by Nikki Ash
I know Ashley felt something was wrong but she didn’t call me out on it, for which I appreciate. She asked if I wanted to go with her to drop Tristan off at her parents’ house but I said no. She looked disappointed and it broke my heart but I needed some space. She was right. At the rate we are going, when this is all over, hearts are going to be broken. And we will be over because I can’t marry anyone else. I just can’t do it. It doesn’t matter how much I love Ashley and Tristan; I can’t just replace my wife and son.
Without Tristan around, Ashley and I don’t have to put on a happy front; not that we are usually fake, because we aren’t. Our friendship has always been an open book. Hasn’t it? Well, except for her hiding her violent ex-boyfriend… and the fact that she used herself as collateral to pay him off… and the fact that she has no idea I was ever married with a baby.
Now, that I am thinking about it, we have kept quite a lot from each other. And now that it’s all starting to come to the surface, we aren’t handling it very well at all. The tension between us is palpable, and I don’t know what to do about it. Well, I do know what to do about it; tell her the truth, which is something I am not ready to do yet.
Ashley and I have successfully avoided each other all week. It’s Saturday, the day of Alex and Jessica’s wedding and the day before we leave for Colorado. Ashley even made it a point to sleep in the downstairs guest room instead of in my bedroom with me. I’m showered and dressed in my suit for the wedding. My luggage is up against the front door, and I am waiting on Ashley to finish getting ready. We figured since we are going to be spending the night at the JW Marriott where the wedding and reception are both being held, we might as well bring the luggage for our trip and leave from there to get Tristan to go to the airport.
“You ready to go, Ash?” I call out.
“Ugh! Yes, I think so,” she says huffing and puffing. I turn around and am nearly knocked back by how amazing she looks. Her hair is in waves over her shoulders, her makeup is done lightly, and her thin light pink strapless dress is tight in all the right places and loose in others. She is wearing black heels that are delicate and feminine, and her toes and fingers match her dress.
“You look beautiful.” Grabbing the two suitcases she is attempting to wheel behind her, I bring them out to the car.
“Thank you,” she says shyly. “You look good, too.”
After hauling the three luggage’s into my car, we head to the wedding. After valet parking, we head straight back to the large gazebo where the ceremony is being held. We find our seats only minutes before the wedding march starts. Once everyone has made it down the aisle, Jessica and Alex begin to say their vows. My mind goes back to the day Gabby and I said ours…
“Gabrielle, you are my everything. You are my past, my present, and my future. I promise to love and cherish you through good times and bad, in sickness and in health. I promise to always protect you and be by your side. I promise to love you and only you for the rest of our lives.”
I slide the wedding band onto Gabby’s ring finger. Her eyes are smiling as small tears fall down her cheeks. I reach over to gently wipe them away trying not to ruin her makeup.
“Kaden, thank you for loving me. This is just beginning for us and I can’t wait to see what is in store for our future. If it’s half as amazing as these last five years have been, I will be a very happy woman. I promise to love and cherish you through good times and bad, in sickness and in health. I promise to be a good wife to you and stand by your side. I promise to love you and only you for the rest of our lives.”
She takes my hand in hers and she slides the ring we picked out for me onto my finger.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride.”
“Kaden?” I look down at my empty ring finger and feel for a second for the indent that has long disappeared.
“Kaden? Are you ok?” Ashley is looking at me worriedly. I look around noticing the wedding is over and everybody is filing out, heading to the reception.
“Yeah, I’m ok.” Her eyebrows scrunch up as she frowns, but simply nods her head.
Once at the reception, we find the table we are assigned to. It was obviously done with thought because we are sitting with all our friends. After the newlywed couple is announced and they have the first dance on the floor together, I take my jacket off and ask Ashley if she would like a drink from the bar.
“Sure, a Bahama Breeze please.”
After grabbing myself a Jack and Coke and her Bahama Breeze, I have a seat. Ashley isn’t sitting where I left her, instead she is out on the dance floor dancing away with all the women. I don’t bother sitting down. I just stand there like a lovesick fool watching the woman I can never have, laugh and smile and wish it was me putting that smile on her face.
“Dude, you have it so bad,” Caleb says slapping my shoulder.
“Yeah but we both know nothing can come of it.” I have no idea why I say that and I immediately wish I could take it back.
“Why? Because you were married once before? Fuck that. It obviously didn’t last for a reason. Maybe Ashley was the reason.”
I know it’s not his fault because I’ve never told him what happened with my wife, and I know he wouldn’t be saying what he’s saying if he knew the truth, but I don’t think about that when I shove him up against the wall. “Don’t you ever talk about my wife that way. It’s my fault she’s gone! Mine! I’m the one who deserves to be alone for the rest of my life.”
Caleb’s eyes go wide. “Bro, I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened but nobody deserves to be alone. I, of all people, know that shit firsthand.”
“I need a drink.”
Grabbing my shoulder as I walk away, Caleb turns me around to face him. “I’m sorry. I get you don’t want to talk about whatever happened between you and your wife, but regardless, you deserve to be loved Kaden, and so does Ashley. And if you can’t love her, you need to let her go. I’ve gotten to know her these last couple of months and she’s a good person. A good person who’s been through a lot of shit.”
“I know.”
Picking my drink up, I down it like a shot. Then I head to the bar to order a double. And I spend the rest of the evening drinking my confusion away.
Ashley
The wedding is so romantic and the reception is a blast. I can’t even remember how many Bahama Breezes I have had but it’s enough that I am drunk. Kaden spent the reception brooding over god knows what and I am so over his shit. I am in too good of a mood to let him bring me down. A wedding should be a joyous occasion, not a reason to brood in a corner alone. Although, now that I’m thinking about it, last year when we were part of Liz and Cooper’s wedding, Kaden kind of acted the same way.
The party comes to an end, everyone wishing Alex and Jessica well wishes as a new married couple. We all part ways going to our rooms. When we get to our room, Kaden goes straight to the mini fridge and pulls out a few mini bottles of liquor, downing two of them after he drops to the couch. I grab the last one out of his hand and down that one.
Putting his head back against the couch, he closes his eyes. We are both trashed and we know it. Only I am hyper and not ready to pass out quite yet. I notice an iPod dock in the corner of the room and grabbing my awesome iPhone Kaden got me, plug it in and switch on iTunes clicking shuffle.
I’m n Luv (wit a stripper) by T-Pain blasts through the small portable speakers and I crack up laughing at the irony of this song. Kaden’s head tilts forward as he glares at me, clearly not finding the humor in it, which makes me laugh even harder. Well, fuck him!
Kicking off my heels first, so I don’t break my neck (I’m drunk, not stupid), I climb up onto the coffee table and start to dance to the rhythm of the music. I am staring straight at Kaden and he’s staring back at me watching with the undeniable lust in his eyes. I sway my hips seductively just like I do on stage, singing the words to the song. “I’m in love with a stripper… She trippin’ she playin’ she playin’ I’m not goi
ng nowhere girl I’m stayin’”
I laugh as my words come out with more of a slur and definitely not to the beat of the song. Then I drop my ass to the table, spreading my legs, and giving Kaden a complete visual of my pussy, since I didn’t wear panties to the wedding—Can’t have panty lines ruining the dress. His eyes widen at the visual.
“You better be a good tipper. I don’t show just anyone my pussy.”
That gets me a smirk from him. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a crisp one hundred-dollar bill from his wallet. I laugh but keep dancing. I roll onto my stomach and then pop back up onto my feet taking my dress off me and throwing it at him.
He chuckles lightly and stands, wobbling his drunk ass up to the table, to me. I don’t stop dancing, though. I turn around, backing my ass right up to him and shake it. I feel a hand land right on my ass cheek with a smack causing me to crack up laughing. Once I turn back around, he places the bill in the cup of my bra letting his hands linger on my body, moving it slowly down my sides until they land back on my ass cheeks.
“No no, you know the rules. You don’t get to touch the stripper.”
Kaden growls… fucking growls! Then grabbing my ass with both his hands lifts me off the couch, throwing me onto the bed.
“You are my fiancée. I can touch you whenever the fuck I want. Got it? This pussy is mine...Mine.”
Chapter Nine
Kaden
Fuck! Who is banging on the door? Or is it the wall? I open my eyes and realize the banging isn’t coming from anywhere. It’s my head pulsing so strongly it feels like a constant banging is taking place right behind my eyes, in my head. Looking around, I remember I am in the hotel where Alex got married. Next to me is a naked woman. The blanket is wrapped around her shoulders and head but from the waist down is nothing but silky smooth skin. I know right away it’s Ashley. I would recognize her sexy legs from a mile away. But why is she naked? I try to remember what happened but I can’t. My head is pounding and the more I try to think about last night, the harder it pounds.
Needing to take a piss, I get out of bed and head to the bathroom. When I go to pull my briefs down, I notice I am naked too. Fuck! It all comes back to me in flashes. Her: dancing on the table. Me: Hauling her over my shoulder. Then… nothing. I can’t remember shit after that! Fuck! Did I have sex with Ashley and was too drunk to even enjoy it? I mean, I am sure I enjoyed it. But I can’t remember how her pussy felt wrapped around my cock. I can’t remember how it felt to be fully inside of her. Damn it! I am such a fucking idiot.
I decide to shower and get dressed. When I’m done, Ashley is up and floating around the room getting things together to leave.
“I’m going to get in the shower since you’re out.”
“Ash, wait.” I gently grab her wrist. I need to apologize for taking advantage of our inebriated states last night. “I’m sorry…” She flinches, pulling her arm from me. “There’s nothing to apologize for. Let’s just pretend last night didn’t happen.”
Now it’s my turn to flinch at her harsh words. I wasn’t thinking it was a mistake at all. I was thinking the opposite. But if that’s how she feels… “Got it.”
We forgo meeting everyone for breakfast, going through a drive-thru instead. The drive to her parents is silent. Ashley is reading a book on her phone. She is so funny when she reads, letting all her emotions show. At a good part, she will smile or laugh; at a sad part, she will frown. It’s so adorable, especially since she has no idea she’s doing it.
After grabbing Tristan, we drive to the airport, valet parking my car into extended overnight parking. My grandma’s birthday party isn’t until Saturday but we are staying the week and flying back home next Saturday night after the party is over. Tristan starts back at school Tuesday with open house Monday, so Ashley asked if we could be home Sunday so she can get him situated. Ashley has decided to sign him up at the school in my school zone so she filled out all the necessary paperwork. She said it’s a lot nicer and closer and Bella goes there as well, so it makes sense. I like the idea of him going to school here, maybe that will keep her living here that much longer.
After bringing our bags through security and checking in, we make our way to the first class lounge to wait to be called. “Do you want something to drink, Bud?” Tristan has been acting weird since we picked him up.
“No,” he says quickly shaking his head.
“Are you ok?” He looks to his mom and back to me.
“What’s going on?”
“He’s never flown before,” Ashley nervously admits.
“Never?” I ask incredulously.
“Nope,” Tristan answers softly.
“Oh, Tristan! We need to get you out more, buddy! This is going to be great. First class is awesome. This trip is short, only around two hours, so no dinner served, but the flight attendant will bring you whatever you want to drink and tons of snacks. There’s Wi-Fi available and there’s TV’s in all the seats to watch movies. Plus, they give you a pillow and blankets and your seats recline.”
Tristan’s eyes go wide in excitement and Ashley smiles at his excitement. They both make my heart melt and I am already planning where to take them next.
After the short flight to Denver International, we grab our bags and head to the car rental area. I get an Audi SUV so we are comfortable, then we make the thirty-minute drive to my parents’ place.
“Welcome to Cherry Hills Village,” Ashley says, reading the sign as we enter the community my parents and grandparents live in.
“Is this where you grew up?” Tristan asks in amazement, looking out the window as we pass by the huge homes. I’ve never looked at it as an outsider but I guess I can see why it might feel a bit overwhelming. Cherry Hills Village is a community within itself just outside of Denver. It gives people country living but without having to drive an hour to get to the main city.
“I was born and raised here.” Ashley looks at me like I have two heads. The truth is, I once even owned my own home here, until I sold it to have a fresh start away from here. When my parents visited me in Las Vegas they stayed with me, but asked numerous times if I am ok on money and if I need them to buy me a house. I could fit about five of my houses into the house my grandparents purchased for Gabrielle and me for our wedding present.
“There’s a golf course! Can we play golf, Kaden?” Tristan shouts enthusiastically.
“Sure, buddy. There’s also a community pool and tennis courts, and if you want, my mom can take you for a ride on her horses.”
“Wow! I want to ride a horse!”
“Your parents have horses?” Ashley asks.
“Yeah, not in their backyard or anything. They board them at the Club.”
She nods softly, a frown marring her beautiful face.
“Is something wrong?”
“I just didn’t picture her like this when she came to visit with your dad.”
“Just because we have money, doesn’t mean we are snobs.”
“No! I wasn’t thinking that…”
I laugh. “Yes, you were, but I get it. I’m a UFC trainer. I make a good living but nothing like this. I’m lucky. My parents encouraged me to follow my passion. Sure, my father and grandfather would have loved for me to join them in their businesses but mixed-martial-arts was always my passion.”
“That’s great, Kaden. I can’t imagine you doing anything else.”
We pull up to my parent’s house and before the doors are opened, Giselle Scott is running outside waving her arms in excitement with her husband, Stewart, walking slowly behind her shaking his head, laughing.
“Oh, Kaden! You’re here!” She gives me a hug not letting go for several seconds. Then she moves on to her next victim, Ashley. “Oh, sweetie! I am so excited to see you and that precious son of yours.” She looks Tristan up and down. “I swear you have grown a foot since the last time I saw you.”
“It’s wonderful to see you, too, Mrs. Scott.”
“Mom, you saw him
like seven months ago.”
“Oh hush! And Ashley, if I can’t get you to call me mom, at least call me Giselle, please. Let’s go inside. I made cookies. Your grandparents should be over shortly. We are going to go to the club for dinner tonight so we don’t have to deal with cooking. Tomorrow, your father has scheduled for you guys to go golfing.”
Tristan looks over at me and I give him a wink. “Cool, I am going to bring Tristan with me, and sometime this week, can you take him to meet Shorty and Copper?”
My mom beams at someone wanting to meet her horses. “Of course! We can go for a ride! Ashley, would you like to join?”
“Sure.”
“And I was thinking tomorrow while the boys are golfing, we can go to the club and have a spa day.”
Ashley suddenly looks nervous. “Umm… that’s ok. I thought I could just hang out by the pool…”
“Nonsense, it’s my treat! I am so excited to spend time with you.”
Ashley
We are all sitting in the beautiful family room. Tristan is eating cookies and playing on his iPad while Kaden’s parents play twenty questions with Kaden trying to catch up on what’s going on in his life. He tells them about Alex’s fight coming up and about Tristan and me moving in with him. I’m thankful he doesn’t tell them the reason why.
“Kaden, honey?” We all look to the door where we see a beautiful aged woman waving her cane in the air toward Kaden. He gets up, smiling ear-to-ear and hugs her.
“Grandmother, I missed you so much!”
“Oh, dear, Boy. You have grown into such a handsome man. Please don’t ever leave for this long, again.”
Kaden nods, giving her a kiss on her cheek. He hugs his grandfather next, and they exchange a few words as well. It’s clear Kaden is loved and wanted here in his hometown. What I don’t understand is why he ever left, and why he hasn’t wanted to come home. The love surrounding him is so strong. His grandparents are still married and clearly in love, and so are his parents. So why doesn’t he want to get married? I remember the name Gabby written on his chest and wonder if maybe he had his heart broken.