Page 162 of Knockin' Boats
While I drove us to the houseboat, Ash filled me in on his conversation with his mom and the text he’d gotten from Rick afterward.
“God, what a huge dickface,” I said as I cut the engine and Ash tossed the anchor overboard.
He laughed. “Dickface?”
“Yeah, it seems appropriate. He’s a walking ballsac.”
Ash laughed so hard I thought he might fall overboard. Then he grabbed me and kissed me hard.
“You’re the best.”
“Nah.” I pulled him against me. “My boyfriend is the best.”
“You do put on the good show,” a voice called from above. “Should I get some popcorn and settle in to watch?”
We looked up.
Mel fucking Armstrong stood on the deck of the houseboat. Perfectly at home in the place Ash lived.
Did he invite her?
Does she come over often?
Are they still…
“I didn’t know she’d be here,” Ash said quickly. “I’m sorry, Sawyer. I’d have given you a heads-up.”
My teeth clenched hard enough my jaw ached. I forced myself to breathe. To relax. To remember that Ash wasmine.
“Come on, boys!” Mel waggled a bottle. “Get your fine asses up here and let’s drink this wine.”
I waved Ash toward the ladder. “After you.”
He glanced at me uncertainly. “You’re not gonna bail on me, are you?”
“I’ll be right behind you.”
Ash squeezed my hand. “Thanks for being cool.”
Oh, I was far from cool. So freaking far. But I wasn’t about to leave him alone with his ex or bail on him when he’d had a crappy day.
I climbed the ladder, stomach churning with nerves. I’d always known this moment would come. Mel had been this wall between us, and even when that came down, she’d been a shadow hovering at the edge of our relationship.
Eventually, she had to come into the light. I had to face that she didn’t vanish just because Ash chose to be with me.
I just didn’t think it’d be so soon.
When we reached the deck, Mel already had the wine open and was pouring it into plastic cups.
She handed one to Ash, then one to me.
“Long time, no see, Sawyer. Damn, you are stillsocute.”
“Uh, thanks?”
“How are you holding up, Ash?”
She stepped forward, hugging him with one arm, pressing too damn close to my man’s business.
