Page 121 of Knockin' Boats
It wasn’t an apology, but it was an acknowledgment. Heath and I might never be friends, but a grudging respect had sprung up after I set him straight.
I’d still have to tell Hudson what happened—he deserved to know about Heath’s drinking problem in case it got worse—but I’d recommend he give Heath the chance to right his mistakes.
Maybe I was just in a forgiving mood because of everything with Ash. I’d spent years resenting him, and now I was going to miss him because I had to work a few hours.
Shit sure had changed fast.
Just as I stood up, Ash emerged from the kitchen. Nice. Maybe we could walk down to the dock together and I could snag a private goodbye kiss.
Cash waved an arm, putting an end to that idea. “Yo, Ash! Come join us, boyfriend!”
“Dude.”
“What?”
“We’re not, like…”
“Boyfriends?” Brooks asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because you’ve spent like every night together for how many nights?”
Okay, so we’d hung out and hooked up all week, but I was still wrapping my head around all this change and what it meant going forward.
Ash veered toward our table. “Hey, guys. I already ate on the boat since Sawyer’s abandoning me for work tonight.”
“Good,” Cash said. “You’re just in time for after-dinner drinks. Hang out with us.”
“Oh. Uh, okay?”
“You can take my seat,” I said. “I’ve got to go, so you’ll be at these jerks’ mercy.”
Ash grinned. “I can handle them. The question is, what will they tell me about you?”
I groaned as my friends laughed.
“Oh, yeah, Ash knows how the game is played.” Cash slung an arm over Ash’s shoulders.
“Play nice. I know where all your bodies are buried too.” I eyed Cash, then Brooks. “That goes forallof you.”
“I don’t have any dead bodies,” Poppy said.
“Fair. But you won’t go telling tales out of school. I trustyou.”
“What, and you don’t trust me?” Cash said, blinking wide eyes like an innocent lamb, the faker. “I’m hurt.”
I rolled my eyes. “Sure, you are. Just don’t have too much fun at my expense while I’m gone, okay? I don’t want you to scare Ash off.”
Ash grinned. “As if they could.”
Cash engaged him in gossip instantly, and I dragged my feet in the direction of the exit, reluctant to leave.
Brooks joined me as I walked out. “You know he’s totally gone over you, right?”
“You think?”
“It’s obvious,” Brooks said as we stepped into the hallway. “And I think…maybe you’re feeling some kind of way about him too?”
“Maybe.” I hesitated. “It’s a big change. Our past is messy.”
“All true, but if you’ve got real feelings for the guy, you’ve got to let that go.”
