Burn(129)

            “Anyway, as I was saying,” Mia said. “Before I inserted the foot. Was that I met up with Jace and Ash’s last chick. They took me out to eat and I swear she followed us there. No way she just happened to be in the same place we were. Totally wasn’t her style if you know what I mean. We were in a pub munching down on nachos and other yummy lowbrow stuff. And she marches up like a woman scorned and made a scene. Insulted me in the process because she assumed I was her replacement.”

            She shuddered delicately as she said the last.

            “Didn’t go over too well, huh,” Bethany said with a grin.

            Mia winced. “No. Uh, let’s just say she didn’t take the ‘it’s the end’ message very well. And my point in bringing this up was that Jace and Ash were banging the same chicks for a long time. And then suddenly Jace met Bethany and that was over. And then Ash met you and it’s obvious that his banging random chicks is over too. I’ve been around him a lot of years, and he never hung on to the same woman for as long as he’s been with you, Josie.”

            “Glad to know that,” Josie murmured.

            “So, are you in love with him?” Brittany asked. “Should I be asking what your intentions toward my brother are?”

            Everyone laughed and Josie held up her hands. “I was gentle last night. Promise!”

            “You didn’t answer the question,” Mia said pointedly.

            Josie sighed. “Yes, I’m in love with him. I haven’t told him. I wanted to make sure I told him at the right time. It sounds so stupid, but I don’t want to scream it out when we’re having sex or caught up in the moment, nor do I want to tell him when he’s doing something really sweet for me because I want him to know I mean it and that I’m not just spouting something in the heat of the moment.”

            “Has he told you he loves you?” Bethany asked softly.

            Josie grimaced. “No.”

            “He does,” Mia said resolutely. “No doubt in my mind. Holy hell, the way he looks at you? Totally makes me shiver.”

            Brittany nodded her agreement. “Not to mention the way he went off on Mom when she made that scene at the restaurant and said that crap about you. I thought he was going to choke her. I wouldn’t have tried to stop him either!”

            They all laughed again and then were interrupted by the waiter bringing their orders. For the next several minutes they shoveled food in and laughed and talked about the guys, sex and well, more sex.

            Josie couldn’t remember when she’d had a better time. Everything was so . . . perfect. She had Ash, and really, if that’s all she had, she’d be one happy bitch. But now she also had really good girlfriends. She really liked them. They were genuine, had huge hearts and there wasn’t a fake bone in their bodies.

            What more could she ask for? She was now a successful artist—her work was actually in demand! So what if it was only one person. It only took one. Whoever it was had loved her work enough to scoop everything of hers up as soon as she brought it in. And now she had great friends and a man she adored. And she was pretty sure he adored her too.

            Maybe they hadn’t said the words yet, but Josie was confident that Ash was the one. The words would come. He’d already talked about their future like it was a done deal. He’d even told her she’d get the rock! He’d even mentioned their children! No man who wasn’t thinking long term talked about engagement rings and babies.

            She sat back with a sigh, indulging in a glass of wine with the others. She had someone to drive her home. Why not?

            An hour later, the girls said their good-byes and got into their respective cars to head home. Josie offered Brittany a ride since she’d walked to the restaurant and the two chatted all the way to Brittany’s apartment.