Page 62 of Dirty Like Dylan

Amber’s cheeks were turning pink.

“You serious?” As Ash stared at her, he seemed to be seeing her in a different light as he tried to digest this new information.

“Ash…” I warned him.

“Fuck. You’re shitting me.”

“Nope,” Amber said. Then she frowned at him. “Why, though?”

“I just can’t picture you with Johnny O,” he said, still scrutinizing her.

Amber laughed a humorless laugh. “Neither could he, apparently.”

“No doubt,” Ash said. “Who’d you catch him in bed with?”

She gave him a sharp look. “That’s presumptuous. How do you know I didn’t cheat on him?”

He gave her the same look right back.

She sighed again. “And the answer is: Who didn’t I catch him in bed with?”

“Right,” Ash said, not surprised in the least. He looked over at me. “Johnny O,” he mused under his breath. “You talk to that asshole lately?”

“Nope.”

Ash poked at the food on the grill. It was starting to smell good. I figured I should go put on some clothes now that he was here, but I didn’t want to miss this conversation. Ash actually talking to Amber. Other than at the party last night, when they were both drunk, I’d never seen them really have a conversation.

“So. How much damage did he do?” he asked her.

“Damage?”

“Like how long were you together, how many times did he screw you over, were you in love with him, etcetera?”

Amber cleared her throat. “Um. Seven months. Too many to want to remember. And yes, unfortunately.”

“You still in love with him?” I asked her.

Amber laughed bitterly. “Uh, no. That was like four years ago. And I haven’t even seen him since then. You could say I learned my lesson.”

“What lesson was that?” Ash glanced at me. “Rock stars are untrustworthy assholes?”

“Can’t say you haven’t known a few of those,” I challenged him.

“I dunno,” Ash replied. “You’re trustworthy. You’re not an asshole. Most of the time.”

Amber looked at me. I didn’t even try to say the same about Ash. He was my best friend, yes. But that just meant I knew pretty much his entire sordid history with relationships.

“Um, since we’re grilling me,” Amber said, “how about you guys?” She looked from me to him, carefully. “Ever had a relationship with a rock star?”

“Nope,” I said.

“No,” Ash said.

I actually had to catch myself before I laughed out loud. “Elle?” I prodded.

“We didn’t have a relationship,” Ash said, then disappeared into the kitchen.

“Okay. I can amend that,” Amber called after him. “Ever fuck a rock star?”