Reach for Tomorrow by Lurlene McDaniel Read Free Book Online Page A

more time.”
    Morgan swallowed. Josh’s story touched him, but he didn’t know how to respond.
    Josh offered a wry smile. “I guess that’s why I try my best these days to tell people just what I think. You never know when they walk out of a room if it’s going to be the last time you ever see them. That’s why I work this camp. Because I know some of these kids won’t be around next year. And I want to be sure they have the time of their life while they’re here.
    “And as long as I’m being brutally honest, I came so I could be around Katie. Because I love her. Whether she loves me or not, I still love her.”
    Morgan cleared his throat self-consciously. “I hope Katie comes to her senses real soon. A guy can’t wait forever.”
    Josh shrugged. “It sure seems like I’ve already waited forever. We’ve been apart for about a year now.”
    “And you don’t date anybody else?”
    “Oh, I see a girl named Natalie once in a while. But she knows how I feel about Katie. There’s nothing between her and me except friendship.” Josh stood and stretched. “I guess I’ve kept you from your work long enough. And I’m sure that flick’s about over by now.”
    Morgan stood too. “I’m glad you stopped by, Josh,” he said, and meant it.
    “And I’m glad you didn’t mind me talking your ear off. Sorry if I kept you from your chores.”
    “I can clean saddles anytime,” Morgan admitted. “Thanks for talking.”
    “Thanks for listening.” Josh waved and stepped out into the night.
    Morgan walked down the row of stalls, and the horses stuck their heads out over the half doors. He stopped in front of the roan mare and scratched behind her ears. “How you doing, old girl?”
    The horse nuzzled his pocket, sniffing for a treat. He sometimes carried chunks of carrots. “Nothing tonight,” he said.
    He couldn’t get Josh’s words out of his head. Morgan realized that what he’d felt for Anne had been love too. And he couldn’t remember telling her. She had died without hearing those words come out of his mouth, and he should have said them.
    Megan’s face floated into his mind. She was like Anne: sweet, bookish, a little naive. Maybe that was what attracted him to her. She was different. Of course, she would never know how he felt if he never so much as spoke to her. And a snake like Eric could walk away with a treasure he would never really appreciate.
    “Might not ought to let that happen,” Morgan said absently to the mare.
    She didn’t answer.
    “Did you see Josh slip out of the movie?” Lacey and Katie were walking back to their cabins. Their girls followed them, swinging flashlights so that beams of light bounced off the ground and trees, and talking excitedly among themselves.
    “Never noticed,” Katie lied.
    “He probably went to his cabin to write Natalie a nice long love letter,” Lacey said lazily.
    “I wish I’d never told you about that letter.” Katie was cross. How mean of Lacey to throw the letter up to her. Katie had been unable to keep her mind on the movie because she’d kept waiting for Josh to sneak back inside. But the final credits were rolling across the screen before he did, and she’d been left to wonder where he’d spent the evening. After the lights had come up, everyone had eaten cookies and milk, then headed to the cabins to sleep.
    “Maybe I’ll write Jeff a nice long sexy letter before I turn out the lights tonight,” Lacey mused.
    “Lacey,” Katie warned. “Cut it out.”
    Lacey hooked her arm through Katie’s. “Oh, don’t go getting all angry. I’m just trying to show you the error of your ways.”
    “You’re impossible.”
    “No,
you’re
impossible. I don’t know what it’s going to take to get the two of you back together again.”
    “It’s not so simple, Lacey. I have a life. A track scholarship. I have three years of college left.”
    “What? Credits can’t transfer? You can’t run for the University of Michigan? Give me a break,