you will be punished in the hardest possible way,” I reply flatly.
She smiles. “I’m counting on it.” With that she sashays into the bathroom and turns the shower on.
I smile as I fall back onto the bed.
Ashley Tucker, my all night fucker.
Ashley
“I won’t be long, I promise.” I sigh.
Cameron frowns. “You were with her all afternoon. I don’t see why you have to go back tonight.”
“She wants me to cook her favorite dinner.”
Cameron shakes his head.
After spending the afternoon with Andrew’s family, I’m only just dropping Owen back with Cameron. Somehow, I’ve been coerced into making dinner for his mother tonight. “I felt like I couldn’t say no. She bought all the ingredients so I could cook it for her,” I add.
“Let me say no for you then,” Cameron snaps.
I roll my eyes. “I’ve got a splitting headache. I don’t even want to go.”
“So don’t.” He shakes his head in disgust.
“I just dropped Owen back so you weren’t alone tonight. I’ll be a few hours. You two go out for dinner and I’ll be home for dessert.”
“Fine,” he snaps. “Where do you want to go for dinner Owie?”
“McDonald’s.” Owen smiles hopefully.
Cameron screws up his face. “That’s not happening. We’ll find somewhere else.”
I smile and kiss them both on the cheek. “See you both soon.”
The sound of a dishwasher is loud and I feel groggy. I look around and frown.
What the hell? Where am I? I sit up to find myself on Andrew’s mothers couch with a knitted blanket over me.
Huh?
What the hell?
It’s daylight.
Last thing I remember, I was watching a movie after dinner. Hang on a minute.
Horror dawns.
Oh my God.
I jump up. “What… what time is it?” I stammer at Andrew’s mother as she walks out of the kitchen.
“Just gone seven, love.”
“What? On Sunday?” I shriek. “What the hell? I slept all night?”
Oh my god, oh my fucking god. I hold my head in horror.
“You were so zonked out from the headache tablets I gave you that you went out like a light. I didn’t have the heart to wake you.”
My mouth drops open. I grab my bag and my keys. “See you later,” I scream as I run out the door. I scramble through my bag for my phone and dig it out.
Seventeen missed calls from Cameron, the last one just two hours earlier.
I check and it’s on silent.
My eyes close. Oh my God. How could this happen?
He’s going to freak. My eyes tear up and I dial his number as I start the car.
My heart is hammering hard in my chest.
I went to my ex-boyfriend’s and didn’t come home.
This looks so bad.
I get his voicemail.
Hello, you’ve reached Cameron Stanton.
Leave a message.
No, no, no, no.
I drive like a bat out of hell, and when I get to the traffic lights I try again.
Hello, you’ve reached Cameron Stanton.
Leave a message.
My eyes tear up as I imagine him waiting for me when I didn’t come home.
What must he think?
I can hardly see the road through my tears and I swipe them away angrily. I drive like a maniac, all while frantically trying to call him.
Hello, you’ve reached Cameron Stanton.
Leave a message.
“Ahh, stupid voicemail,” I scream. “Answer your fucking phone.”
For half an hour, I battle traffic.
I get to the hotel and park in the loading bay then run through the foyer and push the button on the lift. “Come on, come on, come on,” I whisper.
It arrives and I jump in and scrunch up my face as my tears pour free. This is a disaster.
I get to my floor and run down the long corridor, shoving the door open.
My heart sinks.
The room is empty. “Cameron?” I call. “Owen?”
Their stuff is gone. I notice something on the coffee table and I run over.
My lone plane ticket is sitting there alongside a note.
We’ve flown home early.
You may as well stay here.
30
Ashley
My hands go over my mouth. He left.
He left me here in New York.
I’ve got to try and catch him at the airport. I glance around the room. Annoyingly, I need to get my things together. I just don’t have time for this shit. I run around and grab my toiletries and clothes from the bathroom. I pick up my shoes from the floor and throw them into my bag, zipping it up double speed.
I can’t believe he left me here…
Damn Andrew’s mother. This is all her bloody fault. Why in the hell didn’t she wake me up? She knew exactly what she was doing, the old snake. Andrew wasn’t even at dinner with