He did not want to answer this question on the grounds she might kick his ass.
Richie and David walked up behind them. As they were listening to Ashley questioning John. They looked at each other wondering if John was going to be able to get himself out of this one. Or dig himself a little deeper with the whole truth, that they both already knew.
"You know l'm tired of every girl I talk to, you thinking I've screwed them! I haven't been with every damn girl in Monmouth County!"
"Are you sure because it seems to me you've been with a whole hell of a lot of them!" She snapped right back at him.
"So I have a past Ashley! You can't be mad about anything that happened before I even met you! Debbie is just a friend of mine."
"Friends don't smile at each other like y'all did back there!" She blew out her breath. "Whatever, I don't even care! I can have some friends too!" She yelled at John, then turned to Stacey. "Let's just go back to the apartment."
Ashley and stacey walked up front and John and the guys lagged to the back.
"You were damn lucky she dropped that shit!" Richie chuckled under his breath trying to keep his voice down low.
"You better hope she don't find out! She'll kill you, if she knows the real truth!" David let out a low chuckle.
"It's not that bad!" John whispered.
"Well tell her then, that you slept with both of them! Debbie and Rachel at the same time!" David whispered and he and Richie laughed out loud and Ashley turned around and gave them an evil look, wondering what the hell they were laughing at.
"Hell no, I don't have a death wish!" John mumbled with a grin.
Back at the apartment John unlocked the door and everybody went in. Ashley grabbed a beer and walked out on the Patio with Stacey, and they sat down.
Some guys were on the patio next door and one of the them noticed Ashley.
"Well hello baby. I've never seen you before Did you just move in?"
John was going to go out and check on her but he stood in the doorway behind the curtain listening to this guy trying to talk to her.
"No our friends just moved in."
"Friends." John mouthed to himself. Getting a little hot under the collar, that she didn't tell the guy she had a boyfriend.
"I'm Terry and this is Blake."
"I'm Ashley and this is Stacey."
"You have a beautiful smile Ashley." Terry grinned.
"Aww thank you, that's so sweet. You have a nice smile too."
"Damn I must say you two are the hottest things we've seen around this beach today." Blake replied with a smile as he walked over to their side of the patio and stood next to them. "We are going over to the Fast Lane later and then we are going to try to find a race or two in my vet."
John knew she didn't like Corvettes from the time Ace was flirting with her so he figured she was just about to let this jerk know that.
Ashley bumped Stacey's arm and pointed to John's nikes sticking out under the curtain. They laughed under their breath a little at him trying to spy on them.
"That's cool." She smiled as John pulled the curtain back to get a little view of what he was hearing. "I love Corvettes." Ashley smiled her big fake flirty grin.
"Would you two like to go? All the margaritas are on us!" Blake smiled at her. He was tall dark and muscular with long hair. He was really handsome and it was really pissing John off.
"Well my drink of choice is champagne but I guess Margaritas would do." Ashley propped her legs up in a vacant chair and this dude was almost drooling looking all the way up her legs to the top of her shorts.
John threw the curtain back. "What the fuck Ashley!" John yelled walking out on the patio.
He looked at Blake standing there. "Who the hell are you and why the fuck are you standing on my deck talking to my damn girlfriend?"
Richie and David heard John yelling and ran to the back door.
Blake threw up both hands in surrender. "Sorry man we got the impression they were both single."
"Hell no this one sure as shit ain't!" He pointed to Ashley. And she rolled her eyes. Blake walked back over to his patio and sat back down in a chair.
"What's up with you Ash? Why were you flirting with these damn guys out here?"
"Oh you mean my new friends? You sure sound jealous. Am I not allowed to have friends? I mean you do!" She looked over at him with a smug grin.
"Oh so we're back to that! I thought you let that shit go!"
"Nope you keep your little friends and I'll have mine. And the next time you try to eavesdrop on me out here, make sure your shoes aren't showing under the damn curtain!"
John shook his head and went into the apartment to grab a beer. She jumped up and followed him and Richie followed her, mostly to watch the fireworks explode, as this fight was sure to continue.
David sat down next to Stacey on the patio. He always thought she was cute and wanted to talk to her.
And all of a sudden, out of the blue, Ashley seemed to calm down. "I'm sorry John, but I just know you are lying about this girl Debbie. I know you slept with her. I feel like you are hiding something from me. I'm really gonna be mad if I find out later. You should just go ahead and tell me now."
John looked at Richie who was shaking his head no. But John folded. And closed his eyes and blew his breath out. "Fuck!" He heard in his head right before he opened his big damn mouth. "Okay I slept with her! I didn't want to hurt you and I knew it would so I didn't want to tell you."
The words seem to register in her head like a full on assault. John had never seen her look so mad before. "I knew you were fucking lying! And what really pisses me off you were flirting with that bitch right in front of my damn face!"
David and Stacey heard the yelling and came to see what was going on.
"Ashley it's not that bad, I just wanted to tell you the truth!"
"You didn't want to tell me shit! I just tricked you into telling me!"
"Oh damn he told her!" David laughed chuckling to Richie. His dumbass told her about the twins!"
Ashley stopped and looked all confused at David. "Twins? What twins?"
John turned to him with a look like he damn well better not tell her and Ashley saw him do it.
"Don't worry about him David, please tell me about the twins."
David looked at John. "I'm sorry Johnny, I thought you told her."
"No I didn't fucking tell her that shit!"
Ashley looked at John. "You better tell me now!" She gave him that look that he hated to see on her face.
He closed his eyes and got ready for the explosion. "Debbie and Rachel are twins."
"They don't look alike?" She questioned.
"They're fraternal twins." John replied and watched her facial expression as she put things together in her own head. Why they were being so secretive.
"Oh my God! You slept with both of them at the same time!" She yelled finally realizing what the hell he was hiding.
He closed his eyes and blew his breath looking at David. "Thanks a lot asshole." He snarled.
"Im sorry man I thought she already knew." David replied knowing John was pissed at him.
"It's not his fault! You lied to me! And what really pisses me off, I knew something was up by the way all y'all were looking at each other! When she invited us over, I made up an excuse and you still tried to get me to go over there!"
"It's not what you think. I just wanted the free booze and food!"
"Bullshit! I bought you booze and food! Are you sure you weren't trying to get me over there so you could have three girls in the bed with you at same time?" She yelled sarcastically, waving her arms around.
John grinned, merely at the thought of it, and he shouldn't have. She slapped him across the face as hard as she could. "Fuck you John!" She looked at Stacey. "Come on we are getting the hell out of here!"
"Ashley wait! Baby I'm sorry!" He yelled rubbing his jaw watching her slam the front door shut. "Damn that girl can hit!" He grinned at Richie.
"I am sorry man, I did think you already told her." David felt bad and apologized again.
"Hell no but she knew something happened, I just wasn't going to tell her all of it!"
"Fuck!" He yelled sitting down on a kitchen chair opening a beer.
"Did you not see me shaking my damn head no! Deny, deny, deny! You can't admit something to a woman, that's going to get your nuts clipped off!" Richie laughed.
"I hoped she wouldn't be that mad since it was before I even knew her."
"No girls will ask who all you have slept with but take it from me, you never tell the whole damn truth. And they really don't want to know. I learned that shit the hard way, and I scaled my list way down. It cuts down on the explanations and all the damn drama!" Richie emphasized, giving John his best relationship advice.
"I was trying to be nice. I guess I shouldn't have bothered. I'll pay my Dad back when I get my first check."
"Where do you want to go?"
"Let's go to Asbury Park. There's a bonfire on the beach tonight. There was a flyer for it at the Fast Lane. I don't want to go home." Ashley answered looking out the window at the beach.
"Cool I love a bonfires." They drove to Asbury Park and found a spot to park the Jeep.
"So what are we going to do tonight?" David asked looking at Richie and John.
"Man I don't know. I'm broke. We were supposed to go help Ash get her stuff and find her keys to her car." John answered looking a little down.
"Well I think a slap to the face cancels helping her out." David replied chuckling.
"It was my fault. I shouldn't have taken her over there, around those girls. I knew they would probably be at the pool."
"So are you wanting to go look for her?" Richie asked knowing by the sound of his voice he did.
"I guess so, I need to straighten this shit out with her." John replied.
"We can take my car but I need to stop by Asbury Park Beach. Erica will be there at that bonfire they've been promoting at the club, and she wants me to come by. They are giving away hamburgers and hotdogs and drinks."
"Did Erica say if Dot's going to be there? I ain't wanting to hear her shit tonight!"
"She honestly didn't say. Maybe she's with Bobby tonight."
"Okay let me change." John walked to his bedroom.
There was a knock at the door. David pulled it open and it was Tico. "Damn where have you been?"
"Over at Debbie's at their barbecue."
"Well you missed the one here! David laughed. Ashley barbecued Johnny's ass when she popped him across the face." He laughed.
"Hey don't be telling that shit to everybody!" John snapped at David as he walked back in the room.
"Damn what happened?" Tico questioned.
She found out Johnny slept with the twins. She accused Johnny boy here of wanting a foursome with her and them. He smiled and didn't deny it and she hit him!"
"Wow, damn and I missed it!" Tico laughed. "Have you guys seen this?" Tico laid a flyer he had gotten at the party, down on the table.
"Yeah I saw it at the Fast Lane." Richie replied. "We're going there now."
"Hey Johnny, Debbie and her sister are really hot for you man. They wouldn't quit talking about you. Debbie wanted me to tell you she keeps a key under the doormat and you could come over anytime." Tico grinned.
"No thanks, they've cost me enough trouble for one day." John replied, rubbing his jaw a little.
"Damn okay." He laughed. I'll take my car over to the bonfire. David you can ride with me, if you want." Tico stood up ready to go.
"Okay."
Stacey and Ashley got out and walked around on the beach. A few guys came up to them. A tall blonde guy looked at Ashley. "I know you."
She got a horrified look on her face. Hoping it wasn't from the tape. "Aren't you Johnny's girl?"
"Nope you must have me confused with Debbie or Rachel." She replied with a straight face.
"I'm pretty sure it was you in that tape I saw with him."
"Look you damn pervert! I did not know that was being filmed!"
"Chill out. I didn't even watch it! When I realized what it was I got up and left. The only thing I remember was how beautiful you were."
"Really?"
"Yeah what kind of asshole would have sex with a girl and have it filmed without her knowing?"
"He didn't know it was being filmed either."
"I'm Paul by the way."
"I'm Ashley and this is my cousin Stacey."
"Good to meet you girls. Hey we have a cooler full of cold beer. Come get you one, it's going to be a while before this bonfire starts."
She looked at Stacey who smiled and she replied. "Sure why not?" Ashley grabbed a beer and drank it down, while looking out at the water. She was deep in thought, off in her own little world. She headed for the cooler, to grab another one.
As the sun was setting Ashley walked out closer by the water. She was still mad as hell at John. But she missed him like crazy. She hoped he didn't go back over to those apartments looking for those two tramps.
Stacey walked up to her. "You could go see him, you know?"
"No I still need to cool off. I love him, but you saw him smiling at them. And trying to get me to go over there. Maybe he needs some time to himself. I don't think John does well being tied down."
"I think he loves you though."
"Yeah but love mixed with hurt isn't really love at all."
"Aww damn you get so philosophical when you've been drinking. You need to slow up. You haven't ate much today."
"Thanks Mom." She giggled. "Hey I would do a good job at being your Mom. I couldn't do any worse than Wendy."
"No she always been more like my messed up older sister than my Mom. That's why I call her by her first name. She doesn't act like a Mom, she never has."
"I know and I'm sorry she's that way. She was so young when she had you. Poor Kelly, she's stuck there with Ricky and Wendy. Stacey laughed.
"Ricky's coming up here for a week. He's looking for a job."
"Really. I miss his mean ass." Stacey grinned.
"Jake's coming with him."
"Really damn that boy doesn't take a hint. You would think Johnny and them kicking his ass would keep him away. But he's glutton for punishment I guess."
"I guess so. He was there with Ricky when he called. They were saying shit about John and that they are gonna kick his ass. Ricky said get a good look at him Ash, he's not gonna look the same after, we're finished with him."
"Did you tell Johnny?"
"No I'm waiting to see if they really show up."
"I need another beer." She laughed. "Do you remember us stealing all Granddaddy's Budweisers and him chasing after us threatening to skin our hide." She had a big smile on her face thinking back.
"Yes I sure do. You were always his favorite. He Always loved his Ashley Bell."
"I never knew why the hell he called me that. How do you get bell out of Michelle?"
"I don't know but he always loved you more than the rest of us youngins. You should have known that when he bought you that brand new Trans Am!"
"I always wanted to be with him. I hated being with my Mom. Even when I was little, I jammed under Granddaddy and went everywhere he went."
"Boy I was always so jealous of you."
"Why in the world would you be jealous of me?"
"You had everything I ever wanted. You were always so beautiful. On the cheerleading team, every year. He bought you that fine ass car and you had the most gorgeous guy in the whole school, the freaking quarterback of the football team as your boyfriend! Hell all your boyfriends were gorgeous."
"I never knew you were jealous of me Stacey. My life may have seemed perfect on the outside, but it was a total mess. I was a cheerleader and played softball because I didn't want to go home. I hated it there. Dad worked all the time and Wendy was always drunk. I stayed at Grandaddy's or your house as much as I could to get away. And now you know what was really going on with Jake, he was hurting me."
"I know and I'm so sorry Ash. Let's go get a beer and get off this depressing stroll down memory lane."
"Okay." She replied. They walked over to the ice chest and Ashley grabbed two and downed one right after the other. She had a lot she wanted to forget tonight.
"You are going to make yourself sick." Stacey warned her sipping her own beer.
Paul walked over to her. "Hi do you want to take a walk up the beach with me?"
"I can't, I'm sorry, I was playing earlier, John is my boyfriend. She looked at him with an apologetic look, but she didn't want to lead him on.
"It's just a walk, I'm not going to marry you or kidnap you or something." He smiled at her.
"Okay." She laughed and looked over at Stacey. "I'll be back in a minute."
As they walked he looked at her. "So where is Johnny tonight?"
"We had a fight and I'm just giving us both some time to cool off."
"Oh I see, well I'm glad I met you. I'm just sorry you have a boyfriend."
"Thanks. So you don't have a girlfriend?"
"No not right now. We broke up and I'm just living that single life."
"Oh." She laughed. That's what I was doing when I met John. I had just gotten out of a bad relationship and I wasn't trying to get in another one."
"If you don't mind me asking? How the hell did you get mixed up with Johnny? He doesn't have the best reputation for being in a good solid relationship."
She laughed. "I don't know? It was kind of love at first sight, for both of us. But we didn't say anything for a while. He was still with his old girlfriend."
"Dorothea Hurley?" He asked.
"Yeah you know her?"
"Yeah, she's here, right now. I saw her over by the ice chest earlier."
"Damn I don't need to run into that bitch!"
Ashley replied looking around for her.
"Bad blood huh?"
"Yeah you could say that."
"Ashley what are you doing out here? Is Johnny here? Dorothea asked walking over and started sipping her beer.
"No I just stopped by for a few minutes with Stacey."
"Hi Paul, you are still good looking as ever." Dorothea smiled wondering what he and Ashley were really up to.
"Hello Dorothea." He replied with a grin.
"Do you want to walk over to the fire? They are just about to light it." Paul suggested
Ashley got over to the pile of wood and was standing there watching them light it. The music from a portable stereo was pretty loud. Someone walked up and put their hands over her eyes from behind.
"Guess who?" He asked in her ear.
She pulled his hands down and spun around. "Hey Bret what are you doing over here? Don't you have a club to manage?" She smiled thinking he looked damn fine tonight.
"I just come over to check the turn out to this thing. The Fast Lane is sponsoring it. He smiled at her noticing how beautiful she looked tonight. "And with you here, the scenery is way better, than it is in the club. Is that pain in the ass you call your boyfriend with you?"
"Nope, we're fighting. I'm mad at him right now." She giggled.
He laughed. "Really, about what?"
"Long story and I don't want to talk about it. Oh I love this song dance with me Bret!"
"Oh hell, you must be loaded if you want me to dance with you!" He laughed.
"Come on Bret, one dance. You used to dance with me!" She whined.
"Yeah I used to do alot of things with you." He grinned.
"You are a bad boy Bret Michaels!" She giggled.
He half heartedly started dancing with her and she was drunk and he was laughing at her ridiculous dance moves. And then a slow song came on. He swallowed hard the lump in his throat, from being this close to her.
"Well you wanted to dance, so come here. He pulled her close and she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. "Damn this feels so good. I have missed these arms, around me so damn much." She heard in her head as they swayed to the love song.
Dot hit Erica's arm hard.
"Hey what the hell?" Erica yelled, rubbing the spot on her arm.
"Look at that bitch! Why didn't I bring my damn camera?" Dorothea asked, so happy she had come to the beach tonight to witness this.
"Wow she aint even trying to hide it either? Where the hell is Johnny?" Erica asked staring at them.
"Hell if I know. I've been talking to him on the phone for about a week and suddenly last night his Mom said he was gone and she didn't know when he would be back!"
"Well shit!" Erica replied watching Ashley drunk and hanging on Bret.
"I need to get back to the club." Bret announced opening a beer.
"Not yet! I won't have anybody to dance with!"
"Ash you need to find Johnny for that!"
"No he's into stuff I'm not! Bret have you ever done it with two girls at one time?"
He smiled really big. "What are you asking me here?"
"It's not an invitation you dumbass! Just have you ever been with two girls at the same time?" She smiled at the goofy look on his face.
"Ash, I'm in a band! It kinda goes with the territory baby!"
"Damn I am surrounded by perverts! She hollered. "Is anybody around this town normal?"
"Johnny wants you to do it with him and another girl?"
"Hell no! He has been with twin sisters at the same time!"
"Oh well it's a fantasy of every man, to be with two girls at one time! Especially twins, but I haven't done it lately."
"I just don't get it why would two girls want to be with the same guy at the same time?"
"Booze probably. When I did it we were so fucked up I barely remember it."
Ashley got a sad look on her face. "Was it before or after you were with me?"
"Before. But why does it matter?"
"I don't know but it does. And if you've done it since, don't tell me!" She stumbled a little in the sand.
"You need to quit drinking, your getting crazy." He smiled. Try to come in a little early Monday, to fill out some more paperwork."
"I could do it now! Can you take me home later?"
"Yeah I guess."
"Let me tell Stace."
They walked over to her. "I've got to fill out some paperwork for my job, for Bret. He's going to take me home later."
"Are you sure you know what your doing?" Stacey asked knowing she had been drinking a lot.
"Yep, Bret's my friend and he's harmless. I'll be fine. I'll try to get my phone back to call you tomorrow. If not I'll just walk over to your house."
"Okay." Stacey gave her a disapproving look and walked away.
Bret and Ashley started walking down the road to the club. They were walking beside some parked cars when Richie and John drove by and didn't notice them.
"Damn that's a nice fire! Richie announced as he jumped out. John was nursing a beer still in the car. "Go on I'll be out there in a minute." He grumbled not wanting to be there.
"Okay." Richie walked up the beach a little when he noticed Stacey's car and turned around.
"Johnny come on and get out."
"No I'm just going to wait for you."
"Stacey's Jeep's here. It's right over there, he pointed.
"Did you see Ash?" John asked Richie, getting out of the car and walking toward the beach. He was wondering what the hell she was doing there.
"No I didn't see her." They stood there scanning the crowd for her or Stacey.
Tico and David walked up . "That food smells good. I'm starving!" David announced looking for the food table.
They all walked over to the fire and looked around.
Stacey was talking to Paul and noticed them, by the fire. "Damn, I need to get out of here." She thought to herself. "I've got to go. See you later Paul."
She eased herself through the crowd, out to her car and drove away. She didn't want to answer and questions about where Ashley was. She hoped Bret would take her home soon.
Tico and David spotted the food table and headed over to it. Richie went in one direction looking for Ashley and John headed the other way down the beach looking for her.
At the club Ashley was in Bret's office filling out some more papers for her new job.
"Bret be a doll and get me some more champagne."
"Ash you have already had two glasses."
"So are you the champagne police now?"
"Yep that's me. I'm the undercover fuzz." He laughed and she giggled as he took another shot of Jack Daniels from the bottle on his desk.
"Do you miss me Bret?" She asked holding her champagne glass, he just filled up. She took a big sip, looking at him with her big, glassy, alcohol infused eyes.
"What kind of question is that? You know I miss you." He looked at her trying to figure out what she was up to. "What did you come here tonight for?"
"What do you mean? I'm filling out my papers for work." She giggled.
"No really, you could have done that Monday." He looked at her knowing she was really drunk by the way she snorted just a little when she giggled.
"I just miss you Bret and spending time with you, like we used to. We are still friends aren't we?" She looked into his eyes as he moved closer to her.
"I'm sorry Ash, but I don't think I could ever be just your friend. But I think maybe you came here for something else." Bret leaned in to her and started kissing her and she didn't try to fight it.
John was looking all over the beach for Ashley, but Dot found him."
"Liar alert!" Dot announced walking up to him. "You never called me back Johnny."
"I don't have a phone yet. I moved out. I've got my own apartment now."
"Really? I bet your Mom hated that!" Where did you move to?"
"Bradley beach."
"I'll have to come see it soon."
"No you can't! Ashley's moving in with me!"
"Really moving in with you and out here walking on the beach and dancing with other guys! She laughed.
"What the hell are you talking about?" John gave her an annoyed look. He figured she was lying. She had to be.
"Your girlfriend was out on a romantic stroll with Paul Thomas and slow dancing with Bret Michaels!" She looked at him hoping this would piss him off enough to end it with Ashley, once and for all.
"Where the fuck is she now?" John asked getting more pissed by the second.
"I don't know, it's not my place to police your little trampy girlfriend. Can't you see it'a a mistake for you to be with that blonde headed little bitch!"
"I love her Dot." He replied with all the sincerity in his heart.
"Well maybe I still love you."
"You don't. You love Bobby." John looked at her with a little pain of her betrayal, still in his eyes.
"I miss you Johnny. I miss your kiss, your touch, your hands all over my body."
"Dot I can't." She put her hand over his mouth to stop him from speaking.
"I don't care." She leaned in and kissed him more passionately than she had ever kissed him before. She pulled back and he was just standing there staring at her.
"I've got to go." He took off down the beach.
He went up to Paul. Hey man was Ashley here with you?"
"Do you know where she went?"
"I don't know she was with Bret. He said he had to get back to the club."
"Did you and her go walking out on the fucking beach alone together?"
"It wasn't like that! She told me you were her boyfriend. We were just waiting on the fire to start, and talking a little."
"You better hope that's all it was! Do yourself a favor and stay the fuck away from my damn girlfriend!" John yelled picking up his jacket off the sand. He shook it off and slipped it back on, and started walking toward the Fast Lane. He had thoughts of Ashley being with Bret flashing in his head. He sure as hell hoped he wasn't going to find her with him.
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