Page 164 of Knockin' Boats
I raised my beer bottle in solidarity. “I’ve always hated the DreamBoats.”
He chuckled. “That’s true. I always thought that was because you hated me.”
“Nah. That was just a bonus.”
“Shut up.” He laughed and turned his head to kiss me.
“Aw, you two are so cute.”
“You shut up too,” Ash said, tossing his empty cup at her.
She dodged it. “Hey, you’re the ones kissing and being all adorable. Don’t blame me!”
Ash stood up to retrieve his cup and refill it. I shifted, trying to recirculate some blood into my leg.
“Get up, Saw. Time to switch.”
“Ooh, so you’re vers,” Mel joked. “Good to know.”
I flipped her off as I stood, shaking out my leg a little before resettling—this time with me on Ash’s lap. I fit more easily into his lap, being a bit smaller, but neither of us weresmall.
“So, if the problem is that no one sees who Rick really is, maybe there’s a way to open their eyes,” I said, once we were all rearranged and comfortable again. “Like, surely the other guys at DreamBoats see the problems there like you did?”
“I don’t know,” Ash mused. “Maybe.
“Well, at the minimum, you’ve got to talk to your mom again,” Mel said. “Show her his threatening text. She can’t deny it if she sees it with her own eyes.”
“I’m just afraid to push her to choose…” Ash’s arm tightened around me. “She shouldn’t have to choose.”
“You’re not the one making her choose,” I said. “Don’t put this on yourself. Rick tried to twist your arm. He sabotaged your business. He’s now threatening to keep your mom from you. And why? Because you wouldn’t participate in his criminal behavior? It’s fucked up, Ash, and you can’t blame yourself for that.”
“Sawyer’s right,” Mel said. “Rick is the problem.”
“Maybe, but it doesn’t change the outcome that I’m probably going to lose my family.”
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Mel said. “But if it does, you’ve got us.” She met my eyes. “Right, Sawyer?”
I hesitated a beat. “Right.”
“I know our history is messy, but I’m happy for you two,” she said. “I’ll never do anything to come between you. I want us all to be friends again. Can we do that? For Ash.”
“For Ash, I’d do anything.”
She smiled. “You know, I believe it. What took you two so long to figure out how much you cared? Boys are so dumb.”
“I mean, it’d have been easier if you weren’t a skank who hooked up with my best friend right after we broke up.”
“Oh!” She jumped to her feet. “Who you calling a skank?”
“Hey, if the insult fits…”
She laughed. “You jerk. It wasn’tright afterwe broke up. It was at least three weeks.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. It wastoo soon.”
“I think anytime would have been too soon.”
“Maybe,” I allowed.
