The girls watched Gustavo walk away with his brother. The silence lasted only a few seconds before Nitta broke it with a disbelieving laugh.
"Ghost doesn't have a shred of shame, does he, Ashley?"
"I guess not…" Ashley replied, still a little dazed by what had just happened. Her gaze lingered on the door Gustavo had just walked through.
Nitta narrowed her eyes, noticing something different in her friend. But instead of pressing, she picked up the thread of their earlier kitchen conversation.
"Back to what you were saying, Ash… you were about to tell me something that happened this morning. What was it?"
Ashley hesitated for a few seconds, then turned to the mirror, fixing her hair as if that might help untangle her thoughts too.
"It wasn't important… Well, do you remember last night when I called you asking where George lived?"
"Yeah, I thought that was so weird. You're not the type to worry about guys. At least not since… well, you know," Nitta added with obvious sarcasm.
That remark made Ashley blush instantly. She tried to hold back a smile, but it was useless.
Nitta's eyes sparkled, smelling drama like a detective on the lookout.
"Don't tell me you like George!"
"No! Of course not!" Ashley said, struggling to keep her composure.
"Yeah, you're right… guys are your kryptonite," Nitta laughed. "Although… there's something strange about the way you act around Ghost."
Ashley blinked, her face flushed. Her silence gave her away.
"Aha! I knew it!" Nitta exclaimed, jumping off the bed like she'd just won a bet.
"It's not that! Well… not exactly!" Ashley lifted her hands in surrender. "Things happened."
"Things!? That sounds worse!"
"Not like that… Not what you're thinking."
"So you didn't hook up?"
"Nitta!" Ashley slapped a hand over her friend's mouth. "Stop saying that out loud!"
"Then what happened?"
Ashley took a deep breath, knowing she wouldn't get away without telling the truth.
"I found him on the old bridge… he was beat up and looked sad. I invited him to eat something, I wanted to cheer him up. But somehow, I don't even know how, we ended up in a bar. When he got drunk, he started saying weird things. Really weird things…"
"And then you hooked up?"
"No! Nothing happened!" Ashley shook her head fiercely. "But this morning… when I greeted him, he acted like he didn't even know me. Like nothing had happened."
Nitta folded her arms, her expression growing more serious.
"That's Ghost, Ash. He lives in his own world. And as much as it hurts to admit, not even his brother knows how to handle him. That boy isn't simple."
"It's not like I care that much, I just… thought it was strange," Ashley murmured, lowering her gaze.
"Sure, sure." Nitta smiled conspiratorially. "But forget that, because… guess what! You'll be working with me at Donkey Donuts in New Canaan!"
Ashley stared at her, stunned.
"Seriously? With… with you?"
"Obviously. Your best friend in the world. Who else?"
Ashley smiled like she hadn't in a long time. A new spark lit in her eyes.
"Do you think I'll be good at it?"
"You can handle anything!" Nitta said, wrapping her in a hug. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen? Burn a donut?"
Her first day at work came faster than expected. Walking into Donkey Donuts, Ashley was instantly enveloped by the sweet smell of fresh donuts and hot coffee. The shop was small but colorful. There was laughter, movement, and a warmth that contrasted with her usual anxiety.
Nitta showed her how to run the coffee machine, how to time each donut to perfection.
"Remember, Ash: the secret is timing and the love you put into it," she said with a wink.
Ashley slowly loosened up. Some customers smiled at her, and she did her best to smile back. But inevitably, her mind wandered to Gustavo. Where was he? Did he ever think of her, even for a second?
The little bell on the door rang. For an instant, her heart skipped. But it wasn't him. A group of teenagers burst in, laughing and filling the place with noise.
"You okay?" Nitta asked, noticing her friend's distraction.
"Yeah, yeah. Just spaced out for a second."
Ashley was wiping down a table when she overheard two customers whispering:
"Have you heard of the guy Ken calls 'Ghost'? The one from Ching's Table…"
"Yeah, they say he's weird but handsome. Though apparently he's got a dark side too…"
Ashley pretended indifference, but her ears stayed sharp. Was that really what people thought of him?
And right then, as if her thoughts had summoned him, the door opened.
Gustavo.
He walked in with that careless stride, that energy that seemed to fill the space effortlessly. Hood low, headphones dangling from his neck, carrying an aura of… what? Indifference? Confidence? It was hard to tell.
Ashley froze.
Nitta noticed immediately and greeted him as casually as if she'd seen him a hundred times.
"Sup!" Ghost said.
"Sup, the usual? Hot matcha latte, double shot of espresso, no sugar, and a Boston Cream," Nitta repeated without even looking at the slip.
Ashley watched from a distance, pretending to clean the table. He didn't seem to notice her… until he turned.
Their eyes met.
"Hey… Ashley," Gustavo said, squinting at her like he was evaluating her.
"Hi, Ghost. How are you?"
"Better than ever."
"I'm glad."
"You work here?"
"Yeah… starting today."
"Wow. Didn't see that coming," he said, taking his order. "And how's it going?"
"As expected."
Nitta, sensing the tension, smirked mischievously and dropped the bomb.
"Ashley's exhausted. I think she needs to leave early. Can you take her?"
Gustavo blinked. Ashley shot her a death glare, but it was too late.
"No problem," he shrugged.
Ashley didn't know what to say. Nitta bit her lip to keep from laughing. The game was on, and she knew it better than anyone.