Page 32 of Ash
“What the… you just said, ‘what if you have a seafood allergy?’” Wade shrugs.
“Eh, you can’t live life worried about the what ifs.”
* * *
After dinner,Wade went back to the room he is sharing with Indy, promising that he would check on her. Ash and I are being ushered to the bar with the rest of the family. I watch as Ash laughs while taking a shot with Neil–all while never removing his hand from my hip. As soon as Wade was out of sight, Ash plays the doting boyfriend and I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. But the hand is something else, and I am feeling things I shouldn’t be feeling right now. I think he’s doing it to ground himself. I know he’s nervous about Shannon showing up.
“I’m so glad you and your boy made it here.” Neil smiles, he does that a lot. Neil is about average height, a little under six feet, though a giant compared to Celeste’s little stature. I would put him in his sixties. He is a retired pilot who now spends his time doting on his soon-to-be wife and talking about his daughter, who evidently couldn’t make it due to work.
“Remind me to have Cece show you her picture, she is stunning. Definitely didn’t get that from me,” he jokes and shakes his head. Neil is an attractive guy. Short salt and pepper hair, rich warm brown skin, and an overall lean body. But that smile, I would give anything for someone to direct a smile like that toward me.
“Yeah,” I laugh. “I hope to meet her soon!”
We talk with Neil for a bit longer before he pats Ash on the back, stating he’s going to go collect Celeste and take her to bed.
“You doing okay, Sunshine?” Ash purrs against my neck while nuzzling his nose against my jaw.
“Are you having fun playing boyfriend, Charming?” I ask softly and I feel his soft chuckle.
“Sweetheart, you have no idea how much I’m enjoying this.” He kisses my jaw before ordering another shot as his hand grips my upper thigh.
“Oh my God!” I watch as Ash’s entire body tenses and he squeezes again. “Ashy!”
“Please, Sunday, if you’ve ever cared even a little about me, you will end me right now,” he pleads and I look over his shoulder and fuck…
“Sheis Shannon?” I gesture to the very attractive, tall, busty woman with her golden skin and chestnut wavy hair. I suddenly feel self-conscious, she’s so gorgeous. But one look at Ash’s terrified face and I re-center myself. “It’ll be okay,” I whisper in his ear.
“My God, Ashy Johnson,” Shannon breathes out as she leans against the bar. “I barely recognized you with all those new tattoos and muscles.” I watch her eyes look him up and down before landing on me. “Hi.” Her tone switches to one of annoyance, like I’m the one interrupting her time.
“Hi,” I say back while resting a hand on Ash’s chest. His poor heart is pounding. “Can we help you?” I ask coolly. Shannon raises a brow and then laughs.
“Oh, I recognize that hick accent. You’re the girl from the phone call, right?” I refuse to give her the satisfaction of seeing how much that comment bothers me. Instead, I give her a sly smile as my hand slips down Ash’s tense torso and rests on the crotch of his pants.
“Yes,” I purr as I kiss Ash’s jaw. “I’m Sunday, Ash’s girlfriend.”
“Well,” she purses her lips. “It’s good to see he found someone. I was worried he would be hung up on me forever,” she chuckles and pats Ash’s arm. He actually flinches, and it causes my blood to boil. “Ashy,” she says between her laughter. “You remember when you tried to tell everyone that little old me had been hurting you,” she scoffs. “As if that were possible. The only one hurt in our relationship was my libido. Oh… I hope he’s gotten better for you.” She winces, and I glare at her before grabbing Ash’s glass and downing the contents. I pop an ice cube into my mouth and crunch down, trying to allow myself time to calm down. The last thing I want is to start a fight the first day I’m here.
“So, Ashy.” If she calls him that one more time. “You going to dance with me?”
“Uhh… N-no thanks,” he mutters while standing up. He looks over at me, embarrassment and nervousness etched all over his handsome face. “Let’s go back to the room.” I nod and head with him, but Shannon’s scoff stops me, and I turn to face her, stopping Ash in his tracks.
“Wow, I’m trying to forgive you so I can move forward, and you are just blowing me off? Just goes to show, you can change the outside but the inside–”
“One more word,” I growl out.
“Sunday, it’s not worth it,” Ash whispers, and gently pulls my hand to get me to leave with him, but I ignore it. By him saying, ‘it’s not worth it’, he’s saying thathe’snot worth it. And I’m not standing for that. I glare at the woman, who stands with her arms crossed over her chest.
“You say one more word about him, or to him, and I will show you just what kind ofhickyou’re dealing with.” Shannon’s eyes narrow as she widens her stance.
“Listen here, you hillbilly whore— AH!” I’ve heard enough and I snatch Shannon by her hair before slapping her across her face.
“Fuck!” I hear Ash curse as he rushes over to me, grabbing me around the waist as another man does the same to Shannon.
“I will sue you, you fucking bitch!” she screams as I flip her off.
“Suck my dick, you cunt! Let me go, Ash!” I holler as he throws me over his shoulder.
“No,” he hisses as he tries to walk through the bar. “I don’t need to explain to Wade why you’re in jail tomorrow.” I try to wiggle out, but it is no use. I am left with my only other weapon, my mouth.
