An Unexpected Love Story (Love Story Book Two) Read Online Free Page A

happier than ever that I was hanging out with him.
    After about half an hour, I was feeling sweaty and tired, in that good way that always seems to accompany dancing. I told Paul I needed a break, and he joined me back at our table, now nearly empty save for Joel, who seemed immeasurably depressed at the loss of Justine.
    “Cheer up,” I told him, plopping down in the seat next to him. “Come on, I’ll buy you a beer.”
    “I miss her, Brooke,” he said, his voice sad and pretty slurred. I realized that he was hammered. How much had he been drinking tonight? I felt bad for not noticing. I had known Joel for ages, and though I hadn’t been able to associate with him much since Justine had come onto the scene, he was an old friend. I should have tried harder to cheer him up earlier in the night.
    “Joel, you’re gonna be fine,” I said bracingly. “Trust me. You can do so much better.”
    “I don’t want better,” he moaned. “I just want Justine.”
    “Why?” I asked, unable to help myself. How could such a witch inspire such sadness by her absence? It defied logic. “I mean, what was so great about her?”
    “She had such nice hair,” he sniffed. “It always smelled good. And pretty skin, too. You know how her skin was always so pretty?”
    “If by pretty you mean covered under an inch of makeup,” I muttered. Joel didn’t seem to hear me. “Was she nice to you?”
    “Well,” he said, screwing up his face as if he was struggling to remember. “Sometimes she was.”
    I rolled my eyes, not all surprised.
    “Come on, Joel,” Paul said. “She was mean and demanding all the time. She made you freaking miserable, man.”
    “I know,” Joel agreed, nodding his head sadly. “But she was always there.”
    “You’re just lonely,” I told him, patting his back. “You’ll find someone else. You’re a great catch.”
    “What in the hell do you think you’re doing, bitch ?”
    I looked up, my stomach dropping at the sound of the voice. Sure enough, Justine was standing just behind me, her arms crossed, an ugly glare on her face.
    “Good to see you, Justine,” I said, my voice dripping with sweet sarcasm. “You’re looking nice tonight.” If you considered three inches of stonewashed denim skirt nice. Which, apparently, she did.
    “Shut up,” she snapped. “What do you think you’re doing with him?”
    “I’m not with him,” I snapped right back. “But it wouldn’t be any of your business if I was.”
    “He’s my boyfriend,” she hissed. “You better get the fuck up from that table now, bitch.”
    “Sorry, Justine,” I said. “I thought you said boyfriend, but I must have been mistaken, seeing as how he dumped you yesterday. I guess I couldn’t understand you, since I don’t speak trash.”
    As I turned back to the table, I could hear the blood pounding in my ears. A huge part of me wanted to get up and punch her in the face. The better part of me refused to sink to her level. Just as I lifted my beer to my lips, eager for a pause to get myself under better control, I felt someone shove me, hard, from behind. As my beer sloshed down my T-shirt, I sighed. Sorry, better self , I thought. You’re about to get outvoted .
    I stood up and turned to Justine, happy to see her shrink back a little. I had quite a few inches on her. “Did you just touch me?” I said, my voice low.
    “Okay, girls,” Paul said, coming to stand between us. “Let’s not get kicked out the bar tonight, okay? Justine, just go on home.”
    “But she’s with him,” she snarled, pointing down at Joel. For the first time since she had arrived, I looked at him. He was staring at her with a confused expression, looking like he might throw up.
    “No, she’s not,” Paul said. “She’s with me. And we are here trying to cheer up your ex-boyfriend, since he’s feeling so down about recent events. So just leave, okay?”
    “What’s going on?”
    I looked behind Justine and groaned. Her best friend, Nikky,