When It Hooks You (It #1) Read Online Free Page A

things always go wrong for me. What I want to do is go out, have a good time, and end it before we ever get to the and then .”
    His expression stiffened into hard lines. “I’m thirty-two years old, Trish. I want a wife and kids someday. I’m not saying I was thinking that far ahead already with us, but I’m not going to waste my time with someone who definitely knows she doesn’t want that.”
    “Nothing’s definite. But…”
    “You’re not looking for that right now.”
    Her mouth curved into a frown as she shook her head. Au revoir, sweet lips.

    The deep base vibrating out of the DJ’s speakers tickled Trish’s eardrums. It was early March, two weeks after her final date with Rob. Lyssa had sent an excited text earlier that day announcing that the final bit of financing for her higher education had come through. Trish had insisted they get together for a celebratory drink with JoAnne, another friend since college.
    JoAnne returned from the bar with three beers and a huge grin. “These are courtesy of those two guys back there.” She swished her straight, shoulder-length bob toward the bar as she passed drinks to her friends.
    “They’re cute.” Trish gave a small nod to the men and raised her beer in an across-the-room toast.
    “Yep,” JoAnne said. “I’m supposed to meet Craig and Streeter in Wrigleyville in an hour, so if the free-drink guys come over, they’re all yours.”
    “Both of ’em just for me?” Trish asked.
    “Lyssa can have one final fling in Chicago before entering into full-time monogamy in Boston.”
    “I’m already full-time monogamous,” Lyssa said.
    “Yeah, haven’t you noticed, JoJo?” Trish said. “Our girl is in louuurve. Done for.”
    “I don’t see a ring on her finger.”
    “It’s coming,” Trish said.
    “Like we’re going to trust your radar on that sort of thing.” JoAnne didn’t even seem to consider how her words might sting. She was more focused on adjusting her plus-sized breasts underneath a slightly-too-tight button-down blouse.
    Trish suspected she owed the cleavage that peeked between her friend’s buttons for the chilled glass in her hand. “I thought you were watching your carbs,” she said as JoAnne raised her glass to her mouth.
    After swallowing a gulp, Jo answered, “Free drinks have no carbs. Besides, I’ll drink Bloody Marys the rest of the night.”
    “I’m not sure a low-carb diet works like that,” Trish said.
    “That’s because skinny bitches like you don’t have to worry about how diets work,” JoAnne bit back.
    Trish wasn’t up for another lecture on how lucky she was to have inherited such a forgiving metabolism. She turned her attention to Lyssa. “What was Hayden’s reaction to you moving to Boston?”
    “I haven’t told him yet. He’s coming at the end of the month to celebrate our one-year anniversary. I’ll tell him then.”
    Their conversation was cut short when the free-drink guys sauntered over.
    “Ladies,” one of them said, reaching his glass out to tap it to the edge of Trish’s. The men introduced themselves as Josh and Tim.
    “Enjoying the Belgian white?” the taller one, Tim, asked.
    “I should’ve known that’s what it was,” Lyssa said. “That’s my boyfriend’s favorite.”
    Trish and JoAnne exchanged an eye roll at their friend’s lack of subtlety. Josh, the one who’d tapped Trish’s glass, asked her, “What’s your boyfriend’s favorite?”
    “Are you speaking in past or future tense?”
    “No boyfriend in the present?”
    “Not that I’m aware of.”
    His grin widened, highlighting the dimple on one side of his handsome face. He had a fantastic smile, but Trish was more impressed with his broad, athletic shoulders and the V-shaped waist that his navy blue Henley shirt couldn’t hide.
    “Still,” she teased, “I also should’ve known.”
    His smile deflated. “It’s your husband’s favorite?”
    Trish laughed. “Nah, no husband. I meant that I should’ve known