Shattered Rose (Winsor Series) - By T L Gray Page 0,25

them aside. Jake cared about me, and I wasn’t going to let her make me start to question that simple truth!

“Lord, protect her as she navigates through life, bringing forth truths that are so often hidden in the shadows…”

5. UNFORTUNATE TRUTHS

“Ok, I’ve decided I’m done being angry with you. I miss you too much!” Issy announced as she stood at my door. I was once again attempting to figure out my Thermo homework, which was becoming more and more like a foreign language I could not understand.

“I want you to come out with me tonight. You haven’t been out of this house in weeks and people are starting to wonder what’s happened to you.” Her arms were folded like a spoiled child, and I smiled internally thinking of all the fun nights I had been having “staying in” with Jake. I hadn’t heard from him yet today, so it was probably safe to make other plans.

“Ok, I’m in. Where are we going?”

“Do you have to ask? It’s Thursday night, two for one shots at Caesars…sheesh, have I taught you nothing?”

I laughed at her dramatic tone and said, “I missed you too, but if you ditch me again tonight…this will be the last time I ever go.”

“Cross my heart!” she promised and spun out of the doorway.

An hour later we were on our way. I felt dressed to kill in a blue, wispy mini dress that hit all the right places. A few weeks ago I wouldn’t have had the confidence to pull off this dress, but since Jake, that had all changed. I even weighed tonight and had lost five pounds since he came into my life.

I wore my hair down and matched Issy’s strut, step for step. She winked at me when we walked in the bar, garnering all kinds of stares. Issy, of course, was used to this type of attention. She was practically a celebrity in school, partly due to her father’s alumni status and partly due to her unmatched personality. The fact that she was drop dead gorgeous didn’t hurt either. But for me, I felt like it was my coming out party. I felt like I could stand on a table and say, Oh yea, I’m with them…and I belong here.

Issy came back with two drinks in hand. The bouncers at the door stopped carding her a long time ago. I sipped on the brown liquid that seared my throat as I scanned the room, looking for anyone I knew. I spotted Aaron and Danny hanging at a table off to the side and waved at them. Issy rolled her eyes, but I pulled her that way. “Danny’s nice. You should give him a chance,” I scolded.

She sighed, but conceded. “Ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when that poor boy’s heart gets broken.”

We walked up to the table and both boys stood up. Issy mesmerized Danny as I watched her flirt shamelessly with him. Aaron eyes violated me as usual, only tonight it didn’t bother me as much.

“Avery, you look…delicious,” he purred, moving closer to me.

I smiled coyly at him, trying to match Issy’s motions. I had no interest in Aaron, but I loved the attention…and couldn’t seem to get enough of it, which was the total opposite of how I felt the first time I met him.

Issy pulled me onto the dance floor and song after song, she and I were surrounded. Sometimes Aaron and Danny would cut in, but Issy never liked to stay with one partner for very long. I began to understand her love for this place. No wonder she had such confidence. Who wouldn’t after this?

I scanned the room again and felt my heart leap into my throat. Jake was standing at the bar, looking perfect as always. He had his confident swagger going as he reached out to grab his drink from the female bartender. He leaned in for a European style hello kiss and dropped a bill on the bar.

I smiled to myself; how did I get so lucky? I watched him as he crossed the room, shaking hands and talking with each person he met. People were drawn to him like moths to a flame, and I was no different as I started to make my way over to him. He turned the corner and found his seat and that is when I saw her. He had his arm around her and was nuzzling her neck like I’d felt him do to me hundreds of