Free Life Rewired (Aspen Friends, Book 3) by Lynn Galli Page B

parking space. “Want to keep the theme going tonight? Watch a little Rockies for some inspiration?”
    “Sure.” I didn’t feel like going home. A few more hours with my friend would be a great way to spend the evening.
    It didn’t seem to take as long to get home as it had to get to the field. Not having a ton of anxiety probably helped that perception, but in almost no time, we were stepping out of the car at Molly’s condo complex.
    “Do you need a shower as much as I do?” Molly read my mind as she let us into her place.
    “Could I?”
    “Be my guest. I’ll order pizza and get the game on.”
    “You can do half veggie this time,” I suggested. Everyone had a favorite pizza, and I was betting that Molly’s wasn’t vegetarian. “What do you like?”
    “For pizza? Almost anything. The veggie tasted good last time. Never thought artichoke hearts would taste good on a pizza or at all for that matter.”
    I reached out and squeezed her shoulder. She was kind enough to embrace my chosen eating habits consciously and without complaint. The boys ate veggie when I made dinner, but they often lamented the loss of whatever meat was missing.
    She went to retrieve a fresh towel out of the hall closet for me. I grabbed clean sweats from my duffle and took the towel. Contentment filled me with how easy I was here in her home.
    “Pizza should be here in twenty minutes,” Molly said when I surfaced from her bathroom, feeling fresh and relaxed. “The game’s already on. I’ll be ten minutes.” She headed to the bathroom for her shower.
    “Take your time.” I sank down onto her couch and fought the urge to fall asleep all cozy and warm.
    The knock on the door woke me up. Molly grinned down at me as she rounded the sofa to answer the door. She shook her head and droplets of water from her wet hair helped wake me from the snooze I’d taken.
    “Hey,” I protested, wiping the drops from my face and sitting up so I didn’t immediately succumb to the comfort of her couch again.
    “Pizza’s here.” She grabbed money from the counter and passed it off to the pizza guy when she opened the door. Seconds later, she was back sitting beside me. “Hungry or just sleepy?”
    “Didn’t mean to fall asleep, but damn your couch is comfy.” My hand rubbed the back cushion, the motion lulling me into a daze.
    “I know. I crash out here almost as much as I sleep in the bed.” She handed me a slice and gestured toward a beer she’d placed on the coffee table for me. She brought another slice up to her mouth and took a bite.
    My slice was gone in six bites. I didn’t realize how hungry or tired I was. I’d spent the day installing reclaimed wood floors in the upstairs of Vivian’s house. Natalie let me leave an hour early to get to my first game. I didn’t think I was taking advantage because she let Tyler leave an hour early every other day to coach his son’s soccer team, and the Sweeneys took a day off last week to meet with their ski team sponsor. The workday and expended energy worrying about playing softball for the first time in years had worn me down. I’d be lucky to finish another slice and drive home without falling asleep again.
    “Stay here tonight. You’re dead on your feet, lady.” Molly’s hand patted my thigh. “I had the day off. You were tired before we even started the game.”
    “You wouldn’t mind?”
    “Not at all.” She turned back to the screen and made a gesture at the TV when the Giants first baseman looped a line drive into center, scoring the go ahead run.
    I watched her annoyance with amusement. She didn’t feel the need to fill the silence between us with useless chatter. After being forced to listen to cellmates yammer on to abate their boredom, it was nice to find a friend that cherished the quiet when merited.
    An inning later, it was clear the Rockies were going to lose unless they had unprecedented scoring in the ninth. Molly clicked off the television and shook her head in