Holding Her Close (Bits and Bytes, Book 0) (Bits & Bytes) Read Online Free

into Zach’s thoughts, bringing irritation with it. Hadn’t they moved past this point in the conversation? “I’ve considered selling everything I own and moving to New Zealand.”
    Scott’s wordless roar bounced off the surrounding walls. “That’s it, I’m done. I’m not hungry after all.”
    Zach glared at him. “Fine, call me when reality permeates your thick skull.”
    “ Don’t hold your breath.” Scott slammed the door behind him, and the house shook. Moments later, the roar of a gunned engine cut through the air.
    Zach plucked his smokes from his pocket and headed for the back deck. Not only did he not have a solution, but he didn’t even know where to start. He and Scott didn’t always see eye to eye, but they’d always been able to compromise before. This time though, they’d lost it all . The money wouldn’t make up for the blood, sweat, and love they’d poured into Cord, and his best friend was slipping away from him in a haze of delusion and denial.
    He paused in the middle of the kitchen, feet sticking to the floor as the weight of frustration hit him full force. “FUUUUUUCK!” he screamed to the empty room.

CHAPTER THREE
     
    Rae plucked another walnut from her salad and nibbled on it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the rest, but the nuts were her favorite bit and she’d never been very good at spearing them with her fork. “It’s not a big deal.”
    Chloe pushed her potato chips around her plate before picking one from the pile. “Then you shouldn’t have made it one.”
    If it weren’t for the fact her younger sister dyed her hair black and kept her skin pale, Rae and Chloe would have looked like twins instead of the five years apart they actually were. Not that either of them minded their personal tastes made them look like separate people.
    Chloe was drilling her about whether or not she and Zach were on speaking terms again, and Rae was sick of it. “I didn’t.”
    “ Whatever.” Chloe mumbled between bites of sandwich. She washed it down with a swallow of sweet tea. “Then this won’t bother you.” She looked past Rae, waving at someone. “Hey, guys.”
    Rae followed the movement, stomach flipping when she saw who her sister was talking to. Never, in the entire time she’d been meeting Chloe for lunch, had she ever seen Zach in the place. She’d always assumed the deli wasn’t his thing and now there he was, with Jordan, waving back from the counter.
    Rae turned away from the new arrivals to glare at Chloe. “Did you have to do that?”
    Chloe shrugged and grabbed another fry. “Presumably. It’s not like I could ignore them. He signs my paychecks. Besides, it’s not a big deal, right?”
    “ You couldn’t have just said ‘I wanted to talk to my boyfriend?’” Rae kept the question soft.
    “ That’s no fun.” Chloe’s smirk spread into a wide grin seconds later.
    Even if a hand hadn’t rested on the back of her chair, Rae wouldn’t have had to turn around to know what had provoked the change in expression.
    “Ladies.” Zach’s greeting was warm. “I was looking for one of you. Funny coincidence.”
    One of them? Something fluttered through Rae’s chest against her will. That needed to stop. He wasn’t talking about her, and she didn’t care even if he was.
    “ Oh?” Chloe sat up straighter.
    “ We’re brainstorming commercial ideas,” Jordan offered, eyes never leaving Chloe. “We were going to invite you.”
    “ You’re busy.” Zach didn’t missing a beat. “We’ll catch up later.”
    Good. Rae could finish her lunch in peace.
    Chloe nudged a chair out with her foot. “Eat with us. We’re just rehashing the same old stuff.”
    Or not.
    “Okay.” Jordan dropped into the offered seat.
    Zach moved into view. “You’re sure we’re not interrupting?”
    Rae froze on her answer, half of her not wanting to recreate the other morning in his kitchen and the other half not minding the scenery. He made the button -down and slacks