A New Day by Nancy Hopper Read Free Book Online Page A

did a slow burn as Gary backed the van out, swung around, and headed down the driveway.  She glowered at him as he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top of his blue and gray striped shirt.
         “ A little racy for Sunday best, don’t you think, preacher?” she asked cuttingly. 
         “ What’s that?” he asked, unperturbed.
         “ Your shirt.”  she snapped.
         Gary looked down at the pinstripes carelessly.  “I don’t see why.”  he said breezily.  He looked over at her blue and white polka dot sun dress.  “You look very pretty today, Tasha.”
         She snorted.  “Thank you very much.”
         “ I’m serious!  Why can’t you just accept the compliment?” he asked .
         “ You are despicable!  First you scream at me when I’m not even awake. Then you make me come to church – Ugh!   Then, you talk about me in front of all those people!  From bad to worse, indeed!  I’ll show you bad to worse!  You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, Gary Taylor!”
         “ And you never gave me a hint you were some kind of preacher, you just let me act like a fool when all the time you could have just let me know.  Oh, but not you!  That’s just not your style, is it?”
         Gary’s even, white teeth were nicely displayed in his grin.  “I didn’t mention your name even once.  No one had any reason to suspect you’re a thorn in my side.”
         “ Oh!  Thanks a lot!  I like you, too!” she snapped.  “And the Waldens all knew!”
          “ Of course they did.  They knew that, anyway.  Besides, what difference does it make to you, if they know we weren’t on the best of terms?”
         “ Because you made me sound so horrible, and I wasn’t !” she snapped.
         “ I didn’t mean it that way, Tasha.  The struggle I’ve been having is all my own fault.  And while I’m on the subject, I am sorry for snapping at you this morning.”
         Tasha threw him a withering look.  “Okay.  Apology accepted.”  she answered sulkily.
         Gary drove up the coast for about an hour before he turned off, and drove out onto a spit.  He parked the van, and looked at Tasha.  She peered over the dash so that she could see more of the narrow, secluded cove.
         “ Okay?” Gary asked hopefully. 
         “ It’s lovely!” Tasha sighed. 
         The cove was surrounded by bluffs on three sides.  The sand was smooth, fine and white.  The waves were tiny and evenly spaced, and there were tiny islands out in the surf, complete with evergreen trees reaching toward the foggy sky overhead.  Lovely, indeed.
          “ Good.  Sit tight.”  Gary ordered cheerfully.
          Tasha was flabbergasted when he came around, and opened her door for her.  He lifted her down from the van, and put her down gently.  She felt unaccountably shy at the feel of his fingers on her ribs.
         “ That wasn’t necessary.”  she objected nervously.
         “ Yes, it was.”  he argued agreeably.  “Tasha,” he accused with an incredulous chuckle, “are you actually embarrassed?”
         “ No!” she denied hotly.  She pushed at him frantically, but rather than letting her go, he pulled her against his warm, vibrant body and hugged her soundly.  She could feel his chuckle rumbling in his chest more than she could hear it.
         “ That’s too bad.   It’s a completely endearing thing to see a woman blush.”  he sighed.
         “ Well, I don’t like you, so I don’t really care what you think about me!” she huffed.
         Gary laughed aloud.  “So, what was last night all about, then?  Or do you come on like that to every man you meet?” he asked pointedly.  “Is it just the prospect of conquest that you are so interested in?”
         “ How dare you?” she sputtered, smashing her fists against his chest in impotent protest.
         “ Oh, I dare.”  Gary