June Bride: Now and Forever Romance Read Online Free PDF Page A

going to Los Angeles or San Diego? She’d texted Teresa, but her friend had the irritating habit of only turning on her phone when she wanted to communicate with other people. That seemed incomprehensible to Meredith. In this day and age? Turning off her phone? At the moment, it even felt rude because Meredith desperately wanted to know where in California her ex was going to land.
    She felt the pod-people effect again as she moussed her short mop. It was wet so she knew she’d showered, but she’d done it all in a fog. She wore brick-red jeans and two light-weight layered tees in orange and red tones. Her black flats would have to serve again. She’d only brought her running shoes and one pair of flats. Had she somehow thought she’d be returning to Michigan? Was that why she’d left her other two pairs of shoes?
    “No, silly, you left them because you wore them on your dates with Dwayne.” She shuddered and returned to sit on the edge of her bed. The maids didn’t have much to do while she was there. Out of habit, she’d made the bed already, something the Dorm Storm girls had insisted on. It kept them from crawling back in on days when they had eight o’clock classes.
    She checked her phone for an answer from Teresa. At last! Her text must have arrived while she was in the shower. She cringed at the single devastating word: “Sacramento.”
    So Dwayne was definitely looking for her. Her heart froze in her chest. What if he found her? What would she do?
    “I’ll send him back to Michigan,” she said aloud, pushing defiance into her voice. That helped. “If I can’t feel brave, at least I can sound brave.” Then she wondered, Why am I worried? He’s the one who chose Sienna over me. I’m the one who was wronged! Not him. But she hated confrontation. She dreaded seeing him again and listening to him try to talk her into whatever he wanted. “Oh my gosh, that’s what he’s been doing from the beginning. He manipulated me with his slimy suaveness.” She cradled her phone in her hands, hanging onto it as if it were Teresa herself, and not just her text. She stared at it mournfully. “I don’t think suaveness is a word.”
    The knock at the door rattled her, and she dropped her phone. She wasn’t ready for this! She didn’t have it in her to face down Dwayne this morning. Not after three marvelous days with Chris. It was such a joy to spend time with him, and so uplifting to know he adored her, just like the old song said.
    Another knock. She stiffened her spine, picked up her phone, and went to the door. She peered through the peephole and sagged against the wall with relief, then unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door.
    “Chris!” She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek against his. He smelled wonderful, like shampoo and musk. When he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her, she decided she could spend the whole day just like that. They didn’t have to go anywhere. They could stand there in the doorway hugging for hours.
    His voice was soft and warm against her ear. “I love the way you say good morning after a day in the mountains. We’ll have to go hiking a lot.”
    Meredith planted a kiss on his cheek and loosened her grip. “I’m just so glad it’s you.”
    Chris’s emerald eyes clouded with doubt. “Who else were you expecting?” Then his eyes widened. “Did that jock Forest call you?”
    Meredith smoothed his brow. “Forest?”
    Chris looked relieved, then embarrassed. “I sort of called him and bragged a little about dating you.”
    Meredith was delighted. “You bragged about me?”
    Chris nodded. “I hope that was okay. But if he called you and tried to get a date”—he shook his head sadly—“I’ll just have to choose between you, I guess.” He unwrapped his arms and held his hands out like a scale. “Forest, my best friend from college,” he said, weighing the friendship on his right hand, “or Meredith, my sweet Annie Oakley, who finally