Page 130 of Ashley & the A-Listers

Once Jordan took a seat beside Kenzie on the bar stools, they stared at her patiently, and Ashley sighed.

“Fine, we’ll get right into it, I guess,” she said, and they both nodded as if that was just what they were waiting on. “Okay, so you know Dylan,” Ashley began.

“Yes,TheDylan?” Kenzie asked.

Ashley nodded, and Jordan held out a hand to pause. “The one who left after kissing you on your eighteenth birthday and showed back up as the bodyguard for your mysterious client?”

Her cheeks were red-hot as she nodded. “Yeah, the same one.”

Kenzie stood up, hands on her hips. “Did you guys hook up?”

Jordan melted into the chair before she could answer, both hands lifted, fingers pressing to her temples. “Wow. Ten years later, huh?”

Ashley closed her open mouth, fiddling her fingers together in a tangle before answering. “Yeah, so. Uh, we’ve kind of reconnected the past few weeks.”

Silence. Ashley glanced up from mixing the stir-fry to find them both slack-jawed, eyebrows raised.

“Is he hot?” Kenzie asked finally.

He came in his pants last night to me riding his face, so…

Ashley ignored the blush on her face. “Yeah—yeah, you could say that,” she offered.

“Okay, so he came back into town for this job, this mutual client. You reconnected… is that why there was so much mail at your door?”

“Yeah, so. Uh. Fuck, fine, here,” she said, and tugged down her tank top strap, slamming her eyes closed. Excitement, giddiness, and fear all fizzled through her like a shaken champagne bottle. After all the times she’d cried over Dylan and told them his worst sins, she’d turned around and bonded him? Surely they’d be happy for her, right? Or would they tell her she’s an idiot?

Justsaysomet?—

“Oh my fuckinggod,” Kenzieshouted,while Jamie gasped like the dramatic fuck she’d always been.

“You’rebonded,” Jordan whispered, as if it was a conspiratorial secret.

After a few more seconds of silence she cracked an eye open.

“Are you happy?” Kenzie asked.

Ashley didn’t even hesitate when she nodded. Her throat was tight and she didn’t know why.

Kenzie practically spilled over Jordan’s lap, off the chair, and into Ashley’s arms. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you got bondedbefore either of us,” she said, squeezing tightly. “I need to hear all about it.”

“It must be serious if you’re bonded and all, so. From the top,” Jordan said, then pulled out a small tube and waggled it in the air. “Shall we celebrate?”

Ashley cleared her throat once Kenzie released her, and dashed a few tears away as relief overwhelmed her. She didn’t know why she’d been so nervous to tell them; they were herbest friends.

“What’s wrong?” Kenzie asked, framing her face.

“I don’t know,” Ashley admitted, and shook her head free, brushing her long hair back. “I guess I wanted your approval or something.”

“All we care is that you’re happy. Even if that’s with some questionable guy from your past,” Jordan said.

“Okay, okay,” Ashley said, staring up at the ceiling to dry her eyes. “It’s fine. Let’s go out back?”

Her two closest friends followed her out the back of the kitchen to the tiny patio outside while she let the food simmer. The sun was setting, so the entire backyard was cast in shadow, cooling the area off from an unbearable summer heat to something much more comfortable.

They sat at Ashley’s little patio table like the three of them had done many, many times before. The tube Jordan had brought alongpoppedopen, and the scent of cannabis drifted out.

Once they were passing the joint around, they both stared at her. “So…?” Kenzie asked.

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