Page 96 of Myself

“Hello, everyone,” she calls out. “What can I get you?”

“Tequila shots all around,” I say, knowing they’re Ashlyn’s favorite. If I can’t cheer her up, I’ll get her drunk.

Thomas leans back on his couch and places his arms across the back, smiling. Then he looks at Ashlyn and frowns. “What’s wrong with you?”

“She’s had a shit week,” I say.

She snorts. “You’ve had a shit week.”

Thomas crosses one leg over the other and smiles. “Well, sister, we got all night, so start filling me in.”

“It’s nothing,” I say.

“Nothing?” Ashlyn snorts and looks at Thomas. “She found out her mother was paying her boyfriend to be with her.”

“She what?” Thomas asks wide-eyed, looking at me.

I throw her under the same bus she threw me under. “She and Ryder broke up, and Bradley proposed to her,” I say, pointing over at her.

His head snaps to her. “You broke up with the king? And who the hell is Bradley?”

“The king?” I ask, pulling my lips back in disgust. Is he talking about my brother? Gross. “He’s no king.”

Thomas nods his head. “Oh, he is, honey.” He removes his arms from the couch and leans forward to put them on his knees and rest his chin on his hand. “Spill. Who is this other guy?”

She sighs heavily. “It doesn’t matter. They’re both gone, and I would rather not discuss it.” She looks back and forth between us. Thomas opens his mouth, and she adds, “Please?”

He closes his mouth and gives her a curt nod. The waitress returns and sets our first round of shots on the table.

Thomas and I both lift ours in toast, but before we can say anything, Ashlyn picks hers up and slams hers back. I set mine on the coffee table and slide it over in front of her; she takes it without thought. Thomas does the same, and then like mine, it’s gone. This time, I order two rounds for us.

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JAYCENT

I sit straight up in Becca’s bed when I hear her voice coming from the kitchen. I throw off the purple comforter and white sheet and slide on a pair of basketball shorts and head toward the sound. I come to a stop at the end of the hallway once I get a view of the kitchen. Becca stands with her back toward me with a beer pressed to her lips. Ashlyn stands in front of the open fridge, handing another beer to a man I’ve never seen before.

“Looks like you guys had fun,” I say with a smile.

Becca spins around, her brown hair slapping herself in the face. “Baby,” she says excitedly, and the sound of her voice tells me she’s drunk.

“Holy hell,” the man says. “Am I dreaming?” he asks, pushing his hip against the countertop as his eyes look me up and down.

Ashlyn laughs, and it sounds genuine. “No, that is Jaycent. Becca’s boyfriend,” Ashlyn states and then closes the fridge. “Would you like a beer, Jaycent?” Her words are slurred, but I smile. I’m glad they had fun tonight.

“No, thank you,” I tell her. “What time is it?” I ask no one in particular.

“Almost five,” Becca answers with a giggle.

My eyes widen. “In the morning?”

The man who was eye-fucking me looks over at Ashlyn. “He’s not as smart as he is good looking, huh?”

Ashlyn was taking a drink of her beer, and she spits it out as she snorts with laughter. Then she’s coughing, yanking a towel off the countertop and placing it over her face.

I laugh but say nothing. I’m just glad they had fun. They both needed it.

Becca laughs as she points at the man. “Babe, this is Thomas. Thomas, this is my boyfriend, Jaycent. Jaycent Barnett,” she says with a proud smile, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.

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