Read Online Learn to Fly by Heidi Hutchinson - Free Book Online Page A

Lenny's dark blue eyes connected briefly
with his and he gave her a small smile.
    “ You
writing the next Great American Novel?” He kept it light,
still trying to get a good bead on her.
    “ Hardly.”
She tucked a stay hair that had come out of her braid behind her
ear.
    She stood up and
stretched her arms over her head. “These long hours on the bus
sure do get my muscles all bunched up.”
    “ Yeah,
you seem like you're pretty active. The drive must about make you
crazy.” Mike gauged her reaction to a personal assumption
about herself. If it bothered her she didn't show it.
    Getting to know the
'real' Lenny was Mike's new hobby. She was an expert at deflection
and ambiguity. It didn't upset Mike or bring him any cause for
worry. To him, it was a new way to pass the time on the long drives.
    “ It's
not so bad.” Lenny answered with a sigh. “Besides, it's
not every day I get the opportunity to travel with one of the world's
greatest bands.”
    And there it was,
deflecting his personal inquiry into a compliment about the band. It
was her MO. If a question required a personal answer, she would
stroke the ego of the inquisitor. It was like a weird game of chess,
with words and presumptions being the moving pieces. Mike loved it.
    “ Carl
said you go running during sound check everyday,” Luke joined
them from the back lounge. He'd been noticeably absent, Mike
thought. Usually wherever Lenny was, Luke was hanging around nearby.
But he'd kept his distance most of the day, which Mike didn't
understand. He clearly liked the girl.
    “ Yeah,
it's a habit I picked up a few years ago.” Lenny averted her
eyes and sat back down.
    “ I
usually run in the mornings when we park. You should join me
sometime.” Luke's lead singer confidence was back to oozy
goodness.
    Lenny's eyes flashed
to Luke's for a second and Mike was certain she almost blushed.
These two were so attracted to one another, and continued to fail at
pretending as if they weren't, that it was almost comical to witness.
    “ Unless
you think you wouldn't be able to keep up.” Luke playfully
provoked when Lenny didn't answer right away.
    “ That's
the least of my worries.” Lenny gave him a sideways smile. “I
like to run alone, helps me think.”
    “ I
promise not to talk,” Luke pressed, “You won't even
notice I'm there.” Mike was beginning to wonder if they noticed he was even there.
    If
Mike's attempts at divulging Lenny's carefully concealed inner-self
was like chess, then whatever it was that Lenny and Luke did was like
fencing. Fluid. Graceful. Advance.
Passata-soto .
    “ Then
why do you want me there? Do you need a bodyguard?” Lenny's
tone turned playful. Opposition
Parry .
    Luke
guffawed, “Maybe. Sometimes I get scared.” He winked at
Mike. “There could be bears out there.” Forward
Recovery.
    “ Oh
yeah,” Mike verified, “Luke picks up wild animals like
nobody's business.” He wasn't sure if he was helping or even
what he was helping with; Luke still hadn't made any declarations to
him about his intentions with Lenny.
    Lenny let out a
small laugh and she pulled her legs up under herself in the chair,
slipping off her shoes.
    “ I
guess it wouldn't hurt.” She gave Luke a serious scowl. “But
I run with a purpose, it's not a fashion show for me. I plan on
looking ugly and unkempt.”
    “ Good,
better to scare away the bears.” Flick.

    ***

    Lenny wasn't sure
when she had drifted off. She remembered talking with Mike and Luke
about the new song they had been trying out the past couple of shows.
Then they had lunch. Sandwiches.
    Mike decided to get
Lenny involved in his favorite soap opera. He had waved her over to
the couch so she could have a better view of the show and she settled
in between the two men.
    The
next thing she knew, she was laying in the middle of a field under a
perfect bluebird sky. She hadn't seen a sky this crystal clear in so
long. The wildflowers surrounding her smelled clean and