Free Edge of Shadows (Shadows #1) by Cege Smith

“Linda invited Melanie?” she whispered and jerked her head toward the front of the store.
    “Probably,” he whispered back. “I think Linda’s been dying to have some sort of gathering forever. Maybe she’ll invite everyone she knows, and I know that Linda knows some pretty glamorous people in this town.” Then he smiled. “Thank goodness that gorgeous man decided to chat things up with you. It gave her an excuse to do something to shake things up a bit.”
    “David was just being nice. I am sure he doesn’t mean anything by it. I mean, why would he ever be interested in someone like me?” Ellie said.
    “Honey, if you think that, you are naïve. You are gorgeous and it’s okay to have a man interested in you. You and Jake are divorced.” Kevin patted her on the shoulder. Ellie felt like she was twelve all over again.
    “I know, but I don’t think he’s interested in me like that. I’m older than him, divorced, and apparently a very unhappy person,” she said, crossing her arms. It was her way of daring Kevin to dispute her facts.
    “Neurosis is very attractive in women these days, I think,” Kevin teased. At Ellie’s glare he laughed. “That’s why I’m attracted to men.”
    He winked, and Ellie couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay, Kevin. I don’t agree with you, but I give up,” she said as she threw her hands up in a sign of mock surrender.
    “What are you going to wear?” he asked. He grabbed her wrist and started to waltz her around the room.
    Normally she’d try to push him away, but Ellie was tired of being serious and glum all the time. She wanted to try having more fun and stepping out of her comfort zone. She giggled despite herself, and realized it felt good to be silly for once.
    “I’m sure I’ve got something in my closet that will do,” she said and then stumbled into the storeroom door when Kevin suddenly stopped and released her. “Ouch!”
    Kevin ignored her cry of pain. He stood there shaking his head and looking her up and down. “Oh no. You have to go shopping and find something fabulous to wear. Some new clothes will make you feel better too.”
    “What’s wrong with the clothes I have?” she demanded, even though she knew that he was right.
    “Ellie, you’ve lost thirty pounds since the divorce and have been wading around in clothes that don’t do you justice.” Kevin’s eyes did a head-to-toe assessment, and Ellie could see that he didn’t approve of what he saw there.
    “Well, I don’t know what I’d wear to this sort of thing.” Ellie couldn’t believe that she was actually admitting that out loud.
    “Didn’t Jake ever take you out to a nice restaurant? To a show? Somewhere where you had an excuse to get all fancy?” Kevin quizzed.
    “Jake wasn’t comfortable in those types of places,” she said. “To him, the local bar and grill was as good as it needed to be. Maybe if he was feeling really adventurous, we’d go out to Red Lobster.”
    Kevin put his hands on her shoulders and she could see the sympathy. Her eyes started to well up again with tears.
    “Don’t you worry,” Kevin said. “Eric and I will take you shopping, have a latte, and we’ll have a great time,” he said.
    “You’d do that for me?” she said. She was delighted at the thought of going shopping with Kevin and Eric. She knew they had great taste. She gave Kevin a long hug, enjoying the closeness and the smell of his clean aftershave. She missed being close to a man.
    “Of course! Let me call him right now. If we can’t do it tonight, we’ll go tomorrow morning,” Kevin said. He was almost jumping up and down with excitement.
    Ellie pushed a stray hair behind her ear and smiled shyly up at him. “Okay. I’ll do it.” She started back toward the front of the store.
    “One more thing.” His voice caught her just as she reached the threshold.
    “What?”
    “Go get yourself a good haircut. You’ve got beautiful hair. Treat yourself a little. You deserve it,”