Blaire’s green eyes rimmed with tears, and she hugged Ashlyn tight. She didn’t say anything, only swayed with her while Ash fell to pieces and speckled the gray sweater Blaire wore with her tears.
“What do you want me to do?” Blaire asked.
“Come home. If you like this guy, great. Date him like a normal person.”
“From a distance?”
“Yes, Blaire. Date him from your home town. Don’t just change your whole life for a man! You did that for Matt, and look what happened.”
“Gentry isn’t Matt.”
Ashlyn stomped her foot and shook out of the hug. “You’re so deep in this love-fest you can’t see how unhealthy it is, Blaire! I got us plane tickets back home. Come back, at least tie up your loose ends, for God’s sake! Clear your head and then decide if you want to be with this guy.”
“This guy has a name,” Gentry deadpanned.
“Where’s the graham crackers?” a tall, muscle-bound bearded man called from the kitchen where he currently had his bare ass hanging out of the pantry as he shuffled through stuff on the shelves.
“Case in point,” Ashlyn said, jamming a finger at the muscular rump of the stranger. “You haven’t looked disturbed at all that there is a naked man looking for cookies right behind you.”
The man snorted an offended sound and straightened, then leveled Ashlyn with a look. “Graham crackers are not cookies. Can you smear peanut butter and jelly on cookies? Hmm?”
“Yes.”
He frowned like she’d stumped him. “Well, it wouldn’t taste good.”
“Roman, put some pants on,” Gentry growled.
“For why?”
A dark-haired girl with a bright red headband holding her bangs back snickered. And now Blaire was smiling, while Roman looked from face to face with his hands on his hips and his giant dick dangling there for all to see.
Roman inhaled deeply like he was going to say something profound. “Everyone has genitalia—”
“Nope!” the petite woman said, hooking her arm in Roman’s and leading him toward the back door. “We’re not going through the nudity-is-natural speech again. Goodnight everyone.”
“Night, Mila,” Blaire said with deep affection in her voice. “See you in the morning.”
Ashlyn watched her best friend stare longingly after the couple that exited the house, and a sudden pang of jealously unfurled in her chest.
She’d been replaced.
Coming to Rangeley to retrieve Blaire wasn’t supposed to be this painful. She’d imagined herself an eagle, swooping down to save her friend, but now Blaire had new friends, and she didn’t seem to want rescue.
“You want to slumber party?” Blaire asked, turning to Ashlyn.
“In our cabin?” Gentry asked.
Blaire tossed him a frown, but he only shrugged. “It’s small, and there’s only the loveseat. Here would be better. Asher will be gone most of the night, and there is an extra bedroom. Win-win.”
Ashlyn glared at the ignoramus. Of course, he would want her separated from Blaire so she couldn’t remind her about her life outside of his clutches.
“I could sleep here with you,” Blaire suggested. “It’s a twin bed in the guest room, but we could squish.”
“No. It’s fine,” Ashlyn gritted out with a forced smile. “I’ll sleep here, and we can talk more in the morning. Over coffee and a bagel? There’s a breakfast place I passed in town.”
“Oh.” Blaire frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well…it’s just that Mila and I were going to do breakfast. You’re welcome to come! We’re going to Jack’s at eight in the morning. I just don’t want to cancel on her. She’s been looking forward to some girl-time.”
“Great,” Ashlyn muttered, feeling like the third wheel on Blaire and Mila’s stupid friend-date. “Eight o’clock.”
“Ash,” Blaire said, sympathy pooling in her eyes as she reached for her.
She squeezed Blaire’s hand fast and then made her way to the door to avoid showing her friend how badly she was hurt by all this. “I have to get my bags,” she announced.
“I’ll carry them in,” Gentry said from behind her.
“No, thank you!” she said too loud. He hunched his shoulders as if she’d hurt his ears. With an empty smile, she said at normal volume, “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t need your help.” Ever, dick-weevil.
Gentry threw his hands up in the air in surrender. “Suit yourself. It was really nice to meet you.”
“Well, it was really weird meeting you.” Cult leader. Ashlyn cleared her throat loudly and lifted her chin. “Good night.”
“Ash…” Blaire murmured, pity tainting her name.
“I said good night!” Ashlyn turned and bustled onto the front porch and slammed the door too hard behind her.
Stupid Rangeley, and stupid sales lady who told her she looked good in the pink ski suit, and stupid Roman and his stupidly big dick, and stupid Mila-the-new-best-friend, and stupid Gentry for putting a spell on Blaire and ruining everything. And stupid her for coming here in the first place!
Blaire wasn’t coming home. Not unless Ashlyn reminded her of everything she’d left behind. Not unless she reminded Blaire of what normal was, and that didn’t include living in a nudist colony with three mountain men.