Page 143 of Ashley & the A-Listers

“Alright, I have something to confess,” Ashley said once she’d paid the bill, despite Cameron’s protests. River’s heart leapt.My god, was she going to profess to him right here?

“What is it?” Cam asked, excitement concealed behind a mask so firm only an actor could don it.

Dylan buried a chuckle in his shoulder and Ashley rolled her eyes, elbowing him before she addressed Cameron.

“I got you something. But I didn’t want to bring it inside and make it smell like grease,” she said. “So it’s in the car.”

River swallowed a sigh of relief.Oh, okay. Just a gift. That’s fine!

Cameron lit up, leaning forward in interest. “Oh yeah? What is it?”

“Well, if I tell you, that just defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? You can take it home with you.”

Cameron pouted, and River practically felt his disappointment. “You’re not coming over?”

Ashley shared a glance with Dylan. “Well, with your heat on the horizon, I don’t want to complicate things,” she said.

And getting him a courting present wasn’t?

River shut down the bitter thought. It wasn’t a courting present. But it was suspiciously timed with his heat.

“I saw it, thought of you, and figured since we were celebrating and all...” She shrugged. “Congrats on finishing training,” she said, and lifted her cup once more.

They toasted, and then Ashley wiggled her way out from under the booth. “Alright, I’ll head out first and wait by the car.”

River’s brow furrowed. “What? Why?”

Ashley pointed her gaze at the busy dining room. “I always get a lot of stares. Less heat on Cameron that way. See you outside.”

Then she was off, walking away from their table in the back, weaving her way to the front. The three of them watched her go, and River saw what she meant.

As a female alpha, she did get a lot of looks. Almost every table she passed turned to look her way, staring until she was out the door before going back to their meals.

A small growl slipped from Dylan, and River and Cam turned to look at him at the same time. His cheeks flushed. “Sorry! Sorry.” He cleared his throat, suddenly bashful.

River knew how he felt. Everyone always stared so longingly at Cam, and it filled River with a mix of pride and jealousy.

The only difference between River and Dylan was that River couldn’t do anything about it.

Dylan led them out of the restaurant, and River brought up the back. Cam tugged his cap down and walked with head lowered, making himself smaller to keep from being noticed or pointed out.

The air outside was cool and refreshing as they made their way to the parking lot, where Ashley waited.

She grinned as she saw them, and reached into her trunk before pulling out a large gift bag.

Cam made grabby hands at it, and she chuckled as he rushed toward her.

“Can I open it now?” he asked.

“Sure,” she said, cheeks pink.

Dylan wrapped an arm around her shoulders, gaze turned toward the lot so he could keep an eye out.

Cam’s gasp, his excitement made River’s heart flutter… nervously.

“It’s so colorful,” Cameron breathed, pulling out a blanket still in its packaging. “And soft,” he murmured, rubbing his fingers over it.

“The apartment’s really… white,” she said. “And every time I saw this I thought of you, so I finally figured, why not?”

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