Solving For Nic Read Online Free PDF Page A

proved there was something wrong with her.
    It wasn’t fair.
    He pulled her to her feet. “Dance with me, Lizzie.”
    She let him tug her under the soft-colored lights and hold her close. She loved dancing with Adam. His natural rhythm was easy to follow. The lean body under the faded black T-shirt and threadbare jeans was hard but comfortable at the same time. His arms were reassuring and warm but it wasn’t the same.
    Dancing under those colored lanterns with possibly the nicest guy in the world, Lizzie hated Nic. Hated herself for not being able to shake him off and get on with her life. Nic had ruined her for all other men.
    “We’re playing at Trick’s at midnight.” Adam’s breath was warm against her ear. Her forehead pressed against his chest. He rested his cheek on the top her head. Why couldn’t there at least be a spark? It was a crime Adam wasn’t the one. She backed up, blinking back tears and trying to move away from him before he noticed.
    He noticed.
    “You’re killing me, Lizzie.”
    It would be easy to be with Adam. There was no way it wouldn’t be amazing. But she would always compare him to Nic and she cared about him too much. Because she would never inflict the flaying sensation she couldn’t shake on anyone else.
    She had the sudden urge to go home. The bleakness ached inside her. The home she wanted didn’t exist anymore; the flood waters had washed it away years ago.
    “Come to Trick’s tonight. I’ll buy you breakfast when the sun comes up.” He kept hold of her hand as they walked off the patio and into the house.
    “I don’t know, Lizzie,” Jared chimed in from behind them, popping Adam on the shoulder and spoiling the serious expression on Adam’s face. “Be careful with this guy. He has a thing for knots.”
    Adam’s arms went out, as he spun around and pushed Jared hard. “Shut the fuck up, Marshall.”
    “Are you blushing?” Jared crowed with laughter as he stumbled back. “He’s blushing, Lizzie. He’s cute when he blushes.”
    “Fuck you.” Adam tried to sound fierce as he caught the motorcycle jacket Jared tossed at him but Lizzie had known them too long to believe their posturing.
    At least she was laughing now and it definitely felt better.
    “You wish, Granger. I don’t like knots. Now can we get the hell out of here before Sellers explodes? There’re like a gazillion buttons on Jen’s dress. Really don’t want to be here when he goes all Neanderthal and starts bodice ripping.”
    Lizzie smirked. “She will skin him if he rips her dress.”
    “Come to Trick’s, we’ll dance.” Jared twirled her in his arms.
    “She’s coming.” Adam tried to catch Lizzie back but Jared was too fast for him and dipped Lizzie low on his arm.
    When they straightened, Lizzie was officially in a better mood.
    “Yeah—” Jared threw one arm over Adam’s shoulder and the other over Lizzie’s, “—but she’s riding with me. No way is she getting on your bike in those shoes. Those shoes are hot, Lizzie. Have I told you they’re hot?”
    “Are you drunk?” She slid out from under his arm and turned to face him. He was talking too fast and his eyes were wild. She put her hands on his chest when he tried to brush past her. She saw a brief flash of pain before he covered it.
    “Oh.” She breathed out the word.
    “Oh, nothing.” He laughed. Because Jared always laughed. He was never serious, until he was. Then he was a tiny bit dangerous. “It’s not what you think, now less talking more dancing. Let’s go.”
    The line at Trick’s was down the block and around the corner. They parked in Elliot’s restaurant’s parking lot, one of the few actual parking lots on the edge of the French Quarter. They walked the two blocks to the back entrance and downstairs. The walls and ceiling were vibrating from the other band. Sugar Coma had an hour before they were due on stage. They headed straight into the crush of bodies writhing on the dance floor.
    She danced with