Love's Learning Curve by Felicia Lynn Read Free Book Online

like them.  In the days following George spilling the secret, I began spending a lot of time with the Taylor family even outside of the restaurant, and in the weeks, months, and years since that time, we’re still extremely close.  They’re family for sure.
    Dinner.
    I’m starved.  I can’t go to George’s, and now that I’ve seen the ransacked house, and I’m sure every bathroom in the house looks similar, I won’t be getting the relaxing bath either.  Guess I’ll shower and head out.
    Deciding it will be fun to explore The Avenues outdoor shopping mall for the evening, I dress with casual cuteness in skinny jeans and a cute spring top that I picked up at Nordstrom last week.  I slip on my ballet flats and reach for my keys on the desk seeing a note from Ashley.  I grab the note, my wallet and keys, and race out of the house to my car still in a pretty good mood.  Before putting my car into reverse, I take a second to read the note.
     
    Hey Charlotte,
    I know you said you wouldn’t come tonight. Fine. Just wanted you to know you’d be missed. More importantly, though, I think you’re missing out. You know I think you’re amazing, but seriously, it’s really time to stop hiding behind those castle walls and live a life you can enjoy.
     
    Just wanted you to know where the party would be if you changed your mind.
    The address is 456 Uni - Greek Dr.
     
    I know this is a long shot, but it’s worth a try. It’s hard to watch you always give so much and never reward yourself with any enjoyment.
     
    -xoxo
    Ashley
     
    Wow.  I have no words.  She’s not wrong, but she’s soooooo wrong.  I toss the note aside with a sigh, not sure if I’m mad at Ashley or grateful she cares enough to see all that and actually want to help.
    I drive off campus toward The Avenues with plans to reward myself with Chipotle and Barnes and Noble.
     

 
    Walking through the rows of books in the store, I find it’s hard for me to feel lonely.  It’s hard to feel like I’m missing out.  The deserted aisles tell a different story, though.   I guess the majority of the town’s population has something to do on a Friday night other than hang out in a bookstore browsing the shelves.  I sit cross-legged on the floor of the romance aisle against a set of shelves and begin flipping the pages of the books I’ve collected in the basket next to me.  With a stack of no less than ten books that I feel I must make time to read as soon as possible, finding very few that haven’t captured my attention is no surprise really.  I love books.  I love words on pages and living in the stories I read imagining myself as the heroine being rescued and loved by the hero.  It’s unrealistic in real life for me, so I crave the happy endings that I find between these covers.
    I think about my life in comparison to the imaginary characters that feel so real they become friends.  Will I always be alone?  It seems even the people in the black and white struggle through the tough to get the happily ever after.  I want so desperately to have a normal life and a family someday, but I’m not sure it’s realistic given what I’m up against with my family.  How is normalcy even a possibility?  My mother would never plan for my happily ever after unless, of course, it was staged and benefitted the cause.  I’d have to fight to the death like a gladiator to win the right to decide my own fate.  I’m not sure I’m willing to take her on in a fight.  She doesn’t fight fair, and I have no allies to fight at my side.
    I shiver.  The thought of a battle of the wills with Sandra Jacqueline Parker would be ruthless.  No way would she lose, even if it meant my happiness.
    Feeling disgusted with myself for allowing her to maintain control over me is insane, but it’s easier this way.  I’m twenty-one years old, though.  At what point will I stop allowing it and decide that I need to take the reins of my own life and do what’s best for