Page 46 of Sloane

Sara just nodded with that phony smile still plastered to her face, and murmured, “Mmm hmm,” then turned to me and said, “Well, I need to get back to my squad, but I just wanted to say hi, so you knew I was here.” She rubbed my arm again. “You look really good. If you have some time before you leave, I’d love to get together.”

“Wow,” Tammy exclaimed from across the table.

I looked at Ashley who kept a polite smile on her face, but I knew she had to be insulted. I was fucking insulted for her. Is this what she dealt with on a regular basis?

I didn’t drop my gaze from my girl’s face when I replied, “I think all my time is spoken for.”

That at least prompted Ashley’s polite smile to morph into a grin as she glanced into her lap.

“Well, you know how to reach me if something changes.”

Sara’s blatant disrespect for Ashley fed into my already pissed off state about the guy at the bar.

“Actually, I deleted your number a while ago, so, no, I don’t.”

That obviously surprised Sara because her only response was, “Oh.”

“I think your squad is looking for you,” Tammy said with a saccharine-sweet grin as she batted her eyelashes.

“Yeah, I’m sure they are. See ya later.”

She turned and headed to the other side of the room.

Once she was out of earshot, Tammy grumbled, “What a bitch. It’s a good thing you put her in her place because I was about to come over this table and do it.”

Looking at the feisty girl with pink hair, I didn’t doubt it for a second. I liked the idea of someone looking out for Ashley when I wasn’t here.

“Yeah, I don’t know what her problem is.” I directed my next comment toward Ashley. “I’m sorry she was so rude, sweetness.”

“It’s not your fault.” Then she corrected herself. “I mean, it’s kind of your fault because she’s right, you look really good, so I almost can’t even blame her for trying.”

“I can,” Tammy, Maddie, and Grace said in unison.

“That was not cool,” Maddie added. “I would’ve had your six if you would’ve put her in her place, Tammy.”

“Me, too,” Grace said.

I loved that not only did Tammy have Ashley’s back, but my friends did, as well.

Ashley’s shy smile as she looked at her lap again told me she did, too.

“Am I the only one who would pay money to see that?” Ryan asked with a shit-eating grin.

“You obviously have too much money, then,” Maddie chastised.

His brows knitted together. “How is that even possible?”

Maddie rolled her eyes but didn’t bother with a response.

I stood from my chair and held out my hand to Ashley. “I should probably go mingle, since this is supposed to be a party in my honor. Do you want to come with me?”

She glanced at Tammy. I respected her for not wanting to leave her friend alone, but I didn’t think that was why she didn’t want to come along. She’d probably had enough peopling for the night.

“You should go and catch up with your friends. I’ll hang out with these guys.”

“We won’t let her leave without you,” Maddie teased.

I pulled the Camry keys from my jeans pocket and dangled them on my finger.

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