On 4/19 (On 4/19 and Beyond 4/20) by Lisa Heaton Read Free Book Online Page B

that your first mission trip?”
    Shaking her head, she tried to get Tuck’s image out of her mind as she said, “No. I’ve been on local trips, to the Appalachians. As much need as there is in the US, outside of our borders is totally unbelievable, like nothing I ever imagined.”
    From there she proceeded to tell him the things she encountered there. He couldn’t help but notice how near she was to tears on more than one occasion. With that, he hoped he never had reason to see her actually cry. Her eyes were so large and expressive, he imagined such a sight would affect him deeply. Never had he known anyone with a kinder or gentler spirit than Chelsea. There was much more to her than what he first presumed; there was a deep intensity about her that startled him, affecting him at a level he didn’t normally think from.
    When she ran out of stories to tell, they sat in a comfortable silence. Again Tuck’s image floated through Chelsea’s mind. How could she talk about the mission field without him coming to mind, without them coming to mind? It was where they were supposed to be together, missions and the farm. That was the plan anyway.
    Noticing how far removed Chelsea seemed from him, he took that opportunity to study her, to try to understand her better. No matter how many times he thought he had her figured out, another layer was peeled back and he discovered something new about her, something that caused him to admire her even more. Suspecting there was much more yet to be revealed, he determined that spending more time together would accomplish just that, so after finishing his shake, he asked her, “Are you busy this weekend?”
    “No.” Already she hoped he would invite her to dinner. Knowing such hope should frighten her, she ignored the warning in her mind to tread carefully.
    “What time is your first class on Monday?”
    “Monday is light; not until the afternoon.”
    “Great. I have business in Vegas. Want to tag along?”
    “Sounds good to me.” Quickly she rested her hands in her lap. No longer did she fear the implications of traveling with such a handsome man; instead, she felt a rush of excitement that set her hands to trembling. She hoped he hadn’t noticed.
    When they walked out of the diner, a car was waiting for him there. He’d driven her car from the gallery, so she couldn’t figure out when he called for a car. Everything about him was such a mystery. Their worlds were so vastly different, yet being with him seemed unbelievably normal.The term Irene used, sugar daddy , was exactly precise, at least from anyone else’s perspective, but when she was with him, it never felt that way, not dirty or inappropriate. To her, the night seemed like one of the best dates ever, magical even.
    John opened her car door for her, and once she scooted into the driver’s seat, he squatted down to where he was eye level with her. “Thanks for such a great night. You’re fun to be with, Chelsea.”
    “You, too.” Before he stood, she asked, “Best and worst? And you can’t say anything with us together. If you start that, we’ll always feel obligated to keep it up.”
    “Okay. Let me think.” Studying for a minute, he said, “Best: finding someone who will be honest with me. Worst: buying a painting that I shouldn’t have.”
    Laughing at him, she asked, “You bought something?”
    “Before you arrived.”
    “Next time, consult me. I’ll talk you out of it.”
    “I’ll do that. From now on, I’ll introduce you as my art consultant.”
    “Just Chelsea is fine.” His usual intensity had softened, and she loved how much more care free he seemed at the moment.
    “Best and worst for you?”
    “Best: milkshake. Worst…” She thought for a minute. How could she find anything wrong with such a day? “Impressionism.”
    “Drive safely, Just Chelsea.” Standing, he closed the door for her.
    As she drove away, she could barely keep her mind on the road. Recounting the evening over and