Lost In Me (Here and Now) by Lexi Ryan Read Free Book Online Page B

decorated. I can try to help if you don’t remember, but honestly, the decorating part has always been your baby and I pretty much suck at it.”
    “Wait. So you work with me?”
    She lifts a brow. “I’m pretty sure you think of it as me working for you, but yes. I haven’t gotten a teaching job, and I work for my sister like a loser.”
    “You work with me, and I think that’s awesome.”
    She rolls her eyes. “Anyway, you have three meetings with upcoming brides this week.”
    “Wow.” I turn a slow circle. “I can’t believe how quickly it’s taken off.”
    My stomach twists as I scan the gleaming stainless-steel countertops. I’ve been so hung up on my new body and my engagement to Max, I haven’t had the chance to think much about this part of my life. How am I supposed to run my business if I don’t even remember what recipes I use or what clients I’ve promised cakes to?
    “I don’t even know where I buy supplies,” I mutter to myself.
    Lizzy’s cool fingers gently squeeze my forearm. “It’s going to be okay.” Her eyes connect with mine, and for a split second, it’s back—that connection between us flickers like lights in a storm. “You should come to Maggie and Asher’s with me tonight. Asher and Nate are having a jam session and they’re making a get-together out of it.”
    “Nate who?”
    “Crap. I guess you probably don’t even remember him. Nate Crane? You know, sexy rocker?” She frowns. “I guess you wouldn’t know. He was kind of an unknown before, but he’s been touring with Asher, and his single is really shooting up the charts.”
    “Cool.” I shift. Partying it up at Asher’s doesn’t appeal to me right now. After my middle-of-the-night visitor, I just want to spend my evening with Max and reassure myself that everything is okay. “I’ll probably take a rain check, though.”
    “Oh.” She sounds disappointed. Really disappointed. Like she was counting on me. “Okay, well, that’s fine.”
    And just like that, the flickering light of our connection is snuffed out again.
    “What happened to us?”
    “What?”
    “You and me. Why are you mad at me?”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “Come on, Liz. This is us. Something’s not right.”
    Lizzy shifts her gaze away. “Truth be told, you and I haven’t exactly been close lately.”
    “Why?”
    She shrugs. “I don’t know. You started dating Max, and it was okay at first, but then you were running all the time and you were losing weight and—”
    “You stopped being close to me because I lost weight?”
    “Jesus! No. Of course not. You’re the one who pulled away.” She cuts her eyes to the floor and bites her lip. “At least that’s how it felt to me, but I might have been uncomfortable with all the changes you were making. It just didn’t seem healthy, ya know?”
    “Getting healthy didn’t seem healthy?”
    She throws up her hands. “See? You’re so defensive about it! We could never talk, and when we did, all you cared about was Max and running, and I didn’t even recognize you anymore.”
    My eyes fill with tears. “I thought you of all people would be happy for me when I finally got some goodness in my life.”
    “Is it good, Hanna? Are you so sure?” She stares at me for a long time, that little wrinkle appearing between her blond brows.
    The bell over the front door rings, ending our staring contest.
    When we go out front, we find Mom and Granny behind the front counter, preparing themselves cups of coffee, Mom a flurry of anxious gestures in her pink business suit and Granny serene in her wrinkled cotton hippie skirt.
    “Your first day out of the hospital and you’re already back at work,” Mom lectures.
    “I’m fine,” I assure her.
    “You’re not fine. You’ve had a bad fall and you need to recover.”
    “The doctor said I could get back to my normal routine. She said it might even be good for me.”
    Mom grins. “And you know what else will be good