Free Second Chance by Natasha Preston Page B

not that hideous and to other women you’re not even that annoying.”
    “Thanks,” I said sarcastically. “Having a girlfriend is hard work and I don’t need that shit right now.” And the only person I wanted for anything more than a night of fun was currently getting ready to have lunch with some other guy. That kind of put a damper on it.
    “How would you know?”
    “I’ve had girlfriends before, Cassie, I’m not a monk.”
    She laughed so hard tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. I rolled mine.
    “Shit, even the mention of you and a monk in the same sentence…”
    “You’re not funny,” I said. She didn’t stop laughing. “Alright, I’m outta here.” I left the kitchen and wished I’d swiped a bottle on my way through. The ache left behind by Chloe was getting harder to ignore and harder to mask.

Chapter Eleven

    Chloe

    I met Nell outside the library at the end of my lecture. The whole uni was buzzing with end of year exam nerves. Mine started next week and I was quietly confident. One thing being a practical hermit for three years did for me was boost my grades. I’d spent a lot of time studying because I was determined that while the rest of my life had been thrust into the unknown, my education wouldn’t be.
    It wouldn’t be long until exams were over and I’d have a long summer to look forward to. Then it was back to uni for just one more year and I would’ve finally finished my Events Management course.
    “Hey,” I said as she stomped outside, slamming the library door open. “Problem, Nell?”
    She huffed and her leafy green eyes darkened. The girl was gorgeous with cheekbones that look liked they’d been sculpted from stone, big bright eyes and rosebud lips. Her hair was the darkest shade of black I’d ever seen; everything about her stood out in the most striking way against her porcelain skin.
    She was also very angry about something.
    “They don’t have the book I need to study for finals,” she replied, shouting the last part at the door.
    I grabbed her arm, leading her towards the car park. “Okay, let’s calm down. Why are you only just getting books to study for finals?”
    She threw her hands up. “Is that the most important part, Chloe?” Well, yeah. “They don’t have it and now I’m going to have to go into town or order online. This is wasting valuable time and that whore of a librarian doesn’t care.”
    Wow. “Aaaaand we’re going to town,” I said. Who only sorted their revision books less than a week before the exams?
    “I’m going to fail, Chlo.”
    “You’re not. You just need to get these books and spend the rest of the week reading them. No Damon.”
    She rolled her eyes. “As if I want to talk to that prick.”
    I didn’t even want to ask why he was a prick now. I was pretty sure last week they were getting in each other’s pants again. They gave me a headache.
    “Well, that’s good then, you’ll be able to concentrate.”
    I drove us into town and followed Nell as she headed straight for the bookshop. My phone beeped with a text as we looked for the book she needed.
    Rhys: Fancy dinner tonight?
    “Who’s that?” Nell asked, not being one to worry about something not being her business.
    “Rhys,” I replied. “He wants to know if I want dinner tonight.”
    “You look thrilled he asked,” she said sarcastically.
    Wasn’t I? “He’s nice and we have a good time.”
    “Nice and good. If Damon used either of those words to describe anything about me I’d kick him in the balls.”
    “Ugh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just because we’re getting to know each other outside work. We’ve only had two dates.”
    “Exactly! You’ve only just started dating, you should want to see him, your face should have lit up when he just texted you.”
    “Yeah, maybe. Or maybe I’m expecting too much. Maybe I’m looking to feel about Rhys the way I felt about Jace.”
    “You’ll love someone as much as you did Jace but not right