Free Singed by Kaylea Cross

it.
    Zahra’s dusky cheeks turned pink. “He’s nice to look at. So what? Doesn’t mean anything and I stand by my original claim. No men for the next six months. Just cats.”
    Mel shook her head in exasperation. “Zahra, I know I’ve just met you but I’m afraid I can’t let you do that. A little self imposed celibacy is fine, but I draw the line at becoming a cat hoarder. You’ll just have to hang out with Claire and me instead.” Mel draped an arm around the taller woman’s shoulders and started leading her toward her car. “Night, sweetie, drive safe,” she called out to Claire. “And I want to hear every last detail about Gage next time we talk, or this friendship is over!”
    “Nothing to tell,” Claire called back, the mention of his name thankfully doing nothing to dampen her spirits. Man, a night out with the girls and a couple martinis and she felt like a new woman. After the nice relaxing glow from the drinks, they’d waited until the alcohol had worn off enough to allow her to drive home.
    Out of habit she pulled out her phone to check for messages, then remembered the battery was dead. A blessing in disguise really, since now there’d be no texts asking her to stop by Danny’s again before she headed home. Feeling relaxed and happy for once, she was looking forward to capping off her night curled up in bed with a good book.
    Since it was almost nine, the traffic was light on the drive home and the rain had finally stopped. Turning onto her street she spotted her father’s old pickup sitting in her driveway and let out a groan, the shine on her good mood slipping. She wasn’t sure she had the mental energy to deal with any more family drama right now, and she damn sure didn’t have any interest in doing so. Her father didn’t come by often, not unless she invited him over for dinner or something, and she’d dropped off a load of groceries at his place only last night so she wasn’t sure why he was here.
    She parked next to his truck and grabbed her purse and laptop case from the passenger seat before climbing out of her vehicle. The front windows were lit up, telling her that her father was either in the kitchen or the family room. Maybe he’d stopped by to cook for her as a surprise? Not that she’d hold her breath on that one or anything.
    The yard was in pretty sorry shape, she realized on her way to the front door, wishing she’d taken the time to clean up the leaves all over the lawn and driveway while they were dry instead of leaving them to get soaked and slimy. Now it’d be twice the work. When she unlocked the door and called for her father, the only warning she got that something was wrong was the absolute silence.
    “Dad?” she called again, frowning as she set her laptop, keys and purse on the entry table by the door.
    “In here, Claire.”
    At the sound of Gage’s voice she froze, her heart stuttering. Immediately she whipped around to stare through the side panel window at the street. She’d been so distracted by the sight of her father’s pickup in the driveway she’d failed to see Gage’s vehicle parked at the curb across the street. What the hell was he doing here?
    Already uneasy, she stepped around the corner of the entry wall and stopped dead at the sight before her. Her father and Gage both sat on her family room sofa, one on either end. Gage was leaning forward, forearms braced on his thighs, staring at her. Her father’s eyes were red rimmed and bleary, his face blotchy. He’d been crying? She could count on one hand how many times she’d ever seen him cry. Fear snaked up her spine. There was only one reason she could think of for putting that look on her father’s face and bringing the both of them here unannounced.
    She felt brittle and exposed standing there, fear grinding in her gut.  
    “What—” Her throat closed up, suddenly too tight to get another word out. She swung her gaze to Gage. He stood and took a step toward her as though he