Free Never Say Never by Emily Goodwin Page B

for you so I came in. Aiden was here.”
    “You got bored?” she says, knowing it’s bullshit.
    “Yes. I’m fine,” I press. My eyes go back to Aiden of their own accord. “Aiden, this is my best friend, Lori. Lori, this is Aiden.”
    He puts on his meet-and-greet smile. The charm melts away Lori’s anger. She shakes his hand and fumbles over her words, gushing about the season finale of Shadowland . I step back and let them talk. I need to get it together. Each day should be easier, not harder. I should be feeling better as time passes, healing little by little every day, but I’m not. I feel like each day passing rips into me more and more, killing what’s left of me. The visions are coming on stronger, and I know I am becoming more and more unhinged each time I get pulled into the past.
    “Well,” Lori says. “I’m going to get the car. Take your time, Haley.” Her eyes widen with excitement, and she stands there for a few seconds before turning and leaving.
    “This is kind of awkward,” Aiden blurts. He looks surprised at his own honesty. He could blame it on the pain meds. “Like I said, I’m not used to getting turned down.” He takes my hand again. Dammit. Stop touching me. No, not really. Keep doing it. “Go out with me, Haley, just once. Then you can decide if you hate me.”
    “I don’t hate you,” I say, involuntarily moving closer. “But I don’t know you, and you don’t know me.”
    “Why do I get the feeling you don’t want me to get to know you?”
    I pull my hand back and rest it over the patch of scar tissue hidden under the cardigan. “Because I’m not the kind of girl you usually hang out with. You won’t want to get to know me.”
    A coy smile pulls up his lips. “Now who’s being presumptuous? I’m taking you out, Haley Parker. And by the end of the night, you won’t want to leave.”
    I can’t help but smile too. “You know, you’re kind of cocky.”
    “Let’s leave my cock out of this until I buy you a drink.”
    My smile widens and I shake my head in disbelief. “Fine.”
    “What’s fine? The part about me taking you out, or the part about my cock after I—”
    “Taking me out,” I say, blushing
    He gives me his trademark smile. “What the hell is there to do for fun around here?”
    Fun? What is fun? My mind actually comes up blank when I try to think about things I used to enjoy. I haven’t felt happiness in so long.
    “It’s that bad, huh?”
    I inhale. “I’m not a fun person,” I say, each word coming out forced. “Not anymore.”
    He looks at me, pained, and takes my hand again as if he needs to feel my skin against his. “I don’t believe that. You look like you’re about to raise hell tonight.”
    Oh right. The slutty dress. There will be no hell-raising for me. I don’t have it in me. What I want is my bed and a glass of wine. He licks his lips and closes the distance between us. His hips are just inches from mine. With the heels on, we’re nearly the same height—a curse of being a tall girl.
    “Are you free tomorrow night?” he asks, and I nod. “Good. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
    My heart skips a beat. Is this really happening? “Do you need my address?”
    He shakes his head. “Claire will figure it all out.”
    “Claire?”
    He looks over his shoulder for the woman he was with before. “My assistant. She does everything for me.”
    “Must be nice.”
    “She’s all right.” He shrugs. “Dinner tomorrow. And if you can handle it, drinks after.”
    “Deal.” I’m smiling again.
    With my hand still in his, we turn and walk out of the ER. We exchange numbers and pause in the parking lot.
    “Have a good night,” he says, and he lets his eyes do one last sweep over my body.
    “You too,” I tell him. He’s still holding my hand, and I don’t want him to let go. An ambulance speeds to the hospital, and I get a flash of my ride in one. I yank my hand back and shiver. “Good night,