Read Online Long Overdue (River Jewel Resort Book 3) by Madison Sevier - Free Book Online Page A

believe this is the first and last time…”
    “ It is. It was. He swears he won’t do it again.” Even as she said the words, Sydney wasn’t sure she believed them. Was she trying to convince Lexi or herself? How could she expect her best friend to believe Roger if she, herself couldn’t?
    “ Sweetie, you know I want you to be happy, but I don’t think you and Roger can fix this.”
    Sydney knew Lexi was trying to help, but she hated how Lexi looked at her. Pity filled her blue eyes as she stared across the table at Sydney and pity was the last thing in the world she wanted. Sydney just needed her life to go back to the way it was. If only miracles happened to people like her.
    “Maybe this is for the best. Did you ever think of that, Syd?”
    “ For the best? My husband cheating on me with his red-headed, pixie of an accountant is for the best? Seriously?” Sydney tried hard to reign in her emotions. Her hands shook and she felt those same ever-present-as-of-late tears threatening to spill as she held onto her white mug engraved with the Java Bean's logo. She scrolled her finger over the elegant, brown script now faded from too many washings and tried her best to avoid Lexi’s knowing stare.
    “ Sydney,” Lexi reached across the table, grabbing her hand, “this could be your chance for a whole new life. There could be amazing opportunities for you if you were willing to go after them. Sitting here at a coffee shop with me isn’t going to fix anything. I wish I could take away all of your pain and heartache, but I can’t. If you aren’t willing to accept what Roger did and move on, you’re going to fall even further into this depression you’re in.  Frankly, I’m worried about you. You aren’t eating or sleeping, I never see an ounce of give-a-damn when I look at you and you’ve become a hermit.  That much is obvious. But it’s more than that.  You’ve lost your shine. I miss the old Sydney.”
    Lexi was right. Sydney hadn ’t been out of her apartment in two weeks until that day. Hell, she didn’t even bother showering for most of that time. Why should she? No one was coming to see her and she had no plans of going anywhere. Who cared? She was content to sit in her fleece pajamas which were adorned with the oh-so-cute, tiny coffee cup appliques and eat Moose Tracks ice cream until the day she died. Why did Lexi expect her to get over this break-up so easily? Sydney’s old life was over. Roger’s philandering had destroyed all of her hopes and dreams in a nano-second. How was she supposed to ‘move on’? Furthermore, what should she ‘move on’ to?
    “ You honestly believe that if I go out and find some random stranger to screw, it will fix everything?”
    Never had she imagined Lexi ’s advice would be to sign up for an online dating service and fornicate with a guy that some person behind a computer screen would randomly pick for her. Sydney didn’t care what kind of reputation for matching people, for finding soul-mates this place had, Sydney was not going to disregard her morals just so she could ‘move on’.  To Sydney, everything about the idea screamed slutty and desperate. Those were two things she never wanted to be.
    “ Roger cheated on you. He is the adulterer. You don’t owe him anything. Besides, you said yourself that he’d been acting like a total stranger lately. Even before you caught him bonking that slut.” Lexi tilted her head and wiggled her eyebrows at her best friend. “Maybe he would see what he’s losing if you were no longer there for his every wish and whim? The man needs a serious awakening. If he truly cares, that is.” Lexi rolled her eyes and sipped her cooled espresso.
    Sydney knew Lexi wouldn ’t take no for an answer. Maybe Lexi was right. Maybe Sydney needed to shake things up. She looked into her friends eyes and said “I’ll think about it.”
    Hunter's Fortune
    River Jewel Resort
    Book 2
    Welcome to the River Jewel Resort—where fantasy