Free Unraveled (Holding On Book 3) by Meg Jolie

anything will help.”
    “Well,” Jemma said with a grin, “considering Bart and I have been looking at rings lately, I’d guess that one of yours is worth a small fortune. I’m sure you could get a few thousand for it.”
    “Really?” Carly asked, not daring to get her hopes up. If that were the case, added to the meager amount she had in her savings, she could get by for several months. In the meantime, she could try to find work, something part-time. Maybe, just maybe she could get through the rest of the semester without having to admit everything to her parents.
    “Really,” Jemma assured her.
    A smile spread across Carly’s face and she leaned back in the booth. “Then I am done worrying for tonight. I’m ready for some fun! But first, you need to tell me a little more about you and Bart. I didn’t realize you were looking at rings!”
    Jemma nodded hesitantly. “We are. But you know , we’re still taking things slow. We’ve looked but marriage is still a long way off.”
    Carly tilted her beer Jemma’s way. “Or maybe not.”
    “Or maybe not,” she agreed. “But I’m not hitched yet. And tonight, I’ m going to make sure you have a good time.”
    “I plan to,” Carly assured her as her eyes scanned the bar crowd. Her gaze settled on a man—someone she didn’t recognize—playing pool. From this distance, he looked like a good prospect. She wondered if he’d look just as good close up. “I plan on having the kind of good time that will make me forget all about Nolan.”
    Jemma laughed. “Yeah? Well, pace yourself Carly. This night is just getting started.”
     
    ~*~*~
     
    Carly knew exactly what Jemma was up to. Or so she thought. Jemma had seen her eyeing up the hottie by the pool table. Instead of encouraging her, she’d distracted her. She’d distracted her for such a long time that before she knew it, the guy was gone.
    In a town as small as Lanford, the selection of good-looking eligible bachelors was pretty limited. There were guys at the bar, sure. But they all seemed to be with women, wearing wedding rings , or simply just not Carly’s taste. Thanks to Jemma, she’d missed out on the one prospect that had interested her.
    Since it seemed she wouldn’t be distracting herself with the company of a male, she decided to distract herself with alcohol instead.
    “You’ll thank me in the morning,” Jemma said with a smirk.
    Carly swung her gaze back to her friend. There was no question about it, whoever the guy was, he was gone. Carly was sure of it. She’d done a thorough visual scan of the place. She stuck her lip out in a playful pout. “You just couldn’t let me have my fun, could you?”
    Jemma’s smirk turned into a grin and she shook her head. “With that guy? No.”
    “What was wrong with that guy?” Carly asked, feeling somewhat defensive of the stranger for no real reason at all. “You don’t even know him.”
    “And neither do you,” Jemma pointed out. Her phone chirped at her and she picked it up to glance at it. “I know you get a little crazy sometimes. But if I’d let you leave with that guy, you would’ve regretted it in the morning.” She returned her attention to her phone.
    Carly tried not to scowl. Jemma had been texting intermittently. Carly could only assume she was texting Bart. Any other night, she would’ve thought it was…sweet. Tonight? Not so much.
    “Here I thought you were the fun one,” Carly grumbled.
    “I am,” she said as she slid the phone back into her purse.
    “Well, I’m going to get another beer. Do you want anything?” Carly asked Jemma as she slid out of the booth.
    She glanced up at Carly and smiled. “I’m good.”
    Carly gave her a little nod before turning to weave her way up to the bar. She really probably didn’t need another drink. This one, she told herself, would be her last. She had no desire to get stupid-drunk like she had the night before. After this one, she’d let Jemma know she was ready to go