Ashtyn went to get the shower ready while I finished my cup of coffee. I was on my final sip when she started to sing, her voice carrying into her bedroom. It was some rap song I couldn’t remember the name of, but hearing her stumble through the words made me smile. Everything about this woman made me smile.

Except when she told me she was asked out on a date.

I tried to play it cool, but on the inside, I was jealous. I wanted to be the one to take her on a real date. Sure we went on a booze cruise, but I wanted to take her to dinner and then take her back to my place. My blood started to boil at the thought that she might go home with this dude. Fuck. I thought that she wasn’t ready to date. I thought I wasn’t either, but now …

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

The only chance I had was that the date would suck and she’d come running back to me.

Running back to use me.

Use me to forget about every other guy in her life.

Now though, I wasn’t using her. Who was Bridgette again? Maybe I needed to go on a date?

My phone on the nightstand buzzed with a text. I grabbed it and groaned deep in my throat. And now I remembered who Bridgette was.

Bridgette: I made a mistake. I’m sorry. Please call me.

I didn’t respond. Instead, I drank the last sip of my coffee and joined Ashtyn. Saving water had turned into something so much more.

I spotted my parents at the packed restaurant where we had brunch once a month. It was our thing. They lived in my childhood home, forty-five minutes away and with my schedule during hockey season, I saw them less and less, but we made sure to meet at least once a month. Plus, my sister, Romi, and her husband, Shane, always came, too.

Mom saw me first. She stood, moving past my father, and engulfed me in a hug. “It’s good to see you, sweetie.”

“You too, Mom.” We broke apart, and I hugged my father. “Dad.” People say I looked like my dad, and I could see it. We both had the same facial features, but I had the color of my Mom’s hair—or at least before she started turning grey.

The three of us sat down at the wood table of the rustic breakfast joint and while we waited for the waitress so we could order, I asked, “Where’s Romi and Shane?”

“She wasn’t feeling well, so they aren’t coming,” Mom stated.

I shrugged. It was probably better they didn’t come because my mother always asked when I was getting married when I was around them. My mother wanted to have a slew of grandchildren, and apparently, that entailed me getting married in her eyes. However, she never did ask me in front of Bridgette, and she had never asked me when I was going to propose to Bridgette.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” Dad asked. It had never struck me until now that they never referred to her by her name.

“We broke up.” I took a sip of my water that was already on the table.

“Oh, thank heaven,” my mother breathed.

I smiled. “You’re glad I’m single?”

“I’m glad you finally saw you could do better.”

“Like Ashtyn Valor?” I asked, knowing full well that my mother would be happy if I were dating Ashtyn.

Mom’s blue eyes grew wide. “Yes. Are you dating her?”

I shook my head. “No, but I’m friends with her.”

Mother leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table and her chin in the palm of her hand. “What’s she like?”

My mother always watched Ashtyn’s broadcast, saying that the other anchors bugged her. Maybe it was the class Ashtyn brought to the news or how her smile made you feel as though she was generally happy about the story she was reporting. I was always captivated when I saw the airing of her broadcast when I was at my parents’ place for dinner because Ashtyn was hot. Plain and simple. I’d wait until after the news was over to drive home just so I could watch her.

And now I was sleeping with her.

“She’s everything you’ve imagined her to be and then some.”

“So you are dating her?” Dad asked.

I smiled, thinking about this morning … and last night. “No. We’re really just friends. She actually lives across the street from me.”

Dad eyed me curiously as though he knew what I really meant.

“Can I meet her?” Mom asked.

I nodded. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

“When?”

That was a good question because if Ashtyn had her date soon, then there was a chance all of this would go away. “Well, I need a date for the Emmys now.”

Every year the News & Documentary Emmy Award was present by the National Academy of Television Arts & Science. It was typically held in the fall, but Chicago and the Midwest were having the ceremony in early December.

“I’ll buy my dress this week.”

Dad shook his head. I figured he was annoyed because he knew my mother’s true motives. It wasn’t because she wanted to meet Ashtyn. It was because she wanted to meet any women she could set me up with.

“Can we stop talking about his love life now and start talking about the Hawk’s season? You think they’re going to bring home the cup this year?”

Bridgette: Can we talk?

I stared at my phone as I sat at my desk going over the stats for tonight’s game. If I didn’t respond, the texts would keep coming.

Me: I’m busy.

Of course, she texted back right away.

Bridgette: Can I come over after the game?

I snorted.

Me: No.

Bridgette: Please! I want to talk.

Me: There’s nothing to talk about. Please stop texting me.

I threw my phone in my desk drawer and got ready for my broadcast.

I was exhausted. The game had gone into overtime, and I wanted to do nothing but crawl into bed.

Crawl into bed with Ashtyn.

This was not how friends with benefits worked, was it? I didn’t care. I texted Ashtyn before driving away from the studio.

Me: You awake, Cupcake?

By the time I arrived home, Ashtyn had texted me a few times.

Ashtyn: Yes.

Ashtyn: I’m at Judy’s with Jaime.

Ashtyn: Come join us for a drink.

I didn’t text her back. Instead, I made my way down the few blocks to Judy’s. Once I entered the warm bar, I saw Ashtyn laughing with her friend, and it instantly put a smile on my face. Was this what pussy whipped was like? Fuck it. Ashtyn’s pussy was like heroin to me. I knew I’d heard that quote somewhere before, but now I got it. It was more than just sex. I craved her.

I walked up behind Ashtyn and whispered into her ear, “Cupcake.”

Ashtyn turned, a smile on her lips. “You made it.”

I slid onto the stool next to her. “I did. It’s nice to see you again, Jaime.”

Jaime grinned. “You too.”

“You’re not drinking?” Ashtyn asked.

“Nah, I’m beat.”

“Tell me about it.” Ashtyn nodded. “I took a nap on the couch after lunch.”

“Something you two want to fill me in on?”

We both turned to look at Jaime, but Ashtyn spoke. “You already know. Stop acting like you haven’t grilled me this entire night.”

I chuckled. “You’re talking about me, Cupcake?” Her eyes widened as she looked over at me. “I’m flattered.”

“Well, that’s my cue to leave,” Jaime said sarcastically.

“No,” Ashtyn protested. “Stay for another drink.”

Jaime slid off her stool. “Your man is tired, and I need to get home to my babies. Chase is probably up to his ears in shit.”

“Your man.” I liked the sound of that.

“Okay, we’ll wait with you until your Uber gets here.”

“No, you guys stay.”

“It’s fine. We’ll wait with you.”

Jaime pulled her phone out, and I assumed she was requesting a ride. “They’ll be here in two minutes.”

Ashtyn and I stood. “You need to pay your tab?” I asked.

Ashtyn shook her head. “No. We didn’t leave it open.”

The girls walked in front of me, and after they hugged and Jaime got into her ride, Ashtyn and I started to walk toward our condos.

“I watched the game,” she confessed.

I grinned. “Yeah?”

“I even saw you on the postgame show, but I couldn’t hear anything. We were already at the bar.”

“I’m sure sports talk isn’t your thing.”

“Well, I can make it my thing. I want to go to a game.”

I perked up. “I can make that happen.”

“You can?”

“I have connections.” I chuckled. They were also known as buying tickets. I usually got a discount, though. Sometimes I’d score a few free ones, but it wasn’t like I could ever use them.

“But you wouldn’t be able to go, huh?”

I shook my head, and just as I was about to say that she was right, I felt eyes on me. I looked to my left and saw Bridgette standing at the entrance to my building, staring at us. “Fuck,” I hissed. Bridgette’s gaze met mine and then she was walking across the street toward us. I didn’t even know if she looked for cars before she stepped out. She just made a beeline.

“You’ve got to be fucking shitting me.”

“What?” Ashtyn asked.

“Bridgette.”

Ashtyn turned just as Bridgette started to yell, “So you are fucking her?”

“Excuse me?” Ashtyn hissed.

I stepped forward, blocking Bridgette. “Go home, Bridgette.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

“Let’s just go.” Ashtyn tugged on my arm.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch!” Bridgette hissed.

So many thoughts were running through my head, but before I could do anything, Ashtyn moved to stand next to me. “It’s kind of hilarious watching you try to fit your entire vocabulary into one sentence. Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut and give the impression that you’re stupid rather than open it and remove all doubt.”

Bridgette was speechless.

I was shocked.

In a nutshell, Ashtyn had called Bridgette stupid, but yet, she did it with the class Ashtyn was known for. And that was why my mother admired this woman. That was why I did too.

I grabbed Ashtyn’s hand and walked into her building while Bridgette stood on the sidewalk dumbstruck.