Page 98 of Ashley & the A-Listers

Ashley’s very first instinct wasyes.

It felt… wrong for them to leave. For her to be here by herself while the three of them drove away.

Especially knowing that Dylan loved her. That she loved him. That she finally had all the information she needed. Thatshewas the one holding them up now.

Ah, shit. Was this crazy?

Was Ashley absolutely fucking losing it?

“Give me five minutes?” she asked, knowing at the very least she needed to get out of her damp clothes.

“Take as long as you need!” he said. “We’ll be here!”

“Five minutes,” she called out, and spun around to dart into the house.

Her feet thundered up the stairs, and she felt giddy, excited, eighteen again as she ran around and gathered a fresh change of clothes.

It took a single minute for her to overthink, and she paused in the hallway.

If they were waiting to drive her, did they intend to bring her back? Or was this a sleepover situation? Could she use Cam’s shower? Or should she shower here?

She should probably drive so she could meet them at the gym the next day. But if she was driving, why were they still in her driveway?

Low-key, Cam had said.

Ashley could do low-key.

She hopped in the shower for less than three minutes, soaping up the loofah in record time and rinsing the grime of the day off. She didn’t dry off as thoroughly as she could have, so tugging the leggings on took an annoying amount of time.

She grabbed her keys and wallet out of the backpack, stuffed them in her tote small enough to be mistaken for a purse but packed with clothes, made sure she had her phone, and grabbed her favorite trusty water bottle before sliding out the front door.

As she approached the SUV, the windows closest to her rolled down, and she was greeted with three smiles.

“Should I follow?” she asked, waving her keys.

Those three smiles dipped for a split second, and Ashley had her answer.

They intend for me to spend the night.

I want to spend the night.

“If only so I can drive myself to the gym,” she added, testing the waters.

The gym, which she wouldn’t have to return to until the next morning.

“Just follow me,” Dylan said.

Ashley followed.

21. SLEEPOVER

ASHLEY

Cameron’s temporary apartment was… nice.

Extremely nice.

Ashley was used to wealthy clients, athletes and pop stars. In the gym all of that fell away, for the most part. But it was impossible to avoid as she took in the industrial minimalism of Cameron’s place.

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