“Okay, but I have to be home for lunch to check on Gran.”
“I’ll make sure you get home on time.” I chuckled. “I wouldn’t dare upset your grandmother.”
Ashley’s laughter was music to my ears and a spear through my heart.
It felt like she’d forgiven me for what happened in Vegas, but that didn’t mean she’d give me a second chance. Given how fucked up I was, I couldn’t blame her.
We didn’t talk as we walked to my truck. Her lips curled up in the tiniest of smiles when I opened her door and helped her up.
After getting in and making sure her seatbelt was buckled, I asked, “Okay if we just drive around for a bit?”
“That’s fine.” Her tone agreed, but her eyes didn’t. I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that there was something else going on.
I shifted in my seat to face her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, really. It’s just been a rough few weeks.”
I couldn’t argue with that. Not only had I shown up unexpectedly, but she’d lost her job and her apartment in short order, and that was on top of her ex harassing her.
My gut warned me there was more to the sadness, but there was nothing else I could do if she wouldn’t talk to me.
Not that I wouldn’t keep trying.
I started the engine and turned the radio down to a respectable volume.
Exiting the parking lot using the street that didn’t have a suspicious blue sedan with dark windows parked on it, I asked, “How’s your grandmother?”
“She’s fine,” she answered, a wrinkle forming between her eyebrows.
“Sorry, what I meant was, is the walker temporary while healing or a permanent fixture?” It wasn’t the most PC phrasing, but it worked.
“She fell and broke her hip; with any luck, she’ll only need it for a few more weeks.”
“That’s good. She seems like a spitfire.” It was obvious where Ashley got her feisty, no-nonsense attitude.
“She is.” Ashley turned towards me. “She didn’t grab your ass, did she?”
I laughed. She hadn’t, but the question piqued my curiosity. “Has she grabbed other guy’s asses?”
“I don’t know. She talks about it, but I’m never sure if she’s saying it to shock me or if she’ll really do it.”
“Has anyone confessed?” I was dying to know just how many asses Gran had touched.
“So far, just AJ, but I think he was lying to fuck with me.”
AJ? Why was AJ at her place? Once again, the green-eyed monster woke from its slumber when it had no business existing.
“Did you date AJ?”
“No,” she answered.
“No?”
“No, we never dated.”
I’d swear there was more to it. “But?”
“But we were friends with benefits before he met Blake.”
