I study her a moment before pulling my girlfriend to the side. She wraps her arms around my waist, waiting for me to speak.

“Ash, I really don’t like leaving you alone with her.”

She takes a step back from our hug, shocked. “You know you can trust me, Spence. I know a lot is coming out about my messed up life, but—“

I cut her off with a kiss. “It’s not you I’m worried about,” I explain.

“Relax,” she says, going under my shirt to rub my lower back. “We’re just going to make some calls and see if we can get some people to back us, okay?” I drop my head but I’m smiling. She knows I love it when she rubs my back. “Okay?” she asks again, bending slightly to look me in the eye, an amused look in her eyes. I break into a wider grin and nod. “Good,” she says, placing a soft kiss on my forehead.

Ashley goes to meet Kristal in the kitchen and I make my way to the parking lot. I open the back door that was already unlocked and climb into the backseat, looking for a few notes I had. Once I retrieve them, I sit in the driver’s seat and reach into my pocket, but find it empty. I chuckle, realizing I left the keys inside the loft.

I unlock the front door and silently slip in with Ashley and Kristal’s conversation filling the room. I stop dead in my tracks as I tune in to what they’re saying.

“She’s caused you so much trouble already,” I hear Kristal say. “Don’t you think it would be best just to forget about her?”

“No! I can’t believe you’d say that. I love Spencer.”

Getting down on my knees and crawling to the kitchen so I’m not seen, I peek around the corner and see Kristal slowly advancing towards Ashley until she’s backed up against the counter.

“Don’t you remember the good times we had when we were together?” She pushes Ashley’s hair out of her face.

“Um… yeah. But that was in the past, Kris.” Ashley moves Kristal’s hand away from her face, trying to get away from her. “But I’m with Spencer now.”