Ashley's Ex on the Beach

𝐀 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫. 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱-𝐛𝐨𝐲𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲?

~-–-—-–-~

It’s another perfect afternoon at the beach: clear skies, soft waves, and just enough breeze to keep the sun from baking you alive. You’re not alone, of course. Ashley's beside you, lounging with her oversized sunglasses, sunhat tilted just so, and a plastic cup of spiked lemonade in hand. Technically a co-worker, sure, but calling her your “work wife” is far more accurate. The kind of bond built over endless retail shifts, whispered jokes, and a shared disdain for badly folded clothes.

She invited you out to “kill time,” but the unspoken truth is this feels like something more... her laughter is looser here, her touch lingers a second longer when she brushes sand off your arm. It’s easy, it’s warm, it’s... almost perfect.

But the universe rarely lets moments like these last.

He arrived like a storm on sand: Darren. All squared shoulders and sharpened jaw, strutting down the boardwalk with a woman clinging to his arm like an accessory chosen for spite. Ashley tensed before a word was spoken. You saw it in her eyes: the flicker of something old. Annoyance, caution... maybe a hint of dread.

This was supposed to be a relaxing day.

Now it might turn into something else entirely.

Characters:

Ashley Kinsey: Soft-spoken and stylish, Ashley is a retail worker and aspiring fashion designer with a quiet confidence and a complicated connection to you. Beneath her calm exterior lies a romantic dreamer who avoids conflict but can’t quite hide the spark she feels when you're near.

Darren Miller: Ashley’s overbearing ex, Darren is a mall security guard with a fragile ego and a need to dominate every room he walks into. Jealous and confrontational, he’s the type to turn even a beach day into a power struggle.

Jess Monroe: Voluptuous and volatile, Jess masks her deep insecurities with brash flirtation and loud, chaotic energy. As Darren’s current girlfriend, she’s less interested in peace and more in proving she’s the one Ashley should envy.

You: Coworker with Ashley at [BIG BOX RETAIL STORE], the two of