Free Must Be Love: (Nicole and Ryan) (A Jetty Beach Romance Book 1) by Claire Kingsley Page B

"Everything's fine. I'm just … not really up for a late night."
    My fight or flight urge is taking over and I want to dash outside, away from the prying eyes of the other Roma's patrons. What was I thinking? I just got out of a relationship that lasted my entire adult life up to this point. I can’t be running into the arms of another man right now. I don’t want people to see me as that girl—the one who can’t make it on her own. The one who needs a man to be sure of herself.
    "Okay," he says, his brow furrowed. "Do you want me to take you home, then?"
    No, I don't need you to do anything for me. "That's all right, I'll get home on my own." I gather up my purse and stand, feeling panic rise. I never should have come running home to this town. I’m nothing but a disgrace, and the whole town knows it.
    Ryan follows me outside silently. I fire off a quick text to Melissa as I walk.
    Please come get me at Roma's. Now. Emergency.

    "I'm not sure what just happened, but I can drive you home," Ryan says. "It's no big deal."
    "No, I'm good," I say. "Thanks for dinner, it was nice. I'm sure we'll talk soon. The festival and all."
    He looks at me like I’m crazy. Maybe I am. "Do you have a ride coming or something?"
    I shrug, trying to act casual and hide my trembling hands. "Melissa's on her way. I, um, I wanted to see her anyway, so it worked out."
    "I'll wait, then."
    "No, no, it's fine," I say. "You don't have to stay."
    Ryan takes a few steps back and crosses his arms, but he doesn’t head for his car. I watch the road, willing Melissa to get here, tapping my finger against my phone. I don’t want those women in the restaurant to come out and see me standing here.
    "Nicole, did something happen? Did I say something?" Ryan asks.
    "No," I say. "Look, this is just a weird time for me, okay? I need to get home."
    "I can—"
    Melissa pulls up in front of us like a bat out of hell, her tires squealing. Her car door flies open and she jumps out, her face full of concern. She looks at me, then at Ryan, and her brow furrows.
    "Are you all right?" she asks me, giving Ryan a sidelong glance.
    Ryan looks bewildered, but I try to ignore him, and the feeling of guilt that is blooming in my belly. "I'm fine. Let's just go."
    "Okay…" Melissa says.
    "Thanks again for dinner," I say without looking at Ryan, as I get in Melissa's car.
    Melissa shuts her door and pulls out toward the road. "Holy shit, Nic. What the hell did he do?"
    Tears flood my eyes. What the fuck is wrong with me?
    "Nothing," I say. "He didn't do anything."
    "Then why did I just rescue you from Roma's?"
    "I am such a disaster of a person," I say. "I had everything. A good-looking boyfriend. A great apartment in an awesome neighborhood. A great job."
    "I'm sorry, honey, but I'm totally not following you."
    I shake my head and wipe beneath my eyes. "I was voted 'Most Likely to Succeed' in high school, you remember that? Such bullshit. It should have been 'Most Likely to Desperately Need a Man in Her Life.'"
    "What the hell are you talking about?" Melissa asks.
    "Things fall apart with Jason, and what do I do? I come running home to mommy and daddy and cling on to the first fucking guy who's nice to me. What the fuck is that about?"
    "Wow. Okay, overreact much?"
    "I'm not overreacting."
    "Sure you aren't," Melissa says, her voice full of sarcasm.
    "How did you get there so fast?" I ask.
    "I was driving home from picking up some stuff at the store." She gestures to a few grocery bags in the back seat.
    "Oh, sorry," I say.
    "It's fine. I was done, and nothing in there's frozen or anything."
    She takes a right where she should go left.
    "Where are we going?"
    She ignores me. Two turns later, she drives down the beach approach, her headlights hitting the crashing waves. She pulls over to the side at the end of the approach and turns off the car.
    "What are you doing?" I ask.
    "Giving you a minute to calm the fuck down," she says.
    "Do you talk to your students with that