“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, womenthrow 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 textJT.
“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.”
