Love Me ~ Without Regret Read Online Free PDF Page A

yada, whatever!  We finish the meeting and make plans to meet again in a couple of weeks.
    “Lizzie, do you need a ride home?” Bailey asks.
    “That would actually be helpful,” Clay says as he comes up to our group. 
    What?  No. Aren’t we going to talk about all of this? “I need to speak with you Clay about the auction. I have some ideas.” At least, that’s my excuse.
    “Can we get together later?” Clay asks. “There’s a lot to do at the ranch this morning and I’m already behind.  Unless you would like to come and help before your shift?”
    “I can do that if you need my help and all.” I watch the tone of my answers, trying to remain neutral.  “I can get a ride home with Bailey and get to the ranch in about an hour and a half.”
    “Great, I could use the help.” He gives me a wink and walks over to Denise. 
    She is patiently waiting for him, smiling like she is in awe of him.
    He puts his arm around her shoulder and walks her to the front door. 
    I guess that’s my sign. They’re more than friendly.  But when they say their goodbyes, he doesn’t kiss her. I guess she doesn’t have Clay all figured out either. Bitch.
    I go into Clay’s bedroom to get my clothes, and to give Oakley back her yoga pants. I’m keeping Clay’s t-shirt. Bailey follows behind me. Who wouldn’t have guessed that?  She will not let sleeping dogs lie. I don’t want to talk to her right now.  She wants to make sure I’m okay, but this isn’t the time. “Bailey, I don’t wish to talk about it anymore,” I whisper.  I make his bed really quick and find my clothes. 
    “Hey, I didn’t say a word.  Did you hear anything out of my mouth?  What’s wrong with you today, girl?” 
    Bailey knows my past and understands my reason for wanting to talk to Clay so in a couple of short sentences I explain everything from last night that I can remember.
    Her curiosity is piqued, but she merely gives me a sympathetic look before saying, “Let’s get out of here for now, Lizzie. I’ll talk with Cash about Clay, if you want me to.”
    Bailey is always here for me, through thick and thin.  She is the one person I can count on in this world.  Well, her and her grandparents. They’ve been our foundation.  They might be Bailey’s grandparents by blood, but they are my grandparents by the grace of God.  
    Clay
    I’ve just pulled up to the barn after picking up supplies from the feed store. I can’t take my mind off  how hurt Lizzie looked this morning. She wanted to talk about last night. I can’t blame her, but I did what I thought was best. Pushing her away nearly killed me. I know she doesn’t think of me as a possible love interest, but we are friends.  I’m not sure what she thinks happened last night, but I really didn’t want to get into the details in front of everyone else.  She has a flare for the dramatics and acts all badass all of the time.  She isn’t, though. I can see through that tough exterior of hers.  She has something buried deep down that she hides from everyone. That’s okay with me.  I want to be her friend, and she is best friends with Bailey who will become my sister-in-law once Bailey and Cash are married in a few months.
    My head is so messed up over what I would like to do, which is show her the kind of man I really am. Take her to my bedroom and never let her go. But what’s more important is to keep being the friends that we need to be since we will be thrown together all the time.
    I should find a way to get her out of my system.  In the past, I would have gotten someone else under me, but I’m still a little raw from my last raging shit storm.  Lessons learned can be expensive, but I’m a firm believer in being an A-plus student. What I would actually like to happen, though, is to start a real relationship with her.
    I cope by throwing myself into my work. Hard work is my therapy, like the ranch is therapy for  the kids. I take my cue from the little fellers.