Arms Wide Open: a Novella by Juli Caldwell Read Free Book Online Page A

emotional implosion. I take a deep
breath and emerge from the shadows. He looks out the window again, probably
thinking he just got stood up now that everyone else has settled down. The dim
buzz of hushed conversation fills the air as I reach for the chair and lean
forward. My hands rest on the chair back as I look down.
    “Grant Fierro, you’re never going to
believe who your date is this round.”
    Surprise, confusion, and a little terror
register on his face. He’s speechless. I’m suddenly thankful I spotted him and
had a moment to prepare myself to see him after so much time. He’s completely
blindsided. No matter how justified he was to drop me off and never look back,
I’m not the one who walked out on us. I’m not the one who abandoned all the
promises we made without anything close to a goodbye. I owe him nothing. He’s
the one who has explaining to do, and no time to really think what he might say
when we saw each other.
    It takes him a moment to collect his
thoughts. I sit down before he has the chance to stand up and hug me in
greeting, because I know his dad raised him to be a gentleman and that’s his
first move.
    “Lauren Brooks, I can’t believe it. It’s
been a really long time.”
    “No kidding.” I glance casually at my
watch. “Only five years or so. What have you been up to?”
    Specifically, what happened after you
dumped me at the hospital without telling me I just got dumped?
    “You’re the last person I expected to
see here.” He’s at a loss for words, something that never happens.
    “Thought I’d still be locked up in the
wacky shack? I guess I can’t blame you there. I was pretty crazy last time I
saw you.”
    He shakes his head with a smile. “I
forgot how direct you can be. It’s great to see you. It’s been a really long
time.”
    “You already said that, but it’s okay. I
know I’m intimidating.”
    Grant’s eyes shine at me, just like they
used to, and I bite my lip. I expected this to be much more awkward. Why does
he still have to be so incredibly handsome?
    I lean forward, elbows on the table as I
move closer. Despite what happened, he’s always been one of my favorite people
and I want to hear how he’s doing, make sure life’s been kind to him. He’s one
of the few in this world who deserves a happily ever after.
    “Tell me what you’ve been up to for the
last few years. Last time we saw each other, you were getting ready to graduate
with a double major in political science and economics. You planned to reform
all the corrupt politicians. Every last one of them.” He leans back and laughs,
his head tipped back, and I’m surprised at the sheer abandon of it. “Your grand
ideas and fierce ambition were going to transform D.C. and make the world a
better place. What are you doing back here?”
    “I lasted a year on Capitol Hill,” he
admits ruefully. He runs his fingers through his hair and shakes his head as he
leans back. He tilts his head thoughtfully to one side to look at me, giving me
a sidelong glance. “I came back to law school and finished up a few weeks ago.
When I’m not studying for the bar, I spend my time having coffee with psychos
and miscreants here for a little Friday night adventure. Do I know how to party
or what?”
    “So you make this 5 in 5 thing a habit?”
I ask with raised eyebrows. A man this hot and this spectacular should have no
trouble finding dates.
    Grant laughs. I miss that laugh. “No.
This is actually my first time.”
    “Let me guess,” I say. “Your roommate
dragged you here under threat of death because you spend way too much time
studying and not enough time doing the mating dance.”
    “You haven’t changed one bit, Lauren.”
    I tilt my head and give him a sidelong
look. “Considering the last time I saw you, I was being strapped to a gurney
and drugged into oblivion, I hope I’ve changed just a little.” My words make
him uncomfortable, but he knows me well enough to know I’m honest. Sure, I