Free (Once) Again by Theresa Paolo Page A

kid about to get a snow cone.
    She let out an exaggerated sigh, but I wasn’t going to pretend I wanted to be there. The only place I wanted to be was home with a controller in my hands. But I guess for her, I would pretend I was okay.
    I stepped out of the car and situated my crutches. My nerves were wound tight as I scanned the area. I closed my eyes and tried to let the sound of the ocean calm me. It was a real bitch thinking at any moment I was going to be face-to-face with a gun again. What were the chances? I wasn’t sure. But when my visions weren’t controlling my thoughts, I’d bet my ass I’d have a better shot at getting struck by lightning.
    There was no reasoning with the visions. Once they came, all I could do was hold on for the ride and pray I wouldn’t make a fool of myself.
    Zach patted me on the back and gave me a nod. He knew I didn’t want to be there. I’m pretty sure he also knew I wasn’t coping as well as I made everyone believe. I smiled, a silent thank you for keeping my secret.
    “Doesn’t the sun feel amazing?” Liz tilted her head up and closed her eyes.
    I wished it were that simple.
    Zach put his arm around Liz and guided her while she continued to “soak up the sun.” “Come on, let’s go get a burger.”
    Thank you, Zach. My brother from another mother totally saved us from following Liz in and out of all the stores along the boardwalk.
    “Sounds like a plan,” I said.
    We headed up to Jimmy’s Burger Shack, and all the anxiety fled my body. Kat walked out, a gorgeous smile on her face and her ass squeezed into a tight pair of jeans. While her scrubs were adorable, this . . . this was the Kat I remembered.
    I went to make my move, but someone pushed the pause button, stopping any and all movement. The blood drained from my face, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off Kat’s hand, interlocked with some other guy’s. I was ready to dive behind the nearest trash can and save myself from the awkward moment, but my sister—god, if I didn’t love her, I would’ve killed her—took it as the perfect opportunity to squeal and run up to Kat like she was some teenybopper and Kat was a popstar.
    We hadn’t discussed us. Never thought to bring it up. Kat didn’t talk about it either. Apparently she didn’t need to define us. It was obvious. I was her guy on the side.
    Kat turned at Liz’s squeal. Too late to haul ass out of there, I manned up and dragged myself over to Kat and her boy toy.
    “Hi,” Kat said and sucked her bottom lip in just as Liz threw her arms around her.
    That was all the proof I needed.
    Liz pulled away, and big blue eyes locked with mine. “Darren, this is Josh, my uh . . .”
    I reached my hand out to Darren, but didn’t look away from Kat as I spoke. “Client.”
    “Nice to meet you,” Darren said, and even if he was a good guy, it didn’t matter, I hated him.
    He was only an inch or so shorter than me, his build decent, but I could probably bench more than him. I knew girls had a thing for guys who were tall with dark features, but I didn’t think Kat fell into that stereotype.
    “Likewise. So what are you two kids up to?” I asked finally tearing my gaze away from Kat to look at Pretty Boy. Despite the intensity I projected with my stare, Darren’s dark eyes didn’t waver.
    “Just grabbed something to eat, and now we’re going over to the aquarium,” Darren said, obviously not threatened by me. I bet if I weren’t on crutches it’d be different.
    “Isn’t that cute?” I said, sarcasm dripping from my words.
    “Josh,” Kat said, but when our eyes caught, the tension in my jaw tight, she didn’t finish her thought.
    Good. I didn’t want to hear her million excuses. The pity in her voice when she told me we were the past and she’d moved on. How stupid was I? It never even crossed my mind that she’d found someone else. Someone who wasn’t afraid to hold her hand in public and bring her places.
    For two years I hadn’t realized