Free Back to You by Priscilla Glenn

with him.”
    Lauren shook her head, but Jenn continued anyway. “You guys have a ton of history. With people like that, no matter how long you’ve been apart, sometimes when you reconnect, it’s just like hitting un-pause. A simple conversation, and boom ,” she said, snapping her fingers for emphasis, “you’re in too deep.”
    “Well, there’s no need to worry about me. I’m wading safely in the shallow end. Strictly professional.”
    Jenn tilted her head and made a face. “Laur, it’s me. You don’t have to put up a wall here. Why are you acting like you’re totally unaffected?”
    “I’m not acting,” she said, opening her menu again. “What happened was a long time ago. We’ve obviously both moved on with our lives. What would be the point of dredging up something painful from when we were kids?”
    “Because you deserve answers,” Jenn said matter-of-factly.
    “Well, maybe I deserve them, but I don’t need them,” Lauren said, deciding it was time for a subject change. “Besides, if you’re looking for something juicy, you’re asking the wrong questions.”
    Jenn quirked her brow, leaning forward again. “What should I be asking?”
    Lauren smiled, knowing her friend was fully baited, and she took a slow sip of wine, drawing out the suspense. “Ask me about my chiropractor,” she finally said.
    “Your chiropractor?” Jenn echoed, confused.
    Lauren waggled her eyebrows, and Jenn’s jaw dropped.
    “Are you screwing your doctor?” she asked, appalled.
    “God, Jenn,” Lauren scoffed before she closed her menu again. “No, I’m not. But I do have a major crush on him.”
    “Really? Your chiropractor ?”
    Lauren nodded, a small smile playing at her lips as she twirled the stem of her wine glass. “He’s so smart and well-spoken, but at the same time, he’s funny and completely down to earth. I feel like I’m hanging out with a friend when I’m with him.”
    Just then the waiter approached the table, and the girls were temporarily distracted as they placed their orders. As soon as he left, however, Jenn turned back to Lauren.
    “But when I think chiropractor, I think graying hair and crow’s feet and a little potbelly.”
    “Not even close,” Lauren said.
    “No? What’s he look like?”
    Lauren pursed her lips and looked up to the ceiling, thinking. “Kind of like Abercrombie and Fitch released a new line of medical scrubs.”
    “Shut up,” Jenn said, her eyes lighting up, and Lauren nodded. “Well shit. That’s got jackpot written all over it. Good for you, lady.”
    Lauren laughed as she moved her wine glass out of the way to make room for the salad the waiter was placing in front of her. “We’ll see,” she said, laying her napkin on her lap.
    Jenn nodded, spearing a tomato and then pointing at her with the fork. “I’m so on to you, by the way.”
    “On to me?”
    “Yep,” Jenn said, popping the p before she ate the tomato. “This guy’s your doctor, which comes with controversy. It’s your MO.”
    “ What ?” Lauren said through a laugh. “What are you talking about?”
    “Come on, Lauren. For starters, can we agree on the fact that you jump into relationships with guys, and as soon as things start to get good, you bail?”
    “I do not!”
    “Tyler Ramsey.”
    “He was my college roommate’s brother. Things got weird. Try dating a guy when you live with one of his family members.”
    “Greg Harris.”
    “He was a substitute at my school!” Lauren said, exasperated. “He was always around. I didn’t have a chance to miss him. Or breathe, for that matter. Besides, it’s like a cardinal rule that you shouldn’t date people you work with.”
    Jenn grinned. “Which brings me to my point. Guys with controversy. You know it going in, but you pick them anyway. It’s like your insurance policy. It gives you a reason to get out before things get too serious.”
    “Please,” Lauren said with an eye roll, taking another sip of wine.
    “You can deny