Free Triple Shot by Ava Riley

shiver to run down Susan's spine. Or maybe it was just the
closeness of this overpowering man walking next to her. She’d tried to reign in
her desires while she sat in the waiting area, but it was all she could do to
keep her eyes off Josiah's posterior as he studied the vending machine as if
the longer he stared at it, the selection of stale chips and expired chocolates
would magically offer something new. Now walking beside him, his hand at the small
of her back, she fought the dual emotions racing through her body. Memories of
The Launchpad caused anger to well up, still pissed that he had had the nerve
to think she would let him go home with her and an overwhelming desire to ask
him to stay when they had arrived at her place. She didn't need the distraction
of Josiah. Susan's life was one hectic day after another with little sleep in
between. She barely had time to breathe between work at the newspaper and time
spent on weekends helping her father take care of her ailing mother. Susan
hadn't even told Tessa about her mother's declining health. She'd not told
anyone because quite honestly if she did, it would make the situation all the
more real. She needed this little secret, no matter how much it affected her
own health and sanity.
    As Susan played over in her mind the
events of her life as of late, they reached Madison's car tucked in between a
blue Ford pickup and an old beat up Chevy. That was exactly how Susan felt at
the moment. Squashed between something wonderful and something completely ugly.
Her job held the beauty in her life, no matter how many hours she had to put
into it weekly, it gave her peace when so much in her life had robbed her of
that. Writing had always been an outlet for her and although the paper offered
little in the way of creative freedom, the time she had with pen to paper took
her away from having to watch her mother become a stranger. The ugliness in
Susan’s life was her mother's Alzheimer. Susan had been forced to sit back and
watch as it changed her mother into a person she didn’t know. There were days
when Susan would visit and her mother not only wouldn’t remember who she was,
but at times got belligerent with her for intruding in her space. She would
give anything to trade places with her mother, to take years off her own life
and pass them to her if she could.
    When she'd first heard about her
mother's condition, she'd wanted to talk to Tessa, knowing that she had lost
her own mother when she and Rowan were younger, but with the wedding, Tessa had
a lot on her plate and now with Madison getting sick there was no way she'd be
throwing anything else at her. So, she sucked up all the bad and tucked it into
the dark crevices of her heart and did the best she could with what was handed
to her.
    Susan wasn't sure how long she'd stood
staring at Madison's car before Josiah cleared his throat. "Are you
okay?" His voice as soothing as a musical jazz note, played against her
skin and for the first time in a while, she felt calm even for just a brief
moment.
    Susan nodded then reached for the door
handle. Josiah's hand went before hers and pulled the door open ushering her
in. "You sure you're okay?"
    "I'm positive. It's just been a
long day and I need sleep badly."
    Josiah shot her a smile she was sure
made the ladies melt, because it sure as hell did that to her. He closed her in
then walked quickly to the driver’s side and slid in. With only a glance her
way as if making sure she was truly fine, he brought the engine to life. Josiah
made no other movements until abruptly he turned in his seat to face her.
    "Susan, I need to apologize to you
for the other night at The Launchpad. I honestly didn't mean to make you feel...I
don't...shit, I don't even know how to say this without sounding like an
egotistical ass."
    Susan waved her hand in the air to dismiss
the apology and tucked her chin to her chest. "There's no need to
apologize. I-"
    "Yes, there is. I, in no way, meant
to make you