Love's Someday (27 page)

Vicki picked up a pen off the coffee table and tossed it at Chantal, whose body jerked, then the soft snores resumed.

“You’re cruel,” Ashleigh whispered with a chuckle.

Vicki smiled. “I am and she loves it.”

Ashleigh’s cell phone buzzed and she noticed Kaitlyn’s text.
She’s fine. Needed time to think.

Ashleigh sighed and read it twice before flipping the phone shut. “Need help with dinner?” she asked Vicki.

Vicki shook her head. “It’s spaghetti and it’s already done. You look tired. Why don’t you go lay down for a while, that’s what Sundays are for.”

Ashleigh went to her room and sprawled out on the bed with her cell phone in hand. She debated calling Erica until her eyes slipped shut.

“My ass is on fire, and I have a nasty taste in my mouth that Listerine can’t touch, but otherwise I’m fine,” Drew said later when Ashleigh called to check on her. “I think the last time I threw up, I saw part of my rib cage.”

Ashleigh screwed up her face in disgust. “Thanks for sharing.”

Drew laughed and groaned. “Tell me about the show. What’d I miss?”

“It went okay. I managed to remember all the lyrics and I stayed on key.”

“Packed house?”

“It was pretty crowded.”

“I’m so pissed that I missed it,” Drew said, then smacked her lips. “I’m never eating sesame chicken again.”

“Oh, Drew, have mercy.”

“Don’t make me laugh, Ash, it hurts too much.”

Ashleigh’s smile faded. “I went to see Erica this morning and she wasn’t home. I saw Kaitlyn, though, and she said she’d been out all night.”

“She loves you, honey, you know in your heart of hearts that she wasn’t…”

“I know,” Ashleigh said, glad that Drew didn’t finish the sentence. “At least I hope I know.”

“How’s Alex?”

Ashleigh blew out a long breath. “She’s fine, Drew. What are you getting at?”

“I know you’ve been lonely, and I know she’s accessible.”

“Is that what you think I should do? Have a fling with her while I try to work things out with Erica?”

“Not at all…I just want to know if it’s crossed your mind.”

Ashleigh chewed at the inside of her cheek as she remembered the way Alex felt in her arms the previous night and the conversation they had on their moonlight stroll.

“Ash?”

“She’s not willing.”

“How do you know that?” Drew asked with the sound of dread in her voice.

“It’s not what you’re thinking. Give me more credit than that.”

“I’d like to, but when you blurt out something like that, it makes a girl wonder.”

“I don’t…want her, but sometimes…” Ashleigh buried her face in her hands, wondering what her point actually was. “I get confused. She’s what I wanted her to be back then. Compassionate, caring, and Erica’s so distant. Sometimes I find myself wondering…”

“Wondering what? If you should try again?”

Ashleigh couldn’t bring herself to acknowledge that statement. If only Erica would reach out, but she hadn’t. Was all of this happening for a reason? Had their relationship run its course?

“Maybe it’s not such a good idea that you spend time with her right now. It clouds your judgment.”

“We talked the other night, and I admitted that I remembered how it used to be with her. And she told me I was in a bad place, and…” Ashleigh felt like her head was going to explode.

“Ah-ha! You have been dwelling on old memories. I told you this would happen, Ash.”

“I know.” Ashleigh sank back onto her bed.

“You know I love Erica, and it will kill me if you two don’t work things out. You’ve got to do what’s best for you, but, honey, I don’t think Alex is the answer. You can’t work things out right now for yourself in the arms of someone else.”

“You’re blowing this out of proportion. I’ve had some conflicted feelings lately, but I’m not going to hop into bed with Alex. I’m just admitting that I’m…going through something. Do we have to talk about this?”

It was Drew’s turn to blow out in exasperation. “All right, I’m sorry. But please promise me that you’ll talk to me before you do anything.”

“That’s just the point. I’m not going to do anything. I just need to get my feelings out there, and I need you to listen and not freak out.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll behave, besides my nausea medicine is kicking in and I’m feeling kind of woozy.”

“All right, tell Kaitlyn I said hello.”

“Consider it done, sweetie.”

“I love ya, Drew.”

“Love you too. Don’t visit me for lunch tomorrow. I don’t know how contagious this shit is.”

“I’ll see you soon then, bye.”

“Bye, love.”

Ashleigh flipped the phone shut and closed her eyes. A nap might help, and maybe if she had any luck left, she’d sleep through dinner.

“It’s about time you got up,” Chantal said with a grin as Ashleigh walked straight to the stove, lifted the lid on the sauce, and gave it a sniff.

“Don’t let her tease you, Ash.” Vicki lifted an eyebrow at Chantal. “I just hauled her ass off the sofa. She’d still be snoring away if I hadn’t.”

“I did not say that,” Jaclyn said angrily as she came in the back door with Lindsay on her heels. “I said Jolly Ranchers stick to my teeth. How you got that I was saying you’re fat, I don’t know.”

“It was the look.” Lindsay pointed at Jaclyn’s face. “That look.”

“Ladies,” Chantal said, drawing their attention. “There will be no bloodletting or maiming on Sundays and never in the house.”

“Anybody open that bottle of cabernet yet? I need a glass.” Jaclyn pulled a wineglass from the cabinet. “Hey, baby,” she said to Ashleigh and pecked her on the cheek.

“Wine is fattening, by the way,” Lindsay said as she sipped from her bottled water.

“I did not call you fat!” Jaclyn’s voice rose with each word.

“Ah, the tradition of the Sunday night fight is alive and well,” Alex said cheerfully as she walked in the side door. “I was afraid I was going to miss it.”

Lindsay rolled her eyes as Jaclyn shot the finger in Alex’s direction.

Ashleigh had seen Alex in everything from spandex to leather, but she’d never seen her in a suit and wearing heels. She found herself unable to look away.

“Where have you been?” Vicki fingered the lapels of Alex’s jacket as they exchanged kisses.

Alex gestured with one hand as she pulled a wineglass from the cabinet. “Momma McKinney had a social…thing. I was required to attend and ‘dress accordingly.’ I stayed long enough to meet a few of what she considered influential people, then I sneaked out through the garden.”

“You’re gonna pay hell for that stunt,” Chantal said, and everyone laughed along with her, including Alex.

“Oh, I’m sure Monday morning is going to be very interesting. I can just hear her now,” Alex said, causing the sides of her mouth to droop in imitation of her mother. “Alexandra, I noticed you left my soirée early, why?”

“That is so Momma McKinney,” Jaclyn said with a laugh.

Vicki gave Alex’s shoulder a squeeze. “I don’t envy you.”

“That’s why I’m contemplating working from home.” Alex grinned before taking a sip of her wine.

“Okay, ladies, the pasta is done. We’re going to do this buffet style, so grab a plate and form a line. Then go to the den because coach Chantal wants us to watch our performance from Saturday.”

Jaclyn rolled her eyes as she filled her salad bowl. “You have it on film?”

“Don’t I always?” Chantal said with a grin. “Remember that next time you decide to have sex in our pool while we’re on vacation.”

Chantal was teasing, but when she noticed the flush that covered Lindsay’s face and neck, she realized who the owner was of the swimsuit top that she found in the strainer.

Once everyone was seated and enjoying dinner, Chantal started the video. Ashleigh blushed at the sight of herself but made a few mental notes for her next performance. Instead of acting like professional musicians, the women jeered and teased one another until Chantal switched DVDs and they began watching a movie.

Alex took Ashleigh’s plate to the kitchen when she finished eating and refilled her tea glass. She set it down with a smile and took a seat next to Jaclyn and Lindsay. Ashleigh watched as Alex kicked off her shoes and draped one leg over Lindsay’s lap.

It amused Ashleigh as she leaned against Chantal’s shoulder how comfortable they all still were with one another. They snuggled up like a litter of puppies, and no one thought it odd.

Unable to devote her full attention to the movie, Ashleigh’s mind drifted. She thought about Erica and wondered how she was spending the evening and with whom. The thought of Erica and the distance between them made her eyes burn. She blinked rapidly, keeping the tears from forming. She focused on the movie for a moment, then her gaze settled on Alex.

For a fleeting second, she allowed herself to wonder what it would be like to date the woman Alex had become. The feeling of guilt came immediately for entertaining that thought even for a moment. She wasn’t being fair to Erica or their relationship dwelling on such things. So she allowed the not-so-pleasant memories of Alex to flood her mind.

“Have you seen Alex?” Ashleigh asked Jaclyn when she answered her hotel room door.

Jaclyn reached out and pulled Ashleigh inside. “Did you check the bus?” She pushed a pile of clothes from the bed and offered Ashleigh a seat.

“The bus was locked. I checked the lounge and the convenience store across the street. She’s nowhere in sight.”

Jaclyn shrugged. “You know how she gets when she messes up. She hides herself away.”

Ashleigh looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was after one in the morning. “She doesn’t normally ‘
hide away
’ for this long.” Ashleigh sighed as she stood. “If you see her, let me know.”

“The only thing I’m gonna see are the backs of my eyelids,” Jaclyn mumbled and flopped back on the bed.

Ashleigh meandered down the silent hall on the way to the room that she was supposed to be sharing with Alex. She poked her head inside and frowned when she realized it was still empty. She made up her mind to pass through the lounge on the way to the bus again. If Alex wasn’t in either place, she would be forced to give up and wait.

A perfectionist when it came to playing guitar, Alex became deeply disappointed in herself whenever she made the least of mistakes. She’d made three during the concert they played earlier in the evening. When the bus arrived at the hotel, she stayed behind, asking to be left alone. Ashleigh honored her request, but as the hours passed, worry set in, and an unsettling gnawing began in the pit of her stomach.

Except for a few patrons at the bar, the lounge was empty. The bus was her last hope. She was surprised to find it unlocked and pushed her way in. Ashleigh felt the blood drain from her face when she heard two distinct voices crying out in passion. One of them she knew intimately. Common sense told her to walk away, but the emotional side won out. She needed to see with her eyes what her ears had heard.

Without a word, she moved down the narrow hallway and threw the door open. The smile that Alex had been wearing slipped from her face. Shock, anger, and shame flashed across her features in rapid succession. The woman beneath Alex barely noticed Ashleigh’s interruption.

“Sleep here tonight” were the only words that Ashleigh could think of to say at that moment.

Ashleigh was brought back to the present when Jaclyn and Lindsay began to argue again. She stood and stretched, feigning exhaustion. She kissed each woman on the cheek and went to her bedroom. She wasn’t up for conversation with anyone that night, especially Alex.

She filled the bathtub with hot water and sank into it with a sigh. A feeling of homesickness washed over her as she lay back. She wanted to go home and soak in her own tub. Sleep in her bed and be surrounded by her things. Ashleigh scrubbed at her face in frustration. Were those the only reasons she wanted to go home? Did Erica factor in at all?

If she were to be truthful with herself, she would have to acknowledge that they had become roommates who occasionally had sex. The connection between them had all but faded away. Diminished by the mundane activities of life such as paying the phone bill, taking out the trash, staring at the TV because there was nothing to talk about. It was no wonder that they’d broken up over something as simple as their inability to compromise on one issue.

Maybe it was time to start looking for a place of her own.

From the moment Ashleigh unlocked the doors to the clinic, people poured in. Those who weren’t complaining of nausea and vomiting were plagued with the common cold. Ashleigh along with the rest of the staff nearly bathed themselves in antibacterial cleansers. She could cope with a cold, but a stomach virus was something she wanted no part of.

When it came time for her lunch break, Ashleigh hid herself away in the employee lounge with a bag of chips and noticed a text from Drew.
Call me when you can.