Amber agreed. Lying down on the sofa, Amber rested her head on her friend’s lap. “Stay here with me tonight?”
“Of course, on one condition?”
“What condition?” Amber asked.
“The instant you know how you feel, you tell the others. I’m not keeping a secret for Elijah. He doesn’t deserve it, and I’m pissed at him.”
Amber agreed with her friend and closed her eyes.
****
Ashley left her friend’s apartment early the next morning. She put a note on the fridge under a magnet so Amber wouldn’t worry. There was no judgment for Amber’s secret relationship with Elijah. No matter what Amber thought, there was a relationship going on between the two.
Hitching her bag high on her shoulder she headed toward the bar where she worked. Wade had offered her a job at his bar, but she didn’t f**k and work in the same place. She picked guys up from Wade’s place on a regular basis. There was no way she’d work in a place where her exes could find her when she wasn’t prepared for it.
After listening to what Amber had to say, Ashley knew she needed to do something about her own problem.
She’d been working at Flirt for a few weeks now, and she loved it. The people were friendly, and the guards at the door did a great job. It was closer to being a nightclub rather than a bar. The women were young, thin, and wore barely any clothes.
Last night, before Amber’s phone call, she’d met her real boss and the guy who owned Flirt. The guy was none other than Jonathan Cook, the football captain who’d taken her virginity and broken her heart in high-school. She recognized him instantly. The years hadn’t changed him at all. Jonathan was still good looking, only now, there was a maturity to his boy-next-door looks.
Wiping at her eyes, she forced the tears down. Seeing him for the first time in over seven years had sent pain spearing through her heart. Staring into his eyes she’d felt like she was drowning with no way out.
Ashley had quit on the spot and stormed out. Working for an ex who humiliated her in high-school and hurt her deeply was not something she’d ever do for kicks.
The problem was, she needed this job. Going back to work as a secretary or an assistant would drive her crazy. She needed the buzz of working behind a bar. Smelling like alcohol wasn’t nice, but it was better than being in the tight formal clothing that was demanded of her.
She walked the whole way to Flirt. Outside the front, the path was a mess. She knew, come night, the place would be immaculate.
Opening the door, she stormed inside to confront the man from her past. Ashley found the barman filling up the counter.
“Where’s the boss?” she asked, startling him.
“’Round back, in his office. He’s not in a good mood.”
“Then he matches my f**king mood.” She didn’t wait and stormed toward the general direction. Her feeling toward Jonathan was purely hatred. The bastard had ruined high-school for her. He’d said things that made her believe she was so special, and then, he’d crushed her into dust. Since that day, she’d never been the same carefree Ashley. There was a time when she’d need more than a smile and promise to get her in the sack.
The men she f**ked now only ever needed to promise a good time for the night, and she was happy. She’d lost count of the number of men she’d taken to bed.
Slamming the door of his office open, Ashley stopped and looked at him.
Jonathan looked up, glaring. The instant he saw her, his gaze changed.
“You came back.”
Stepping into the office, she closed the door then took a seat opposite him. “I need this job. I don’t want to go back to working in an office. Flirt suits me. It’s what I want, and I don’t want to change.”
“I was going to call you to make sure you didn’t regret your decision.”
She held her hand up. “I don’t like you. I want nothing to do with you. The way I see it, I’ve avoided you for the last few weeks, and I can go on avoiding you.”
“I’m your boss.”
“You’re a f**king heartless bastard, Jonathan. I want this job, but you can get someone else to give me messages. After the way you treated me it’s the least you can do. It’s all I ask.”
Ashley met his gaze, feeling nothing but contempt when she looked at him.
“I’m sorry about what happened.”
Standing up, she slammed her palms on the desk and shook her head. “No, you’re not going to f**king start that shit. Your time for apology was in high school. I can’t get that time back. Do this for me, and leave me the hell alone.”
She left with her head held high.
****
Jonathan watched her go. He felt sick to his stomach. When he’d learned of Ashley applying for a job, he should have nipped it in the bud. He couldn’t do it. Back in high school he’d been a total douche-bag to her even though he had feelings for her. The peer pressure had been too much for him. He was the captain of the football team, and he shouldn’t have been crushing on the curvy blonde in their year.
Ashley was right. He was the one to pursue her. From the first look he’d fallen for her. A lot of the guys had found her attractive even though at the time they’d never admitted the truth.
Staring down at his paperwork, he shook his head. He couldn’t focus anymore. When she’d quit last night he thought all hope was lost. Seeing her stood in the doorway, the hope to rectify his wrong had started to fill him. She’d crushed that hope the same way he’d crushed all feeling from her.
Ashley may think this was the first time he’d seen or heard from her, but it wasn’t. Her name got around, and she’d built herself quite a reputation. Jonathan knew her reputation was entirely his fault. He’d been the one to drive her to become the woman she had, and he would live with that for the rest of his life.
Chapter Seven
By Friday Amber was on tenterhooks over her upcoming date. Dale had given her the afternoon off to get ready. He would be picking her up from her apartment at seven. She’d spent an hour going through her wardrobe before settling on a deep blue cocktail dress and black heeled shoes to match. The color wouldn’t contrast too much with her red hair.
She laid out the clothes then started to pamper herself. Filling the tub with smelling salts, she took her time washing. Amber shaved her legs and under her arms before soaping her hair.
In an instant the time was gone, and she applied a layer of lipstick to her lips. Smacking them together, she heard the door sound. Her heart galloped inside her chest. Walking to the door, she wiped her sweaty palms down her dress and opened it. Dale stood with a bunch of red roses.