Read Online Angel in Disguise by Patt Marr - Free Book Online Page B

probably looked goofy. “Anything I can do to help?”
    She released her seat belt and scooched over beside him. “Just drive carefully. I’m going beltless.”
    The way she crowded beside him and put her head on his shoulder was enough to make a man hit the brakes and really drag out the trip.
    “Nice move, Coach. You’ve done this before.”
    She giggled. “Nuh-uh. It just seems to come naturally.”
    He lifted his arm, tucked it around her and drove with one hand. Should they get ticketed for the belt infraction, he wouldn’t care if they doubled the fine. He felt like a young dude, riding the strip on a Friday night with the prettiest girl in town.
    “Are Meggy and the crew still behind us?” she asked.

    “We lost Meggy when we turned off the freeway, but I’m sure she’ll show up.”
    Since she’d been about three, his sister could track him down better than a dog could find his way back home. Her radar never failed, no matter what he did to throw her off the scent. It was sheer luck she hadn’t discovered his present hideout.
    He parked the truck, and Sunny asked, “How do you want to divide up the gear?”
    Divide up the gear? He hadn’t looked through the equipment Dream Date sent. Lisa had always nagged him about stuff like that. He didn’t mind flying by the seat of his pants, but women weren’t happy unless they were a tad overorganized.
    “Why don’t we just carry our own?”
    “But if any real hikers watch the show, they wouldn’t expect us to go off with packs bigger than an overnight requires. Neither would they expect us to carry duplicate gear. You know how it is. At the end of the day, four extra pounds feels like forty.”
    “Okay, we’ll just use one pack, and I’ll carry it.”
    She looked incredulous. “Nobody does that! Women carry their share of the load, Pete.”
    Man, hiking protocol was as big a deal as golf etiquette.
    “However, they would expect us to share a tent. Do you want to use yours or mine? Mine will sleep two. It’s pretty small, but long enough for tall people like us to stretch out in.”
    “Why not pack real light and forget the tent? There’s always the Starlight Hotel.”
    “Cute, Pete. I don’t know where you hike, but on Big Bear the weather’s so changeable you neverknow what to expect. The last time I was here it rained during the night. The time before, it snowed.”
    He was definitely in over his head. From now on, he’d keep his mouth shut and go along with anything she suggested.
    “Just kidding,” he said, trying to sound as if he were.
    “Your stove or mine?” Sunny asked, digging into her gear.
    He didn’t know if he even had a stove. “If you’re particular enough to want to use your own equipment rather than the stuff Dream Date sent, I think you should decide what we take.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Absolutely.” Talk about an inspiration. “You are hereby appointed captain of the Keegan-Maguire Exploration Team.”
    “I accept.” She laughed, as if at some private joke.
    “What now?” He loved the sassy look in those butternut eyes.
    “I was just thinking how much fun you would have had with Cheryl. She sure wanted to ‘explore’ with you.”
    “Explore the mall—that was her speed.”
    “She said she’d give you her phone number. Did she?”
    She had, and he’d tossed it. “Nah, the fireman got it,” he fibbed.
    “Firefighter,” she corrected.
    He’d give her that one.
    While they’d talked, he noticed she’d been splittingthe weight fifty-fifty. No way would he let her carry all that, not even for a little while. She was probably stronger than she looked, but her strength couldn’t compare to his. He switched a couple of heavier-looking pieces from her stack to his.
    “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked in mock outrage, trying to snatch a hatchet out of his hand.
    “Just trying to balance things like they ought to be.”
    “Women aren’t weak, Pete. They carry their share of the