A Bad Bit Nice Read Online Free PDF Page A

opened it and gently touched the three rings inside. Mick took out the wedding set, touched his lips to the rings, and gently put them back; then he took out the larger ring and placed on his finger. He looked at his hand, imagining her delicate hand in his. With a sigh, he put his ring back in the box, closed it, and put it back in its place on the counter.
    *****
    Em checked her watch again, willing the train to go faster. Of all the flights she had taken in the last six months, this one was delayed. She knew she had tempted fate, scheduling movers on a Friday at the tail end of a project.
    “Today’s the big day, no?” Rory said with a grin. Em grinned back at him.
    Rory had never seen Em so excited. Sure, she was a friendly, pleasant work companion, but she kept her private life exactly that: private. He had just learned a few days ago that she had been living out of suitcases and hotels for the seven months that she had been at Tara Security Systems, staying with a friend the few days a month that she wasn’t traveling. Rory didn’t know how she stood it.
    “You don’t need any help?” he asked. “I can lift shite.” Rory flexed his muscles, the sleeves of his custom shirt straining around his bulging biceps.
    Em laughed. If Ashley saw those big arms, she would die. Her friend was forever trying to set Em up; maybe after she got settled, Em would give Ashley a taste of her own medicine.
    “I actually acted like a grown up and paid people to move me in, Rory, but thanks for offering. I’ve got some really, really big pieces of antique furniture and since my apartment is on the second floor, those movers are going to earn every cent.”
    “Well, you’ll let me know if you need anything, yeah?” Rory scolded. He knew Em could handle almost anything the world threw at her, but it didn’t mean that she had to go at it alone.
    “I will. Oh, we’re here! I’ll see you at the St. Louis site on Monday, right?” she said as they made their way to the escalators.
    “Monday in St. Louis it is. Good luck, Em!” Rory called as Em raced up the stairs, pulling her suitcase behind her and grinning.
    Em flew through the airport lobby and into the parking deck, her excitement building the closer she got to her car. She threw her bags in the trunk, left the parking deck with a cheerful “See you soon” to the attendant, and sped to her Brand New Home. It was perfect, and it was all hers and hers alone. No roommates, no boyfriend, just her and Beauregard.
    Okay, it might be a little sad that she was so excited to share a converted Victorian mansion with a 15-pound cat, but it was all hers—the top floor, anyway—and it was the final piece to her brand new life.
    Since she had taken the red eye back from Portland, she just had time to stop for breakfast before the movers arrived. She made her way to her favorite breakfast café, practically vibrating with excitement. She settled in at the small bistro table, and ignoring the early hour, called her soon-to-be former roommate and best friend in the world.
    “Ha! Bet you thought I wouldn’t be up!” Ashley said smugly, answering on the first ring.
    “I’m actually shocked as shit, Ash! What the hell are you doing up? You’re never up this early unless you haven’t been to sleep. Wait, have you been to sleep?”
    “I’m actually supervising the loading of all your shit, I mean, treasures from your storage unit. Girl, did you know you have 23 boxes labeled ‘Kitchen’ and 47 boxes of books? Do I want to know how many boxes of glassware and Christmas crap you have?”
    Em laughed. “And how many shoes do you have, Miss Ashley?”
    “Okay, fair enough. So were there any hot men on your flight, Em?”
    With that deflection, Em cackled outright and Ashley sheepishly joined in.
    “No, there weren’t, and you’d think there would be at least one tattooed, bearded, manly piece of eye candy on a flight from Portland if there was going to be one anywhere, but no,