Chapter Thirteen
Ashley
I took a deep breath as we approached O’Malley’s doors—something Sloane noticed.
He let go of my hand he was holding and wrapped an arm around my waist so he could murmur in my ear.
“Say the word, sweetness, and we’ll turn right back around.”
I flashed him an uneasy smile.
“I’m just nervous. I’m not very good with crowds.”
“Just stick by me. I promise I’ll take care of you.”
I knew he meant it.
Leaning against him for a brief second, I reveled in his body heat and woodsy cologne and how safe I felt next to him.
“My best friend, Tammy, should be here soon, so don’t feel like you have to babysit me.”
He planted a kiss against my temple then reached for my hand and kissed my knuckles.
“Angel, keeping you close to me is no hardship.”
He opened the heavy wooden door, and when I walked in, I was met with warm air, which felt good coming after walking through the parking lot in the chilly fall evening.
It took my eyes a second to adjust to the dark bar, but I’d been to O’Malley’s enough to know the layout, so I didn’t hesitate to follow Sloane as he held my hand. We walked past the pool tables toward a corner booth that had been extended by several tables.
I knew the minute he was recognized because a chorus of “Heyyyy!” went up before people started clapping. His face seemed to grow red at the attention, and he waved his free hand at the crowd, as if telling them to stop. Everyone grew quiet when he began to speak.
“Thank you all for coming out. I really appreciate it.” Then he surprised me when he drew me closer to him and announced, “Everyone, this is Ashley. Ashley, this is… everyone!”
The people closest to us greeted me warmly, but I couldn’t help but notice some of the girls on the fringe gave me a blatant once-over before turning away with a scowl.
It was funny—I almost considered their disdain a badge of honor. The mean girls in high school had never felt threatened by me, so they’d never had a reason to be mean. If anything, I’d just been nonexistent.
At least tonight I existed. Even if was only because of who I was with.
As throngs of people came forward to welcome Sloane home, Ryan approached and gave me a side hug. “Hey, Ashley.”
Sloane gave him a head nod, so he extended his fist as he told Sloane, “Right on time.”
Sloane looked around at the crowd of people.
“Yeah, what time did you tell everyone else?”
“Six. I wanted to give everyone a chance to get here before the guest of honor.”
Craig and Maddie appeared with Craig holding a Pacifico beer bottle, and Maddie had something clear in her glass with a lime.
“Thanks for coming, guys,” Sloane said before he leaned down to hug Maddie.
Craig held his hand out for Sloane to shake. “We wouldn’t have missed it.”
Sloane drew me next to him, making me feel warm and fuzzy. “You remember Ashley.”
“Of course,” Maddie declared with a bright smile. “Good to see you, again, Ashley.”
“What can I get you two to drink?” Craig asked.
Sloane nodded toward Craig’s beer. “I’ll have one of those, thanks.”
“A vodka spritz, thank you.”
“One Pacifico, one vodka spritz, coming right up.”
Once Craig walked away, Sloane asked Maddie, “Did you guys work today?”
“I did. But Craig works every other Friday, so he was off.”
“How’s his new assignment working out?”
“I think he misses SWAT, but he still sees plenty of action in Special Ops, so he’s never bored.”
“Is it hard being the only woman on SWAT?” I asked.
Maddie looked so delicate with her red hair cascading around her shoulders and framing her heart-shaped face with bright blue eyes. It was hard to imagine her decked out in SWAT gear, kicking ass.
“It was at first, but once I proved myself, it got a lot easier. And luckily, I didn’t take nearly as much grief as I thought I would when it got out that I was sleeping with my former captain. It probably helped that Craig had already put in for a transfer before word got around.”
“Yeah,” Sloane chuckled. “I imagine sleeping with your commander is frowned upon in the SDPD.”
“It’s not in the Marines?”
“Oh, it most definitely is. Officers who disobey the fraternization policy can be charged with a crime and discharged.”
Maddie’s blue eyes grew wide. “A crime?”
“Yeah, for violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
“Damn, and I was worried about getting kicked off the SWAT team.”
I liked finding out it was a crime for him to sleep with one of his subordinates.
“Fortunately, it’s not something I have to worry a lot about monitoring with my company right now. I don’t have any women on this tour.”
I liked hearing that even more—for selfish reasons, of course.
Maddie’s free hand went to her hip. “ None ?” and Ryan murmured, “Oh boy. Here we go,” before taking a seat.
“It’s not like I’m denying anyone. There just aren’t many female Marines to begin with.”
“That’s bullshit.”
Sloane held his hands up in front of him. “I don’t disagree. And I think things are changing.”
Craig returned and handed me my drink and Sloane his beer as he asked, “What’s changing?”
Maddie, with her hand still on her hip said, “Did you know there are no women on Sloane’s tour right now?”
The other man shook his head solemnly, like he was treading carefully. “I didn’t.”
“Don’t you think that’s bullshit?”
Sloane interjected. “I was explaining to Maddie it wasn’t like I denied anyone, the numbers just aren’t there.”
She whirled back to look at him. “So, you’re telling me there are no women at Camp Pendleton?”
“Of course there are. Now.”
Craig rubbed the middle of Maddie’s back. “We saw women getting off the plane that Sloane was on, remember?”
Sloane didn’t wait for her to respond to Craig, when he lobbed, “And, no offense, but how many women are on the SWAT team with you?”
Oh snap .
I quietly took a seat across from Ryan to continue watching the back and forth.
“Well, none. Yet.”
“And what percentage of women make up the SDPD?”
“A little less than twenty. But the department just signed an initiative to reach thirty percent female recruits in the academy classes, by the year 2030.”
“That’s great. And we’ve integrated women into our companies and are exceeding our goals for women’s retention rates.”
That seemed to soothe Maddie because she dropped her hand from her hip.
Craig chimed in, “I think we can all agree more work needs to be done recruiting women into our respective fields, but progress is being made.”
Maddie and Sloane nodded in agreement, and Craig grumbled, “How the hell did you two get on this topic anyway?”
****
Sloane
“We were talking about how if I slept with a subordinate, I could get court-marshaled.”
Craig grimaced, then stole a glance at Maddie. “Guess it’s a good thing we aren’t in the Marines, huh, Princess?”
“Yeah, good thing.”
Ryan piped up. “College basketball starts tonight. I was thinking about going to San Diego State’s season opener next Friday if anyone wants to go.”
It was an obvious attempt to change the subject, but I couldn’t help feeling a pang in my stomach that I wouldn’t be able to attend with my friends. I loved basketball—especially college. And San Diego State was my alma mater, although being enlisted while trying to go to school, it had taken me longer than the usual four years.
“I wish I could.”
Ryan tilted his beer bottle at me. “Me, too.”
“We’ll be sure to go to a game when you’re back for good,” Craig added. “Hell, we’ll get season tickets.”
Maddie snorted, then wrapped her arm around Craig’s waist. “You’d go to three games—tops. You work too much, babe.”
“Fine.” He pointed at me and said, “But we’re going when you get back.”
I smiled and said, “It’s a date,” but inside I worried that it wasn’t going to happen. That I wasn’t coming back. If that was the case, I was going to enjoy the hell out of my time with my friends and my girl while I had it.
“Make sure you send me pictures of you guys at next week’s game.”
Craig hadn’t committed to going, and he glanced at Maddie. That’s when I knew they had officially become an old, married couple, even though they were neither old nor even engaged.
“Do we have anything planned next Friday?”
I wanted that. So fucking bad.
Sitting down next to Ashley, I laid my arm across the back of her chair, and she moved closer to me. I wasn’t sure if she was even aware that she had, but I liked the idea that gravitating toward me was her reflex.
I wanted to have to check with her before I made plans. To share my life with her. Spend my weekends snuggled next to her on the couch watching TV, taking Tank out for walks in the evening together. Hell, I wanted to go grocery shopping together. Shit I used to tease my attached friends about, I now wanted. And I might not ever get to have it.
Fate was a fickle bitch, wasn’t she?
Maddie replied, “No plans. You should go. I’m sure Grace and I can find something to do.”
“Or, you two could come along,” Ryan suggested with a hopeful tone.
The corner of Maddie’s mouth turned up. “We’ll see.”
Ryan didn’t let her noncommittal response deter him.
“Speaking of Grace… I thought you said she was coming tonight.”
“She is.”
“When?”
I had a sudden new respect for what Ryan was going through. I couldn’t imagine Ashley refusing to date me.
“She’ll be here,” Maddie assured him. “She was scheduled at the hospital until six.”
“He’s got it bad,” I murmured in Ashley’s ear.
“I know. It’s sweet.”
Just then a cute blonde woman with pink streaks in her hair appeared at our table, and Ashley jumped up and hugged her.
“You made it!”
“Of course. I wouldn’t have missed it.”
Ashley turned to me and said, “This is Sloane,” then went on to introduce Ryan, Craig, and Maddie. She hugged the woman around the shoulders and announced, “This is my best friend, Tammy.”
The group offered up various forms of greetings, but I stood and offered my hand. “Hi. It’s great to meet you.”
Her eyes twinkled when she shook my hand. “Likewise. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Stealing a glance at Ashley, I quipped, “Should I be nervous?”
“She only told me good things.”
Ashley wrapped her arm around my waist and looked up at me with a smile. There was no disguising the adoration in her eyes. I knew the feeling.
“There’s only good things to tell.”
“Ha!” Ryan scoffed and patted the empty chair next to him. “Come sit next to me. I’ll fill you in.”
“You’re fucking hilarious,” I deadpanned.
The funny thing was, other than telling her about all the women I’d been with over the years, there was nothing he could tell her that she didn’t already know.
And the only reasons I hadn’t told her about the women were A) it would just be bad form to do so, and B) none of them had mattered to me anyway.
“Come on,” Ashley said to her friend. “Let’s get you a drink.” Before she headed to the bar, she looked around and asked, “Does anyone need another?”
She was so goddamn thoughtful.
No one took her up on the offer, and she and Tammy disappeared into the crowd at the same time Craig and Maddie left to talk with another officer from their department.
I turned the chair next to Ryan around, and sat down backward on it, resting my forearm along the back while I watched to make sure Ashley made it to the bar without any problems.
“So, tell me about how you’re thinking of breaking up with her before you leave.”
My neck swiveled to properly glare at my friend.
“It’s not like I want to. I’m just not sure if it’s fair to ask her to wait.”
Ryan furrowed his brows. “Um, no offense, but isn’t that what she’s already been doing?”
“Yeah, but…” My voice trailed off. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to explain the reason behind my hesitation. My friends knew what I did was dangerous, but I didn’t like worrying them any more than needed.
“But what?”
I knew he wouldn’t understand unless I came clean.
“This upcoming mission is going to get dicey. Like, I’m only taking guys without families.”
Ryan blinked at me a few times as the meaning sunk in.
Finally, he blew out a long breath and uttered, “Damn.”
I didn’t say anything else because his sentiment pretty much summed it up.
The corner of his mouth hitched. “Maybe you should marry her this weekend, after all. At least she’d get survivor benefits. Something for her trouble.”
“You’re such a dick.”
Although, when I stopped to think about it—it wasn’t a bad idea. Still, I knew better than to suggest it to her, lest she think I’d lost my mind. Or worse—was a creep.
“Just trying to lighten the mood. I don’t do well with this heavy shit.”
“I know. Neither do I.”
“Let’s just agree I prefer you didn’t die.”
“And I’d like the same for you.”
Being a firefighter wasn’t without risks.
He held out his fist and said, “Deal,” as I bumped it with mine.
“What are you two conspiring about?” Grace asked as she pulled out the chair on the other side of Ryan and sat.
Ryan couldn’t contain his grin at the sight of his crush. Although, no doubt “crush” was a gross understatement.
“We’re just agreeing to both stay alive while we’re apart.”
“I like that deal. Although perhaps don’t add the caveat of being apart, and just agree to stay alive—period.”
“That’s probably a better idea,” I agreed.
Maddie came up behind Grace and wrapped her arms around her friend’s shoulders. “Hey, babe, when did you get here?”
“I just sat down a minute ago.”
“How was work?”
Grace blew out a breath that made her bangs move.
“I’ll be glad when this phase of clinicals is over.”
“The end is in sight!”
“I don’t know what Dr. Russell’s assistant is going to do when she doesn’t have me to boss around anymore.”
“God, is she still at it?”
“I think she’s under the impression I report to her.”
“It sounds like you need a drink,” Craig observed.
“Yes! Although I’m just having one tonight. I can’t stay long; I have to be back at the hospital in the morning.”
I stole a glance at Ryan, who was now scowling. The dude really needed to work on his poker face.
Tammy was wearing a frown when she plunked down in her chair, and I quickly looked around the bar.
“Where’s Ash?”
“She’s in the restroom.”
I felt my own scowl forming. “What’s wrong?”
“Some drunk asshole made a comment about her birthmark while we were waiting for my drink. I think she just needs a minute to collect herself.”
I stood so fast that my chair tipped over and Tammy reached across the table, gesturing for me to sit back down.
“The bartender overheard him and had the bouncers escort him out before I even had a chance to tell him off. But of course, that drew attention to where we were waiting, something she hates more than anything.”
How the fuck did I miss that? I promised her I’d take care of her.
I picked up my chair and set it down with more force than necessary, and Tammy said in a hushed tone, “Don’t say anything to her about it. She specifically asked me not to mention it to you.”
I didn’t like the idea of not talking to her about it. As a matter of fact, I wanted to take her outside and have her point the guy out to me so I could beat the shit out of him. But I figured Tammy knew best about how to handle this, so I nodded once when I noticed Ashley headed toward our table.
She appeared and offered a smile that was obviously forced, but I just beamed brightly back at her, pretending to be oblivious to her hurt feelings.
I didn’t like that one bit.
And I wished I would have kept my mouth shut yesterday when she told me she was going to see someone about having her birthmark removed. I knew it made her uncomfortable at times—I should have been more supportive. I just thought it made her, her .
I was about to engage Tammy by asking her what she did for a living, when I felt someone’s arms come around me. My nostrils filled with the strong scent of a woman’s cologne. Adjusting in my chair, I turned to look at who was hugging me from behind.
Sara.
I’d hooked up with her once a few years ago, and while I hadn’t thought it’d been anything special, I must have been on my game that night because she’d been trying to score a repeat performance ever since.
I reached up to unclasp her hands that were resting around my neck and pivoted even more so she had no choice but to drop her arms away from me.
“Hey, Sara,” I said with a polite smile. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t have missed a chance to see you.” She ran her hand up and down my right biceps.
I reached for Ashley’s hand and gave her a wink before asking Sara, “Did you meet my girlfriend, Ashley?”
I might have been jumping the gun with the label, but hopefully she wouldn’t mind in this situation.
Sara’s icy smile was so fake, even I could tell. And that was saying something because usually unless there was an actual catfight in front of me, I was oblivious to girl drama.
I squeezed Ashley’s hand, and she returned the gesture before smiling politely at Sara and telling her, “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”
Sara just nodded with that phony smile still plastered to her face, and murmured, “Mmm hmm,” then turned to me and said, “Well, I need to get back to my squad, but I just wanted to say hi, so you knew I was here.” She rubbed my arm again. “You look really good. If you have some time before you leave, I’d love to get together.”
“Wow,” Tammy exclaimed from across the table.
I looked at Ashley who kept a polite smile on her face, but I knew she had to be insulted. I was fucking insulted for her. Is this what she dealt with on a regular basis?
I didn’t drop my gaze from my girl’s face when I replied, “I think all my time is spoken for.”
That at least prompted Ashley’s polite smile to morph into a grin as she glanced into her lap.
“Well, you know how to reach me if something changes.”
Sara’s blatant disrespect for Ashley fed into my already pissed off state about the guy at the bar.
“Actually, I deleted your number a while ago, so, no, I don’t.”
That obviously surprised Sara because her only response was, “Oh.”
“I think your squad is looking for you,” Tammy said with a saccharine-sweet grin as she batted her eyelashes.
“Yeah, I’m sure they are. See ya later.”
She turned and headed to the other side of the room.
Once she was out of earshot, Tammy grumbled, “What a bitch. It’s a good thing you put her in her place because I was about to come over this table and do it.”
Looking at the feisty girl with pink hair, I didn’t doubt it for a second. I liked the idea of someone looking out for Ashley when I wasn’t here.
“Yeah, I don’t know what her problem is.” I directed my next comment toward Ashley. “I’m sorry she was so rude, sweetness.”
“It’s not your fault.” Then she corrected herself. “I mean, it’s kind of your fault because she’s right, you look really good, so I almost can’t even blame her for trying.”
“I can,” Tammy, Maddie, and Grace said in unison.
“That was not cool,” Maddie added. “I would’ve had your six if you would’ve put her in her place, Tammy.”
“Me, too,” Grace said.
I loved that not only did Tammy have Ashley’s back, but my friends did, as well.
Ashley’s shy smile as she looked at her lap again told me she did, too.
“Am I the only one who would pay money to see that?” Ryan asked with a shit-eating grin.
“You obviously have too much money, then,” Maddie chastised.
His brows knitted together. “How is that even possible?”
Maddie rolled her eyes but didn’t bother with a response.
I stood from my chair and held out my hand to Ashley. “I should probably go mingle, since this is supposed to be a party in my honor. Do you want to come with me?”
She glanced at Tammy. I respected her for not wanting to leave her friend alone, but I didn’t think that was why she didn’t want to come along. She’d probably had enough peopling for the night.
“You should go and catch up with your friends. I’ll hang out with these guys.”
“We won’t let her leave without you,” Maddie teased.
I pulled the Camry keys from my jeans pocket and dangled them on my finger.
“I’m not worried.”
But even if I didn’t have the car keys, I wouldn’t have been concerned. At least not about her leaving. About people being assholes to her—yes. But I knew she was in good hands while I was gone.
****
Ashley
Okay, never mind. I’m glad I wasn’t the target of mean girls in high school. Being ignored was far more preferable.
While I appreciated everyone having my back, part of me wished I’d been confident enough to stand up for myself. Then again, what would have been the point?
The guy at the bar was drunk, so anything I said to him would have just escalated the situation. Besides, the bartender swooped in and dealt with it. He apologized profusely for the dude’s comments and even gave Tammy her drink for free.
And Sara obviously was just jealous and trying to make me feel bad about myself. She might have behaved like that no matter if I’d been as beautiful as Nicole.
Speaking of Nicole… I noticed her approach Sloane as he sat talking with his friends by the pool tables. She reached out to touch his chest, but he grabbed her wrist and shook his head no.
A few more words were exchanged before she tossed her hair over her shoulder and stormed off.
I wondered if that was a regular occurrence for him. I knew from his letters that he’d never had a serious girlfriend, so I assumed he’d been quite the ladies’ man. Apparently, the ladies overlapped when he went out.
He didn’t seem fazed by it, so I suspected this wasn’t the first time more than one woman had been vying for his attention while he was out with another.
The thought of ever being one of the women competing for his affection made me queasy. I hoped if I were ever in that position, I’d have enough self-respect not to participate.
I was curious how he felt about it. On some level, it had to feed his ego. Yet, I hadn’t really seen that side of him—either in person or through his letters. He always came across as humble. Even though he was probably the most gorgeous man in the bar.
Tammy, Maddie, and Grace were having a spirited conversation with the guys about men truly not thinking about anything when they’re sitting in silence.
“How is that even possible?” Maddie demanded.
“Trust me, it’s possible and happens all the time,” Ryan replied.
“So, when you ask me what I’m thinking about, and I tell you nothing, I’m not lying,” Craig told her.
Maddie narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t think I believe you.”
“We’re really not that complex,” Ryan told her.
“Well, that, I believe.”
I loved how Maddie and Grace had included me and my BFF in their circle without hesitation. They were around my age, and even though they were clearly best friends, had made me and Tammy feel like we were part of the group. I appreciated that. I could see us hanging out with them in the future doing girls’ nights or just going to lunch.
I also loved how Craig doted on Maddie. Ryan would try with Grace, and it seemed her first instinct was to let him, then her brain would catch up, and she’d correct herself.
I had no doubt they would be good together. I just hoped Ryan didn’t give up before Grace agreed to date him.
“So, tomorrow…” Ryan started.
“Yeah, what’s the plan?” Craig asked.
“I thought we could hang out at my place. Put some burgers and dogs on the grill, watch some college football… Maybe play some cards.”
“That sounds fun. What time?”
Ryan face split into a big grin at Grace’s question.
“Whatever time works for you.”
“Well, I’m not the guest of honor, so we probably should work around whatever time works best for Sloane.”
Since Sloane was off mingling, all eyes turned toward me. I did some quick calculations in my head and said, “Should we say four?”
That would allow us to sleep in and lounge around in bed all morning if we wanted or go out for breakfast if he’d rather do that.
“Four works perfect for us,” Maddie said.
“Me too,” added Grace.
I could tell Ryan was going into planning mode.
“Tammy—you’re invited, of course. I think Josh will want to stop by and see Sloane. I know Tommy and Randy will want to come. Who else should we invite?”
“Damn, I wish Cooper were here,” Craig lamented.
“Me too,” Ryan replied.
They were quiet for a beat as they appeared lost in memory of their friend, then Ryan seemed to snap out of it and his party-planner alter-ego took over.
“I’ve got the usual liquor—whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila, and rum—but I’m not sure about what I have for mixers, so if you want something specific, bring it. Same if you want beer other than Modelo. As far as food goes, I’ll take care of getting the hamburgers and hotdogs and all the stuff that we’ll need for that, along with a tub of potato salad.”
Grace said, “I’ll bring hors d'oeuvres and a fruit salad.”
Craig chimed in, “We’ll bring baked beans and macaroni salad. I’ll also bring some brats.”
Ryan grinned. “Good. I was hoping you’d offer; they were awesome the last time we had them.”
“We could bring deviled eggs and a dessert,” I volunteered.
“Any way I could convince you to bring that cheesecake back?”
I laughed. “Between you and Sloane, there wasn’t much left last night, but I could make another one.”
Maddie’s brows went to her hairline. “You made a cheesecake?”
Ryan inserted, “It was so fucking good,” while Tammy added, “She’s a phenomenal baker.”
“I believe that. Her cupcakes were delicious.” Maddie faced me. “You must really like to bake. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who actually made a cheesecake.”
“Sloane said the same thing. It’s really not that hard, just a little time consuming.”
Maddie nodded thoughtfully.
“Maybe you should make something easier. We don’t want Sloane pissed because we’re horning in on his time with you.”
“That’s probably not a bad idea. I’ll come up with something easy.”
“I’m sure it will be delicious, whatever it is.”
Gosh, I like Maddie.
“I can bring soda along with homemade macaroni and cheese,” Tammy offered.
“Oh my god, that sounds amazing!” Grace replied. “Of course, I’m starving, so all this talk of food is not helping.”
I could almost see Ryan’s wheels turning at Grace’s declaration and was surprised that he didn’t suggest they go grab something to eat. I had to give him mad props when ten minutes later, the waitress set down a basket of chicken tenders and fries in front of a surprised Grace.
“Oh, I didn’t order these,” she exclaimed.
The server pointed a finger at Ryan and said, “He did.”
Grace shot a look at Ryan, who simply shrugged and said, “I didn’t want you to be hungry.”
I could tell by her small smile that he was slowly burning her resolve, and it made me happy. They were obviously meant for each other.
Then there was that sexy-as-sin Marine. I wasn’t sure if I was meant for him, but it seemed like he sure as heck was meant for me.
He returned and sat next to me, putting his hand behind my back while he leaned over to kiss me just below my ear. I swear it seemed like he was smelling me.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought that because Maddie loudly exclaimed, “Are you sniffing her?”
He turned his head to look across the table and replied indignantly, “Yeah, what about it? She smells fantastic,” then buried his face against the crook of my neck and took a dramatic deep breath in.
My body broke out in goosebumps, but I was keenly aware that people were staring again—something that always made me uncomfortable. I didn’t have the stomach to have the bar’s attention twice in one night.
“ Galán,” I whispered. “People are watching.”
He didn’t move, just murmured against my neck, “So? Let ‘em.”
“Sloane,” I said a little more firmly as I gently pushed him away.
He grinned at me sheepishly.
“Sorry. But you really do smell fantastic.”
With my voice low so only he could hear, I murmured, “I promise you can smell me all you want, in private.”
The corner of his mouth hitched higher, and he growled in my ear, “Oh, baby, when we’re in private, I’m going to do a lot more than just smell you.”
My tummy dipped at his insinuation, and I looked around nervously to see if we were still being watched. It seemed everyone had gone back to their own conversations, so I felt brave enough to reply, “I can’t wait.”
****
Sloane
Her words made me instantly hard, and I practically jumped out of my seat, pulling Ashley up with me in the process.
I looked around the table as I pushed my chair in and announced, “We’re going to go. I’m getting pretty tired.”
Ryan frowned and crossed his arms across his chest while he shook his head and tilted his chair onto its two back legs.
“What? No. You’re not leaving.” His tone was firm.
“What do you mean, no ? I’m pretty sure I know when I’m tired.”
Ryan set the chair down with a thud. “You can be tired all you want, but you’re not fucking leaving yet. All these people came out to spend time with you.”
I was a captain in the United States Marine Corps, and I did not appreciate being bossed around by my friend. I didn’t give a shit that he was taking care of my dog, I was about to tell him what for.
But Ashley held my hand tightly in one hand while softly caressing my forearm with the other as she said softly, “He’s right. We should stay a while longer.”
And as quickly as it rose, my ire dissipated.
“Fine,” I grumbled as I sat back down. “But we’re only staying for another hour.”
“Ninety minutes,” Ryan countered.
My forehead shot up as I gazed at him defiantly.
“Thirty.”
His brows pinched together but he dropped his arms from his chest and slouched a little in his chair.
“Fine, an hour.”