Page 180 of Knockin' Boats
It was sort of a last hurrah, because the season was beginning to shift to fall. Soon, it would be too cold for outdoor shenanigans.
We’d have to get a room at the resort the next time we wanted to get all wet together. But that was okay. We worked for wages during the off-season, tucking away every cent for the day we could afford to buy a larger house.
Shua, oblivious to Ash’s true meaning about my talents in the water, started talking excitedly about the more challenging wakeboarding I’d just let them try for the first time. In addition to running Swallow Adventures with Hudson—and launching water-sport tours—I’d taken on a few students for regular lessons. Shua was the first to sign up, though they got the family rate—aka free—so it hadn’t really amounted to much beyond them enthusiastically telling everyone they knew how awesome I was.
But hey, good reviews were priceless.
Ash had dealt with Rick’s petty bullshit reviews for two weeks before Skylar and Vera managed to get Google to take them down and ban the offending accounts.
He’d eventually gotten too preoccupied with his criminal case and divorce proceedings to worry about a vendetta against Ash.
Julian had taken Ash’s advice at the marina event, and he’d gotten a lawyer and taken a plea deal for his role in the hit-and-run.
Rick had squirmed out of any serious charges for obstructing justice, but the accident victim sued him, and with testimony from me, won a big-ass judgment.
The DreamBoats hadn’t been able to withstand the scandalandthe lawsuit. It closed down, the boats were sold off, and Rick was now as penniless as Ash’s mom had been when they met.
He’d crawled off under some rock to lick his wounds, and as extra icing on the cake, that stupid Skyline casino plan had stalled again when it lost its latest investor.
We’d gotten on with our lives. Ash and his mom had never been closer, and she’d recently started dating a guy she met at the resort.
He didn’t live here, but he was close enough to come up most weekends.
Ash stepped up to the grill, placing marinated chicken breasts onto it. He’d stuffed them with cream cheese because as he liked to say, butter and cheese were the key to all delicious things.
I was pretty sure we’d all agree thatAshwas a key ingredient as well.
My friends continued to trash-talk my previous grilling, talking up the suffering they’d gone through to be my friends.
I took the roasting with grace. After all, they could brag on Ash’s cooking till the cows came home.
It washed over me like praise. What did I have to be sad about? My boyfriend was gorgeous, sexy, talented—andmine.
I tipped up my beer with a smirk. They should all be so lucky.
Ash grilled the chicken sliders to perfection,of course.The spicy slaw topping was a hit with everyone.
We sat around the picnic table, eating greedily, only exchanging a few words as we dug in.
“Hey, where’s Cash?” Fisher suddenly asked.
Poppy snorted. “Did it take you this long to notice he wasn’t here?”
“Nooo…”
Brooks laughed. “His ego would be so hurt.”
Fisher rolled his eyes. “I was just distracted.”
“With fondling Hudson,” Ash said with a laugh.
I grimaced because the boss and my friend? Still kind of weird. I was used to them being a couple, but Fisher had been extra touchy-feely tonight.
“I can’t help it,” Fish said. “Ever since he became my husband, I just can’t get enough of this man.”
They’d had a winter wedding at the resort with all of us in attendance. Fisher’s mom had cried openly. Fisher’s dad had tried to hide his tears, turning away and sniffing so loudly no one could have missed them. He’d once hated Hudson, but he’d accepted him into the family for his son’s sake.
Fisher grasped Hudson’s face and laid a big old sloppy kiss on him in front of all of us.
