Read Online Summertime Dream by Babette James - Free Book Online Page B

of fun.”
    “No emails or phones for two weeks. Pure heaven. What else do you do for fun? Read, write, bike ride, and what else?”
    “I garden. I love flowers.” She wiggled her pretty fingers. “Yes, gloves, to ward off dirt and, more importantly, spiders and other creepy crawlies.”
    He laughed.
    “My phobia so embarrassing. I have no logical reason to be afraid, no trauma from childhood that I can remember. But, ugh.” She shuddered. “They just make my skin crawl and I want to run for the hills.”
    “Everyone’s afraid of something. Well, maybe not my friend, Dave. The man jumps from planes for a living.”
    “Really? Is he a paratrooper?”
    “No, a smoke jumper.”
    “Wow, Joe would enjoy talking with him. I bet they could exchange some good firefighting stories.”
    “Dave has some doozies, that’s for sure.” He finished his beer.
    “So what are you afraid of?” Her grin sparkled with teasing.
    An old sinking sensation, old memories he blocked from acknowledging, let alone voicing. He carefully returned her grin. “Client receipt boxes.”
    Her laughter rang out.
    They talked easily through the delicious meal, their conversation wandering through favorite movies, television shows, places they wanted to visit someday, college, funny events in their lives, and favorite childhood memories.
    Margie stopped midsentence, the sparkle snuffed in her eyes and dismay fleeting over her face. Christopher looked over his shoulder to find a blond, preppy couple approaching their table.
    “Uh, hi, Margie, didn’t expect to see you here.” The man was flushed and his girlfriend was distinctly uncomfortable. Then Christopher caught the rings. Wife.
    Margie smiled sweetly, but for the first time since he’d met her, that smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Hi, Eddie. Jennifer. No, it’s been awhile.”
    Eddie nodded, stroking a hand over his head. “You’re looking good, I mean, we’re glad to see you. We’re here for a few days with the folks, you know. Just finished dinner and wanted to say hello.” His gaze kept sliding away from Margie, in a shifty darting way that raised Christopher’s hackles.
    “How’s life in Dallas?”
    Eddie puffed up, oblivious to Margie’s cool tone and his wife’s discomfort. “Doing very good! I’m up for a promotion and Jennifer’s just got into the public defender’s office.”
    For all the politeness, Christopher had never had a greater urge to tell someone to get lost.
    “Nice to hear you’re both doing well there. I’d like you to meet Christopher Gordon. He’s Reba Falk’s great-grandson.”
    Eddie stuck out a hand like a politician. “Welcome to town. Vince Moore mentioned to Dad that he and Tim Olhouser met you at the picnic. Good luck with the old wreck. Well, we won’t keep you. Promised to help Dad fix his old projector this evening.”
    As the couple hurried off, Margie blew a stressed breath up at her bangs. “Sorry about that. Another hazard of small towns. Ex-high school boyfriends.” She spoke lightly, but the encounter cast a shadow over the remainder of their meal.
    How to fix the situation?
    He set aside his napkin. “I’m not much in the mood for dessert or coffee. Would you like to go for a drive?”
    The pained relief in her lovely eyes confirmed he’d made the right suggestion. He signaled for the check.
    Out in his car, she settled into the seat with a deep sigh. “Silly that some things become so awkward. And the worst of it? From everything I hear Jennifer’s actually an awfully nice person. She’s lovely, too, isn’t she?”
    “I didn’t notice.” He’d been too focused on Margie’s distress to pick out more than the woman was blonde and uncomfortable.
    She giggled and the light returned into her smile.
    He shrugged and grinned. “Which way should we go?”
    “Turn right and then right again at the stop, that’ll take us east. It’s a nice quiet route on a summer evening.
    And nice it was: warm evening air, his