One Last Shot (Pub Fiction #3) by Gillian Jones Read Free Book Online

Don’t you think I need a brighter set to match my amazeballs personality? This flower theme isn’t doing it for me.”
    “Really? That’s how you’re going to play this? Fine. I have time.” Kat rolls up her sleeves, annoyed, knowing what I’m doing.
    Avoiding.
    “Well?” The cork comes out with a satisfying pop.
    “Paint it. This is boring. Reminds me of that story from lit class, ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’,” she shrugs, “and definitely new curtains. These are like Grandma’s.” She lifts her chin toward the offending floral pattern.
    “You’re right! That’s where I’ve seen them before. They so need to go,” I laugh.
    “So have you? Decided?” she asks again, annoyance lacing her tone now.
    “How do you think I should position the chaise? Do you think it’s better against the kitchen wall or in front of the window?” I point to both locations before pouring Pinot Noir into our glasses.
    “Claire,” Kat deadpans, “I can do this with you all night,” she says, huffy over my shitty tactic, especially when we both know she’s right. Kat Rollins doesn’t give up easily. “Now, one last time. Have you thought about when you’re going to make a point to see Matt?”
    “Nope. And I’m not in a rush, either.” I hand her a glass.
    “You’re annoying. That’s not even a valid response. It’s Matty. You know you can’t ignore him, Claire Bear.”
    “We’re not talking about this. I’ve been here all of five minutes and I don’t want to think about what I’m doing with Matt right now. He has not even crossed my mind.” Liar. “You need to get over this fairytale notion you have of us. It’s not happening. I love you, Kat, but I’m not you. I don’t want the same ever after as you. I love the way my life is. I’m happy. Now, let’s have a drink and finish unpacking this bee-yotch,” I smile, doing my best to believe my own words.
    “Whatever you say, Claire. I call liar. But okay,” she says, eyeing me warily.
    “Thank you. Now a toast.” I place my hand on my chin, contemplating my words, once again ignoring hers. “Got it.” I raise my glass to meet Kat’s. “Here’s to you and here’s to me. The best of friends we’ll ever be. And if we ever disagree…well, fuck you, and here’s to me.” I take a large sip, stifling a giggle.
    “Ha!” Kat belts out. “I’d totally forgotten that one, and I loved that toast. Seems so long ago now.” We both laugh at the memory of when Kat first shared it back in university one drunken night with all of our roommates, catching us by total surprise. None of us ever expected it to fall from her mouth, it was completely out of character for her.
    “Thank you for all your help, Kitty Kat. It’s so nice to be back here like this with you, even if you’re on my case. I’ve missed you.” I place my glass on the countertop before giving her a tight squeeze.
    “Aww, thanks, lady. You too. I’m so happy I’ve got you back.”
    “Soon we’ll be working together, too. I still can’t believe I managed to get hired at your school,” I say, leading us to the living room to tackle the next mountain of boxes.
    “Yes, I’m so excited. It’s going to be perfect. Oh, and just so you know, while we’re still on the subject, Mat—”
    I stop her. “Kat, jeez, we’re not even on that subject. We left it in the kitchen. We boxed it back up.”
    “Well, he knows you’re here,” she says anyway, ignoring me as if she can’t hear me. “You know that, right? You literally dodged that bullet by five minutes earlier tonight. He came in all: ‘Me smell Claire! Where be my Claire?’” she imitates, in her best caveman voice. I die laughing on the outside at her terrible impression, while on the inside I feel my heart shuddering to life at her revelation.
    Maybe he does really want to see me as much as I want to see him?
    I sigh so Kat won’t hear my heart thundering.
    I’m such a hot, hot mess.

Chapter 9
    Claire
    P ulling out my