Chapter 20
“No, boo. I want to know what’s going on between you two. You don’t just run away with a man you barely know because someone is stalking you. I mean, come on, Ci-Ci, you’re not even telling your parents where you are.”
“It’s safer for everyone this way, and I assure you that we’re just friends.”
“The way that your voice rose in that high pitch is saying something different. Did he lick, stick, or both?”
“Damn, girl. You must be horny, because you’re all between my legs.”
Sabrina giggled. “No, ma’am. My business is being handled, but according to reputable internet sources, so is yours.”
“Please. Don’t start with that crap. I’m so tired of what everyone on the internet has to say.”
“So are you going to tell me that there’s not a grain of truth in any of it?”
“Sabrina, you’ve been my best friend forever.”
“Which is why I know that you wouldn’t be hiding out with that man and nothing is going on.”
“Okay, I have feelings for him. All right? But the type of man that Ashton is, he wouldn’t cheat on his wife. He wouldn’t pull me into the mess between them while they were divorcing.”
“I can believe that, but he’s divorced now. The two of you are hiding out somewhere that the world does not have access to you. So tell me again that, that man ain’t hitting that?”
I sighed as I slid the chicken into the oven. Ashton had called and told me that he would be back in town tonight. He had flown in this morning, but he would be making the two-hour drive back from Atlanta to Laramie Falls earlier than he expected.
He sounded much better than he had last night when he learned the news of Zoe’s accident, and better than he had when he drove off this morning. I had spent the day cleaning, doing laundry, and watching home improvement shows and the news.
I saw the reporters camped outside of the hospital, news about the accident, pictures of her car, but they hadn’t been able to capture any pictures of Zoe or Ashton thus far. I thanked God for that miracle, because I knew that was the last thing either of them would want.
I had spoken to him three times since he had left to head up there. He checked in with me to make sure that I was comfortable and had everything I needed, as well as to give me an update on her status, and to tell me how much he missed me.
He confirmed that they had done a number on her, and there was a lot of swelling and bruising, as well as internal injuries it would take her a while to heal from.
I shuddered at the thought of that happening to me, especially if I had walked in on the intruder in my home, or when they were vandalizing my car.
Tommi said they were close to arresting someone, but she refused to tell me who it was. She simply advised me to keep lying low and not tell anyone my whereabouts, including my parents.
“Okay, listen. We’re trying to figure things out between us. I won’t lie, Ashton’s definitely as interested in me as I am him, but we’ve agreed to take things slow. He knows that I was seriously hurt by Darius, and I know that his divorce is fresh and painful.”
“So you did give it up, Lucy Goosy?”
“Girl, shut up. There’s nothing loose about me.”
“I bet that back was real loose while he was up inside of you.”
I laughed. “I am really enjoying getting to know him. He’s got this big heart, Sabrina.
He’s thoughtful, caring, funny, and, in some ways, just a big kid.
I want to protect his heart so bad, especially when I think about all he’s been through.
All he wants is to be there for his family and make sure that they have everything they need.
I feel like people take advantage of that. ”
“Then maybe you can step in and protect him.”
“I would love that, but he’s so averse to allowing anyone to protect him.
He’s the protector, . . . and he’s always guarding everyone else.
Well, his family, I will say. I’ve noticed that he’s not as open to strangers.
I noticed that about him when I first met him.
He was friendly, loveable, and all laughter with his team family, but with everyone else, he barely glanced at them or spoke to them. ”
“Because he clearly doesn’t trust easily. Even more reason for you to be the woman to guard his heart. Y’all so cute and all. I bet y’all gonna have all these little basketball babies. Your kids are gonna come out of the womb three feet tall with a ball in their hand,” Sabrina stated and giggled.
My heart clenched in my chest, and the tears stung my eyes. I pressed my hand against them as I tried to stifle my emotions. It wasn’t Sabrina’s fault. I had never shared my truth with her. Instead, I cleared my throat and replied, “Girl, slow down. We said we’d take things slow.”
“I’m talking about in the future.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Anyway, I’d better hop off this phone. I’ve been yapping it up with you, and Chance is on his way to pick me up.”
“Where are y’all going?”
“Premier Event to bowl and then Tahini’s for dinner.”
“All right, girl. You have fun with that.”
“I will—and I will definitely be getting my back blown out tonight.”
“Well, you do that, miss ma’am,” I replied, laughing.
“And I won’t be hiding the details. Shit, the world will know because I’ll be screaming his name until somebody comes knocking.”
I laughed at her silly self. “You’re crazy.”
“Bye. boo. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Bells,” I professed, calling her by the special nickname I had for her before I ended the call.
“Come on, big baby,” I called out to Titan as he followed me into the living room. I curled up on the couch, and he hopped up there with me. Resting his big head in my lap, he nudged my hand with his head.
I placed my hand on top of his head and lovingly stroked it as I turned on the TV. “Titan, you’re just like your daddy. Big as hell, intimidating looking, but really just a big, soft baby underneath that aggressive packaging.”
He let out a woof and lowered his head again. I chuckled and pulled up one of Ashton’s old games. We watched that, but before long, I could hear Titan snoring. I got caught up in the game, missing Ashton and wishing he were here.
I checked his location after a while and noticed that he was on the road.
He wouldn’t turn the rental car in until tomorrow since Shaniece had reserved it for two days for him.
His car was parked at the private Laramie airport.
I planned to ride with him in the rental tomorrow to pick up his car, and he could return the rental at that time.
After I finished watching the game and a couple episodes of the cooking show that Ashton had turned me on to, I scrolled my social media accounts. The same old things were going on, nothing new, but fortunately, I wasn’t tagged in as many posts.
I did notice an uptick in Ashton’s posts.
People were wondering if he would dump me, run to his wife’s side, and reconcile with her.
A few posts had memes of me with my mouth wide open as though I was ranting, saying that was what happened to side chicks.
The picture was taken from a football game that I attended earlier this year.
I had been reporting at the game and was up in arms about a call that the ref made.
I scrolled through a few more pictures and noticed that Shaniece was in the background. “I need to call her,” I stated out loud. His birthday was coming up in less than four months, and I needed to do something special for him. I would get her ideas and feedback.
I had thought about calling Amélie, but she was so damn territorial, and I had a strong vibe that she didn’t like me. I thought it might be best for me to reach out to his PA, who was extremely sweet.
Aside from his birthday, I needed to get him a Christmas gift too.
Christmas was less than a week away, and while I had done all the shopping for my family and friends, I hadn’t got Ashton anything.
At the time that I started shopping for them, he and I hadn’t been involved.
Now that we were, I kept forgetting about Christmas because there was so much other crap going on in our lives.
The timer on the oven went off, and I slid Titan’s head off my lap. I got up from the couch, and he jumped down and followed me. Washing my hands, I headed to the oven to remove the chicken as Titan headed to the rear of the cabin.
On the first floor, there was an open concept living and dining room and kitchen. The bedrooms and bathrooms were on the second floor, and there was a full bathroom downstairs on the main floor. A long hallway led to his den, game room, and the indoor pool at the very rear of the cabin.
I wasn’t worried about Titan getting in there, because it was locked up. Sometimes, he would go rest on Ashton’s couch in his den, and I figured that was probably where he was.
I started preparing the broccoli just as I heard a noise. My heart jumped with excitement. It was funny how I hadn’t had Ashton in my life, but in the short time we had become involved, I didn’t want him to be away from me.
But such was the honeymoon period of any relationship. After a while, one or both parties would grow bored, and you would have to fight to keep the spark going. I prayed that didn’t happen to us. My man was very affectionate, patient, and kind.
I giggled at the thought of calling him “my man.” Would I become one of those girls in a relationship with Ashton? I hadn’t been that way with Darius, and especially not any man after him.
I rounded the island to meet him at the living room door as the knob turned. But no sooner than I cleared the couch, I stopped in my tracks.