Page 45 of The Bachelor

Avery opened her eyes. It was Lauren, thank goodness. Not someone who was going to make a rude comment like Charlotte had. Lauren was wearing spandex high-waisted pants and a cute color-block sweater with a bow at the neck.

“Everyone says you’re losing it.”

Avery gave a sigh. “Everyone says a lot of things. I’m not the one who has been running my mouth all week.”

“Hey, I get it.” Lauren hovered next to her. “Damn it, you’re going to force me to sit down on this sidewalk and get dirt on my pants, aren’t you?”

She glanced up at her friend. “You don’t have to sit down. You don’t have to give me a pep talk, it’s okay. I just needed a minute. Charlotte made a crack to me in the bathroom and I’m just done with this week. Which is ironic, because it should have been an awesome week.”

But Lauren gingerly lowered herself in her high-heel boots, wincing as she dropped onto the cement. “Here’s the thing. And I know you know this, I’m just reminding you—the more successful you are, the more people are going to say shit to you. It’s a fact. It’s a cutthroat business and you need to have thick skin. If it were someone else, you would ask the same questions. You’d say it wasn’t fair that someone was getting a shot because they had sex with a producer.”

She really didn’t want to be having this conversation. She sighed and stopped playing her guitar. “I know. You’re right, I would. But I didn’t have sex with Shane to catch a break and I’m not giving him any encouragement. You can see that. I’ve told him straight-out no..”

What she didn’t say was that she’d told him she wasn’t ready now. Which implied she would be. Which wasn’t fair to him. At all. But if he stopped pursuing her, she’d be disappointed. She knew she would. It was why all of this was so stressful. She wanted him, no doubt about it.

“I wish I had words of wisdom but I’m fresh out. This is not a position I’ve found myself in. Zeke basically crooked his finger at me six months ago and I was on him like stink on a hog. But Zeke is a broke-ass tattoo artist, so my experience means exactly nothing in this situation.”

That made Avery laugh. “Thanks for trying. I’m fresh out of wisdom too. My mama told me to never let a man determine my destiny and yet that’s what I did for all those years I was with Ben. He dictated our relationship parameters. I can’t do that again. I’m even making the conscious choice to not allow that to happen and yet everyone thinks they know something about me. Talk about ironic.”

“I say if everyone is going to be talking about it anyway, you might as well do what they think you’re doing. Go have yourself a leg-spread weekend with Shane Hart and tell me every filthy dirty detail.”

“A leg-spread weekend?” The wording struck her as hilarious. “Is that like casual Friday?”

“It’s very casual Friday. Beyond Netflix and chill. It’s like I’m so relaxed, whoops, my legs just opened for you. It starts with tequila and ends with solid sleep and no regrets.”

“I’d love to get a good night’s sleep. I’ve been tossing and turning all week.”

“No greater cure for that than sex.”

“I’m not having sex with Shane Hart.”

“Wait. I’ve got it. Then have sex with someone else!” Lauren looked like this realization was brilliant. “It’s a solid plan. Shane will totally lose interest in you if you bang someone else.”

It was a fair point but Avery wasn’t about to just pick up a random guy off the street to have sex with. Because, what, she’d never done that before? Lordy. She wrinkled her nose. “I haven’t met anyone I like. I can’t just bang for the sake of banging.”

“You’re an odd little thing,” Lauren said with a grin. “You’re like the only person I know who would say that. Now help me up. My ass is numb and these pants are cutting off my circulation.”

Avery stood up and held out her hand for Lauren. “Are you free tonight? I think we should go out.”

“Now you’re talking. Let’s shake the dust off our dancing shoes.” Lauren rose up and smacked repeatedly at her ass, craning her head to see her backside. “Is there any dirt on my butt?”

She rolled her eyes. “You weren’t rolling around in mulch. There is nothing on your butt.”

“I’m not sure I should trust you. You are the office slut, after all.” Lauren gave her a grin. “And for the record, I hate Charlotte.”

Avery laughed. “I want to be the office bore instead. That’s what I was before.”

“Not tonight, honey. We’re going to tear it up.”

TWENTY-TWO

Downtown Nashville was the place to see and be seen, but Shane hadn’t been out on Broadway since the night he met Avery. That he would be out now and run into her was just downright absurd. Though he wasn’t about to complain.

His friend Michael had invited him out. Michael was a drummer in a well-known country band, and he was always up for a night out when he wasn’t working. Feeling off because of his birthday and because Avery didn’t want what he wanted right now he had agreed to meet up with him at a bar.

He figured it would keep his mind off of Avery. But to his surprise she was out on the dance floor, doing her thing. He spotted her the minute he walked in. He stood at the end of the bar by the door keeping an eye out for Michael to show up, awestruck as he watched Avery. She was dressed in skintight jeans and a flannel, neatly tucked into her pants. The top two buttons were open, showing a flash of ivory skin. She had on boots with heels and big dangling earrings that he guessed she’d borrowed them off her friend she was dancing with. They weren’t her style. A little flashy.

He wasn’t sure why he was so confident that he knew her style that well. Arguably, he didn’t know her all that well. But everything inside him felt certain that he did know who she was.

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