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They both nodded with the sentiment, then stood as if on cue.
I was a second behind, but stood as well, then followed Ash out of there.
“We can drop you at the hotel if you want, but I’m going to the house,” he told me.
“Really?” I demanded, putting my arm through his. “After all this, you think I want to go sit in the hotel while you're literally sorting through your childhood?”
He shook his head, mouth tipping in amusement again.
“You have a way with words, Frey.”
He wasn’t the first person to say that to me. I took it as a compliment.
“We’ll go through there together, and whatever you want to keep, we’ll send home to Vegas, ok?”
“What if I want to keep the bed?” He lifted an eyebrow.
“Uh…” I studdered. “I guess that’s fine, but we’re getting a new mattress because ew.”
Ashton laughed.
“I’m just shitting you. I wanted to know how far your love goes for me.”
“Jackass,” I grumbled, which just made him snicker.
“I’ll tell you what,” Felicity reasoned as we all got in. “Why don’t you take me back to the hotel, then you two can take this thing. Maybe show her around where you grew up?”
“I’d appreciate it,” Ashton told her as we got going.
At the hotel, we did what Felicity suggested and dropped her off, then switched up our seats. I climbed into the front of the expensive Escalade and watched Ash climb into the driver’s seat. Somehow, his size still managed to make the car look like a Prius.
As we left the hotel, I watched the city change before my eyes, from the rich side of the city to a dilapidated suburb. This was where he’d grown up?
Pulling up to a puke-orange little house with peeling paint and a chain link fence, I watched Ash take a massive breath.
“Let’s do this thing,” he said, though he sounded less than eager to go inside.
Gentleman that he was, he came around to open the door, then held my hand as we locked the car and approached his childhood home.
“I haven’t been back here since I was seventeen,” he admitted in a pained whisper.
“Nobody’s waiting inside. Plus, you have me this time.”
“There are all those demons in there, still,” he argued. “But you’re right, I have you this time. I’ll just throw you to the demons and make a run for it.”
I scoffed and punched his shoulder, but even the attempt at humor didn’t make his lips twitch in amusement. Seeing him so glum and serious made my stomach hurt.
Ash, despite his words, opened the door and went in first to the stale-smelling house,
The place was a relic of the early 80’s. Orange shag carpet that was matted and brown in places caught my eye first, followed by the ratty recliner seated pretty close to the TV, as if the watcher was nearsighted.
“Just like how I left it,” Ash whispered, sighing again. “Wonder what he did to my room once I left. He always said he’d make a man cave in there if my useless ass didn’t live here.”
“Your ass is far too pretty to be useless,” I teased, which finally tipped his severe lips.
“Glad you think so. I’m afraid not everyone agrees.”
Several more steps in, and Ashton paused, plucking a picture from the wall.
