Authors: Barbara Freethy
So This Is Love (34 page)
“I don’t like men who psychoanalyze me in the first five minutes of meeting me,” she countered.
His grin broadened. “Got it. But you still haven’t answered my question. Why the solo celebration?”
She didn’t know why she felt the need to explain her pathetic party – maybe so it wouldn’t look so pathetic. “My best friend just had a baby. Another one is on her honeymoon, and a third is home sick with the flu. I do have friends. They’re just not available right now.” Actually, her friends were rarely available these days. They’d moved on with their lives – getting married, having children – while she’d been treading water or trying to make things happen with Kyle. “And birthdays are not that big a deal,” she added.
“I like birthdays. They’re a good time to make a resolution.”
“Isn’t that what New Year’s Eve is for?”
“Who says you can only make a resolution once a year?”
“No one, but I don’t have much luck with the resolutions I do make. They usually involve losing twenty pounds, and so far I haven’t managed to make that happen. I have a terrible chocolate addiction. If only they made a patch for that, I’d be set.”
Great! Now she’d just pointed out that she needed to lose twenty pounds. No wonder she had trouble getting a man.
“A resolution doesn’t have to be about a diet,” he said. “Last year I ran a marathon. The year before that I parachuted out of an airplane.”
“Well, aren’t you quite the hero.” She wasn’t sure if he was spinning her a line, but he certainly looked fit enough to run a marathon and young enough to taunt death by jumping out of an airplane. “What are you going to do this year?”
“Sail under the Golden Gate Bridge.”
“That sounds like fun. When’s the big day?”
“Tomorrow. But I’m much younger than you – I’m only turning twenty-nine.”
“Ah, twenty-nine – I remember it well.”
He laughed. “It was only what, twelve hours ago?”
“About that. Do you know how to sail?”
“No. Will that be a problem?”
She couldn’t help but smile back at him. His candor was refreshing, and she started to relax. “It might be. But something tells me you’re pretty good at getting what you want.”
“I used to be,” he said, his tone turning somber. “I was the guy who had everything. Charmed.”
“And charming.”
He tipped his head. “I try.”
“So what happened to that guy?”
“Life.” A small sigh followed his words. Before she could ask what it meant, he added, “Are you a nurse here?”
“No, I just love to wear these baggy blue shirts and pants.”
“Right. Stupid question.” He paused. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Watch people die.”
The change in subject surprised her. “Not everyone dies. Most people live.”
“My father died here. It was long. Painful. Horrible. I’ll never forget it.”
She met his gaze head on. “I’m sorry.”
“I bet you say that a lot.”
“I still mean it.” She knew what it was like to lose a parent. And it didn’t matter how old you were.
“I was with my father when he passed. He fought for months to recover, but he couldn't beat the cancer. Even though I knew the end was coming, and I was relieved that there would be an end to his pain and suffering, it was still shocking when it happened. One minute he was there, then he was gone…” He cleared his throat. “Hell of a birthday conversation. I apologize again.”
“That’s all right. Now I understand why you needed some air.”
“The hospital smell sticks to my clothes. How do you take it?”
“You get used to it.”
“Are you off duty?”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t I buy you a drink to toast your birthday?”
“Uh…” She didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t as if she had other plans, but he was a stranger.
“I promise, no more depressing conversation. We’ll have a drink in honor of your new decade. I might even buy you another cake.”
“I don’t know you.”
“That makes it better, doesn’t it?” he said with a challenging smile. “You can let your hair down. Be whoever you want to be.”
She had no idea who that person would be, but the idea was definitely appealing. Still, old habits died hard. “I should say no.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s not smart to go out with a perfect stranger. You could be an axe murderer or a serial killer or a life insurance salesman.”
His deep, infectious laugh lit up the night, and his sparkling eyes made her feel like she’d been kicked in the stomach – or swept off her feet.
“I’m not any of those things.”
“And you’d tell me if you were?”
“Good point, but isn’t thirty about facing your fears? It’s just a drink in a public place. Unless you’re scared of a pina colada?”
“Why would you
ever
think I would order a pina colada?”
“Because you’re too funny and honest to be the martini type.”
“Which is what?”
“Sophisticated, brittle, phony laugh, dyed blonde hair, icy blue eyes, doesn’t really give a damn about anyone but herself.”
“That certainly rolled right off your tongue,” she said, giving him a thoughtful look. “Why do I get the feeling you’re describing someone in particular?”
“Guilty.” He paused. “Get a drink with me and prove me wrong.”
She hesitated. “I don’t have anything to prove.”
His gaze met hers and for some reason she had the feeling he could read her mind. “Don’t you?”
His challenge hung in the air for a long minute. Of course she had something to prove. She was going to change her life. And what better way to start than to do something she wouldn’t normally do?
Besides that, she was intrigued by and attracted to this man, this stranger, who’d appeared out of nowhere. The idea crossed her mind that maybe he’d been sent to fulfill her birthday wish, but that was a foolish thought. He’d just lost his dad after a terrible illness. He’d come up to the roof to catch his breath. He hadn’t come for her. It was purely coincidence.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
She drew in a deep breath, feeling like she was about to cross over a line she couldn’t cross back. But if she was ever going to take a chance, it might as well be now.
“Liz,” she said. “My name is Liz. And I’d like that drink.”
BOOKLIST
The Callaway Family Series
The Wish Series
The Sanders Brothers Series
The Deception Series
#1
Taken
#2
Played
The Angel's Bay Series
#1 Suddenly One Summer
#2 On Shadow Beach
#3 In Shelter Cove
#4 At Hidden Falls
#5 Garden of Secrets
About The Author
Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, who has sold over 2.8 million ebooks since January 2011. Her 34 novels range from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Twelve of her self-published titles have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List including: ALL SHE EVER WANTED, SILENT RUN, SILENT FALL, DON'T SAY A WORD, LOVE WILL FIND A WAY, THE SWEETEST THING, GOLDEN LIES and JUST THE WAY YOU ARE. Her books have won numerous awards - she is a five-time finalist for the RITA for best contemporary romance from Romance Writers of America and her book DANIEL'S GIFT won the honor and was also optioned for a television movie.
Known for her emotional and compelling stories of love, family, mystery and romance, Barbara enjoys writing about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary adventures. She is currently writing a new connected family series, THE CALLAWAYS. The first two books in the series are now available: ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS (#1) and SO THIS IS LOVE (#2). Barbara also recently published the WISH SERIES, a series of books connected by the theme of wishes. The series includes: A SECRET WISH, JUST A WISH AWAY, and WHEN WISHES COLLIDE.
Barbara has lived all over the state of California and currently resides in Northern California where she draws much of her inspiration from the beautiful bay area. Barbara loves to hear from readers so please feel free to write her.
For a complete listing of books, as well as excerpts and contests, and to connect with Barbara:
Sign up for Barbara's Newsletter
