Loving A Romano (8 page)

“What’s up with you?” Yvette asked getting off the bike and leaning against the opposite treadmill.

Yvette took a sip of her water and toweled her own sweaty face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ashley took a deep swallow from her water bottle to avoid the knowing gaze being leveled at her.

“Don’t give me that shit. You’ve had something bothering you since you showed up at my house. You can either tell me what’s going on or I can try and guess.”

There was no way she could possibly know what was going on, Ashley thought turning her attention to her friend. The look in Yvette’s light brown gaze had her reconsidering.

“Let’s go to the café for a protein shake. I need to take a breather,” she said stepping off of the treadmill and heading for the stairs.

“What’s going on with
David that’s got you all worked up?”

It was more of a statement than a question that drifted down to Ashley’s ears as they headed downstairs. If only it were that simple. She couldn't ever recall being this torn about a guy before. But the knots she found herself tied in over Wade was a whole new thing for her. Normally she would have taken something this serious to Heather, but considering she was lusting after her baby brother she decided against it.

She sat at the table waiting for Yvette to come back with their drinks. Ashley wondered if maybe she should have suggested they go somewhere where she could get a real drink. A shot of just about anything eighty proof sounded real good.

Ashley looked up in time to see Yvette heading towards their table while looking back over her shoulder. She followed the path of her friend’s attention. A tall caramel complexioned man with muscles bulging from beneath his t-shirt was smiling back.

“Hey did you see the guy over there at the table checking you out,” Yvette asked taking her seat.

She glanced in the direction Yvette was looking. Her gaze collided with a pair of chocolate brown eyes staring back at her. He was just like she liked them. Tall, dark and gorgeous. His smile showed off pretty white teeth set against his chocolate complexion. She could see the twinkle of an earring in his ear and the tattoo on his right forearm only added to his sexiness. Very nice was her initial reaction, but appreciation for the sight of a good looking man was all she could muster. She had no interest in returning his smile or the interest clearly showing in the gaze he was sending her way though she did throw a small smile and
wave his way out of courtesy. What the hell had that boy done to her? She was a flirt by nature of her Libra sign, freshly single. Yet she felt not even the slightest inkling to respond to the bold look from the man on the other side of the cafeteria. She wondered if the misery she was feeling sounded in her voice when she answered Yvette’s questioning gaze.

“Naw I hadn’t noticed.”

She took a sip of her drink and allowed her gaze to drop down to the table top. Feeling her friend’s gaze upon her, Ashley glanced up to find a perplexed look on Yvette’s face and confusion in her eyes. It was almost comical. Too bad she didn’t feel much like laughing. She decided to head off the question she saw rising.

“It has nothing to do with David and everything to do with one Wade Nicolas Romano,” she admitted.

Yvette’s bottom lip dropped open before it was replaced by a sly grin. “Well I for one am glad to hear it.” She took a sip of her drink. “Hang on a minute. I have to go take care of something. Then I’ll come back and deal with you.”

Yvette walked towards the guy she had been making eyes with and noticed he had taken a seat with Mr. Dark and Tattooed. Yvette pulled out a card out of the side pouch she wore strapped around her slim waist and handed it over. His friend lightly touched her arm when she would have turned to leave. Ashley hated it when she knew people were talking about her. The smile on Yvette’s face when she sat back down at their table didn’t exactly help matters.

“What did he say to you?”

Yvette’s smile widened and Ashley’s apprehension increased.

“He wanted to know if my friend at the table was available.”

“And you told him what?” Ashley stared her down.

“I told him you had just gotten out of a bad relationship with David “Dickhead” Wright and was strongly considering doing it with a white guy ten years younger than you. Imagine his surprise,” she said and laughed, her eyes sparkling with humor.

Yvette was known for speaking her mind so Ashley wouldn’t put it passed her.

“You didn’t tell him that.”

“Calm down. I told him you had just ended a relationship and weren't looking to get involved. He gave me his card just in case you changed your mind.” She slid the card across the table.

Her fingers grazed the bold lettering but she didn’t bother to pick it up.

“Now about you and Wade?” Yvette.

Ashley’s head fell into her hands.

“He’s damned near ten years younger than me. He’s got no job. No plans for the future whatsoever, lives at home with his parents. If that weren't enough he’s Heather’s baby brother. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking to have slept with him.”

She could feel the heat of the stare being leveled her way. The words were out before she had a chance to think about them. She could not look up fearful of the reaction on Yvette’s face.

“You slept with him?” Yvette whispered.

Ashley didn’t bother lifting her head but simply nodded miserably. She was a horrible friend to Heather and an even worse surrogate daughter. The whoop of surprise from across the table startled her enough to raise her head.

“Yeah I already know. How could I have been so stupid? I’m an awful friend. I don’t know how I could have betrayed Joey and Maura’s trust in me like that and after all they’ve done for me. And for what? A few hours of pleasure.”

Yvette let out a grunt. “Are you done?”

Ashley nodded.

“Listen to yourself. I’m an awful friend. I’ve betrayed Joey and Maura.” Yvette rolled her eyes in the back of her head as she mocked Ashley. “My God you’re human. And frankly I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before now.”

Ashley remained silent as her friend went on.

Yvette paused, a frown on her face. “Wait.” She held up her hand. “Heather just told me this morning you broke up with David. When did you actually dump his ass?”

Ashley’s stomach turned. She reached for her drink. “This morning.”

An arched eyebrow rose in question as that bit of information was absorbed. “Okay and you slept with Wade when?”

It took two attempts before Ashley could get the words passed her dry throat.

“Last night,” she whispered.

“Mmm hmm. Y
ou slept with Wade last night and you called and broke up with David this morning?”

She pushed the fruit smoothie away from her. The words refused to form. All she could do was shake her head.

“Okay so if you didn’t call David and break up with him that means he stopped by this morning and you did it then or,” Yvette paused pondering her next words. “Did you break up with him before you and Wade had sex as a way of celebrating you new found freedom?”

Again Ashley shook her head no. A breath of time passed before shock registered on Yvette’s face once more. Her eyes grew large as she put it all together.

“David was in the house when you and Wade were doing it?”

Ashley nodded her head in misery before dropping it to the table. It sounded ten times worse when Yvette said it. It made her sound like a common ho. She’d had one man sleeping in her bed while she’d been down the hall doing another.

“Whoa let’s hear it for the kid.”

“Huh?” she asked raising her head.

Yvette laughed. “Ashley you are probably the only person who didn’t seem to know how Wade felt about you. Or you had the biggest case of denial I have ever seen. I saw it the first time I met him and he was what back then? Fifteen? Sixteen at the most. It was all over him. The way he looked at you. I don’t think he was in it by himself.”

A weariness like she’d never known before settled over her. All these years she’d kept her growing feelings for Wade hidden. She gave a healthy sigh and lifted her gaze to meet Yvette’s. “How long have you known?”

“I’ve suspected for a while. I didn’t say anything because it was clear you wouldn't be very receptive of the conversation.”

She was so tired of pretending. “What am I going to do?”

Yvette took a long swallow of her drink and made a big production of wiping her mouth until Ashley couldn't take anymore.

“Yvette?” she yelled.

“Honey you will more than likely do what you’ve already done. You will fuck him again. And again and again.”

Yvette made it sound so simple. The truth was it was anything but. When Wade was younger it had been easier to ignore him.

“It just doesn’t seem right somehow.” She fought back tears as she recalled those dark days.

“What’s not right about it, Ashley? Besides you’ve already slept with him once. The second time should be a lot easier.” Yvette laughed.

Ashley rolled her eyes at her friend.

“Look it took you forever to realize David was a total snore. Hell I say you earned a little fun.”

“Yeah but this isn’t just some random guy I happened to run across in the street and decided I wanted to take to bed. He’s part of a family that’s like my own. A family that took me in and took care of me when I didn’t know where to turn or what to do after my parents died. What if I go for it and things don’t work out between us? What then? What will happen to my relationship with the Romanos? I could potentially lose another family?”

“I know the Romanos were there for you when your folks passed. But don’t you think you’re using that as excuse? For years you have been living in denial about how deep your feelings for Wade truly run. After last night there’s no way you can deny it any longer. I think now you’re trying to find anything to try and convince yourself that you can’t have him”

Was that what she was doing? Just making excuses? She shook her head. She had to think of something more than how good sex with Wade had been or how it had felt right to lie in his arms afterwards.

“How can you say that? I can’t jeopardize my real relationship with the Romanos for what might not work out past the bedroom.”

“Ashley I know I haven’t known the Romanos for as long as you have but I believe that regardless of what does or doesn’t happen between you and Wade they will always be there for you. You need to remember, you have one life to live. Don’t spend the first half of your life making decisions because of fear and the…” Yvette began.

“And the other half regretting those decisions,” Ashley finished, nodding her head.

“All your life you’ve been taught to go after what you want. No matter how big the challenge and no matter the consequences. So for you to sit here and tell me you can’t go after Wade is a bunch of bullshit. To tell yourself you can’t have him. It’s not in you to back down from something you want. Not to mention something I think you need. I don’t care if his last name is Romano. Hell that’s probably the reason why he hasn’t given up on you.”

Ashley rubbed her fingers against the ache in her temples. She hated it when Yvette made sense. Yvette she should have been a psychiatrist instead of a surgeon
.

“Okay you’re right. I do want him and I want him bad. Even without the Romanos in the equation how can this ever work out? This is Wade we’re talking about here.”

“Yeah. Hot, sexy, Italian Wade,” Yvette said with a sparkle in her eyes.

Ashley grunted. “No, more like I live at home with my parents off of my trust fund because I refuse to get a job Wade.”

“Ashley I’ve seen that damn guest house and it’s bigger than my freaking condo,” Yvette said not missing a beat.

“I know it’s close to fifteen hundred square feet,” she replied absently as her mind wandered back to Wade.

“Hello,” Yvette called waving her hand in front of Ashley’s dazed face. “What’s really bothering you about all of this? It can’t just be because he lives at home with mom and dad.”

Would it sound shallow of her to admit it was that very thing causing part of the problem? She’d never dated anyone who didn’t have it together or at least a plan on how they were going to get it together. “His day consists of hanging out with his friends doing God only knows what. He’s got no ambition to do anything more than what he’s been doing since he graduated.”

“Girl you and I both know Wade will get a job when he decides he wants one,” Yvette said matter of factly. “And no matter how much Heather huffs and puffs it’s not going to change. Did you ever stop to think that his job since he graduated has been to get you to see him as an adult? That’s a full time job in itself with mad overtime. Look how long it’s taken him,” Yvette said throwing her hands up and laughing.

Ashley rolled her eyes at her friend’s theatrics. Yvette continued to laugh good naturedly and it wasn’t long before Ashley was laughing with her. It was insane to think she was the reason Wade had failed to get a job. But even as she told herself there was no way possible it was the case, she felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. The what if factor nagged at the back of her mind and she held onto it as if it were a life line. The elusive escape clause that allowed her to consider the possibility of going after what she wanted. After all, what if Yvette was right? Surely she couldn't allow all that hard work to go to waste could she? It would be sending the wrong message.