Ever: The Ever Trilogy, Book One (Volume 1) by Jessa Russo [paranormal] Read Free Book Online

Block wants to take you out, and I’m going to make you stay? Yeah right! Please, it was me who had to practically throw you at him to even get you to wise up! I knew the second I saw all that black … and those motorcycle boots”—she grimaced—”he’s totally perfect for you. And you know what, Ev, maybe this is just what you need to get your mind off certain other things.”
    She nodded toward my closed bedroom door, though I needed no clarification. I knew exactly what other things she referred to because she’d been trying to get me to forget about Frankie for as long as I could remember. She wasn’t a big believer in loving a guy you couldn’t have or pining after a guy who didn’t show interest. Both of which applied to Frankie.
    As she exited my room, she said, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t … wait, never mind. Do everything !” She winked at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “And call me the second you get home!”
    I was starting to undress for my shower when the door opened slightly and Jessie popped her head back through the doorway.
    “And do not wear those hideous old boots, Ever. I mean it!”

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten ready for anything so fast in my life. I showered, put my hair up in a twist, and played a quick round of What’s In Ever’s Closet? in front of my mirror, all the while wishing my pinktastic human best friend was still there to help me. I silently thanked my lucky stars my other ghostly best friend was nowhere to be found. Somehow, I couldn’t picture Frankie being as excited about my date as Jessie had been, even if he didn’t see me that way, and I really didn’t want that guilt knot returning to my stomach.
    I applied a bit of makeup, though not much more than the usual mascara and lip-gloss, and remarkably, I was out the door in less than thirty minutes. I was incredibly proud of myself for having a couple minutes to spare, but time to spare or not, Toby was already outside waiting for me. Damn.
    Wow.
    He rested casually on the hood of a classic Ford Mustang parked on the street, halfway between both of our houses. Sleek and smooth and shiny black, with red leather interior, I had butterflies in my stomach just thinking about getting inside. My Civic was my baby, and though she was old, she was far from a classic—an old beast of a car.
    He wore the same outfit from an hour ago, but I noticed, a bit happily, that the jacket was nowhere in sight. He pushed up off the car, glancing briefly past me to my house, and I again had an image of Frankie pop into my mind and a strange, unsettling feeling fell over me. But as Toby approached me, looking me over with an approving smile, that thought was almost instantly forgotten. His smile did funny things to my insides, and the way he kept trying to get his hair out of his eyes made me want to touch it. His V-neck t-shirt was snug-fitting and showed lean muscles underneath it, and my eyes were drawn to the groove in his collarbone.
    “Wow. You look great.”
    Funny, I had been thinking the same thing about you.
    “Oh, thanks.” I checked my hair with my hands, making sure it was still tucked neatly into a twist, then took my purse off my shoulder to get inside the car.
    I had settled on a red tunic, instead of my usual black, feeling a little adventurous … though not adventurous enough to skip the leggings. I had my limits. I’d grabbed my favorite red rose earrings, which I’d bought last year at the swap meet from a boutique specializing in Dia de Los Muertos merchandise, as a last minute addition. In the end, I’d somewhat reluctantly swapped my beat-up black boots for some black gladiator-style sandals that my mom insisted I buy to be part of my spring wardrobe a few weeks ago. Between Jessie making it a point to forbid me to wear my favorite boots, and since my mom was always getting on me about them as well, I figured wearing the sandals obliged them both, whether or not they were there to see it