The Valentine's Arrangement by Kelsie Leverich Read Free Book Online Page A

for drowning herself in a bottle of self-pity, preferably in the form of Patron.
    Ronnie slammed back a shot then picked up her beer and found Jordan who was perched on a bar stool. “Where’s Cameron?” she asked, taking a seat next to her at the table that ran along the perimeter of the dance floor
    “He just went to get us some drinks, he’s grabbing you a beer too,” she said, eyeing the one in Ronnie’s hand.
    “Good.” Ronnie tipped back the bottle and finished its contents in a few long swigs. She set the now empty bottle down, “I need another one.” She smiled at Jordan who just shook her head.
    “It’s gonna be one of those nights, huh?”
    “When isn’t it one of those nights?”
    Jordan laughed. “Touché.”
    Cameron came back with three beers in hand and passed them to the girls. Ronnie took a drink then stood up, the blood rushing through her veins numbed her body slightly and she grinned at the sensation.
    “What are you doing?” Jordan giggled as Cameron nuzzled her neck.
    “I’m going to dance,” Ronnie said, then she sashayed onto the dance floor.
    The music was a mixture of pop techno remixes and rap. She didn’t care what they were playing as long as the music didn’t stop. Getting lost in music held second to Ronnie getting lost in her art; it took her somewhere where she didn’t have to think about anything. Add liquor to the equation and she was good to go.
    Her body moved to the beat and she let her mind slip away. She released all the conflicting thoughts she had about Kale and what she let him do to her in the design room, and all thoughts about letting him do it again. She just moved. It was cathartic.
    After a few songs, her hair started clinging to the base of her neck and the arches of her feet started to scream, but she didn’t give a damn.
    “Well hello,” Jordan said, slipping in next to Ronnie.
    Ronnie spun around to face Jordan. “Hello yourself.”
    She tried hard to hold in the laugh that was busting at the seams when she saw a not horribly looking, but scrawny, guy attempting to dance behind Jordan. He kept inching closer and just before he grabbed a hold of Jordan’s waist to dance with her, Ronnie grabbed her hand and pulled her away.
    “Do you see a ‘take one’ sign plastered on her ass? I didn’t think so. Ask a woman to dance before you just put your damn hands on her. And no, she doesn’t want to fucking dance with you.” The words whipped out of Ronnie’s mouth leaving the young guy blood red in the face as he turned and hurried off the dance floor.
    Jordan rolled with laughter. “See, this is why Cameron never cares if I go out with you. Hell, I think guys are more afraid of you than they would be of him anyway.”
    “Fucking soldiers,” she barked.
    “How do you know he was a soldier?”
    “He had an infantry tattoo on his forearm.”
    “Leave it to you to pick out tattoos.”
    Ronnie just smiled.
    After brushing off a few more douche bags that tried to dance with her and Jordan, she grabbed Jordy by the hand and stomped off the dance floor.
    “Can’t these guys get a fucking clue and leave us the fuck alone? For fuck’s sake.” She plopped down on the bar stool next to Cameron where he sat holding down the fort.
    He laughed and pulled Jordan onto his lap. “Can you say fuck anymore in one sentence?”
    “Yes, I fucking can,” Ronnie spat before taking a drink of her now warm beer. “I’m going to get another drink, want anything?”
    “Nope, I’m good,” Jordan said, grabbing Cameron’s hand and pulling him up from his seat and onto the dance floor.
    Ronnie laughed aloud at her friend. Jordy was basically having sex with Cameron right then and there on the dance floor. She really did love that girl.
    Ronnie squeezed her way to the bar sending a few ‘go to hell’ looks at some drooling guys as she passed them. Luckily, a heavyset red head stood up from her bar stool at the same time Ronnie reached the bar.
    “Can I snag