Engaging (Alluring Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

picked up her purse and threw it over her shoulder.
    Gage stood from the bed.  "Where are you going?"
    She gave him a bitter laugh but didn't answer him.  Instead, she said, "You know, life isn't always easy.  Sometimes it's hard.  Relationships are hard, but if you care about a person enough, you make it work however, hard things may get.  I understand now.  I just don't mean enough to you, which is a shame because you mean the world to me."  She took a calming breath then looked him straight in the eyes.  "I already thought what we had was real.  I'm sorry you never figured that out."
    With that, she left the bedroom, walked out the front door of Gage's apartment that he'd rented for the three months that he was in town, and put herself in her car.  All the while waiting for Gage to come running after her, telling her she was right, and begging for her forgiveness.  It was a futile wait, for he never showed.  And that's when she felt the first tear fall.  Many more soon followed.
     
    "It's time for you to get your ass out of that bed even if I have to drag you out kicking and screaming."
    Cassie pulled her head from under the covers, squinting her eyes in the harsh light.  Monica stood in her bedroom doorway.  "What time is it?"  Cassie asked, slowly sitting up.  Her body felt like it had been hit by a mack truck.
    "Time to get your ass in the shower.  You've got class in an hour and you've already missed a week.  I'm not letting you miss any more."
    Cassie made her way to the bathroom.  "Okay, you win.  Give me a half hour."
    Cassie relished the shower's hot spray hitting her itchy scalp.  Her hair was in dire need of a wash.  She allowed herself one last cry over the fact that Gage hadn't tried to call her this whole last week, then promised herself those were the last tears she would shed for him.  She picked up the soap and washed the last trace of his scent from her skin and wished it was as easy to wash him from her mind.
    She would survive.  Everyone had to deal with heartache once in their life.  She just got hers over with early.  She had given Gage her virginity, and he had given her the door.  Lesson learned.  Do not rinse and repeat.  She turned off the water and dried herself with a towel before stepping out of the shower. 
    Being the end of September, it would be a hot day, but Cassie slipped on a pair of jeans anyway, not wanting to shave her legs.  She threw her long, wet hair into a bun, brushed her teeth, didn't bother with make-up, and left the bathroom. 
    Monica waited for her outside the door.  "I'm only gonna say this once, then we're never talking about him again," she started.  "I took down all my posters of him, threw out all their CD's, and erased all their songs from my iPod."
    Cassie threw her arms around her best friend and burst into tears.  Okay, that was the last time she would cry.
     
    "What does it say?"  Monica yelled, through the bathroom door.
    Cassie sat on the closed toilet lid, staring at the plastic stick she held in her hand.  A tiny plus sign stared back at her.  She slowly stood, went to the door, and opened it.  Slightly dazed, she looked at her friend and held up the evidence of her undoing.  "Positive."
    Monica looked at her with sad eyes.  "What are you gonna do?"
    Cassie shrugged and looked back at the stick she held in her hand.  "I don't know."
    "Are you gonna tell him?"
    Cassie shook her head.  "No.  He didn't want me.  I highly doubt he wants our baby."  Cassie looked at Monica.  If anything, her eyes looked even sadder.  "It's okay Mon, I'll get through this."
    Monica shook her head.  "No, we'll get through this."
    Cassie gave her a bright smile.  "Come on, let's get a burger.  I'm starved."
    Monica laughed with her.  "Well, you are eating for two."
     
     
     

Chapter Three
    May 18, 2015
    "Who's a pretty boy?"  Cassie murmured, into the ear of the pit bull she was crouched next to, scratching him behind the