Free Redemption (Forgiven Series) by Rebecca Brooke Page B

she refused to look at me so it was hard to tell what exactly it was. When she continued to ignore me, I decided to try one more time.
    “Look, when I’m ready for something serious, I promise I’ll come to you for help first,” I said with a hopeful smile.
    “Answer me one question, Josh.”
    “Okay,” I agreed, afraid of what she was going to ask. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Emily face us so that she could hear my answer too.
    “Did you sleep with Lauren?”
    How was I supposed to answer that? It was a loaded question if ever I’d heard one. Any answer I gave could get me in trouble. Watching her watch me, I realized that even if she got more pissed off, I still had to tell her the truth.
    I kept my eyes on her. “Yeah, I did,” I admitted.
    She watched me for a few seconds more before turning back to face the front of the classroom. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her again before the professor started the class.
    Normally I enjoyed this class, especially with Angie and Emily keeping me on track, but not today. Instead I spent the whole time trying to think of a way to explain what had happened. Caleb had warned me about this but Lauren was just so sexy. How was I supposed to resist her when she was all over me? I tried to take her home, but I only had so much will power.
    Shit. This was a mess.
    Angie and Emily were like my sisters, especially when Emily was having one of her tantrums, like that of a child. We’d known each other since freshman year, and Angie and I had only grown closer when she started dating Caleb. I didn’t want what happened with Lauren to hurt our friendship. Even though the sex had been amazing, I had to find a way to make this right. Going out with Nick on Thursday and hooking up with some random girl was probably not the best idea. Then again, I could always go back to the girls’ places until this blew over. I shook my head. Damn! Why did they have to ask?
    Suddenly, there was a set of fingers snapping in my face. I looked up and saw both of them standing there, waiting for me. Their expressions were neutral so I had no idea what might be going through their heads.
    I collected my stuff and followed them out. Their silence was starting to piss me off. Lauren and I were both consenting adults—whatever we chose to do when we were together was no one’s business but ours. Lauren had known before we’d even left the bar what to expect, and yet she’d still come home with me. I stopped to tell them exactly that when I realized that Emily was headed to her next class, but Angie had stopped and was watching me.
    Usually, we had lunch together while we were waiting for our next class, but I wasn’t sure what was going to happen today. I walked up to her and opened my mouth to tell her what happened between me and Lauren was our business, when she held her hand to stop me.
    “We’ll talk over lunch.”
    Nodding my head once I followed her to the cafeteria, walking the entire way without talking. The hustle and bustle in the cafeteria seemed louder for her silence and once we got our food and grabbed a seat. I watched Angie and waited for her to begin, but she didn’t. Instead, she sat there staring at the table. “Angie?” I said trying to get her attention.
    She sighed and looked up at me and I immediately felt bad for getting pissed at her because I could see she was upset. “I’m sorry for being a bitch earlier.”
    I shook my head. “You weren’t a bitch, I was being an asshole, again.”
    “Yes, I was. Lauren’s been through so much lately with that stupid jerk Ryan and I don’t want her to get hurt anymore,” she admitted.
    Just the mention of Lauren’s ex made my blood boil. Why it mattered to me, I wasn’t sure.
    “And you… I feel like you’re not actually happy, you just pretend to be. I’m sorry for constantly pushing all those girls on you,” she reached out to take my hand, “but you’re Caleb’s best friend, and the closest thing I have to