Dare Me Forever Read Online Free PDF Page B

embarrassment. “No really, you have a lot of talent.” I’m
not good with compliments.
    The bell on the door
chimed merrily, announcing the entrance of a few middle-aged women,
who started browsing the still incomplete journal section.
    I smiled over at them.
I was glad to see new customers, and happy that they were
interrupting this moment with Hunter. Somehow just being near him,
made my thoughts all muddled, and I could feel myself beginning to
obsess about the past and why he had broken up with me. I didn’t
want to be thinking like that.
    At that minute, Pamela,
the owner of Curve , a boutique down the street and my former
employer, walked in. She looked as bright as always—she insisted on
wearing only super colorful outfits. Today, she’d outdone herself.
A purple top with a pretty floral pattern in a lighter lilac,
sweeping silk pants in gold, and purple shoes. She somehow always
made the look work.
    “Amy, the store is so
lovely. I can’t wait to make my first of many purchases,” Pamela
cooed as she walked into the stationary area.
    Hunter took that as his
cue to leave. “Well Amy, I’ll take this and let you be, although
it would be great to see you sometime.” He touched my hand again.
“I’ll take you out to dinner.”
    Jamie always told me I
didn’t say yes enough to new experiences. And while Hunter still
had an almost irresistible charm and confidence, I couldn’t risk my
heart again with him, and besides, I don’t date men who are in
relationships. Maybe I’d misinterpreted his relationship? This is
the kind of thinking that makes Jamie yell at me. You’re not
agreeing to marriage, just having dinner.
    I took a deep breath.
    “That’d be great.”
I paused as my heart started beating too fast. “But I don’t
know.”
    “Come on, Ames,” he
hummed. “I’ll pick you up. For old times’ sake.” Again he
squeezed my hand. I felt a rush of heat to my face, and I bet I was
blushing again. I felt like a teenager. Even though I didn’t
understand his intentions, it felt good to be having this attention
again. But I wasn’t the kind of girl to date someone in a
relationship. Before I agreed I needed to know if Jennifer was in the
picture.
    “Hunter, I’d love
to. Will Jennifer come?” I asked.
    He looked surprised.
“No,” he said. “Why would she?” As I opened my mouth to
explain, he nodded knowingly. “Oh—this is about the barbeque,
isn’t it? Yeah—sorry about that. She was being weird. We dated a
year or two ago, but not anymore. I guess for her old habits die
hard. But anyway, no, I was thinking this dinner would just be us,
catching up.”
    Even if we were just
going out as friends, I felt relieved. “Ok.”
    We’d catch up and
that would be the end of it.

Chapter 6
    Ryan
    I sat at my desk all
morning and most of the afternoon, planning the project on Ocean. By
three in the afternoon, I still hadn’t had lunch. It was just this
one last permit to be obtained holding me up. There had been so much
red tape before I could start to build the business center, but we
were almost there. Making phone calls, improving our projections, and
making people see that this was a goldmine opportunity was keeping me
busy. It would be the first of its kind within fifty miles. Perfect
for business retreats and conferences.
    I had a wonderful
colleague, Jenna, whose instincts and analysis were invaluable. I
never cut corners or took chances. Everything was carefully
researched, fact-checked, and sourced before I made any decisions. I
was decisive, but only when equipped with the best information. She
made sure I had it. But I’d just made a deal with the connecting
waterfront to Solana Beach, and if all went well, I’d start the new
project soon after, heading towards Del Mar. I was anxious to get
things going. The center was just the beginning. It was just a few
local politicians that needed to be wined and dined—they were
adverse to change and needed to keep their ecologically