Free Justified Love (The Southern Gentleman Series Book 1) by Nicole Hite

in this town including Colton Wilson.”
     
                  “Well, bless your heart. Frankly, I was wondering if you knew my real name. Now, if you’ll excuse us, you’re free to leave now,” I said in my deepest southern accent while flicking my wrist in her direction. Paisley stomped away leaving a trail of fire and brimstone. Don’t let that one near water. Sheesh!
     
    ●
     
                  Climbing into the truck, I felt a sense of pride. I hadn’t gone off on Paisley like I’d always wanted, but it was still gratifying to put her in her place. Her words did sting a bit, but not half as bad as they used to. Maybe she’s right though; Colton will never like me. He will always see me as, “Muffin Top Mason.
     
                  “I can’t believe how reserved you were with Paisley,” said Skye.
     
                  “No, shit! I would’ve knocked that bitch flat on her boney ass.”
     
                  “No you wouldn’t, Harley.”
     
                  “Yeah, you’re probably right, but it feels good to know that Paisley thinks I would,” she said with a smile.
     
                “She doesn’t seem like she’s changed at all from high school.” I asked.
     
                “Oh, honey. She is the same ole’ bitch she was in high school. The only difference between high school and now she’s down a wing girl,” Skye added.
     
                “You mean the mean girl posse isn’t a trifecta anymore?”
     
                “Hell no. Sadie jumped ship some time ago. I think she was sick and tired of listening to Paisley’s bullshit. To be honest, everyone was.”
     
                “Good for her. She was always sweet to me no matter what Paisley did or said.”
     
                “Coming back home, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wanna hear something funny?”
     
                “What’s that,” Skye asked.
     
                “I was convinced Colt and Paisley would have gotten married.”
     
                “Oh, their parents tried, trust me. They went as far as setting them up on a date. Can you believe that shit?” Harley said with a look of disgust on her face.
     
                “Yep. Rumor has it; Paisley made a complete ass out of herself when she tried to kiss him at Valencia’s. He didn’t want anything to do with her. To be honest, aside from Paisley and a few others, I’ve never seen him on a date.”
     
                “Maybe he’s gay,” I joked.
     
                “Oh honey, he is definitely not gay,” Harley added. “At least that’s what Bethany Campbell told me. She went on a date with him about a year after you left, and she said he was hung like a horse. I swear Scout’s honor,” she said holding up her fingers like a Boy Scout.
     
                “At least we know he’s not a virgin,” I said cringing at the thought of when I lost my virginity. If I could take it all back, I never would have let Tad Berkley walk me home from that fraternity party. Hindsight’s twenty-twenty, I guess.
     
                  It was no secret; all through high school and college I was committed to studying and getting into Columbia. I had always been the bookworm who never allowed herself the freedom to indulge. Aside from the very few times in high school, I mostly kept to myself when I wasn’t hanging out with Harley and Skye. In college, I ran into the same issues. I couldn’t afford to pay additional years of tuition, so the first go round was my one shot. On move in day I was utterly alone, and left to tour the campus by myself until some of the girls on my hallway empathetically asked me to join them at a fraternity party. Without Harley and Skye as my crutch, this was utterly horrific.
     
                  Making up my mind to take advantage of my