004. GIMME A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT

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Upon returning, Ashley showered from the day at the beach and changed into a black skater dress, with some black ankle strap wedges, and she borrowed a silver clutch bag from Carole She walked downstairs to see Carole talking to a woman with blonde hair

"Ash! You look beautiful. " Carole smiled once Ashley stepped into the living room, "This is Lillian. She babysits Bradley from time to time. "

"Oh hi, Carole's told me a lot about you." Lillian shook her hand with Ashley's

"All good things, I hope," Ashley chuckled

Lillian chuckled, "Yeah, don't worry. Right, you girls go enjoy. Ashley, you're going to love Greece when you party, " Lillian said, ushering the women out of the house as Carole laughed.

The two women made their way into the town centre of Naxos, "Let's go here," Carole said, pointing to a bar that was situated on the beach. Carole knew Maverick would be working, so it gave him and Ashley a chance to meet again.

They stepped inside of the bar, and Ashley was met with bright disco lights, loud disco music, and a lot of people drinking and dancing. Carole led her over to the bar and ordered them both a drink, two Bartles, and Jaymes Wine Coolers.

"Here's your drin-" Maverick's voice spoke as he placed the drinks down in front of Ashley and Carole, pausing when he saw the brunette.

"-oh hey, Pete!" Carole said, over the music.

"Hi, Mav," Ashley said

Before Maverick could say anything to them, someone else had ordered drinks, and Maverick left to serve them, leaving the two women alone. Ashley turned to Carole, who had a smile on her face as she sipped her drink

"You knew he worked here," Ashley asked, "Didn't you?"

Carole shrugged, "Come on, Ash. You and Maverick were inseparable at one point before he escaped to this place. I want my friends to be friends again. "

"Carole, we are friends. We're just not as close as we used to be," Ashley sighed, drinking her drink as she made a brief eye contact with Maverick.

She missed him a lot. They helped each other a lot after her brother died and after Goose's tragic death. Carole was right. They were inseparable during their training at Top Gun, even after when he taught for a few months. But he left.

As one song came to an end, another began playing, as Voulez-Vous by Abba echoed out of the speakers. Carole let out a happy gasp before dragging Ashley onto the dance floor. They danced happily to the music while at the bar, Maverick watched.

"Is that the Ashley that you've talked about?" Marcel asked, catching Maverick staring at the beautiful brunette dancing

"Yeah, it is." He smiled

Marcel smirked as he watched Maverick's eyes soften at Ashley. Marcel may have only known Maverick for a year and a half, but he could tell when Maverick was in love. . . He gave a certain look. Marcel patted Maverick on the shoulder before moving off down the bar as the song came to an end and the crowd on the dancefloor slowly dispersed.

Ashley walked over to the bar, where Maverick served her, "Can we have the same again, Mav?"

"Sure." He nodded, "How you... uh... been?"

"Yeah, yeah, good... Uh, I got temp leave from the Navy, " Ashley mentioned, as she made eye contact with Maverick across the bar under the colourful disco lights.

"Yeah, Carole had said... How come?" He asked

"Too many near death experiences.. I got reckless in the plane so Jester discharged me" Ashley sighed as she sipped on her drink.

"Damn, I didn't know that was happening" Maverick slipped up saying.

"Of course you didn't. You left me" Ashley muttered. She sighed and began to walk away

"By the way-" Maverick started, causing Ashley to turn around, "-you look great, Ash"

Ashley smiled before walking back to Carole, leaving Maverick at the bar, as his boss Marcus smirked from the other end of the bar.

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AN!

Hello! This has only taken me a year to write but now that college is over and I'm getting random bouts of energy, I'm finding the strength to come back.

As per usual, comment, vote and give my first novel of Ashley Thompson a read, the book is published on my page, titled MIGHTY WINGS!

Again, thank you so much for 1K reads on Drive By and over 50K reads on Mighty Wings. I truly appreciate it and I am so thankful for everything I have achieved in 4 years of being on this account!

xo G