Kiss a Frog (The Book Club Series 1) Read Free Page A

just short of the ghetto in a cheap apartment owned by a grumpy old woman who chain smoked and shot at cats with a BB gun. Running out of the building, she unlocked her 1986 Honda and opened the door. It squealed in protest, and she shoved it open anyway.
    Slipping in behind the wheel, she shut the door and stuck her key in the ignition. The car spluttered slightly, then roared to life, and she pulled out into traffic. If the Gods smiled down upon her, she’d have time to actually stop and get a muffin and coffee before work. What was that sound? Oh, it was just my pants seams screaming for mercy...
    She skirted the coffee shop she’d had her mishap at the night before and settled for the crappy coffee place in the mall near her work. They never quite got the coffee strength just right, but it would do in a pinch. Hell, any addict will tell you that even if it’s not good, as long as you get some it’s better than nothing.
    Parking her car, she got out and rushed into the mall, with barely ten minutes to spare before her shift started. The line at the coffee shop was mercifully short, and she ordered an iced peppermint Frappuccino and a blueberry muffin. Sitting on one of the tiny chairs in the food court, she eyeballed her phone and watched the minutes tick down as she inhaled the muffin.
    Wiping as many crumbs off her sweater as she could, she downed her coffee, and hauled ass for her job. She kept her head down as she almost ran through the store and punched her time card with one minute to spare. Score!
    Pulling on her ugly smock, she pasted a smile on her face and went to work. Eight hours of answering customer questions, endlessly folding mussed up tops, and pretending that she didn’t want to strangle the life out of everyone was exhausting. I’m pretty sure the only reason no one has died today is because I don’t want to go to prison.
    Finally, at the end of the night she helped her co-worker, Olivia, close up shop. They were acquaintances, maybe even friends, but they’d never really hung out together much.
    “Been a long day.” Olivia sighed, taking the money out of the register and sliding it into their black zippered bag.
    “Ugh, I swear sometimes customers get dumber and dumber as the days pass,” Lily responded, counting out her own till.
    “And just think, we get to do it tomorrow.” Olivia chuckled softly.
    “I think I’m being punished for a past life or something,” Lily groaned. “Or maybe for my stupidity.”
    “Mmm,” Olivia murmured. She knew the story of Kory, but had never really said what her opinion was on the matter.
    Lily double checked the shelves and made sure the morning shift would be good to go. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
    “You got it!” Olivia agreed as she stuck the bags into the safe. “I’m beat.”
    She followed the girl out of the store and pulled down the metal bars behind them, locking up the store for the night. As she turned around, a frown crossed her mouth as she realized Olivia was already gone. Not that she had any major plans of like inviting her for coffee or anything, but maybe one day she would, and now she couldn’t do it tonight, even if she’d wanted to.
    Shuffling out of the mall, she stifled a yawn behind her hand and barely paid attention to the parking lot as she meandered to her car in the dusky corner of the parking lot. Jack the Ripper could’ve abducted her, and as long as he provided her with coffee before killing her, she might have gone along with what he wanted. Instead, she made it into the car safely and started it.
    Driving out into the dwindling traffic, she contemplated stopping for another coffee, but knew if she did she’d never, ever sleep. Lily without sleep was hell on earth for humankind, so she didn’t like to burden the already damaged ecosystem with such a natural disaster too often.
    Yawning as she pulled into her parking spot near her apartment, she shut off the car and exited the vehicle before