Attempting Elizabeth Read Online Free PDF

reach.
     
    ~
     
    Why I’d let myself be dragged out for appetizers and drinks after the hiking excursion, I will never know. I was hot, sticky, in pain, and generally the worse for wear. I hadn’t been aware that going to McKinney’s Pub after was part of the deal, and Charlie would have had to drive back to the apartment to drop me off. I guess I didn’t want to come off as that much of a spoilsport. Plus, McKinney’s has these potato skins that are like a party in your mouth.
    By the time said potato skins were deposited on our table, I was salivating. The sandwiches we’d eaten earlier had been good, but I’d worked up quite an appetite walking down the mountain. Stuffing my mouth full of potato, bacon, and cheesy goodness also meant I didn’t have to participate as much in the conversation.
    Which was probably good because whenever I opened my mouth around Mark, really stupid things seemed to pop out of their own accord.
    “Hey, did that slacker Erickson pay you for saving his butt last night?” Rick asked Mark. He turned to Charlie, who hadn’t been at the party last night. “Dude, the bartender Scott hired didn’t show up, but Barnes just jumped back there and ran the bar all night.”
    Charlie looked at Mark in appreciation. “I didn’t know you were a bartender.”
    “Yeah. Earned some extra money when I was in uni that way. Been a while, but like riding a bike, I guess.” Mark shrugged his broad shoulders. Had I mentioned his shoulders? I almost forgot to swallow the bite of potato skin in my mouth as I tried not to stare.
    “That’s awesome, I hope you at least made good tips.”
    Charlie had no idea. Good tips didn’t even begin to cover it.
    I blinked and tried to refocus my eyes somewhere other than Mark's shoulders.
    “So, what do you do, if not bartend for a living, Mark? You’re pretty good at it; my drink was amazing.”
    I could have kicked Tori, except she was sitting down the table from me. My legs are long, but not quite that long. Flirting with Mark right in front of Charlie was low. Although she was probably doing it more to get a rise out of me than out of Charlie, judging by the sly glances she was sending me.
    “I teach history.”
    “Oh really?” Tori shot me another glance. I was too preoccupied with trying to look like I wasn’t choking on a piece of potato to respond. I’d been mid-swallow when Mark had announced that he was a teacher. Hottie Bartender Guy was now Hottie Teacher Guy. Talk about jumping to conclusions about someone I’d never met. My eyes started to water, but I was still trying to act like nothing was wrong.
    "Mark teaches at Whittier Prep,” Charlie told Tori.
    I was really choking now. The potato had made its way down but I still couldn’t get any air. My face was probably turning bright purple. I reached for my drink, hoping that taking a sip would help.
    Rick, who was, unfortunately, sitting right next to me, finally noticed my distress as I started coughing. “Kelsey, are you okay?” He reached over and thunked me on the back, causing me to gasp and splutter and spill daiquiri all over my shirt.
    What was wrong with him? He obviously was not up on his CPR certification if he thought smacking a choking victim on the back was the way to go. Although, by that point I wasn’t choking on anything but my own embarrassment, and the thought of Rick giving me the Heimlech actually made me break out in a cold sweat.
    “Yes, thank you. I’m fine,” I finally managed after taking a swig of my drink. I set it back down and grabbed my napkin, trying to sop up some of the liquid from the front of my shirt. Great, now in addition to smelling like sweat, I was going to smell like alcohol. That combo was sure to get more pleasant with time.
    “Wow, that’s cool. How long have you been teaching there?” Tori continued as if my little incident hadn’t happened. Mark turned back to her, and I was grateful to her for reclaiming his attention.
    “Coming up