Page 43 of Chase

Everyone is giving them a wide berth.

Steering clear, not wanting to cause any trouble.

People who get kicked out of our parties don’t get invited back. Ever. No one wants to be blacklisted.

Ralph comes up beside me and bumps my shoulder.

“I’ll watch them. Go and sit with Rhys.” He says nodding over his shoulder. Rhys has been quiet most of the night, letting Arden have the spotlight. But his truth bomb still hangs in the air.

“Thanks Ralph.” I know he’ll watch the girls and have someone close if someone decides to get handsy with them.

Rhys looks up from his phone as I sit beside him.

“How you doing?” I ask cautiously.

“Ashley won’t stop messaging me. I’m close to throwing my phone in the pool,” He says as he slams it on the table.

Chad, always knowing what we need, brings over two beers and two shots. I’ve paced myself tonight, wanting to be there for Yasmin if she needs me. I like seeing her let her hair down and have fun. Arden, on the other hand, will be very sick tomorrow. The girls could be as well. But Arden will suffer from a whole new level of hungover with how much he has had to drink.

“Turn it off. She’ll still be there tomorrow. Ralph send her home?”

“Yeah an hour a go. She’s pissed.”

“It’s not the first time. She’ll live.”

“I’m sorry for not telling you.”

“I’m sorry for not asking. I knew there had to be a reason, I just wasn’t expecting it to be that. I thought for sure you were dating her to piss Ally off.” Rhys jerks his head to look at me.

I’m not stupid. I know there is something going on with those two. I just don’t know how I feel about it yet.

“To begin with, that was why I played along. I spent two years avoiding Ally. When the stuff with Ashley started, she was a good buffer. I always knew that nothing could happen with Ally and I. I value my friendship with you, Arden and Ally. We don’t need to complicate that. Plus, you threatened to castrate me, and I’m attached to my junk.”

“What are you going to do? Marry Ashley?”

“That’s the plan. I’m looking forward to being in New Hope next year. I need some space from her before we get hitched and play happy family.”

“You can’t do that. You deserve to be happy.”

“Until I can find a way around it, I have no other choice,” Rhys says defeated.

“You aren’t alone in this. We’ll help you figure it out. We only have a few months left here. Did Arden show you the house he wants to go and look at next weekend?”

“Yeah, that’s not a house it’s an apartment building. He told me he wants to knock down some of the walls in one of the apartments, join them together. He’s crazy. There’s no way it will be ready in time for us to move in in January.” Rhys is right. Arden has massive plans for the apartment building.

“He’s crazy, but he does it with love. You forgetting who his dad is? They’ll have it done in time and it’ll be bigger and more expensive than anything you or I have ever lived in. Did he tell you about the pool?” I ask.

“What pool? There wasn’t one in the photos.”

“Exactly,” I say finishing my drink.

Yasmin and Ally come stumbling up the stairs giggling. I love seeing them both so happy and carefree. I move towards them to help them walk, neither of them able to walk straight.

“I think it might be time for bed.” I say to them both. They just keep giggling. Rhys comes to help me, taking Ally from me. There’s no way I can help both of them up the stairs. He uses his thumb to unlock the door.

“Ralph, can you make sure Arden actually makes it to his room this time?” I ask over my shoulder. Ralph laughs at me. “I can’t make promises. But I’ll try.”

“Thanks, see you in the morning.” We head inside and try to wrangle the girls up the stairs. Easier said than done.

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