Free No Strings Attached by Nicolette Day Page A

time for the universe to pull the stick out of its ass, because God knew it had taken her eleven months to get over the damage Shane had done and do the same. She’d worked her butt off for a year. A year of no social life and no man to warm her bed.
    Well, unless you counted her best friend, Jace, falling asleep on her couch every Sunday night during their weekly Walking Dead date. Or in the weeks after she’d left Shane. She’d lost count of how many times Jace had crawled into bed with her and let her cry herself to sleep on his chest, his arms the only thing in the world holding her together. That so didn’t count. Not when she’d been all weepy and pathetic. And definitely not when it was Jace she’d been wrapped around. He didn’t see her that way, and now he never would. Not only did she lack the ability to attract men, she’d somehow managed to push Jace away, too.
    “No…no, no, no.” Lilly put her hands on her hips and frowned. “I know that look. You are not bailing. If I can put up with the Antichrist tonight, you can put on your big girl panties and have one night of fun before you leave me.”
    Grateful for the distraction, Hayden shook her head. “Nate is not the Antichrist. If you would take the time to get to know him, you’d like him.” How could two people so close to her repel each other so strongly? Putting Jace’s brother and Lilly in a room together was like trying to get oil and water to mix.
    Lilly snorted. “Doubtful.”
    “If it’s too much for you, I do have wine and a new label maker at home. I’ll even let you help me finish labeling the moving boxes. Going once, twice…” Hayden grinned.
    A look of pure horror crossed her friend’s face. “Dear God, you are like one bad date away from collecting cats and wearing crochet sweater-vests with animals on them. Aren’t you?”
    “Of course not.” Hayden looked up at the starless sky and thought about how much she’d miss this. The bustle and buzz of downtown Charlotte. The scent of magnolia trees laced with the breeze. Jace. “You know I’m allergic to cats. However, I can’t make any promises about the sweater-vests. They do look cozy.”
    “Ha ha.” Lilly leaned on the trunk and grinned. “Make fun now, but when you’re knee-deep in sand and craving a pumpkin latte, you’ll be thanking me for dragging you out of that apartment so you could have a memory to keep you warm at night.”
    Hayden laughed as they made their way over to the big metal doors of the club.
    “Having a good night, ladies?” The bouncer’s lips quirked as he perused Hayden from head to toe, clearly amused. She should never have let Lilly talk her into this dress. She tugged on the edges of the tight black fabric that disappeared mid-thigh, longing for her trusty Levi’s. He held out his big hand. “IDs.”
    “You’re not seriously going to card me, are you, Ron?”
    He laughed. “Sorry, doll. I could get fired if I don’t.”
    She dug into her bright red clutch and pulled out her wallet, then flashed him her ID at the same time that Lilly dangled hers over Hayden’s shoulder. “Happy?”
    He took a good look, as if he hadn’t known her for three years and her best friend and his brother didn’t own the bar. “I’d be even happier if you’d tell Jace I deserve a raise.”
    She shoved her wallet back in her purse. “If he ever decides to talk to me again, I will.”
    A lump swelled in her throat. Jace had pretty much shut her out the last two weeks. To be more exact, since the night she told him she was taking the job in Sudan. She thought he’d be proud of her. He’d always been her biggest cheerleader—even more so than her own parents. Whether he was reading her work over her shoulder when they met for their morning coffee or texting her while she was on location, Jace was always the one making her believe she could accomplish the impossible. But not this time. This time, he’d gotten pissed off and then disappeared,