Free SASSY IN STILETTOS ARe version by Nana Malone

What
I think she means is you need something to help you get through something. The
shoes are only shoes, but they symbolize that we’re there for each other. Maybe
it’s your turn to have them.”
    Micha shook her head. “C’mon, Ree. It’s not like
they’re magic or something.”
    Ricca shrugged. “Well, when Jaya gave me the shoes
I needed a little boost too.”
    Ricca had been pining after her best friend
Beckett for more than a decade. They’d finally given in to their feelings at
the annual Westhorpe Gala, where Alec had proposed to Jaya.  Or at least gave
into the temptation at the gala. The falling in love came later.
    “I somehow don’t think a man will solve my
problems, Ree.”
    “No. I mean, Charles and I had broken up, and the
job I was more than qualified to do had been given to someone else. I was
pretty low. Having them...” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Connected me to you
guys in a way. I could draw strength from them.”
    Micha raised an eyebrow. “So you’re saying this is
the sisterhood of the traveling stilettos?”
    Ree and Jaya laughed. Ricca slipped off the red
and gold embossed, four-inch beauties in question and held them out to Micha. “I
think it’s your turn. You look like you could use a reminder that we’re always
here.”
    Micha eyed the shoes dubiously. Footwear was not
the solution to her problem, no matter how fabulous. But Ricca was right. She
wouldn’t be able to look at them without thinking about her friends and
everything they’d gone through together. The girls were right. There was strength
in that.
    Tentatively, she slipped off her emerald green
heels and swapped them with Ricca. The simple act of sliding her feet into the
plush heels had her feeling steadier.
    Jaya gave her a warm smile. “See? You’re looking
stronger already.”
    ***
    Caleb gripped the railing of the balcony. Micha
hadn’t wanted him following her, so he’d headed to the terrace for some air. He’d
fucking blown it. His one shot with her, and he’d goddamn blown it. He should
have been more patient. Damn it. This was what happened when he rushed things.
Now she was running scared.
    He regretted not following her, but that would have
been suicide. She was way too raw, and if he attempted to reason with her, she’d
flay him alive. He had enough self-preservation to curb that from happening.
    He took another minute before heading back into
the ballroom. How things had gone from so good to so royally fucked up, he wasn’t
quite sure.
    As soon as he walked in, Jaya was on him like
white on rice. “What the fuck happened?”
    He peered over her shoulder, looking for Alec to
give him a hand, but his best friend was talking to Adele with his back to him.
Shit. He tried to side step Jaya. “I didn’t do anything, Jai.” He doubted Micha
would appreciate his telling her friend that they’d nearly fucked and she’d
run. “Have you seen Micha? Did she come down and grab her stuff already?”
    “Yeah she grabbed her stuff. You were supposed to
have fun, not piss her off, Caleb.” She followed him at a fast clip, the click-click-click of her heels echoing ever so slightly.
    “Trust me, I wasn’t trying to piss her off. It just
sort of happened.”
    He scanned their table. Micha’s coat was gone and
so was her date’s jacket. Damn . She really had left. Fuck . He squeezed his
eyes shut. “Jaya, can we do this later, maybe? I’m going to get out of here. But
I want to talk to Alec first.”
    She scrutinized him with wide, brown eyes. “What’s
the matter?”
    “Nothing. Why?”
    “You look a little...raw.”
    Yeah, well, he felt raw. Relief flooded him as he
saw Alec coming their way with a big grin for his wife.
    “Caleb, I don’t think you understand the rules of
the game, man. You’re supposed to stay with your partner and try to win. It’s a
very simple concept.”
    “Sorry to ruin the fun, guys, but will you survive
without your best man for the rest of the