Winter's Path: (A Seasmoke Friends Novel) Read Online Free PDF Page A

he grew contemplative and accommodating. If Ian would put his arm around me or whisper in my ear, Matt’s brows would pinch together and he’d stare at the sand. I liked Ian. He was obviously a nice guy who respected girls, but Matt was the one whose hold I wanted to be wrapped in. Aside from that one hug, he hadn’t touched me.
    Much to my surprise and delight, they invited me everywhere that week. On their last day in town, I was more than a little sad they were leaving. We sat around a picnic table under the blistering sun outside the ice cream shop, discussing what to do next summer, and I glanced up to find Jared walking our way. I tensed, my heart pounding.
    With a leer, he looked down at me. “Didn’t take you long to spread your legs for another, trash.”
    From the other side of the table, Matt shoved to his feet and, with a clenched jaw, clocked Jared right in the face. Ass over teakettle, Jared landed in the grass.
    Matt, eyes wide, shook his fist. “Never punched anyone before.”
    Dee nodded. “Coulda fooled me.”
    I was too shocked to move. No one had ever stuck up for me like that. These guys had known me a week, and here they were, all on their feet.
    A dry laugh skated past Jared’s lips as he lumbered to stand. With deliberate nonchalance, he swiped the blood trickling from his mouth and eyed Summer. “No worries. She’s the more appealing piece of ass anyway.”
    “Fuck no, you didn’t.” Ian brushed past me and had landed two blows to Jared’s smug expression before Rick shook his head.
    Summer rolled her eyes like this was an hourly occurrence.
    “All right, man.” Rick hauled Ian away before he could swing a third time. “The loser’s not worth it.”
    Leaving Jared moaning in the grass, we walked back toward the beach. And I ascertained three things right then and there. One, Ian might’ve flirted with me this week, but Summer was the girl he wanted. Two, I think I fell in love with Matt more than a little bit. And three, I would never, ever date a local boy again. To them, I was worth nothing more than the time it took to remove a condom. But to Matt and his friends, I was a somebody.

    Matt
    Present
    T emples throbbing, I stared around at the chaos and shook my head. While I’d been assembling my bedroom, Jenny had unpacked the kitchen stuff. Boxes were still scattered everywhere, my things mingling with my parents’. The plan had been to pack up whatever of theirs I didn’t have room for and ship it to them.
    Perhaps leaving my furniture in Greensboro had been a mistake. I’d all but forgotten the floral-print couch and loveseat here, not to mention the knick-knacks and books. This place didn’t feel any more mine than my house back home. The walls were white, scattered with paintings of flowers.
    The open floor plan allowed for creativity in furniture placement, but I wasn’t creative, and all I could see when I looked around were years of July vacations. The large living room was separated from the kitchen by an island. I liked the distressed white cabinets and blue tile countertops, plus the stainless steel appliances were new. Bare, pale hardwood was throughout the first floor, including the half bath. A sliding glass patio door opened onto the back deck and, past that, the dunes and ocean. The fireplace had never been used, and was also white brick with a distressed mantle similar to the kitchen cabinets.
    White, white, white. Why didn’t this feel like a clean slate, then?
    I scrubbed my hands through my hair and sighed. Restless energy coiled in my gut, made me twitchy. I hated things out of order. There was so much to do, and I only had two weeks before starting at the firm’s new location.
    Jenny crossed her legs on the couch and put her phone in her pocket. She’d been texting one of her bartenders to make sure everything was okay at Winter’s Den. “I really like the feminine decor you got going on.” She smiled as if she’d been reading my thoughts, sensed