Read Online The Price of Love (A Price Novel Book 1) by Maggi Craft - Free Book Online Page A

it’s convenient for her.” He laughed.
    I rolled my eyes. “I’d hoped she would have grown up some.”
    “Yeah, well, I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” he said, leading me to the couch.
    “Maybe not.”
    We both sat down, and he looked at me with a silly smile and held up those damned decks of cards. “Why not?” I said and took them from him.
    After four glasses of wine and two hours spent on a stupid card tower, I said, “I guess I better go. I want to beat her home.”
    “Why? Just stay.”
    “And when she asks me where I was, what will I tell her?” I asked, straightening the cards so that they would fit back in their boxes.
    “Here.” He grabbed my hands. “Tell her you were here. Why should she care?”
    “You’re just a little troublemaker,” I said and handed him the cards.
    When I went back to Kenedy’s apartment, she still wasn’t back, so I went to sleep.
    When I heard her banging around, I glanced at the clock. Three o’clock. Assuming she was drunk, I didn’t get up.
    Then I heard her say, “No, let’s go into my room.”
    What?
I sat up right before she and some guy fell onto the bed. “Kenedy!” I shouted.
    “Damn, Arden, you scared me. I forgot you were here.”
    “Obviously,” I said, pulling on some pajama bottoms.
    Grabbing my arm, she pulled me out of the room and shouted back at her friend, “I’ll be right back.” After shutting her door behind us, she whispered, “Hey, will ya sleep on the couch tonight? He’s so hot.” She reeked of alcohol, and I sure as hell wasn’t in the mood to do this. I just threw my hands up. I mean, did I really have a choice here?
    “You’re the best,” she said. She went back in her room, shutting the door. Of course she didn’t bother giving me a pillow or a blanket. Was I dreaming?
She’s really a selfish bitch!
    Part of me thought about going back to Slayde’s, but I decided against it and went to the couch. I’d no sooner fallen asleep then Kenedy and her “friend” decided they were hungry. They turned on the light in the kitchen, and it shined directly into my face. “Kenedy!”
    “Oh, sorry, go get in my bed.”
    Oh, gross!
“Uh, no thanks,” I shouted.
    I grabbed a throw pillow and put it over my face and dozed back off.
    When I got up the next morning, I was alone in the apartment. I took a quick shower and went to go meet Slayde at the park for lunch.
    He was smiling like always when I walked up. “You sleep good?” he asked.
    “Far from it.”
    “Why not?”
    “Let’s just say Kenedy brought home a friend, and I got the boot.” He burst out laughing and I playful slapped his chest. “Really funny.”
    “I’m sorry. I just wish I could have seen that.”
    I leaned away from him. “Oh, really?”
    Still laughing, he shook his head. “No, not that. I mean, your expression when she kicked you out.” After he quit laughing, he looked at me seriously. “I’m sure she feels really bad about her behavior today, though.”
    We both laughed, knowing that was the last thing she was worried about.
    He was right. She never apologized.
    I barely saw her at all that week. I was getting dressed to go meet Slayde for dinner when Kenedy and Holly came in from shopping. I had hoped to be gone before they got back. “We’re going to eat and go to a club — you wanna go?” Kenedy asked me.
    “No, thanks. I’m going to an art gallery with this girl I met. Then she and I are going to eat and hang out at one of her friend’s. I’ll probably just stay there.”
    “Well, that’s a cute outfit to waste on a friend. Are you sure you’re not really going on a date?” She smiled and winked at me.
Shit!
Could she tell I was lying? What if she asked her name? What would I say?
Think, Arden!
    “Thanks.” I tried to get out of there as quickly as possible and without making eye contact with Holly. She knew I was going to meet Slayde, and she had obviously done what she said she would — she stayed out of