so I sent a text to Gabby letting her know where I'd be. The chances of me beating her home were slim.
What I didn't bother doing was driving. I'd missed yoga for a few too many months, and while walking a whole block wouldn't make up for it, at least I felt less guilty. It didn't take long before I was knocking on Ashley's door. She didn't come to open it herself, just yelled from deep inside for me to come in.
"Hey?" I asked as I stepped into the foyer. "Where are you?"
"Dining room," she called. "Going through some applications."
I headed that way. "Aren't you supposed to do those at work?"
She looked up just as I entered the room. "Unlike you, I have no life outside the office, so sure. I figured I could also give you the declines to call back tomorrow if I finished today. Now, what was that text about?"
With a groan, I claimed the chair across from her. "My neighbors."
"Good or bad?"
Well, there was no way to get around that, so I admitted, "Good, I think. Maybe. But that could be my problem, you know?"
So she closed the folder in front of her and gave me her full attention. "What did my brother do this time?"
I grimaced. "More like his roommates."
"Plural? More than one? Spill."
So I told her about how my washer broke. Then I fessed up, admitting that the only reason I'd actually asked them for help was my ex. When she was still grinning at me like an idiot, I lowered my voice and told her how I'd been enjoying the view so she could stop laughing at me now. Then I dropped the bombshell.
"And Lane kinda kissed me."
"What?!" she gasped. "Lane? Nice! And how'd that go?"
"Not really like I expected." I sighed. "Pax was standing right there, and Lane said something about 'we' and next thing I know, Pax was herding me into the kitchen for a glass of wine. Then Lane apologized - and he didn't need to - but he left. So I tried to finish the laundry because I felt stupid not doing anything, and then Pax kissed me."
Ashley's mouth was hanging open, and one single, heavy laugh fell out. "Damn, girl. Talk about getting back on the horse. You don't fuck around, do you? And all of this in the laundry room?"
Using both hands, I scrubbed at my face. "I'll have happy thoughts in there from now on? I dunno, Ash. What the hell am I doing?"
"Getting swept off your feet it sounds like. I really thought it would be Ian first."
"First?" I shot back. "You make it sound like I'm going to make my way through all of them!"
Her mouth snapped closed, and she reached for the file again, her body language making it clear that was exactly what she thought. Which made me suspicious, because she knew these guys better than I did. She'd basically grown up with them. In other words, there were a few things I needed to know, and fast.
"Ashley?" I insisted. "What aren't you saying?"
"I may have talked to them," she mumbled.
"About?"
"You." She finally looked up. "Look, I didn't start it, but Ian was asking me questions. I just answered a few, and then after him being stupid on your first day of work, I kinda chewed them out and told them to stop acting like horny boys." She tilted her head first to one side, then the other, proving there was more to it than that. "And it was a long talk."
This time, I was the one demanding, "Spill it, woman."
"Ok, let's go back to the beginning. Ian's always been the golden child. I mean, I was too, so I don't have room to bitch, but still. Born with the silver spoon and all that shit. So, Pax and Trent kinda grew up with him. That was his childhood tribe, I guess you could say. They went off to prep school together - and yes, it was an expensive one - and they didn't grow apart in college. They've known each other since elementary school or such. It was like those three were groomed to be a power trio, you know? But somewhere along the way, Lane happened."
"You mean when he moved in with you?" I asked.
"Oh god, no," she said. "Lane was twelve. Ian was just six back then. Um, I think Ian was in high school when he and Lane actually started hanging out. Lane was older, could buy beer,