Free Trace + Olivia Series Boxed Set by Micalea Smeltzer Page B

enough,” he grinned, changing the subject by talking about random things, like music and favorite colors.
    I liked how Trace understood when not to push me. He would let me tell him about myself on my terms. It was nice not having someone trying to pry information out of me.
    I smiled the rest of the afternoon we spent together and even late into the night. Not even grumpy Avery could sour my mood.

 
     
    “Where are you going?” Avery asked, pushing away from her desk as I headed towards the door.
    “I have plans with Trace. I’m supposed to meet him at the garage. He gets off work soon,” I explained, lifting my purse onto my shoulder.
    “Oh,” she frowned.
    “Still upset over Luca?” I asked.
    “No,” she answered hastily, turning away from me.
    “You are,” I grinned.
    She turned back around and my smile faded. Avery truly was hurt.
    “I just…I thought I understood men, but Luca seems to be entirely different. I can’t read him at all,” she shrugged, playing with the ends of her hair. “Normally, I know when a guy’s into me, but with Luca, I’m clueless. I can’t tell whether he hates me, tolerates me, or actually likes me. He doesn’t say much,” she mused.
    I felt bad for her, I did, but I also found her situation funny too, because it wasn’t like her to be this…worked up over a guy. Avery’s confidence level was through the roof, but something about Luca made her…insecure.
    “Maybe that’s because you’re too busy kissing each other to carry on a conversation,” I laughed, crossing my arms over my chest.
    Avery had finally met up with Luca, and apparently, they’d ended up doing the deed on the hood of his car. At least, that’s what Trace told me, because he said he walked in on them. Avery had told me nothing, which was unusual. Normally, she told me everything, even the gory details that I had no desire to hear. I was really starting to think she had feelings for Luca, which made me all kinds of excited. I wanted Avery to find a guy she loved and stop fooling around. She needed to learn that someone could truly care about her for her . I knew from what she had told me that her parents were wealthy, and had only looked at her and her brothers as an accessory. Which led her to believe that no one could ever love or want her.
    “That could be it,” she laughed. “But I have tried to talk to him before and he gives me grunts for answers.”
    I snorted.
    “He’s a total caveman,” she giggled, “but I kinda like that about him. Plus, he has these big man hands, and you know I love me some man hands.”
    “Avery, you’re something else,” I laughed. “I’ve really got to go though, can we talk later?”
    “Sure,” she spun in her chair. I swear, one day I was going to find a way to mess up that chair, so it couldn’t twirl. “I don’t have any plans for tonight. I’ll just be here, all by myself, while my so-called best friend ditches me for a hot piece of ass.”
    “Bye,” I called over my shoulder, rolling my eyes.
    “Have fun, Livie!” She hollered as I closed the door.
    I let out a sigh of relief, dashed down the steps, and out of the building.
    I walked quickly to my car, holding on tightly to the mace on my keychain. You never knew when a creeper could pop up.
    I giggled to myself as I got in my car; I certainly hadn’t been reaching for the mace when Trace pulled up behind me.
    Shaking my head, I drove to Pete’s Garage, and parked beside Trace’s car.
    I walked around to the front of the building. The large garage door was open, exactly like when I’d been here to get my car fixed.
    Music was playing loudly, the lyrics saying something about blowing the roof off the place.
    I stepped inside, looking around, hoping that Trace didn’t scare me like last time.
    I walked around a car and saw him.
    He was completely oblivious to me, and I put my hand over my mouth, to stifle my giggle. He was dancing like…well…there were no words to describe