Read Online A Summer Romance by Tracey Smith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tracey Smith
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before glancing up to see Maggie and Aaron standing
nearby.
Maggie smiled at her, but Lacey’s reaction
was closer to fear. Her eyes opened wide as she came to a sudden
halt. Her gaze rested on Aaron for a brief moment, before her
little girl came skipping up to her side. Lacey protectively pulled
her daughter against her and immediately turned from them hurrying
away without a word. Maggie was dumbfounded by her reaction. She
glanced over to Aaron and saw the sadness in his downcast eyes. The
reality of the situation hit her and angered her all at once.
Whatever Aaron’s past might hold she just couldn’t believe he
deserved that kind of treatment. She reached over and took his
hand.
His gaze flitted to hers and she smiled at
him encouragingly. He returned her smile, but it didn’t reach his
eyes. They walked from the tables hand in hand, and she was aware
of the stares and whispers from the crowd around them. She held her
head high and gripped his hand tighter. The sight of Andi
approaching was like a ray of sunshine in the middle of a storm.
Maggie smiled happily and released Aaron’s hand to hug her
friend.
“I’m so glad you made it!” Andi exclaimed.
“Both of you,” she added, smiling kindly at Aaron. Maggie wanted to
hug her again. “I’m Andi,” she introduced herself, extending her
hand to him. “I don’t think we’ve officially met.”
“Aaron,” He smiled shyly as he shook her
hand.
“Nice to meet you, Aaron,” Andi said
cheerfully. “Hey, I could really use some help hanging this banner.
Would ya’ll mind?”
“Of course not!” Maggie agreed, smiling
first at Aaron and then back at Andi. She wanted so badly for Aaron
to feel the warm acceptance that she’d felt on her last trip to
Sweetwater, and even more so she wanted to show the people of this
town that they’d judged him too harshly.
Andi led them to a make-shift stage set up
in the middle of the park and showed them the large banner that
she’d been attempting to hang above the stage. Without hesitation
Aaron scaled the ladder and busied himself with the task. Maggie
and Andi hovered below handing him tools as needed and chatting
happily about the fireworks show that was to be put on later that
evening.
“Is there anything else I can help with?”
Aaron offered once the chore was done.
“I think that’s it for me,” Andi replied.
“My job is done. The stage is decorated and now I can turn it over
to the band.”
As if on cue a teenage boy popped up and
asked Andi if they could begin setting up their equipment on the
stage.
“It’s all yours,” Andi replied.
“Do you need any help?” Aaron offered.
“Sure! We’ve got a whole truckload of
equipment to set up,” the boy replied gratefully. Aaron seemed
relieved that he could continue to keep himself busy. He glanced to
Maggie and she smiled back at him.
“Don’t worry about me,” she assured him.
“I’m sure I’ve got a ton of gossip to catch up on.” She nudged Andi
and both women giggled. Aaron smiled and happily followed the boy
to his truck.
Maggie and Andi took a walk around the park
arm in arm. The evening air was humid. Maggie took in the scene
before her and absorbed the utter peacefulness of it. Children were
running and playing while their parents stood clustered in groups
that were constantly expanding as new families arrived. People were
greeting each other with hugs and cheerful exclamations. As the
women walked Andi pointed out various people, telling Maggie their
names and random bits of information about them. Maggie listened to
her friend’s chatter but continually looked back towards Aaron,
never quite losing sight of him. She saw him laughing and smiling
with the group of boys as he helped them unload and set up their
equipment. Everything was exactly how she hoped it would be.
“He really does seem like a nice guy.”
Andi’s comment drew Maggie’s attention from Aaron and she realized
she’d been staring.
“Yes he is,”
nearby.
Maggie smiled at her, but Lacey’s reaction
was closer to fear. Her eyes opened wide as she came to a sudden
halt. Her gaze rested on Aaron for a brief moment, before her
little girl came skipping up to her side. Lacey protectively pulled
her daughter against her and immediately turned from them hurrying
away without a word. Maggie was dumbfounded by her reaction. She
glanced over to Aaron and saw the sadness in his downcast eyes. The
reality of the situation hit her and angered her all at once.
Whatever Aaron’s past might hold she just couldn’t believe he
deserved that kind of treatment. She reached over and took his
hand.
His gaze flitted to hers and she smiled at
him encouragingly. He returned her smile, but it didn’t reach his
eyes. They walked from the tables hand in hand, and she was aware
of the stares and whispers from the crowd around them. She held her
head high and gripped his hand tighter. The sight of Andi
approaching was like a ray of sunshine in the middle of a storm.
Maggie smiled happily and released Aaron’s hand to hug her
friend.
“I’m so glad you made it!” Andi exclaimed.
“Both of you,” she added, smiling kindly at Aaron. Maggie wanted to
hug her again. “I’m Andi,” she introduced herself, extending her
hand to him. “I don’t think we’ve officially met.”
“Aaron,” He smiled shyly as he shook her
hand.
“Nice to meet you, Aaron,” Andi said
cheerfully. “Hey, I could really use some help hanging this banner.
Would ya’ll mind?”
“Of course not!” Maggie agreed, smiling
first at Aaron and then back at Andi. She wanted so badly for Aaron
to feel the warm acceptance that she’d felt on her last trip to
Sweetwater, and even more so she wanted to show the people of this
town that they’d judged him too harshly.
Andi led them to a make-shift stage set up
in the middle of the park and showed them the large banner that
she’d been attempting to hang above the stage. Without hesitation
Aaron scaled the ladder and busied himself with the task. Maggie
and Andi hovered below handing him tools as needed and chatting
happily about the fireworks show that was to be put on later that
evening.
“Is there anything else I can help with?”
Aaron offered once the chore was done.
“I think that’s it for me,” Andi replied.
“My job is done. The stage is decorated and now I can turn it over
to the band.”
As if on cue a teenage boy popped up and
asked Andi if they could begin setting up their equipment on the
stage.
“It’s all yours,” Andi replied.
“Do you need any help?” Aaron offered.
“Sure! We’ve got a whole truckload of
equipment to set up,” the boy replied gratefully. Aaron seemed
relieved that he could continue to keep himself busy. He glanced to
Maggie and she smiled back at him.
“Don’t worry about me,” she assured him.
“I’m sure I’ve got a ton of gossip to catch up on.” She nudged Andi
and both women giggled. Aaron smiled and happily followed the boy
to his truck.
Maggie and Andi took a walk around the park
arm in arm. The evening air was humid. Maggie took in the scene
before her and absorbed the utter peacefulness of it. Children were
running and playing while their parents stood clustered in groups
that were constantly expanding as new families arrived. People were
greeting each other with hugs and cheerful exclamations. As the
women walked Andi pointed out various people, telling Maggie their
names and random bits of information about them. Maggie listened to
her friend’s chatter but continually looked back towards Aaron,
never quite losing sight of him. She saw him laughing and smiling
with the group of boys as he helped them unload and set up their
equipment. Everything was exactly how she hoped it would be.
“He really does seem like a nice guy.”
Andi’s comment drew Maggie’s attention from Aaron and she realized
she’d been staring.
“Yes he is,”
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