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Kennedy grinned and ran a hand through her blonde hair, which seemed to have a few more pink streaks in it than before. She’d always rocked a punk girl vibe and Ashley was gratified to see that marriage and imminent motherhood hadn’t changed her.
“I miss it, too. Oh, I said I’d scope out a puppy for my brother-in-law and his girlfriend. Have you met Bast and Pepper?”
“Uh, no. But I’m sure I will when the Rebels org decides he needs a little reputation rehab. At your service.” She gave a mock bow from her seat.
Kennedy’s eyes lit up. “Right, Reid said you were babysitting Dex O’Malley. How’s that going?”
“Well, he showed up several hours late, was bitten by one of the residents, and seems to think we’re all obsessed with his love life. So fairly excellent, I’d say.”
“Sounds like Dex. He’s got quite the rep. Must be nice to have something pretty to look at, though. Very easy on the eyes.”
She couldn’t disagree. Only this morning, she’d found her gaze drawn to his tightly-knit back muscles while he hauled a 20lb bag of cat food down from one of the shelves. Then she remembered that she was old enough to be his … older sister.
“Sure, he’s handsome, but I’m done with lookers. I’ve been trying this dating app that doesn’t have photos.”
Kennedy made a face. “Why do people think that would ever work? Appearances might be deceptive but think of the disappointment if you connect with someone and then find out they do nothing for you below the waist.”
“Better to separate that out. At least, in my experience.” If Jerome turned out to be handsome, then bonus points. But she couldn’t trust that. Animal attraction was all well and good, but it faded. Sometimes as soon as the test turned positive. “Sex is overrated.”
“Hmm, okay.”
Ashley laughed. “I’m thinking I might be too old for all that nonsense. I just want to meet someone I can have a conversation with, who isn’t so obsessed with that surface stuff. Who’ll rub my feet and make me tea when I’m sick.” So far, her text exchanges with Jerome were promising. Boring, but then that was probably for the best. No chance she’d be taken unawares. “I know, I sound so ancient. This is what happens when you become a mom—just you wait!”
Kennedy chuckled, more at Ashley than with her. “Speaking of the true love of your life, how is Willa?”
Ashley talked a few minutes about her daughter and her latest obsessions—Taylor Swift, manga, butterflies, weird, inaccessible art—and then clammed up upon realizing she was babbling.
“Sorry, sometimes I forget she’s my daughter and no one else is as interested.”
“Except her dad.” Ashley must have made a face because Kennedy asked, “So what’s the latest on that front?”
Back when Kennedy worked here, Ashley had shared about Greg’s shortcomings. “He continues to disappoint me and my kid, but nothing new there.”
“I’m sorry.” Kennedy winced, obviously conscious that she’d landed a good one in Reid and didn’t want to brag.
“Yes, yes, Reid adores you.”
“He does.” She grinned. “But not every guy has the emotional intelligence to make a relationship work. And it did take him a while to get there. Now back to you. You’re looking for someone to rub your feet and make you soup?—”
“Tea.”
“Okay, tea. But you also have other needs. Maybe don’t be so quick to give up on your sex life, grandma.” She looked thoughtful. “Is this about what Greg said, about not being attracted to you anymore?”
Ashley had forgotten just how much she’d confided in Kennedy. Blame that on one too many Bacardi and Cokes down at the Empty Net.
“It’s not exactly a confidence booster. ‘I’m leaving you for the gorgeous nubile twenty-two-year-old babysitter. And by the way, you repulse me.’” At Kennedy’s grimace, she held up a hand. “So he wasn’t that blunt, but he didn’t mind sharing his lack of attraction to me. And it makes me wonder if it was always like that. If he had to force himself to have sex with me because I just didn’t do it for him after the one night that changed everything?”
Kennedy shook her head. “Nope, not likely. Sure, there are degrees of attraction and levels of chemistry that make it better. But most guys will take whatever’s on offer.” She made a face. “Not making it better, am I?”
“No. But I appreciate you trying to convince me I’m not a complete troll.”
“I thought there was a guy from a few months ago. The one with the Rottweiler?”
Ashley sighed. “He was mean to his dog.”
Kennedy looked alarmed. “He hurt him?”
“No. Well, not physically. He would tell him he was ugly, and not in a cute, humorous way.” Ashley lay her head down on the table. “Is it so hard to find a guy who takes me dancing, remembers my birthday, and tells me when I have weird goat hairs on my neck?”
