Page 16 of Ashley & the A-Listers

“Well, that’s disappointing,” Jordan muttered.

Kenzie smacked her arm. “No, it’s not, because we don’t like Dylan, remember?”

“Of course I know we don’t like Dylan,” Jordan answered. “That’s why it would be extra tasty if you ignored his ass if hewasthere for you.”

“Well, he wasn’t.”

Kenzie clapped. “Did it feel good to ignore him? Like you had the upper hand?”

A smile curled Ashley’s lips at their support. “Actually, it kind of did. I always wondered what I would say to him if I saw him again, and instead I was just… so pissed, I shut down. Honestly, that’s what he deserves.” Ashley covered her eyes. “I felt my face get hot, and I was so angry all over again, like I was eighteen.”

This time it was Jordan’s turn to comfort her, and she and Kenzie enveloped her in a group hug. Kenzie’s muted beta scent was just as comforting as Jordan’s alpha scent. It’s how they’d bonded when they’d first met—two female alphas at the same gym; what were the chances?

Ashley loved these two, her best friends. Maybe once upon a time, the three of them had envisioned packing up, if only to keep Jordan and Ashley’s alpha hindbrain in check, but Ashley didn’t want a pack of pals. She wanted the fantasy; she wanted bondmates.

“Hey, for the first time seeing that asshole in—what, ten years?—you handled it a lot better than I would have.”

Ashley shrugged and melted out of their embrace and into the couch. “I don’t even know. Last I heard he was all packed up and looking for an omega.”

A pang of hurt filled her and Ashley tried to tell herself it was misplaced. Dylan had left before she even knew she was an alpha. That couldn’t bewhyhe’d left.

“What are you going to do?” Kenzie asked, leaning into her. “If he’s going to be in your gym for so long?”

Ashley groaned, and inhaled their comforting scents.

“I have a headache just thinking about it,” she muttered.

She was so… frustrated with Dylan! For showing up like it was no big deal. With herself, for feeling so young and powerless and stupid again.

Maybe she should get a personal session in before her new client the next day, blow off some steam.

Ashley loved working out, loved that feather-light feeling after a hard, sweaty workout, even loved lifting with an audience, and feeling the gaze of jealous men who wished they were half as badass as she was.

“I suppose I could cash in on some of my saved PTO…” But the suggestion did not fill her with relief.

“But you love your job. Don’t let this asshole alpha ruin that,” Jordan said.

She was right. Ashley knew she wouldn’t be using her PTO. “You’re right. I love my job, and I’m fucking good at it.” She liked being in charge, being the manager, running the gym smoothly. And of course, the perks, like using the gym whenever she wanted at no charge.

“Yes, Alpha!” Kenzie cheered.

Emboldened, Ashley nodded. “And I have a new client, too—Nic just texted me today.” Training was a good way to earn a little extra dough in her paycheck.

She hoped her client wasn’t an asshole. Lots of guys refused to take her seriously when they realized awomanwould be training them—nevermind she was an alpha and could probably bench their max, easily.

“That’ll keep you busy, right? You probably won’t even notice if Dylan is there,” Kenzie pointed out.

“You’re so right. He’s not even worth it,” Ashley agreed.

She’d have to read their intake forms and see what their goals were, where they wanted to end up, and make a plan for getting them there smoothly. Busy work.

But first, relax. You can do all that stuff tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

As if she’d read her mind, Jordan leaned forward and slid a small plastic tube off the table, which contained a joint, liftingit with a questioning glance. Ashley sat up, and came to a conclusion.

“I’ll fucking live my best life, train this new client and look hot while doing it, and he can suffer, for all I care,” Ashley declared.

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