A Summer Romance by Tracey Smith Read Free Book Online Page A

name and phone number on it. “Please don’t hesitate to call if
you need anything.”
    “Thank you, but I’m sure I won’t need to
bother you,” she assured him as she accepted the business card.
“ Everyone I’ve met has been very kind,” she emphasized as
she climbed onto her bike. It seemed obvious to her that he was
referring to Aaron and she wanted to defend him. But what could she
say?
    She left town with mixed feelings. She
really shouldn’t take such offense to the opinions people held
about Aaron, she barely knew him. But she couldn’t help but think
they had to be wrong. Even if he had been in some trouble in the
past, he couldn’t possibly be dangerous, could he? But what if he
was? Should she stay away from him?
    As she rode her bike down the quiet dirt
road lost in thought a loud clap of thunder boomed overhead.
Seconds later rain began to pour down in sheets. It was raining so
hard she couldn’t see to ride and had to pull over. She was soaked
to the skin within minutes as she walked her bike along the road
with her head turned down against the onslaught. She didn’t even
hear the truck pull up alongside her over the roar of the rain.
    “Get in!” She recognized Aaron’s voice and
her head snapped up to see him jumping out of his truck and
reaching for her bicycle. She felt both relieved and little scared
all at the same time. She’d just spent the last ten minutes
contemplating whether or not this man was possibly dangerous and
now here she was on a deserted dirt road in the middle of a
thunderstorm being told to get into his truck. She mentally kicked
herself for her hesitation. This was the same man who’d she’d
invited into her kitchen for lemonade and who’d helped her name a
cat. He wasn’t dangerous.
    She climbed into the cab of the truck as he
lifted her bike and put it in the back. He jumped into the cab with
her and slammed the door against the rain. He shook the rain out of
his hair laughing.
    “Nice day for a ride,” he teased as he
started driving down the road.
    “At least it wasn’t too hot,” she defended
playfully. Aaron laughed heartily.
    Aaron had such a carefree laugh and
contagious smile. Maggie immediately felt at ease, just being in
his presence again dissolved all the questions that had been raised
by the people of Sweetwater. Whatever they believed about him was
wrong. In that moment Maggie decided that it didn’t matter whether
or not Aaron had a troubled past, she wasn’t going to let that stop
her from getting to know him. She liked him.
    “So where’s your car?” Aaron asked.
    “I sold it,” Maggie admitted sheepishly.
    “Really? Why?”
    “It broke down and it was going to cost more
money to fix than it was worth,” Maggie explained. “I know I’m
going to need to get another one,” she added quickly. “I just
haven’t figured that part out yet.” As she said it out loud Maggie
realized how ridiculous it sounded. Who sells their car without a
backup plan?
    “I’m sure you’ll figure something out. In
the meantime just let me know if you need anything,” Aaron offered.
His confidence in her was reassuring. He didn’t sound at all
judgmental about Maggie’s rash decision to sell her car instead he
simply offered his help. “I’ll leave you my number. My place is
just a couple acres from the main house. So, you know, I’m close if
you need me.”
    “You live on the property?” she asked,
confirming her suspicion that Sheriff Rutledge had in fact been
referring to Aaron when he’d said she wasn’t the only guest on the
Devereaux property.
    She hadn’t really considered how close he
lived to the house. She’d been walking the property every morning.
The thought that she could’ve stumbled upon his house was kind of
exciting.
    “It’s actually an old barn, but it was
converted into living quarters for the groundskeeper a long time
ago. Ms. Devereaux’s letting me stay there in exchange for
maintaining the property. But I’m