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“It was just a game. Checking in and seeing how they did in Colin’s absence.”
Levi was just about to question the truth in my words when my phone started ringing. My eyes practically popped out of my head when I saw Ash’s name on the caller ID. I hadn’t heard from her since she left my place the other night.
“Let me grab this,” I mumbled to Levi before answering. “Hello?”
“Guess who's here?” Ash’s voice was a high whisper with a slight slur. There was loud music in the background and I could hear another girl giggling close to the phone.
“Where are you?”
“At a pool, on a roof. Sound familiar?” Based on the continued slur in her voice, I knew Ash had been drinking. “And there is rum.”
I looked up to Levi, who was trying not to smile at me, as he was pretending to play on his phone. He couldn’t hear Ash, but I knew I had tensed up and he took notice. Holding up one finger, I told him I needed one more minute, then lowered my voice.
“Ash, where are you?”
“Club something. Not far from your place. I guess all these tall buildings have pools on top.”
“Who’s with you?”
“Erin.” She spoke as if I knew who Erin was so I assumed she was a teammate. I still didn’t have a clue, but at least she was with someone she trusted.
“Is that what you called to tell me?” I actually smiled, calming down a little. She was having fun, the pool probably reminded her of me, and I couldn’t help but be glad I was on her mind.
“Noooo,” she laughed again. “I called to tell you that Coach is here.”
“Colin?”
“Hunter.” She was back to a stage whisper and the other girl—Erin—was giggling again.
“Why is he there?”
“I don't know. He hasn't seen us, but he’s with a girl. Can you believe there is a girl that wants to spend time with him? I guess I could see him being kinda hot if he wasn’t such a dick. But not Rhys Peyton hot.”
“Ash, baby,” I slipped, getting worked up again since she mentioned Hunter. “What’s going on?”
“Okay let me start over,” she giggled. “Erin and I are by the rooftop pool, we had some drinks, Hunter walked in with a girl, and then I called you.”
“It's only eight, barely even dark, what time did you get started?”
“We had three shots of rum. It’s always party time in Miami, baby.”
“Four,” Erin yelled into the phone. “We had four because it’s paaaarty time.”
“Started strong, I see,” grimacing.
“I was going to text you but did you know that spelling and rum don’t go well together? Rhys, I swear…rum makes you dumb. So I told Erin, ‘Ah ha. I can call him!’”
I rubbed my hand down my face and looked at Levi. He was trying to suppress a knowing smirk. Slipping up and calling Ash a term of endearment was not lost on him. Either was the fact that I had scooted my chair back and was ready to run back to Miami.
“Try to slow down. You're making me nervous.”
“I’ll be fine,” she sighed. “No one worries about me when I go out because it's just me, myself, and I in my life. Don’t start worrying now.”
Too late.
“You plan on staying there all night?”
“Yeah, and I'm gonna dive in the pool. But Rhys…. Hunter is with a girrrrl.”
