Labor of Love Read Free Page A

combine guys and good works. I mean, think about it. Wouldn’t it be the sweetest revenge, to post pictures of you with a hottie on my MySpace page? Drew would know you were totally over him.”
    â€œI don’t care what he knows.” Okay, a part of me still did. Yes, he was a jerk; yes, he’d broken my heart. But for a while he’d been everything. He was the one who sat with me in the hospital waiting room when my grandma was sick—even though my parents were there. He was the first one I called when I passed my driver’s test. He was the one who got up at five in the morning to be first in line at the electronics store when their weekly shipment came in so he could give me a Wii for my birthday—because I wanted one so badly. Unfortunately I couldn’t play it now without thinking of him, so I’d stopped using it. Drew and I did so much together, he was a part of so many things thatthe memories formed a web, connecting everything and making me feel trapped.
    â€œI’m not hooking up with anyone. That’s final,” I said.
    Jenna shrugged. “Fine. Don’t. But I plan to.” Having finished her carrot cake, she reached into the box and took out a praline. “I mean, I’ve never even had a date.”
    â€œThe guys at school are so stupid,” Amber said.
    Jenna smiled. “I guess.”
    â€œI think you both should get boyfriends while we’re here,” Amber said.
    How many times did I have to say no?
    â€œIf we did, you’d be hanging out alone,” I felt compelled to point out.
    â€œDon’t worry about me,” Amber said. “I’ll always find someone to hang with. As my dad says, I’ve never met a stranger.”
    â€œI’ve got a crazy idea.” Jenna leaned forward, her blue eyes twinkling. “We should go to a voodoo shop and have a hex put on Drew and get a love potion for me.”
    â€œNo thanks. I’m still freaked out about thepsychic reading,” Amber said. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for voodoo rituals.”
    The bakery door opened and three guys wearing sunglasses sauntered in. They looked a little older than us. College guys, probably. It looked like they hadn’t shaved in a couple of days. Scruffy—but in a sexy kind of way.
    They were wearing cargo shorts, Birkenstocks, and wrinkled T-shirts. They grinned at us as they walked by our table. The one in the middle had a really, really nice smile.
    He was also wearing a red cap.
    A red cap with a Kansas City Chiefs logo on it.

Chapter 2
    â€œO hmigod, that’s your guy!” Jenna whispered excitedly.
    It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t be.
    I was trying not to hyperventilate, trying not to lose it. There were probably a hundred guys in the city wearing that hat. Maybe a Kansas City Chiefs’ fanatics convention was going on. Or a preseason game. Was it time for preseason games yet?
    I shook my head fast. “No, he’s not.”
    Amber leaned across the table and said in a low voice, “Is anyone else totally freaking out here?”
    â€œDon’t you think he’s her guy?” Jenna asked.
    â€œWell, yeah! Absolutely.”
    â€œIt’s just coincidence.” I sounded breathless. My heart was pounding hard.
    â€œI’d buy into that if he was wearing a Saints hat. But Kansas City? Why would he be wearing that?” Jenna asked.
    â€œMaybe he’s from Kansas City.”
    â€œBut what are the odds—”
    â€œLook, people visit here from all over. Saraphina probably saw him at some point, and he stayed on her mind and when she was tapping into things, she tapped into her own memory, not my future.”
    That was the logical explanation, and I liked logical.
    â€œHe’d sure stay on my mind,” Amber said. “He’s totally hot.”
    Her brown eyes widened. “Oh gosh, don’t tell Chad I noticed another guy. He would so not