Summer Fling: Compass Girls, Book 3 Read Free Page A

their peace to the cold headstones, they’d meet up once more at the entrance. When she still lived at home, he’d walk her back to her parents’ place. Now that she lived on Compass Ranch, he’d escort her to her motorcycle, where they’d say goodnight and head home on their own.
    Jade wished he’d find someone who could make him happy. He wasn’t a bad-looking guy, with his dark hair and eyes. His tan skin reflected a life lived mostly outside. He constantly sported a five o’clock shadow and the crinkles around his eyes betrayed his penchant for laughter. Plus he’d definitely treat a woman right. He’d been raised a country gentleman, never failing to open doors, pull out chairs and tip his hat for women. She had offered to set him up with a couple of her friends—even her cousin Sterling—but Liam had just laughed and informed her he was perfectly capable of finding his own dates.
    Over the years, Liam had become one of her best friends. Even though she had still been in high school when they’d met, he’d never acted like she was an annoyance or in the way, though she knew she got on his nerves more often than not. She laughed way too loud, cussed too much and didn’t have a problem sharing her opinions on most matters.
    A scuffle near the bar caught her attention. Jade turned just in time to catch Roscoe Hutchins rearing back to throw a punch at Bucky Dorsey.  
    “Jesus. Same shit, different day,” she muttered as she walked around the bar and shoved her way through the crowd forming around them.
    Rhonda Barker was standing between the two men, who were arguing with more bluster than muscle.  
    Jade struggled not to roll her eyes. “Break it up, guys. If Bruce comes in here and sees you starting this shit again, he’ll ban you for life, Roscoe.”
    Roscoe pointed an angry finger in Bucky’s face. “I’m not leaving here until I’ve taught this little shithead to keep his hands off my girlfriend.”
    Bucky laughed. “Your girlfriend came on to me. Maybe you need a few lessons in fucking, Coe.”
    Roscoe lunged forward again, but this time Jade and Rhonda were both there to push him back. Not that Jade sensed he was trying too hard to get to Bucky. His actions were clearly more for show.  
    What a joke. Jade had been walking the razor’s edge of an explosion for weeks, looking for an outlet. Looked like she’d just found it.
    “Enough!” Jade yelled. “Goddammit, you people are annoying. Roscoe, at some point in your miserable life, you’re going to have to figure out that Rhonda is a slut.”
    Rhonda, who had been holding Roscoe back, dropped her hands and turned toward Jade, fury written on her face. “Hey! Who are you calling a slut?”
    “Oh, I’m sorry, Rhonda. Does that word not work for you? What would you call a woman who sleeps around? Whore? Tramp?”
    Roscoe, shocked by the catfight erupting in front of him, stopped trying to get to Bucky. “Damn, Jade. Take it easy. It was just a little misunderstanding.”
    Jade poked her finger into Roscoe’s chest. “No. It wasn’t. The two of you start this crap up every freaking weekend with a different guy. Rhonda cheats on you, you pick a fight with the loser of the week and—”
    “Hey,” Bucky interjected. “I’m not a loser.”
    Jade flipped her hands as if waving away a fly. “Go away, Bucky. You haven’t changed a bit since high school. You’re still thinking with the same head. It’s a shame it’s not the one with a brain in it.”
    “Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?” Bucky turned around and walked back to his usual spot at the bar.
    “Listen, Jade,” Roscoe started, “I think maybe you should just—”
    She raised her finger to cut him off. “Shut up. Where was I? Oh yeah, and after you pretend like you’re going to kick someone’s ass, you get booted out of the bar. I don’t know…maybe this is how you and Rhonda get off, but I’m sick and tired of the game. If you want to get pissed at