Finding Mr. Right Now by Meg Benjamin Read Free Book Online Page A

protectively in the small of her back. Not that Ronnie was paying any attention to him.
    Brendan wore a T-shirt too, and blue jeans that looked like they’d actually been worn before. He and Ronnie were grinning at each other.
    Monica felt like grimacing. Usually Fairstein’s shows at least pretended that the competition was real, but they’d be stretching a point to make believe this trip was anything close to fair. Just yesterday she’d been worried that Brendan was too attentive, but now he and Ronnie looked like best buds.
    By the time they got to Elkhorn Run, the contest for her heart might be over, and if it was, they were screwed. Ronnie wasn’t a good enough actress to pretend she was still interested in anybody else if she’d already made her choice.
    Monica clapped her hands briskly, drawing their attention away from each other. “Okay, we’re going to shoot some conversations on the way to the resort. We’ll start with Paul and Ronnie, then Billie Joe, then Brendan. After he’s finished his part, Paul’s going to move up front with me so he can help me drive.”
    Ronnie’s forehead crinkled adorably. “They’re going to talk to each other?”
    Patience. “No, sweetie, they’re going to talk to you.”
    “But where will we sit?”
    Monica gestured toward the SUV. “Faisal’s got everything set up. You’ll sit in the seat at the back, and he’ll run the video camera in the seat in front of you.”
    “But…” Ronnie licked her lips again, her voice dropping to a whisper. “No. I mean, I can’t do that.”
    Monica narrowed her eyes. “It’s okay, Ronnie. Glenn knows all about it and he’s fine with it.”
    Ronnie shook her head vigorously. “I mean I can’t sit all the way in back. I just can’t.” Her complexion was turning green again.
    That same icy sliver of dread inched its way down Monica’s spine. “You can’t? Why can’t you?”
    “I get car sick,” Ronnie whispered. “Real bad. I have to look through the front windshield or I’ll throw up.”
    And there it is, right on schedule, the final Full Monty screw-up of the day. Monica took a deep breath. “Okay. Everybody into the car. Ronnie sits up front with me. And I don’t give a damn where the rest of you sit, but I suggest you get comfortable. This drive may take a while.”

Chapter Five
    Monica decided that mountain driving probably wasn’t as nerve-wracking as brain surgery, but it was close. Even the first climb on I-70 from the outskirts of Denver to the mountain suburbs had her wiping her palms on her jeans. Cars passed her, other SUVs passed her, semis passed her. She kept pushing the gas pedal down, but they seemed to go slower rather than faster. She longed to ask Paul what to do, but he was two seats back.
    Not that she could have heard his advice anyway. Now that Ronnie was enthroned in the front seat, she chattered happily about anything and everything she saw, while Monica concentrated on keeping their modified tank of an SUV on the road. Just a few more miles and we’ll be down again, just a few more miles and we’ll be down again…
    “Oh my God!” Ronnie shrieked.
    “What? What’s the matter?” Monica gripped the steering wheel convulsively, jamming her foot on the brake.
    “Buffalo,” Ronnie cried. “Look over there! Buffalo!”
    Monica took yet another deep breath, replacing her foot on the accelerator to try to get the car up to speed again. “I can’t look, Ronnie, I’m driving.”
    “But they’re so cute ,” Ronnie cooed. “Like big, shaggy cows.”
    “We got buffalo in Texas,” Brendan called from one of the back seats. He sounded a little desperate. Somebody else snickered—Monica’s money was on Billy Joe.
    She started to say something reassuring as they crested another rise, but then she realized they were going downhill. Very down. She swallowed hard, lifting her foot quickly from the accelerator to the brake. Around another curve and they were going down faster. She