Page 10 of Ash
Me: He told me he used to be a paramedic, I told him he didn’t seem like the type. He asked why, so I called him a label whore and then he looked like I smacked his ice cream cone on the ground and walked out.
Janie: You monster *eyeroll* what a ruthless, cold-hearted thing to say
Stevie: LMAO, no way that hurt his feelings. Girl, the man lives for showing off his designer stuff.
Ren: Oh I know, for my birthday Atlas had to explain to him why I didn’t want a designer handbag, I WANTED a generic backpack. I wonder why he is so insistent on it.
Me: Dunno, I don’t really remember him wearing all the expensive clothes a couple of years ago. Anyway, he's pissed off at me for that and I’m pissed off at him for living next door. Janie, are you going to be able to pick Alice up from Derek’s?
Janie: Yep, I’m headed there now. Why don’t you just relax and I’ll get Alice and pick up Wade and bring them to you so you don’t have to ride the bus or get an Uber.
Me: I would appreciate it. Love you.
Chapter4
Ash
“Thank you so much!” The teary-eyed woman beams at me before looking back at the finished half sleeve of bright pink cherry blossoms.
“You’re welcome! They look beautiful on you!” I give her a side hug before sending her upfront so that Janie can check her out and get her set with aftercare instructions. I sigh while stripping down my station to sanitize it and get ready for the next client. Today is one of my busier days and usually I’m annoyed when I accidentally overbook myself, but for the last three days it’s been so nice not being home. I get here around nine and I don’t leave until one or two in the morning. I went to the gym one night and the bar last night, so I’m home for like three hours before coming back in. It’s great being so busy, it means less time I have to be aroundher.
Herbeing Sunday, the bane of my existence. Not only did her ’Dash’ comment stick like glue around here, but she has twice now made fun of my clothes, well not the clothes but the amount of money I spend on them. It bothers me and I’m not sure why. I didn’t always have money, fuck, before Hel’s I had nothing. I was barely making anything. I hated my job, and I was with Shannon, who regularly reminded me how little I was worth in every sense of the word. I couldn’t buy her nice things, I couldn’t get the expensive apartment downtown, the nice car, the trips. All the things she expected of me, and I failed to live up to those expectations every time. She would never let me forget what a disappointment I was. And God forbid I was ever paid a compliment by anyone about how I looked or if I measured up in bed.
When we broke up and I started making money at Hel’s, I wanted to detach so far from that man that he would seem like a different person. I began working out constantly, became a partier, researched what was the best of the best and learned to love whatever it was. And now here I am feeling that same shit feeling that Shannon made me feel from Sunday, except it’s now because I have too much.
“Hey,” Derek’s gruff voice pulls me out of my trance. I glance up at the older man and raise a brow. Yeah, that’s rightolder,Derek is an old man that has no business making the eyes he does at my baby sister every time she comes into the shop. “It’s my turn to make the drink run.”
“Redbull,” I state crisply, causing him to raise his brow at me.
“Do we have a problem?” he asks, and I stand up straight, staring straight into his eyes.
“I don’t know, Virginia, do we?” I ask, knowing the nickname Atlas gave him years ago pisses him off. His right eye twitches, only once, but I smirk in victory.
“Are you two about to kiss?” Atlas asks, breaking our stare down. I blink and step back.
“Redbull,” I say again as Derek grumbles something under his breath before heading out.
Fox sighs and shakes his head while tossing his glasses onto his station. “You and Derek need to stop this pissing match you’re having,” he warns, and I roll my eyes.
“Sorry, Dad,” I mutter.
“Hey!” Atlas snaps. “It’s Papa Fox, fucker.”
“Look, none of us get along with him. Why is he even still here?” I slam the trash into the wastebasket with more force than necessary.
“I know you aren’t riding Derek’s ass again,” Janie calls from the front of the shop and goddamn it, can one person be on my side?
“I see how he looks at Indy,” I start and the entire group groans, as if they’ve heard it before, mainly because they have.
“Ash,” Fox pinches the bridge of his nose. “Derek does not have an interest in your sister, trust me.”
I furrow my brow. “And how do you know?”
“Because,” Janie interrupts as all five feet of her stand in front of me. I have a tiny sister though, and I know how dirty they fight. “Derek doesn’t date. Leave him alone, or I’m going to take a cheese grater to your nuts.” The guys and I all gasp at the visual.
“Now,” Janie raises a red brow and looks me up and down. “Stop being an asshole and stop whatever the fuck you’re doing to avoid going home. Oh yeah, I know all about it. Stop being a child. So you had a bad one-night stand, you’re making it way more awkward than it needs to be. Now, go make nice with my best friend so the rest of us can stop plotting your demise.”
I look from her to Fox, who shrugs. “Yeah man, I would just listen to her.” Janie beams and skips over to Fox, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his bearded cheek.
