Rising from the Ashes Read Online Free PDF Page B

Saturday. We talked for a few more minutes and ended the conversation on a high note.
    It felt good to have Ben as a friend. We’d dodged the awkward dating bullet, and I felt relieved with where we’d ended up.
    I threw myself back on my bed and contemplated going for a jog. I despised exercise with a passion, but I’d read in a book that it was a great stress reliever. And seeing how I was normally a stress-free person who was currently living a stressful life, I was all for any method that would get rid of that shit.
    My phone rang again, rescuing me from all thoughts of cardio.
    “Yo,” I answered after seeing Emmy’s picture pop up on the display.
    “What are you doing right now?”
    “Lying in bed, trying to decide if I want to go for a run or not.”
    Emmy was silent for several seconds before finally saying, “Aren’t you allergic to exercise?”
    I let out a little chuckle. “I’m not allergic. I just really, really hate it.”
    “You broke out in hives just from walking around the block with me. You had to take off your shirt and lie on my kitchen floor just to cool off.”
    “Hey! That was one time. And I didn’t break out in hives. I just got really hot and splotchy.” I could hear the bitch chuckling on the other end of the phone. “I could work out if I wanted to,” I replied defensively.
    “Whatever you say, Savvy. But you’re gonna have to work on your fitness some other time. We’ve got plans.”
    I ran through my mental calendar, trying to figure out what she was talking about. “What plans? I don’t remember making any plans.”
    “Stacia called me this morning. We’re going bridesmaid dress shopping today.”
    I let out a groan at the thought of being stuck in some stuffy dressing room covered in butt-ugly tulle and silk.
    “Suck it up,” Emmy responded. “She’s one of our best friends, and it’s our duty to go try on ugly-ass dresses.”
    I threw my legs over the side of my bed with a huff, and started for my bathroom. “Fine, but I reserve the right to bitch-slap her if she chooses anything close to fuchsia.”
    “Duly noted, honey. Now get the lead out. We have a ten-thirty appointment, so be at the diner by ten.”
    I hung up the phone and turned on my shower to scalding. The thought of meeting up at the diner and possibly running into Charlotte didn’t make me any more excited about my day.
    After standing in the shower longer than I should have, I only had a few minutes to finish getting ready before I had to head out the door. I threw on a pair of dark skinny jeans and matched them with a loose, off-the-shoulder, white and navy striped shirt and a pair of ballet flats. After throwing my long blonde hair into a messy bun on top of my head, I was ready and out the door.

    Pushing through the door of Virgie May’s ten minutes later, I had to hold in a frustrated groan at the sight in front of me. Jeremy was sitting on a bar stool at the counter while Charlotte—in her Virgie May’s uniform, I might add—was wrapped around him while feeding him a bite of pancakes.
    Unprofessional much?
    It took an enormous amount of strength for me not to puke at the disgusting display. I sidled up to the bar and turned my full attention to Emmy and Lizzy, trying my best to ignore the lovely couple.
    “All right, I’m here. Let’s get this party started,” I said sarcastically.
    Lizzy gave me a smirk. “Don’t get too excited now.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Where’s Stacia?”
    Emmy stopped from setting up her pie display and looked at me. “Princess Pukey is a little slower than normal this morning.”
    I laughed, remembering Stacia’s drunken antics from the night before. “Okay. Well, can I at least get a cup of coffee while we’re waiting?”
    Emmy walked away to get my coffee, and Lizzy’s phone rang, pulling her attention away from me. That left me stuck with Charlotte and Jeremy with no buffer. That was not good. I sat there and stared at the counter for several