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

pumped the brake again. Sweet lord above! There was no way she’d survive driving all the way to Elkhorn Run.
    A car passed them on the next curve, the driver flipping up his middle finger as he did.
    “Well, that was rude,” Ronnie said.
    “Just part of the drive.” Monica wiped her hands on her thighs again.
    Paul’s foot was going numb from pressing an imaginary accelerator. Even allowing for the fact that Monica had never driven in the mountains before, this was getting ridiculous. Each time the SUV managed to pick up some speed she’d hit the brakes again. At this rate, they’d probably burn out the brake shoes by the time they hit Dillon.
    He leaned back in his seat, trying to relax. A rental truck pulled by them—he happened to know those suckers had a governor that kept the speed below sixty. Which meant Monica was creeping along at around fifty on the most heavily traveled stretch of I-70 heading for the Eisenhower Tunnel. They’d already gone through two smaller tunnels on the road to Idaho Springs. Ronnie had wailed in anguish. Apparently tunnels weren’t common in her part of Florida; also apparently they had some mysterious negative effect on her carsickness.
    Paul closed his eyes, flexing his stiff fingers. Surely Ronnie wouldn’t freak out in the Eisenhower. If nothing else, it had lights all the way through. Hell, it even had tile all the way through. It looked like the world’s longest bathroom.
    Monica managed to goose their speed up marginally as they approached the tunnel entrance. “Oh God,” Ronnie moaned. “Not another one.”
    “It’s okay,” Monica said firmly, “this is the fastest way across the Continental Divide. It’ll just take us a few minutes to get through it, and then we’ll be on the down side.”
    Two more semis passed them as they entered the tunnel. Monica had pushed up the speed some, but they still weren’t going as fast as they should have been. The tunnel walls sped past, the tiles yellow in the artificial light. The faint scent of exhaust wafted through the SUV’s ventilation system.
    “Oh God.” Ronnie moaned again. “It’s so dark. And that smell! I think I’m gonna be sick!”
    “No you’re not.” Monica sounded like she was speaking through gritted teeth. “We’re almost on the other side. Just hold on.” She stomped on the accelerator, speeding up to something that might actually have been close to sixty.
    The yellow tiles flew by at a faster rate. Soon Paul could see the next range of mountains appear through the circular tunnel exit ahead of them. Up front Ronnie whimpered.
    “It’s okay, Ronnie,” Brendan called. “You’ll be fine. Just look at the mountains up there.”
    “You can see the exit now,” Monica said desperately. “We’re almost there. I’ll stop at the first town we come to. I promise, Ronnie. Just, you know, don’t !”
    Ronnie whimpered again, but then they were out into the light and speeding down the other side of the mountain. “See?” Monica chorused. “All done. Everything’s okay.”
    “Stop,” Ronnie croaked. “Just stop.”
    Monica managed to pull into a scenic overlook around the next curve. Ronnie was opening the door almost before she came to a full stop. She rushed to the edge of the parking space with its spectacular view of the peaks and bent over, retching into the trees down below.
    Brendan pushed open one of the back doors and trotted in her direction, a bottle of water dangling from his fingers.
    The cameraman, Faisal, hoisted his video camera on his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow at Monica. “Candids?”
    She blew out a breath. “Not even Glenn wants something that candid. Let her upchuck in peace.”
    Faisal sighed. “Might as well get some scenery shots. Maybe we can use them for transitions.” He headed for the other side of the overlook.
    Monica stepped slowly from the driver’s seat, leaning on the car. She rested her forehead against the door. Paul thought her eyes were closed.