Love's Someday (13 page)

“I’m kind of disappointed that you didn’t.” Erica smiled at the mental image.

They were both quiet as Kaitlyn kicked off her shoes and dug her toes in the sand. Erica thought she looked a lot like she did when they were kids minus a few gray streaks. Toes in the sand with a half-eaten sandwich in her hand, all Kaitlyn was lacking was a pair of cutoffs and skinned knees.

“Drew said you had a flaming case of the red ass last night.” Kaitlyn turned her head, but Erica could hear her soft snicker.

“Are you going to tell me that you weren’t the least bit pissed that Drew spent three hundred bucks on another fountain?”

Kaitlyn’s head spun around so fast that she lost her grip on her soda. The cup hit the ground, and her drink was quickly absorbed by the sand. “What?”

“Aw, she didn’t tell you about it?” Erica said with a satisfied grin. “It’s sitting on our porch right now just waiting for you to put it together.”

Kaitlyn angrily tossed the remainder of her sandwich on the ground. “How many of those damn things does she need? I hate the last one she brought home. I’m hitting it with the lawn mower if she ever lets me use it. Stupid ass little pissing boy! Who wants that shit in their yard? At least Ashleigh has taste.”

Erica had to agree with that. There were no pissing children or hat-wearing frogs in their garden. “I lost it when she told me how much she spent, then I spent the rest of the evening feeling like an ass. She works hard and rarely spends money frivolously.”

“Did you apologize?” Kaitlyn kicked at her wasted lunch and watched a piece of lettuce land in the water and float away.

“I left her a note this morning. She was in the shower when I left.” Erica could hear the guilt in her own voice. She’d lashed out, not because of the shopping, but that Ashleigh had spent the entire day away, but pride wouldn’t allow her to admit that.

“I think you were pissed about something besides money,” Kaitlyn said, making Erica wonder if she’d been reading her mind. “I don’t think you want to go back to Vicki and Chantal’s place next weekend.” Kaitlyn looked over at Erica and pointed. “You were making that same face when we talked about it the other night.”

Erica tossed the last bite of her sandwich into the creek, having lost her appetite. “I just feel out of place, and now I have to look forward to meeting the ex that I never knew existed. Please tell me that she’s frumpy and downright unattractive now.”

Kaitlyn picked up a rock and tossed it into the water. “The new fountain, it’s not a pissing boy too, is it?”

“Katie!”

“She’s smokin’ hot. I’d pay to see her naked.” Kaitlyn hung her head. “Sorry.”

“Lovely, just lovely.” Erica picked up a couple of rocks and started flinging them at the water angrily. “I want this week to hurry up and end, so we can get this over with.”

Kaitlyn picked up Erica’s drink and took a sip of it. “You’re not under the impression that once she sees them all again that she’s going to lose interest, are you?”

“No, but I have to go with her right now because it makes her so nervous. Once she’s comfortable, I don’t plan to be hanging out with her old buddies all the time.”

“So you’re okay with her spending time with an ex?”

Erica grimaced when she noticed that Kaitlyn was chewing her straw. “I’m okay with her hanging out with the band. If she starts wanting to hang out with what’s her name alone, that will be something altogether different.”

“Hmm.” Kaitlyn kicked at the sand.

Erica looked at her watch. “Put your shoes back on, you little goat, we have to get back.”

The week flew by for Ashleigh. Erica worked late nearly every night and most of the day on Saturday. Ashleigh spent her time building the new flower garden with Drew. She envisioned something like Vicki had but away from the house. They put together and erected the trellises, and by Saturday evening had planted the Confederate jasmine that would eventually cover the structures walling off a portion of the yard.

Ashleigh was looking forward to the barbecue but wished she’d slept in a little longer. She was exhausted as she once again surveyed her closet for something to wear. Finally settling on a pair of cargo shorts and a sleeveless oxford shirt, she dressed and went in search of Erica.

Erica sat clicking away at her keyboard when Ashleigh walked into her office. Ashleigh smiled when she noticed that Erica had gotten rid of the ever-present ponytail and let her wavy brown hair hang loose. She found Erica irresistible when she wore her hair down. The pale pink polo and the plaid shorts were a good look for her.

“Give me a second to save this and I’ll be ready,” Erica said without looking up from the screen.

Ashleigh watched as Erica pushed away from the desk and walked to where she stood in the doorway. “Kiss me,” Ashleigh said as she wrapped her arms around Erica’s neck. Erica complied with a light peck on her lips. “Do it again.” Erica once again placed a chaste kiss on her lips. Ashleigh looked deep into Erica’s eyes pleadingly. “Kiss me for real.” Erica seemed to get the message then. She pulled Ashleigh tight against her, showering Ashleigh’s lips with small kisses before covering her mouth with her own. Ashleigh filled her hands with Erica’s hair as her tongue slipped into her mouth. The kiss ended sooner than Ashleigh would’ve liked, but it was probably for the best. Her heart was already pounding in her chest as she buried her face in Erica’s neck. “You still give me chills when you kiss me.”

Their arrival was much the same as it had been the week before. Vicki and Chantal wrapped them all in hugs as they stood in the foyer, though there was much less emotion this time.

“They’re all out on the patio,” Vicki said as she looped her arm through Ashleigh’s and lowered her voice. “You don’t have to face them right away if you don’t want to.”

Ashleigh moved to the windows that covered the expanse of the wall facing the backyard. Her breath caught as she looked at the two women sitting at the table. Alex was looking at something that Jaclyn was writing, absently strumming the strings of her guitar. Ashleigh studied her profile, feeling for a second the old excitement that Alex stirred in her. But when Erica came to stand beside her, it was gone in an instant. She took Erica’s hand, feeling grounded the minute they touched.

“Should we tell them you’re here?” Chantal asked as she joined them.

“Give me a minute,” Ashleigh said as she watched the pair. “Lindsay’s not with them.”

Chantal snorted as Vicki gave her a playful slap. “She’ll drop by later. They needed some time apart this morning.” Vicki held up her fingers making air quotes around the word “apart.”

Ashleigh chuckled and looked back out the window and met Alex’s gaze. The dark eyes that stared back widened in surprise and Ashleigh found herself unable to look away, though she knew she should. A smile tugged at the corner of Alex’s mouth before she said something to Jaclyn, who sprang to her feet.

“Ashleigh!” Jaclyn said with a squeal as she raced through the door and threw her arms around Ashleigh’s neck. They laughed and hugged until Jaclyn stood back and looked Ashleigh over from head to toe as Ashleigh did the same. Jaclyn fingered a lock of Ashleigh’s hair. “I like this color, even though you’ve forsaken the red and made me the stepchild.”

“You still look exactly the same, and I hate you for it,” Ashleigh said with a laugh as she pulled Jaclyn in for another hug. Over Jaclyn’s shoulder, Ashleigh met Alex’s gaze once again as she leaned against the door frame with a slight smile. Her face was a bit fuller, fine lines gathered around her eyes and mouth as they did Vicki’s and Chantal’s, but there was something else. Before Ashleigh could determine what that was, Jaclyn released her from the embrace.

“It’s good to see you, Ash.” Alex moved in to hug her. Unlike the rest, she gave Ashleigh a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek before stepping back quickly.

“Great to see you again too,” Ashleigh stammered awkwardly.

“You must be Erica.” Alex moved past her and extended her hand.

Ashleigh turned and watched as Erica’s gaze met Alex’s, their hands joining as they greeted each other. She’d had many lovers, but there were only two she’d given her heart to, and now they both stood facing each other.

“Ash?”

“Yes?” Ashleigh felt her face flush when she noticed the quizzical expression on Vicki’s and Drew’s faces as they looked at her.

“Vicki was asking what you’d like to drink,” Drew said, lowering her voice, “like four times.” Drew took Ashleigh’s hand and steered her toward the kitchen behind Vicki. “You look a mite freaked out.”

“I’m okay.” Ashleigh leaned against the kitchen counter and accepted the bottle of water that Vicki handed her. She glanced back over her shoulder at Alex and Erica as they stood talking to Jaclyn.

“Is it as awkward as you thought it would be?” Vicki nodded in Alex’s direction.

Ashleigh took a healthy gulp of water before answering. Drew and Vicki stood on either side of her like vultures waiting for her to speak. “I don’t know if I would describe it as awkward, it’s—”

“Vicki, you’ve already spent a day with her, no hogging.” Jaclyn moved in front of Vicki and draped an arm around Ashleigh’s shoulders. “Erica is a doll, tell me all about her. Does she have a sister that’s into redheads?”

Vicki gave Jaclyn a playful shove. “Let Lindsay hear you talking like that and you’ll be sleeping at our place tonight.”

“Umm, dying of thirst in here,” Chantal called out playfully. “We can’t all fit in the kitchen, so would you bring us something?”

After drinks were served, the group settled in the den. Alex kept her distance from Ashleigh and took a seat on the hearth. “I believe it was Kaitlyn that said you were an office manager now.” Jaclyn looked at Ashleigh.

Ashleigh took a sip of her water and nodded. “I work for a medical practice in St.
Francisville
.”

“Is that how you two met?” Jaclyn pointed between Ashleigh and Erica.

“Actually, we met when Kaitlyn broke my arm,” Erica said with a grin, drawing protest from Kaitlyn.

“I did not break your arm.” Kaitlyn scowled at Erica and faced the group. “We were moving furniture, and I tripped. Erica’s arm got caught between the armoire and the door facing.” Kaitlyn raised a finger. “If I hadn’t tripped, you wouldn’t have met Ashleigh, so you owe me.”

“I was working as an admission clerk in the ER,” Ashleigh explained with a grin. “Erica asked me for my phone number, so I wrote it on her cast.”

“And she kept that stinky thing when they cut it off,” Drew added.

Erica shrugged. “I couldn’t part with it.”

As Jaclyn bombarded Erica with questions, Ashleigh glanced at Alex, who was focused on Erica as she answered each one. Alex had taken good care of herself over the years. Gone were the long tresses. Her brown hair a shade darker hung at her shoulders. Long legs clad in denim were stretched out before her and crossed at the ankles. Her feet clanged together nonstop, a sign of nervousness that somehow made Ashleigh feel better.

Ashleigh’s gaze moved over the rest of her
bandmates
and she surmised that each one colored her hair as she did. Not a hint of gray could be seen. Each had done what she could to maintain her youthful appearance. When they were young, it was ground into their heads that a certain image had to be maintained. That habit had not died away.

“We have videotape,” Ashleigh heard Chantal say, pulling her away from her inner musings.

“Video?” Ashleigh looked over at Chantal.

Chantal moved to the cabinet beneath the wide-screen TV mounted on the wall. “This one’s the best.” She pulled out a VCR tape and pushed it into the player. “It’s all candid stuff and some concert footage.”

“Shit,” Ashleigh said under her breath.

Erica gave her a playful nudge. “It can’t be any worse than those childhood videos that my parents love to share with you.”

“At least you’ve seen those.” Ashleigh covered her face with her hands, and the first images flashed across the screen.

“We’re on the bus. On the damn bus again,” Alex sang as she strummed her guitar. “Gonna slit the tires at the next stop.” What appeared to be a half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich hit her upside the head and the camera panned over to where Jaclyn and Ashleigh sat hysterically laughing, then faded to black.

The next scene was of the band as they boarded the bus after a concert. Each woman was sweat-soaked, exhaustion showed on their young faces. Jaclyn’s upper lip was bloodied and swollen. She turned her face from the camera. Chantal paused the tape and all the women of Versal erupted into laughter. “Oh, God, that was so embarrassing,” Jaclyn said as she blushed. “I misjudged the distance between me and the mic. I slammed my face into it and saw stars.”

Vicki held up a finger. “She never missed a beat, though. She kept right on singing until the song ended.”

Chantal started the tape again. She and Vicki were huddled in a corner leaning against each other sleeping. “We were just babies,” Chantal said with a shake of her head. “I think we may’ve slept collectively twenty-four hours on that tour.”

“That’s when it was fun,” Jaclyn said. “It was just us and we answered to no one.”

“And we had no food, we rode around in an old cargo van in between the sound equipment and instruments.” Chantal paused the video again. “And Alex got bit by a rat in the bar we played in Pensacola.”