Read Online The Ex Trials (Falling for Autumn #3) by Heather Topham Wood - Free Book Online Page B

more.
    On the other hand, Delia was a wild card. For a long time, she'd remained loyal to her father and believed his twisted tale of a teen seductress who'd cried rape. Although she had little to no contact with her dad in the past year, I hoped she wouldn’t switch alliances after hearing his side of the story.
    I nodded my head. “No matter what happens, Autumn will be fine. She’s handled everything life has thrown at her with more grace than I could ever have.”
    I could take lessons from Autumn. She was poised, kind and gracious, even to people who didn’t deserve it. Her big heart was probably her biggest flaw. She had even mentioned inviting Blake’s mother to the wedding, which was completely bananas in my mind. His mom had hated Autumn for years, blamed her for tearing apart Blake’s family. But once his mother realized Blake and Autumn were a packaged deal, she’d been contrite and eager to please. She loved Blake too much to risk losing him for good. Autumn seemed open to giving his mother a second chance. My opinion differed vastly. In my mind, once a psycho bitch, always a psycho bitch.
    “Drama, drama, drama,” I said through clenched teeth as we both turned to walk back to our beach chairs. “I thought we could get some perks once our best friend got engaged to a pro football player. Instead we have to play sentinel against the media and deal with his dick friends.”
    “Speaking of, what’s up with you and Justin? I saw your face when Delia said he was meeting us in Barbados. Your skin turned green and you looked like you just sucked a lemon,” Lexi said, slowing her pace down.
    I felt a flush in my cheeks. “He rubs me the wrong way, that’s all. I met him at that gala thing in Baltimore we went to with Autumn. The last time I saw him was months ago when Blake and his teammates were staying in Atlantic City.”
    Lexi stopped in her tracks and stared at me. She blinked at me as I shifted from side to side. Her mouth suddenly made a surprised “o” shape as if she had finally solved a mental puzzle. “You mean the Atlantic City trip where we got back and you broke things off with Cole?”
    “Justin is not the reason Cole and I aren’t together,” I said through gritted teeth. “I told you why we ended things.”
    “Casey, you’re one of my best friends and I can tell when you’re lying. You get all twitchy and quiet. And you’re the kind of person that never shuts up. Did you and Justin…?”
    I coughed and looked down at the sand. Couldn’t Lexi sense I was trying not to reflect on my brief but traumatic time with Justin? Bad enough, I would have to see him in a few days. Did she have to force me to conjure up his infuriatingly perfect face? Justin had it all: killer body, perfect coiffed blond hair, dazzling green eyes. He could have anyone. But to my great misfortune, he had decided he wanted me.
    “Fine,” I hissed at her. “Justin and I had sex in Atlantic City and that’s the reason Cole and I broke up. Can you leave it alone now?” My defensiveness was automatic. Admitting my sins out loud didn’t make me feel better. It only dredged up the awful feelings tied to that night.
    Lexi’s brown eyes appeared wounded. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “Because I know I fucked up something great, Lexi. And I didn’t want to hear about what a terrible person I am for cheating on the one guy I thought was my soulmate,” I said with tears in my voice. I swiped at my eyes angrily.
    “Casey, I’m not your priest. I’m your friend. I would want to help you through your breakup. This whole time you never gave me a hint that you felt so strongly about Cole,” she said.
    “Yes, well I’m more of an enigma than everyone thinks,” I said sarcastically, steadfastly maintaining my guard.
    Lexi frowned at me. “So, what went down with you and Justin?”
    I shook my head vehemently. “I don’t want to get into it right now.” Lexi opened up her mouth to argue, but I placed a