Ashling

The clock was going slow. Ashling had spent her week booking weddings, lining up makers for the maker’s studio show the next week, and doing everything she could think of to make the shop money.

While the week was filled with her work, her plans, and managing everything at the shop, the last few hours dragged.

She missed Jessie, and he promised to come get her at the shop when he was home from his tour.

She looked at her phone more than normal, hoping to get a text.

It was dark out, the shop had been closed for over two hours, and she was getting worried.

“I thought you’d like to see this.” She jumped a foot.

“I thought you’d gone home.” Aunt Theone was there and clearly something was making her exceedingly happy. Not a normal state for her. In fact, she was pretty sure she’d never seen the woman smile like this.

“Well, I was home and came across this on the Detroit Gossip Facebook page.” Aunt Theone shoved her cellphone in Ash’s face. She struggled to focus on the screen. The post read:

“Rising Michigan MMA Star Cozy With Mystery Brunette.” Ashling looked at the photos.

There was Jessie, her Jessie, and a pretty, tall, dark haired woman. He had his hand on her back, another shot had her laughing at something he was saying in her ear, they were very close. Another picture showed them exchanging a high five. The final blow, the one that felt like a spike in her heart, was the picture of the Jessie kissing her. Each photo showed a relationship and a closeness between Jessie and this person she’d never seen or heard of before.

That was it. It was more than she could stand.

“That’s your fighter boyfriend if I’m not mistaken.”

“Aunt Theone, what possible business is it of yours?”

“I’m just trying to help you. Don’t want you to get your heart broken by this cad.” She withdrew her phone and literally beamed.

“Thank you. I appreciate your concern. Make sure to lock the door behind you when you go.” She walked up to her rooms and could hear Theone whistling some ridiculous song as she left. The woman was giddy over hurting Ashling. That alone hurt almost as much as the pictures she’d just seen.

Almost.

Was he with that woman? That’s what the pictures seemed to show. That’s what the headline clearly conveyed. Jessie Hoolihan, gone from her for one week, and seemed to be very cozy with someone else. Her heartbeat felt strange to her.

Was she actually in love with someone so quickly? She had drowned in Jessie, and she thought he was in the same ocean with her.

But maybe not.

This was not some head-over-heels romance that could last forever. This was a player who played her so well she didn’t see it coming at all. She felt foolish and embarrassed. There it was; he was exactly who she feared, he was enjoying her until he wasn’t. And the minute that tall brunette was next to him, he played her too.

She had half a mind to reach out to the woman and warn her.

Ash wanted to lie down on her bed and cry. She wanted to break something. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she struggled to control herself. She would not break down and cry like a wounded animal. Which was exactly what she felt like.

Ash looked at the time. It was nearly five hours after Jessie had said he’d come to see her, after a week of being away, and she knew he wasn’t coming. He had finished with her and moved on. That’s what American athletes did. Why did she think for a second that it would be any different?

Ash waited another hour. She paced. She thought about every second she’d spent with Jessie. She thought about what he’d said to her. That she was his. What a line of complete and total bullshit. She’d swallowed it all like it was true and perfect.

She stood up and grabbed her jacket.

Jessie Hoolihan was going to hear from her one last time.

Ash walked in the dark to his place. She didn’t want to waste money on a cab or a bus. It was dark, but she didn’t care. She was on a mission to tell him off.

It was after midnight, and she was at Jessie’s door. She took a deep breath and knocked.

Jessie opened it. And there he was, sweats, no shirt, and clearly not looking to make the date he’d set.

“Oh, shit, Ash. I’m so . . .”

“You’re so full of shit. You go away for one week. One week, and I have to see this shit on Facebook about you? Well, congratulations. You did a fabulous job convincing me I meant something to you.” Ash was nearly yelling. The Irish in her was in full effect, and it was loud.

“What?” Jessie looked at the phone she waved in his face.

“Mysterious brunette? One week and you’re whispering in someone else’s ear. Well, you can kiss my Irish ass, Jessie Hoolihan. Never, I mean never, bother me again, you son of a bitch.”

Jessie stepped out of his apartment and grabbed her by the shoulder.

“Wait, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Then to stand me up after, very smooth, no goodbyes. That’s an American thing.” She jerked her arm free.

“I really wish you wouldn’t act like such a crazy person.” There was nothing worse than the person who made you crazy calling you crazy! Ash was livid, and she was in no mood to listen to another word he had to say.

“You made me a crazy person by jerking me around and then lying.”

“Tonight is not the night for this, Ashling. I really can’t deal with this.” Jessie was over her, she could see that, and she was over him. The weird sexy week was just that. One weird week. She was a fool to think it was more than that.

“Don’t worry. You don’t have to deal with me again.” She turned and ran out of his building. She heard him call her and she didn’t care.

She gave him a piece of her mind. She told him off.

Ash had hoped that would make her feel better, but it didn’t. She ran back to the shop and tears were flowing. She really did feel something for Jessie. Even if he was lying to her, she had believed him. She felt something with him that she’d never experienced. And it hurt that it was a lie. It hurt that he was a dog. Hell, dogs were awesome. He was a snake, and he bit her, hard.

She wanted to curl into a ball now. Her rage took a lot of energy, and now she had nothing left.

She walked through the darkened store and up to her rooms. She felt her phone vibrate. It was Jessie. She ignored it.

Ash wasn’t going to fall for his line again.

Life lesson learned. Painfully learned. But she was a quick study.