An Unexpected Love Story (Love Story Book Two) Read Online Free PDF

was certainly a lot more like civilization.
    “You know I can’t do that,” I sighed.
    “Can’t or won’t?” she asked, in that voice she reserved for calling me on my bullshit.
    “Anyway,” I said, wanting to change the subject. “I got into a little fight with Justine last night. Words were said.”
    “Did you deck her? God, I hope you decked her.”
    “No,” I said. “Paul put a stop to it.”
    “And to thank him you went home with him?”
    “Not exactly.”
    When I didn’t offer more information, Emily changed tack. “You know I was only joking when I said I’d be mad at you if it was Paul, right? I would never get mad at you for something like that. And I totally want to talk to you about it, no judgment.”
    I smiled in spite of my pounding headache. Emily was such a great friend. I hated that we lived so far apart. “I know,” I said. “I’m just in my normal morning-after, embarrassed glow.”
    “When have you ever been embarrassed about a guy?” she asked, snorting a little. “You are the same woman who told me that I should forget about true love and view men as a good time, nothing more?”
    I winced. “That does sound like something I would say.”
    “So what happened with Paul?”
    “I guess I was just feeling kinda crappy about myself after the run-in with Justine,” I said, eager to get it all out there as quickly as I could to lessen my embarrassment. I had never been one to obsess over the root causes of my sexual behavior. “And Paul was there, being real nice, and I guess I just got carried away.”
    Emily was quiet for a moment. “What did Justine say to you?” she asked eventually, her voice low and measured. She was pissed, I could tell.
    “Oh, you know, the usual. I’m skanky and slutty and everything else she could think of.” I laughed bitterly. “And, of course, my way of proving her wrong was to sleep with the next guy who would have me. Well done, huh? That’ll show her.”
    “Brooke, stop it,” Emily said, her voice firm. “She is wrong, and we both know it. She’s jealous and evil and trashy, nothing else to it. You cannot let her get in your head.”
    “I know,” I sighed. “I do know that. I just get tired of hearing it sometimes.”
    “Have you talked to Paul yet?” she asked.
    “Yeah, he already came in for his first shift. He thanked me for a nice night and promised not to make a huge fuss over it, like last time.” On the other end of the phone, Emily whistled. “I know, what a nice guy, huh?”
    “Actually, I was more thinking of how smart he was, changing his game like that.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Oh, come on, Brooke. We both know he’s been in love with you for years. Chasing you around last time didn’t work for him, so now he’s going to pretend like it’s no big deal, hoping that you’ll realize what a big deal it really is.”
    I groaned. “I so hope that is just nonsense put in your head by Ashley and Ryan, and not a real possibility.” Ashley and Ryan were Emily’s friends from college. They were really into romance and all that gooey love stuff. They had spent months last year trying to turn tomboy Emily into a romantic.
    “I don’t know,” Emily said. “I still think I’m right. He totally loves you.”
    “God. I really do need to stop hooking up with that boy.”
    Emily laughed. “This is what I keep telling you.”
    We were both quiet for a minute. “It’s not as fun as it once was,” I finally said, my voice soft. I was embarrassed to make such a confession to her.
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean hooking up with guys. I used to think it was so fun, so exciting to not be tied down, to just be able to spend time with whoever I wanted. But lately…I don’t know. It feels kind of lame.”
    “Maybe you’re ready to be a little more settled,” Emily said carefully. “Maybe deep down inside you want an actual boyfriend.”
    “Where’s the punch line?”
    “I’m serious, Brooke. Maybe you’ve