Free Maid to Love (Man Maid Book 3) by Rebecca Avery Page A

fights…plural,” Jess replied between bites of her cupcake. “And he has one tomorrow night that’s been booked for a while. He says he’s going….”
    “The bad part is if you ask him what is going on with him, he suddenly has something important to do that can’t wait,” Tori said.
    It was her fault. Courtney felt it in her soul. This was because of her. Why else would Rusty have invited her here? Had what she said that day really hurt him so badly? Was Ian still feeling the sting of her words the way she did? Maybe she should drum up the courage to call him and apologize.
    But he might see an apology from her as a sign that she was interested in him. Even if she was, she couldn’t allow him to think that a relationship with her was an option. Her unresolved fears in regard to the opposite sex were something she was forced to live with, but that didn’t mean she should subject someone else to her unhealthy issues. Especially someone like Ian who deserved more than a hot mess like her. He deserved a woman who could love him for his gentle heart, which was bigger than all his muscles combined.
    Feeling Jess’s hand cover hers, Courtney looked up to find the women staring at her expectantly. Knowing she’d been lost in her own thoughts, she said, “I’m sorry. What?”
    Smiling Jess said, “I guess it’s obvious that he’s struggling over losing you as a friend as much as you’ve been struggling. We just keep hoping one of you will extend a peace offering. That’s what all this was about. We weren’t trying to upset you. And we’re not here to pry, but from where we sit we see two friends hurting. He’s losing fights because of it, and you’re unable to pay attention to anything. Even chocolate. ”
    Looking down at her hand, which still held the half-eaten cupcake, brought Courtney’s thoughts back to the small downtown restaurant where she had eaten Ian’s food for the first time. Unlike that occasion, though, every bite of the delicious treat was an assault on her senses. The sweetness reminded her that even though she wasn’t like other women and would never be able to handle a normal relationship with someone—man or woman—she did, in fact, miss her friend. She nearly choked on her emotions as she attempted to swallow the bite of cupcake with the help of the strongest coffee she’d ever tasted.
    Soon enough, Kayla and Tori stood up to leave since they had ridden over together. They each hugged Rusty goodbye, and he thanked them for coming. Seeing their departure as an opportunity to leave before Ian showed up, she realized just how much she missed him.
    “I have a class tomorrow that I need to prepare for so I should go, too,” she said, holding her hand out to Rusty to ensure he knew she was not about to hug him like Kayla and Tori had.
    Rusty simply smiled at her, as though he recognized her attempt to keep him at bay, and shook her offered hand. Her trip back home was done on autopilot. She couldn’t tear her mind away from memories of Ian’s eyes, his perfect smile and teeth, his ability to make her feel at ease—even his talent for making her laugh. She did in fact miss the company and friendship of a man. But Ian wasn’t just any man. He was a contradiction if there ever was one.
    After she made it home, she prepared for the next day’s class. Then she got ready for bed and lay down. For the first time in more than a month her mind didn’t immediately drift to what her child might have looked like, all the cute things she’d never gotten to witness as he grew up, or what the world might have lost in the person he would have become. Instead, her mind went to Ian. Why was he losing fights and ditching workouts with his army buddies?
    Just as she was about to drift off to sleep her phone rang. She turned on the lamp next to her bed and answered.
    “Seriously?” Ian’s voice filtered through the line.
    “Excuse me?” she asked in response to his unexpected laughter.
    “No, I