The Sweetest Fling (A Stupid Cupid Book) Read Online Free PDF

himself to breathe evenly and keep his features smooth. He crossed his arms to keep himself from chewing his thumbnail.
    “It was the way she looked at me, I guess, more than anything.” Tyler reached for Jace’s orange juice and finished it off.
    No one spoke. Jace inwardly winced. The pain in his words rang loud and his heart’s dance became a cower. A lowly, miserable cower.
    “She looked at me like ... like a sister would. Like you do, Ash.” His eyes stayed fixed on empty air. “She’s never looked like that before.”
    Helen rubbed his shoulder, crouched next to Tyler, and they all waited for him to continue— or not. No one would press him. And none would speak of it again if he didn’t. It was his life, his loss, and so, his business. All they could do was be there—as they always were in the face of loss and change.
    None of them had ever been the cause of another’s loss, though.
    But Tyler didn’t know that. Jace clung to the notion and ignored how undignified it made him. Tyler didn’t know yet. Better to let him adjust to his loss and to tell him later. He and Claire would figure out when and how together. And maybe they would wait long enough and do it well enough that Tyler would give his blessing rather than be wounded—as he clearly was now.
    Tyler blinked rapidly. Oh, hell. Was he trying not to cry? Tears stung his own eyes. Jesus. What had he done? How could he have done it? All those laughs and snuggles felt so wrong now. What had they been thinking?
    Did he dare even see Claire again? Was it worth this?
    The memory of her laughter, of the way her nose crinkled up, and her two front teeth showed sent a pang through him. Not sorrow. More like awful hope. He might face anything for Claire, even this. But not until he knew how to navigate the truth.
    Jace reached out and squeezed Tyler’s shoulder, exchanging a worried look with his mother. It was Tyler’s first heartbreak, and it would hurt the worst. But, he would help see him through it. What choice did he have? He was not just Jace’s brother, but also his best friend. And he’d helped cause it.
    He would call Claire at some point. In a day or so. Maybe a week. Give everyone time to let things settle down. And if she called Jace before then, he would explain, and they’d go from there. If she called.
    She’d changed a drive to a flight. She’d left without saying good-bye.
    Jace might have nothing to confess. Nothing to fight for at all.
    Tyler shook his head, sniffed, and blew out his mouth. “I think I’m going to go lie down for a while. Too much champagne, I think.”
    Everyone nodded. Ashley kissed Tyler on the cheek as she passed by, and no one mentioned that he didn’t ever drink champagne. No one corrected him—his drink was Jack and Coke.
    Jace went upstairs to Ashley’s room soon after, stopping only at the bathroom to empty his rotting, writhing guts.

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    Chapter Four
     
     
    “OMG, those are so hot,” a blonde tween girl said to Millie Match.
    Hot? Millie yanked the zipper up on the left Italian leather boot and racked her brain for what oh em gee meant. Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. “I know, right?” she said, proud of herself.
    O. M. G. Letters. Not words. An expression, nonetheless. Another quirk of the times that she needed to incorporate. Groovy wasn’t groovy anymore. She wiggled her toes. God, this shoe felt beyond delicious. The exactly right shape of the toe area, the way the heel hugged instead of pinched, should be gifted to all of mankind. Shoes this divine could end world wars.
    Too bad they were priced to perpetuate world hunger instead.
    The boots helped. The tweens were right. Definitely hot. They eased the tension in her heart. Helped her think—and man, did she have some creative thinking to do! Claire Byron was on the cusp of a match. Millie could feel it.
    Millie conned Claire into asking for a twosome invite—no easy feat. Tyler and Claire had laughed and kissed and looked to be