can’t keep all this anger and resentment you have toward Ian locked up inside. It’s going to turn you into a manhater.”

I close my eyes and flop back on my bed. It’s dangerous to close my eyes after thinking about Hendrix because the images that fill that space are not at all appropriate to be having about a man I don’t even know that well.

“I’m not sure that’s possible, Ash.”

There is a beat of silence after my words.

“You met someone?” There’s no accusation in her tone, but I can hear the already that didn’t follow her question. It’s not like my ex waited for my side of the bed to be cold before he moved on, so why should I?

“I have not met anyone.” Technically, it’s not a lie, considering the fact that I actually met Hendrix a couple of years ago. “More like I was reintroduced to someone.”

“Seriously, though, you met someone?” I want nothing more than to change the subject, but if I know anything about Ashtyn, it’s that she’s like a dog with a bone when she wants to talk about something. There is no way she’ll give up.

“I just spent some time talking to one of the guys at the rehearsal dinner. That was it, nothing more.”

“Harlow, you’re forgetting I know you better than anyone. You totally met someone.”

Groaning, I tip my head back looking at the ceiling. Ashtyn is right, she knows me better than anyone and no doubt can tell I’m hiding something from her. “Fine. I may have hooked up with someone at the rehearsal dinner, and again at the reception.”“You what?” Her squeal is so loud I can’t be sure it hasn’t caused some sort of damage to my hearing.

“You heard me, and no I’m not ready to talk about it.”

“Oh come on, you can’t drop that big of news on me and expect not to talk about.”

“We will, I’m just not ready right now, not before I have to head out to meet my dad and spend hours working in the studio. I need to have a bottle of wine to get me through this conversation.”

“Fine but at least tell me who it was. Was it one of the players? Come on, Harlow, give me something here, would ya?”

“Fine, it was one of the guys on the team, but that is all I’m going to tell you.”

“Which one was it?”

“No!” I shake my head in refusal and sit back up in my bed so fast that it takes a second for my blood flow to settle back to normal and relieve my head rush. “I know why you want to know, and I in no way approve of you searching for him online. I don’t want to know anything about him that would make it difficult for me to remain acquaintances.”

“Aren’t you even the least bit curious if he dates a ton of models or if he’s married? I mean, seriously, what if he has a criminal history and you’re hanging out with this guy? I am seriously disappointed in your lack of judgment.” I roll my eyes, knowing she can’t see me and even if she could, she wouldn’t give up because once she gets started, there is no stopping her.

“I’m pretty sure that stalking the guy isn’t going to help me get over any lingering resentment I have toward men in general.”

“You’re absolutely right, but it might help you decide whether or not he’s the right person to have your first post-engagement sex encounter with.”

I laugh. It amazes me how her mind works. I’m pretty sure the bulk of her insanity comes from her never-ending string of bad luck with guys. It may have been an engagement that was as fake as the orgasms I’d been having, but at least my bad choices stopped with one man, rather than trying out all of the bad decisions.

“You make it sound like I’m going to be abducted by an alien or something.” We both laugh at the absurdity that is us. “In all seriousness, Ash, I’m just not ready. I love you...”

“I hear a ‘but’ in there.”

“But I can only handle one person butting into my love life, and even that is pushing it.”

“Oh God, is your dad still trying to set you up with one of the nice guys at the supermarket?”

I laugh, thinking of the last guy my dad tried to set me up with. “He tried to set me up with a ball boy!”

The sound of Ashtyn’s laughter rings in my ear, and I have to pull the phone away so I don’t lose my hearing. I turn the phone and stick my tongue out at her and her laughter at my expense.

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