Chasing Life

Chasing Life The Underdog Series Book 2 Abigail Taylor Copyright © 2022 by Abigail Taylor All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Contents Author’s Note Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Epilogue Also by Abigail Taylor Acknowledgments About the Author Author’s Note Would you like a free copy of the prequel to No One Compares to Her? Click here for your copy of A New Direction! Chapter One “Jess, what’s taking so long? We’re supposed to be at Charley and Shay’s in twenty minutes!” Jazz called from my bedroom while I hopped out of the shower. Shay got a job writing for a show, and one of her storylines was picked for tonight’s episode. She had asked Jazz and me to come over and watch it with them. Even though she moved in with Charley a month after they started dating, I probably saw her more now than I did when we lived together. The good thing about Shay was that she was easygoing, and having lived with me for a little over a year, she knew how unreliable I was when it came to timeliness. Life was temporary, and I couldn’t be bothered with schedules. “I’m going as fast as, but it’s not like it matters. You know they’ve already pre-screened it. This is like a courtesy to us. Since Charley’s your sister and Shay’s my best friend, they want us to feel included, but are we really?” Jazz and I had hit it off like gangbusters when we first met. She was supposed to be one of those three-F people you find, fuck, and forget. But that was before I realized she was Shay’s girlfriend’s sister. Luckily, we never made it past the first F. To be honest, I didn’t think she was someone who could be forgotten anyway, so it worked out for the best that we remained friends. Knowing what I knew, I could never be in a long-term relationship, so I tried not to get involved with anyone I would run into again. I was pretty sure there was a saying that said, “don’t shit in your bedroom” or something like that, and it seemed apt. “They swore they wouldn’t watch it without us, and now we’re going to be…” Jazz stopped mid-sentence when I walked into the room. My wet hair hung over my shoulders as I finished getting dressed. Jazz’s reaction was priceless as she stared at my white shirt with no bra. Even if I couldn’t be with her, I still loved how she looked at me like I was the sexiest person she’d ever seen. To be fair, she liked to flirt with me too, but we sort of had an unspoken agreement to keep things platonic. Although if eye-fucking counted, I was pretty sure that pact was long broken. “You were saying?” I smirked, and she threw a pillow at me. “Why are you wearing that?” She glanced down at her sweatpants and T-shirt like she was embarrassed, but she could put on a paper bag and still look gorgeous. Shay thought Jazz looked like Charley, but they couldn’t be more different. Jazz oozed sensuality, and she didn’t even know it. If someone stared long enough into her golden-brown eyes, I was pretty sure she could compel them to do her bidding. Luckily for the rest of the world, Jazz didn’t realize her magnetic power. Even though it was apparent that Jazz and Charley were related, their looks and personalities were quite different. Yes, they were both kind, but Jazz had an edginess to her, whereas Charley was more wholesome. And Charley had longer blonde hair, while Jazz had a rich chestnut color that grazed her shoulders. It was thick and wavy, and I could imagine what it would be like to get my hands in it. In fact, I had thought about various scenarios involving her and some light hair-pulling. As the warmth traveled through my body, I knew I needed to get my head out of the gutter. “I thought I might go out when we’re done. You wanna come?” Even though we weren’t sleeping together, she was someone I enjoyed being around. I pretended I would be her wingwoman, but if I was honest, I tried to keep people away. Jazz was a catch, and why she continued to hang around when I couldn’t give her a relationship was beyond me, but I wouldn’t shoo her away because I was selfish. “Didn’t you go out last night?” She eyed me skeptically, and I felt a little judged. “I didn’t know there was a limit on fun.” I slid on my shoes and was ready to go. She stood up from the bed and followed me down the hall. “I didn’t realize you would want to go out tonight, too. I’m not exactly dressed for the occasion.” “You could always borrow something from Charley. You’re young. Don’t you want to live life to the fullest?” I hated the thought of someone who was only twenty-five wasting their days staring at four walls. Shay used to do the same thing, and it drove me nuts. Not that it was my business what other people did, but it was a shame to see a young, healthy person while away their best years when they could be making memories. “It’s not that I mind doing something, but I thought tonight would be