Chapter 23 Gabe
GABE
AUGUST PRESENT DAY
After work, I head to the clubhouse to meet Nik. I promised her I’d help set up for Shane’s coming home party tomorrow.
“Hey,” I greet her, strolling in, not looking up from my phone. When she doesn’t answer, I glance up and freeze.
Nik stands next to a fold-out table, grimacing as someone else fiddles with a floral centerpiece.
Shit. Ash is here.
Her hair’s tied up on top of her head, and she’s in an oversized band T-shirt with the shortest black skirt I’ve ever seen.
She offers an apologetic smile. “Hey, Gabe. I hope you don’t mind; I tagged along.”
Waving a hand, I say, “You’re good.”
Fuck me, I can’t stop staring at her mouth. She’s got that berry color on her lips, and it has me in a trance. I slowly pull my eyes from her and rub my palms down my jeans. “What do you need me to do?”
Nik says, “I have a few boxes out in my car. Can you grab them?”
I nod, heading toward the door. This is bad.
I grab the boxes from Nik’s car before heading back in.
“What did you bring?” I ask, walking in to see the two of them standing near the bar, shots in hand. “You realize it’s just dinner, right?”
“We’re starting with Tequila,” Nik announces, holding out a shot glass.
“I need all the liquor I can get to make it through tonight. God, I don’t know why I’m so nervous.
I keep thinking what if something happens and he doesn’t get to come home or what if he comes home tomorrow and goes right back to his old shit. ”
“He’s coming home,” I say, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, he’s got this.”
I lift my glass before throwing it back.
After a couple of drinks, Ash goes to the bathroom.
Nik nudges my shoulder. “I know what you did for Shane. Thank you.”
My brows pinch.
“We’ll pay you back. I’m just so grateful. He wouldn’t have gone if you hadn’t paid for it.”
“Don’t worry about it.” My mouth turns down, and I shrug. “I just want him to get better.”
She smiles, running a hand down my arm.
Then I add, “But uh… do me a favor? Don’t tell Ash. It’s easier if she keeps hating me.”
She nods.
When Ash returns, she asks, “Want to play pool?”
“Nah, I’m terrible.” Nik gestures toward me.
Absolutely not. Playing pool, a little drunk, with Ash is a terrible fucking idea. She turns those gray eyes in my direction and my stomach bottoms out.
“I’ll play if you want.” Apparently, I’m in the mood to play with fire.
Ash doesn’t seem sure either but nods anyway.
Midway through the game, I can’t hold back my amusement anymore.
“Well, you haven’t gotten any better in the last six years.” I cover my grin by taking a swig of beer before setting it back down.
“Ha ha.” She rolls her eyes, leaning over the table. “It’s not like I’ve had time to play pool. I have a life.”
“I’m just saying, I think you’ve actually gotten worse, if that’s even possible.”
She hits the cue ball straight into the corner pocket, and I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh.
“Shit!” She spins to point at me. “Watch it. I’ll kick your ass.”
“Damn!” Taking a step back, I throw my hands up. “At least you’re not still a sore loser.”
That gets a real laugh from her—bright and warm. “Fuck off, would ya?”
Nik stands from the table she’s been sitting at watching. “Okay. I need to get out of here. I have to pick Shane up bright and early.” She wraps her arms around Ash. “Want me to drive you home? I’ve pretty well sobered up.”
Ash appears to be thinking about it.
Then she says, “Nah. I’m gonna turn this game around before I head home.”
Then she sticks her fucking tongue out. Literally, sticks it out like a child. I have to turn around to keep from cracking up.
She’s such a shit. One would think she’d grow out of it, but she hasn’t.
Thank God.
She has a way of making you want to strangle her and bury yourself in her all at the same time.
Nik nods, but her eyes flick to Ash one last time before she leaves.
“Okay.” Ash picks up her stick and laughs. “Ready to get smoked?”
“Yeah. I would love to see how you plan on coming back from this mess.”
“Oh, I have my ways.” She quirks an eyebrow.
“I remember your ways all too well. When I turn my back, you’re gonna bat a few of your own into the pocket, right?” I mirror her facial expression, remembering how she used to cheat. I’d let her because let’s be honest, I never gave a shit about the game when I was with her.
“Are you accusing me of cheating?” She holds a hand to her chest, trying not to smile. “I’m offended.”
“Uh-huh,” I say, pointing my stick at her. “Be offended with your hands where I can see them.”
The smile she was holding back breaks into a full-on laugh.
We finish our game, and she walks to the bar, flopping down on a stool.
“Well, I may have to walk home because I think I’ve had one too many shots.” She hiccups as I sit on the stool next to her.
“I think you’ve had more than one too many. Maybe about three too many,” I tease. “JT’s still around here somewhere; I can get him to give you a ride.”
“Hmm. That would be nice.” She wiggles her brows and bites her lip. “Man, he grew up, didn’t he?”
I can’t tell if she’s fucking with me. He spends the majority of his spare time in the gym working out the pent-up aggression he’s had since getting out of jail.
He’s huge.
Between that, his dark wavy hair, and tattoos, women throw themselves at him, but he doesn’t sleep around much.
He’s single, but his baby mama, Katie, keeps him on a pretty tight leash.
I don’t get it. She doesn’t want him, but every time she catches wind that some other girl might be in his life, she swoops in and puts a stop to it.
He loves his two kids, so he puts up with it for them, I guess.
The thought of Ash and JT like that makes my blood boil.
“Jesus. Chill. A girl might think you’re jealous if you keep glaring like that,” she chuckles. “No need to worry. I won’t jump JT on the way home.”
That does it. I’m no longer allowing him to drive her home. An image of him railing her in the back seat of his truck has my head literally spinning. No fucking way. She starts laughing and reaches over the bar to grab the Tequila bottle, but I stop her with a hand on her wrist.
“I think you’ve had plenty, Ash. You’re gonna fucking barf, and I’ll be pissed if I have to clean up after you.”
She rolls her eyes, letting me take the bottle, her ass plopping back on the leather seat. “Whatever you say, Dad. So, where is JT? I should probably get out of here soon.”
“Oh, no fucking way he’s taking you home. You’re walking. I can’t trust you not to take advantage of him.”
She throws her head back, laughing again.
“Oh, come on. I swear to keep my pants on. Please don’t make me walk,” she begs, clasping her hands and batting her lashes.
Fuck, her bottom lip shoots out, and I can’t stop staring. She must notice because she pulls it back in and straightens.
“I’m kidding.” She clears her throat. “I think I’ve had my fill of the boys in this club.”
Ouch.
I pull out my phone and text JT.
“So, tell me what’s new with you. What have you been up to all this time?” she asks, startling me for a second.
She’s been so standoffish since coming back, and now she’s making small talk. It’s weird, but I have the familiar urge to spill every detail of my life to her. Of course I can’t. She’s not the same girl anymore.
“Nothing, really.” I shrug. “Just club shit. You know basically the same shit I was doing six years ago.”
She nods, avoiding my eyes. “I’m separated.”
“Oh, shit. I didn’t know. Are you happy about it or—”
I assumed, but I never knew for sure.
“Yeah, I mean it sucks. No one gets married thinking they’re gonna end up divorced, but I’ll be glad when it’s final and I can put it behind me.
” She takes a deep breath before continuing.
“Before you ask, he cheated,” she says, shaking her head as her face falls.
“I just keep falling in love with men who can’t love me back. ”
“Ash—”
“Don’t. I was there, remember? I know exactly what you said to me that night. You can play the nice-guy role all you want now, but it doesn’t change what happened.”
She’s right. Nothing I do now can make up for the pain I caused her. The longer she’s around though, the harder it is to keep telling myself I made the right choice.
“You’re right. Nothing I say will make up for it.” I thread my hand in hers. “But what I did and what he did, it’s not on you. It’s not because you’re not worthy. It’s because we’re idiots, okay?”
She stares at our hands before pulling hers away.
“Right. Well, he was shit in bed anyway. At least maybe this way the next one will be better in bed.”
It’s such a change from her previous attitude that it takes me a minute to process the words before bursting out laughing.
“Jesus. Ash, what the fuck?”
“What? It’s true. I tried to give him pointers, but it was like talking to a brick wall.”
I shake my head, rubbing a hand over my eyes. “Okay. Well, good to know, I guess.”
Her eyes graze over me before landing on mine, and our laughter fades. We sit staring for a moment before I pull mine away.
“Look, I know you don’t want to hear it, and that’s fine, but I am sorry. There hasn’t been a day in six years that I haven’t wished things were different. Ash, I—”
That’s true, I do wish things had been different, but I can’t go back, so telling her anything else will only hurt both of us. “I’m just fucking sorry.”
Nodding with her eyes not leaving the bar top, she’s silent for a beat before saying, “Thank you.”
She starts to say something before JT walks in.
“Did somebody call an Uber?”
She lets out a fake laugh, hopping off the stool. “Wow, if I knew I’d get such a hot driver, I’d have worn something else.” She walks toward him.
I scowl, and she sticks her tongue out.
“Baby girl, you know you could make a garbage bag look good,” JT says, throwing an arm around her shoulders.
I point my finger at him. “Hands off. The last thing we need is for Shane to come home to that shit show.”