Stranded With a Hero Read Online Free PDF Page B

need for apologies.”
    “You’re being too kind,” she said, her voice soft, her heart hurting. “I treated you terribly.”
    “Leave it alone, Min. Don’t beat yourself up over this.”
    “What do you think might’ve happened if we had gotten together?” She leaned her hip against the counter, turning so she could face him. Her heart raced, her stomach turning over itself as she waited for his answer. Heck, she couldn’t believe she just asked him that.
    “You would’ve eventually broken it off. You might’ve even gotten together with Marty.” He said it so calmly, like her question didn’t even affect him.
    Confused, she shook her head. “Why do you say that?”
    “Well, I’m like that old, comfortable sweatshirt you own. You know, the extra-soft one that you’ve had forever but can always count on to make you feel warm?”
    She frowned. “Okay…”
    “And Marty was the trendy, never-before-worn leather jacket that looked great and cost a fortune but always made you feel a little uncomfortable. Not that you ever let that stop you,” Josh explained further.
    Huh. That was quite the comparison. He could be right though. Back then she could always count on Josh being there no matter what. He was her rock. She’d missed having him in her life so much, it was as if he’d left a physical hole inside her heart. A hole that had slowly healed over time, though the scar was still there.
    Having Josh in front of her again—being sweet, laughing with her, reminiscing, reminding her exactly what she missed about having him in her life—scared her to death.
    She missed his friendship. She wanted it back. She wanted him back in her life. But what if he didn’t feel the same? What if he didn’t want to renew their friendship?
    Mindy didn’t know if she could take Josh leaving her again.
    Well, last time you left him.
    Right. She didn’t need the reminder. She never said she was a particularly smart teenage girl when it came to relationships. Why had she been so blind to what Josh offered her? “So you’re calling yourself an old, ratty sweatshirt.” She was teasing. Josh was the farthest thing from a gross, old sweatshirt.
    “Yeah, I guess I am. But one that always feels good, you know? One you can count on.” His eyes lit with humor, and he raised his brows, his lips quirking into a smile. “Right?”
    “I’ve never seen a guy so pleased with being compared to an old piece of clothing.” Shaking her head, she laughed, loving how light she felt. How easy it was between them.
    Comfortable. Warm. Like her favorite sweatshirt.
    Mindy frowned. Josh Powers was quickly becoming her new favorite old thing—and that might be a very bad thing.

    Something shifted between him and Mindy when they were washing dishes. The conversation had turned serious, full of regret for their past mistakes. Also full of ridiculous analogies on his part that had made the both of them smile.
    He’d liked it. He enjoyed spending time with Mindy; he always had. Once upon a time, he’d believed her the perfect girl for him. He’d gone so far as to put everything on the line and tell her exactly how he felt. And that had totally backfired. When she ended up with someone else, he’d figured she wasn’t the one. He’d eventually find the woman meant for him.
    But he hadn’t. All these years later and he was still single. Still okay with it too…mostly. He’d dated plenty, had even been in a couple of serious relationships. He wasn’t one of those guys afraid to say I love you and had done so but never too lightheartedly. He’d had a steady upbringing and wasn’t scared to open his heart to a woman either.
    There’d just been no woman who’d interested him enough to make that ultimate commitment to and marry. He’d preferred the single life. Or so he’d thought.
    A couple of hours with Mindy, spending time with her in her house, watching her cook, eating with her, helping her clean up, brought back a flood of good