Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“According to Matt, that’s not true. Apparently, Nash was pretty torn up after you left.”
“If he was sad, it was only because he lost his easy pussy.” Which I stupidly gave him whenever he wanted. “No doubt he’s moved on.”
“That’s what men do.” Madison shrugged. “After I walked away from Matt to marry Todd, you know—”
“He fucked half the town? Yeah.” She’d hated having to tell Madison something that hurt so much. “But his heart was always with you. Since you left Todd and came home, he hasn’t given another woman the time of day. You’re it for him, girl. Do you know how lucky you are?”
“Every day.” Madison took her hands. “Don’t give up on Nash. I think he still has feelings for you.”
“No need to blow sunshine up my ass.”
She would have said more, but Matt rolled up to the bar and settled his arm around his wife’s waist. He looked at her as if she hung the moon and stars before dropping a kiss on her lips.
“Haisley.” He tipped his hat.
“Hi, Matt. Congrats on your coming baby.”
His smile widened. “I’m the luckiest bastard on the planet.”
“I think I’m pretty lucky, too.” Madison beamed.
Haisley tried not to cry. She didn’t want Matt, but she craved the kind of love Madison had. Unfortunately for her, it didn’t exist. She was destined to be attached to someone who’d never really wanted her.
Isn’t that the story of your life?
The bartender blessed her with another double margarita and a wink. She vaguely remembered him from high school. Yeah, that was a big no thank-you. She gave him a wan smile and a nice tip, then started downing her second drink.
“Ten minutes until midnight.” Gracelyn bounced with excitement.
Yippee. All the couples in this place would be sucking face when the clock struck twelve. She wouldn’t. Neither would Gracelyn and Charli, so at least she wouldn’t be the only sad schmuck alone.
Maybe she should order another drink so she’d have something to do when the countdown ended.
“Wanna dance?” a stranger asked behind her, his voice friendly.
She turned. He wasn’t familiar—a plus. He looked maybe a year or two older—another plus. He wasn’t a troll. And he had a nice smile. “Why not?”
As the music slowed, he led her onto the tiny floor in the middle of the bar. Instantly, he pulled her against his body and swayed with the romantic tune. The dance shouldn’t have been awkward, but this dude was a total stranger who didn’t seem interested in talking. And he’d suddenly grown ten roaming hands.
She grabbed his wrists and pulled his grip off her ass. “What’s your name?”
He laughed. “Something that rhymes with fuck.”
Did he think he was being clever? Was she supposed to guess? “So, Rhymes-with-fuck, do you live in Lafayette?”
“No. Visiting a college friend who grew up here.”
Someone she probably knew—a minus, especially when his hands began wandering again. It also hadn’t escaped her notice that he hadn’t bothered to ask her name.
“Listen, beautiful, if you don’t have someone to kiss at midnight, I’m your man.” He copped another feel of her ass.
Hell, no. The longer they danced, the more he gave her the heebies.
She dragged his hand up to her waist again. “What makes you think I kiss strangers whose names rhyme with fuck?”
“Why should I think you don’t? Jase said you were good in high school.”
Haisley rolled her eyes. Jase Simmons—douchebag extraordinaire. He’d been a lying, using, trash-talking asshole back then. He’d been famous for telling a girl what she needed to hear to drop her panties, only to ignore her the next day while he told all his buddies on the football team that he’d had sex with her, subjecting her to the leers of his teammates for weeks. Adulthood hadn’t changed him. It probably hadn’t changed his caliber of friends, either.
“Because I don’t kiss random guys, even on New Year’s Eve. If you’re looking to get lucky tonight, you chose the wrong girl.”
The last thing she needed was romantic entanglement, especially with another player. If she wanted that, she’d take up with Nash again. But she had too much on her plate, between settling the last of her aunt’s affairs, making the house hers, and starting her new social media director gig after the holiday.
“You’re turning me down before I even ask?” he chided.
“I’m setting expectations. If you’re getting laid tonight, it won’t be by me.”
Thankfully, the song—and their dance—was mercifully nearing the end. A glance around the room told her that the clock would strike midnight in less than five minutes, and Nash was polishing off another round of tequila shots.
Suddenly, Haisley wished she was anywhere else. At least if she were home, she’d be curled up with a decent book and her cat. When the new year started, she’d be stuck here in a crowd…yet still feel utterly alone. Not that her posse wouldn’t try to cheer her up. They would, and they would mean well. She loved her girls. But now that she’d seen Nash, she didn’t feel much like celebrating because her heart still felt broken.