May Day Magic Read Online Free PDF Page A

right back. She wound her arms around his neck and pushed her lithe frame against him for a moment in what Diane supposed was the woman’s version of a hug, albeit an R-rated one, before pulling away.
    Diane’s stomach roiled.
    As the woman turned to go, she gave Marc a gay wave—Diane could only imagine she’d added arrivederci or ciao or some such nonsense—and sashayed her tan hips into the emporium.
    Diane felt a twisting in her chest. Could the woman be any more obvious? She got out of her car, opened the back door of her SUV, and spread the plastic over the storage area.
    An instant later, Marc leaned in to position the planter in her car.
    What assailed Diane’s nose wasn’t Marc’s scent, but notes of an exotic, expensive perfume, along with an undertone of—manure. His arm brushed hers, sending sparks up her arm despite her annoyance. With a start, she jerked away.
    “Hey,” he said in low warning. “Easy. Don’t want to hurt your back again.”
    At the husky intimacy in his voice, buoyancy leaped unbidden into the back of her throat. Caught between annoyance and attraction, she stood frozen, staring.
    He looked back into the car. “What is it? Did you see a bee in here? They’re driving people crazy today.”
    Diane shook her head.
    “You didn’t just hurt your back again, did you?” He leaned toward her, studying her expression. “I’m not good at telling jokes. I don’t know how else to get you unstuck.”
    A smile teased at the corners of her lips. The image of him taking the stage in a comedy club to make her laugh was too ridiculous. And, okay, she had to admit it, sweet.
    Again, she shook her head, remembering that Jackie O appeared to have her sights set on this same would-be comedian. “I’m fine.” She stepped forward, and trailed a finger along the edge of the planter looking over the cheerful mix of pansies, colorful coleus, and some type of trailing vine. “The planter looks wonderful.”
    Straightening alongside her, he joined her in looking over the assortment.
    “Thank you for planting it up. The arrangement looks great.” She wanted to know if he had planted the container himself.
    “Good.” He reached over in a proprietary manner and extracted a dead leaf. “I wasn’t sure you’d like the coleus in there.”
    Warmth spread through her. He planted it.
    He positioned the pot closer to the side of her car. “Hope the smell of that organic fertilizer doesn’t bother you. I forget.” He grinned. “I’m so used to it. The odor will go away in a few days.” His gaze caught hers.
    “That’s fine,” Diane answered, nodding.
    They stood facing each other, his dark hair glinting in the sunlight, his eyes the color of sun-warmed earth.
    Allen moaned inside the car.
    “Thanks, then.” She ducked her head, too aware of this man for her own good. “I need to get the kids home.” She got in her car. Her children had already opened all the windows.
    “Somethin’ smells,” Allen muttered from the back seat.
    Marc stood watching.
    She waved and put the car into gear.
    “Let me know how Grandma likes the basket,” he called out as she drove away.
    Her heart gave an extra strong beat. She drove down the hill, merged into the traffic circle, and followed it around to the street that connected with theirs before her reverie was broken.
    “Did you see Drew Garretson there?”
    Diane glanced over at her daughter.
    Meggie continued to stare straight ahead out the dashboard window.
    “I did.” Diane kept her gaze focused forward. So, the interest was mutual. Drew was a good kid as far as she knew. “I didn’t ask you about him,” she defended herself.
    Meggie gave her mother a sidelong gaze. “You wanted to.”
    Caught. Diane smirked. “I did.”
    “He doesn’t know I exist.”
    A bark of disbelief escaped Diane. “I wouldn’t bank on that.”
    ****
    With Stafford farmland stretching out on either side of the street, Marc stood, following Diane’s SUV until it