Lucky Break Read Online Free Page B

Rowan’s wordage didn’t matter. Only seeing her did. Rowan dropped down from the stool she was standing on and ran in front of the counter. They wrapped their arms around each other and both women squeezed with all they had. Rowan’s familiar cinnamon scent floated in the air. All Sidney could think was how good it felt to hug her friend again. And that she wished she could have done the same thing with Kade.
    …
    Kade leaned back in his chair and looked at the lawyer sitting across from him. A lawyer’s office wouldn’t be his choice of places to be, but he had a few more papers to sign and it helped that Jace used to be one of his good friends. The other man was a couple years older than him, but they’d spent some time hanging out together before Jace graduated and went off to college.
    “Feels strange to be back, doesn’t it?” Jace ran a hand through his blond hair.
    It didn’t. Not for Kade. He’d loved it here—would have stayed here. Only one person had the power to make him leave. From the second they started to become friends—when they were what, seven?—Sidney’d had a power over him no one else did. He remembered sitting in the corner of the playground alone. Not because he didn’t have friends, but because he didn’t want anyone around him that day. The night before had been particularly bad at home—his dad yelling and calling his mom names.
    He’d tried everything to take the heat off her and onto him, but his dad just sent him to his room and kept his verbal attack on his mom going.
    It had made Kade feel like shit. He’d been the one to break the window, but his dad had blamed her—she should have been watching him. It was always his mom’s fault.
    “Hey! Kade. Come help me.” Sidney looked at him, her dark hair hanging around her face and her big eyes taking him in.
    “Not right now.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the fence. He planned to stay there for the whole recess. He didn’t feel capable of doing anything right at the moment.
    “Aw, c’mon! Just c’mere a sec. Someone wrapped the swing around the bar and I can’t get it down. You’re the tallest.”
    A little plum of pride swelled inside him. He was taller than most of the other boys. For some reason, it felt different to hear her say it…but then he remembered Mom’s tears—how she apologized for what he did. Kade just shook his head.
    Sidney looked at him for a second. They had the same teacher but didn’t talk very much. She cocked her head at him and it almost made him turn away, but then she grabbed his hand and started stomping toward the swing set. He didn’t have any choice but to follow her.
    “You’re bossy, you know that?” he told her, but he kept walking. He could have pulled away, but he didn’t.
    “It’ll just take a second.” She dragged him over to the swing set and he sighed, then climbed up the side and got the swing down for her. She jumped on, and then when the girl got off the one next to her she said, “Swing with me.”
    And he had. Even more, he’d had fun. For those last ten minutes of recess he’d laughed and had contests with her to see who could swing higher.
    He fell halfway in love with her that very day.
    Christ. Kade rubbed a hand over his face, wondering where that memory came from and trying to remember what Jace had said to him. “Eh. It’s not so bad being home. So what the hell’s up? How ya been?” He crossed his arms and waited for Jace to reply.
    “Pretty good. Just getting used to being home, the new job and all.”
    “I’m surprised to see you back.”
    Jace took a drink of his coffee. “I’m sure a lot of people would agree with you there. It’s been a couple months and I still get that.”
    “Married? Kids?”
    Jace rolled his eyes. “I’m too young for all that. Too many women out there to settle down.”
    “I hear ya.”
    Both guys laughed.
    “Are you living in town?” Jace leaned back in his chair.
    “I’m going to be out on