Embrace (Evolve Series #2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

her, I need her to know
my mama didn’t raise me like that.
    “And who’d you say the girl was?” she digs again.
    “He didn’t,” I answer, “but it’s Laney Walker. You
know her?”
    “Really?” she sneers, her face literally that of
someone who just got force fed a lemon wrapped inside a lime.
    It’s the only cattiness she’s shown all night, even
when Sawyer was being a dick, and is it ever catty. One thing’s for sure—Laney’s
feelings about her are reciprocated.
     “Really.” I wish it wasn’t all true, either,
trust me.
    “Yes, I’ve run into her a few times,” Whitley admits,
awkwardly clinking the ice in her glass, seemingly fascinated by it. “None of
them were pleasant.”
     “And why is that?” I ask, wondering if I’m going to
get the real story here. Maybe Laney took her spot on the softball team, though
Whitley doesn’t look like much of a baller…
    Sawyer scoffs loudly at my question and rudely
answers for her.  “Whitley here’s been stuck up Dane’s ass for years, ever since
they were kids. Laney was here five minutes and had that boy whipped. Isn’t
that right, Whitley?”
    Her eyes are blatantly watery now, and not only do I
feel bad for her, but I know exactly how she feels.
    Smiling at her, I stand, offering her my hand.
“Hungry? You drive, I’ll buy.”
    “Yes!” She practically leaps out of her chair,
latching on to my hand. For comfort, I’m guessing, and strangely, I get the
sense of the same as soon as she touches me.
    “Sawyer, I’m gonna feed the lady. I’ll text ya.” And
with that, I lead her out, soon becoming the follower as she heads to her car.

    W e’ve been sitting at a late night diner
for a while, bellies full of greasy goodness and every topic from Shakespeare
to rollerblading (which neither of us are good at) discussed, when it occurs to
me that I have nowhere to sleep. I could drive back home to my parents, completely
sober now, but that sounds excruciating. I texted Sawyer and begged for his
couch, but he has yet to answer, and it’s been so long now, he’s probably not
going to. I guess I’ll just have Whitley drop me off at my truck; maybe I’ll
sleep in it and head back in the morning. I can’t wander around like a vagabond
until school starts, but I have time to think about that later. All I have to
solve right now is tonight’s arrangements
    “Penny for your thoughts.” Her gentle voice intrudes
on my woes.
    “Why are you dipping your French fries in your
milkshake?” I ask, cringing but thankful for the lighthearted conversation
starter rather than what I’d really been pondering.
    “Because it’s good and my mother isn’t looking.” She
bounces her eyebrows and snickers, like she’s really gotten away with
something.
     “I wish I wasn’t looking, either,” I joke with her,
“it’s disgusting.”
    “Have you ever tried it?” she challenges me with a
smirk.
    “No, and I’m not going to,” I fiddle with my straw,
slurping up the last of my drink
    “Au contraire, mon frère. You are gonna try
it, and you wanna know why?”
    This I gotta hear.  “Enlighten me, please.”
    “Because you need a place to sleep tonight, and I’m
not letting you have my guest room until you try it. So grab a fry, you big wuss,
and get to dippin’!”
    “Now how did—”
    “Evan, I’m gonna let you in on a big secret. You can never get your cell phone far enough away or hidden well enough from a
girl if she really wants to see what you’re typing.” She winks this time and
giggles. “Annndd, I think you owe me eating another icy fry for that little
pearl of wisdom.”
    That’s good shit to know, so I happily dip a fry in
her shake and pop it in my mouth. Not bad. Not good, per say, but not
bad.
    “One more,” she teases, waggling a fry at me.
    “No, no,” I protest, shaking my head, “I can’t stay
at your place. I barely know you. In fact, please tell me you don’t usually let
guys you hardly know stay with