Boudreaux 01 Easy Love by Kristen Proby Read Free Book Online Page B

out buffet style on my table. She has dark circles under her tired hazel eyes, and she looks way too thin in her jeans and plain black T-shirt.  
    “You survived your first week,” Van says, as she opens a bottle of wine and pours it into three glasses.  
    “Did you think I wouldn’t?” I ask with a laugh, as I pull away from Dec and accept a glass.
    “No, I just figured we’d use that as an excuse to celebrate,” she replies with a wink. “I brought your favorite: Italian. With fattening Alfredo sauce and lots of extra bread.”
    “You do love me.” I offer Van a wide smile and snatch the bread first. “God, I love carbs. Why do I love carbs so much?”
    “Because they’re bad for you,” Van replies. “They’re every woman’s kryptonite.”
    “I thought that was shoes,” Declan says, as he piles his own plate high with pasta, sauce, and bread.
    “No, shoes are a necessity,” I inform him soberly. “Like water.”
    “Women are weird,” Dec says with a laugh, and makes himself at home on the floor, his back leaning against my sofa. His long, lean body is relaxed as he eats his dinner, and he reminds me of his older brother. Dec’s just as tall and broad in the shoulders as Eli.
    The Boudreaux men are prime examples of the male species.
    “I don’t think we’re supposed to fully understand each other,” I reply, and lick sauce off my finger.  
    “How are you?” Van asks, as she nibbles on a piece of bread. She barely took any food. I eye her plate and then stare her in the eye, but she shakes her head and narrows her eyes at me.
    “I’m fine,” I reply.
    “No, really,” Dec says, his usually smiling face sober now.  
    “No, really,” I insist. “I’m fine.”
    “When was the divorce final?” Van asks.
    “Sixty-four days ago,” I reply before I can catch myself, then wince when they both turn surprised gazes on me, and share a glance with each other.
    “You’re counting the days and you’re fine ?” Dec asks.
    “Heck, yes, I’m counting the days. That divorce was hard won.” I stuff more chicken and pasta in my mouth and point at both of them with my fork. “You know that.”
    “You should have let me deck him,” Declan insists. He lowers his fork to his plate, his eyes hot with temper as he glances at me. “Only a lowlife son of a bitch does what he did to you.”
    “It might have been satisfying to watch you hit him.” I lick my fork clean as I think of my strong friend kicking my ex-husband’s ass. “Do you still do that Krave Magnus stuff?”
    “Krav Maga,” he corrects me with a laugh. “And you should do it too. It’s great self defense.”
    “I’ll just add that to my list of things to do.” I tilt my head as I watch Van push her pasta around her plate, lost in thought. “I’m thinking about becoming a lesbian and joining a nudist colony.”
    “Now, that, I’d like to see,” Declan declares with a roguish grin, but then follows my gaze and swears under his breath. “She’s not listening.”
    “Not even a little bit,” I agree. “Earth to Van.”
    “Huh?” She jerks her gaze up and takes another long sip of her wine, then refills her glass.  
    “Now it’s your turn to talk.”
    “We haven’t finished with you,” she says, but I just grin at her.  
    “Yes, we have. Dec and I just discussed me turning lesbo and joining a nudist colony.”
    “I’m all for it,” Declan agrees, earning a glare from his twin sister.
    “How bad are things, Van? And don’t deny it. You look like poop, and you deflect when asked. I’m the master of those tactics.”
    She glances nervously at her brother and then back at me. “You don’t need to worry—”
    “Spill it, Van.” Dec’s voice is calm, his posture relaxed, but every muscle in his body is on high alert.
    He’s ready to kick butt.
    And so am I, for that matter.
    “Things just aren’t going very well,” Savannah murmurs softly.  
    “Is he hurting you?” Declan