A Summer Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

car had also carried her away from Boston when those
dreams had been shattered. Maggie’s instinct was to hold onto the
car no matter the cost, to hold onto the security that it
represented.
    So for that reason Maggie let the car go.
She decided it was time to step out of her comfort zone. Coming to
Georgia had definitely been completely out of her comfort zone and
so far Maggie felt like it was one of the best choices she’d ever
made. She had already begun to feel like a different person, which
was exactly what she needed.
    Old Betty was the last remnant of her old
life and she was ready to say goodbye. For the first time Maggie
had no plan for the future. It was absolutely terrifying, so she
refused to let herself dwell on it. Instead she was going to live
completely in the moment. One day at a time.
    When Tuesday arrived Maggie realized just
how much she’d been anticipating this day. She tried to deny that
it had anything to do with the Aaron Miles, but even she couldn’t
deny the extra skip in her step as she took her morning coffee to
the balcony. It had been exactly one week since she first saw him,
surely he was due back today.
    She’d woken early and had already showered
and dressed for the day. Her long white dress ruffled in the
morning breeze as she looked out over the peach orchards. She tried
to pretend that she hadn’t dressed up for any particular reason
today, but as she sipped her morning coffee her ears were tuned in
for any sound: a car door, a lawn mower. She was waiting for him
and she knew it.
    When the sound of a lawn mower rang through
the air her heart skipped a beat. She jumped up from the rocker and
leaned over the banister. She told herself it was the boredom and
the solitude that had her acting like a lovesick teenager. Not that
she really knew how a lovesick teenager acted. She’d never been one
of those girls. She’d always had her nose buried in a book.
    She reasoned with herself that it was pure
curiosity causing her to seek him out this way. He couldn’t
possibly be as handsome as she remembered from that first brief
encounter. She just needed to get another look.
    And then he was below her, navigating the
large mower in even rows across the backyard. The sun glinted off
his blonde hair. She could see the muscles in his arms working as
he maneuvered the levers. She leaned her elbows on the banister,
crossed her ankles behind her, and just watched. There was
something very exciting about watching him this way. She felt very
brazen and little wicked. In short, she felt nothing like her
boring old self which was completely exhilarating.
    Once he was gone from her view she made her
way downstairs to the kitchen. As she’d indulged her voyeuristic
inclinations on the balcony she’d hatched a plan. She needed to see
him face to face again. She remembered the way he’d made her feel
last week. It was the first time she’d ever been rendered
speechless by a man. She told herself again that it was scientific
curiosity that pushed her forward. She needed to understand what it
was about him that turned her brain to mush. She’d been surrounded
by men at Harvard but none had affected her this way. Perhaps
that’s why she felt so drawn to him. He was definitely outside her
comfort zone.
    However as she stepped onto the front porch
her bravery vanished and all of her old familiar insecurities came
crashing back. She would have turned around and headed straight
back into the house if he hadn’t been right in front of her pruning
the azalea bushes.
    “Good morning, Ma’am.” He smiled up at her,
casually flashing his charming dimples. Her knees felt a little
weak. It must be the dimples.
    “Please call me Maggie.” She was impressed
with the strength of her voice. Her insides were quivering.
    “Maggie.” The sensuous way her name rolled
off his tongue made her heart beat a little faster. Maybe it was
the southern accent.
    “Would you like some lemonade? It’s awfully
hot out