Toxic Secrets by Jill Patten Read Free Book Online Page B

inside. C’mon, let’s head back in before they start thinking we had to take a shit.” Kendra stood up stretching her hand out to me. I took it, letting her pull me up off the swing.
    “Oh, yeah, I forgot I told Jaxon I needed a potty break,” I snorted.
    Kendra stopped before opening the door and smiled at me. “I have an idea. We should have a toast to your first real night as a single lady. I know you’ve been single for a month, but this is your first date with another guy to do whatever the hell you want.”
    Her excitement made me laugh. I think she was happier about me being single than I was. We walked back into the house, entering a whole different atmosphere compared to the serenity we left outside. It felt as if a hundred more people had shown up, draining every keg available. Kendra hooked a finger into my belt loop, trying to keep up with me as I guided us through the massive swarm of drunks. I threw my arm in the air, giving a little fist pump to the beat as we got closer to everyone dancing. I felt more relaxed and was ready to throw my insecurities out for the night.
    “Hey,” Reed said, drawing the word out like a true southerner. “Look who finally decided to join us. Did everything come out all right?” He let out a bellowing laugh.
    Kendra smacked him in the arm, and called him an asshole. She reached up, grabbing his head and putting her mouth to his ear. I assumed she was giving him an edited version of our previous conversation. Reed started shaking his head, eyes roaming from me to Jaxon, and then started to nod his head in agreement to something Kendra was saying.
    I shot a quick glance at Jaxon and quickly looked away when I saw he was staring at me. I considered glaring back at him, but he seemed comfortable enough in his skin to not let my stares intimidate him. Someone like him would probably see it as a challenge.
    Feeling slightly uncomfortable, I walked over to Kendra and Reed, nudging them. “Hey, you two lovebirds. Are we going to dance or stand here and talk all night,” I said, repeating Jaxon’s words earlier.
    “Oh, we’re dancing, then celebrating later,” she said giving me a wink. More than likely, she was planning on getting a little tipsy tonight.
    Saddling up close to me, she spoke lightly in my ear. “As for your earlier qualms about Jaxon, he’s not that type of guy. He’s not looking to score tonight. Maybe a kiss, but nothing more than that,” she laughed at my blank face and sauntered back over to Reed.

Chapter 6 ~ A Toast to New Beginnings
    We danced a while longer before Kendra decided she needed a drink. Reed, Jaxon, and I headed out to the patio for a breath of fresh, cool air while Kendra made a detour into the kitchen. Moments later, she breezed through the door with a bottle of tequila tucked under her arm and four shot glasses threaded between her fingers. She wasn’t fooling around when she said we were celebrating and making a toast to me. I’d never taken a sip of liquor before, so, with my beginner level of throwing back shots, I knew things were going to turn interesting pretty fast. Taking charge of my festivities, she grabbed a salt shaker and placed several slices of lime on a party plate decorated with Christmas trees.
    Filling up each shot glass, she placed one in front of each of us.
    “Okay, I want everyone to lick their hand so I can sprinkle the salt on.”
    Snickering, Reed cut his eyes over at her dubiously. “I think we know how to do this, Kendra.”
    “Well, Courtney doesn’t, so kiss my ass,” she huffed, then blew him a kiss.
    We all licked our hands, and, as much as I wanted to look at Jaxon, I kept my eyes on Kendra as she sprinkled the salt.
    Kendra held up her finger. “Now, before we throw back our shots, I want each of us to give Courtney a toast to her new single life, and everybody has to say something. I’ll go first,” she ordered. “To my best friend, Courtney. May she live her life for herself, do all