The First Man You Meet

The First Man You Meet by Debbie Macomber Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: The First Man You Meet by Debbie Macomber Read Free Book Online
Authors: Debbie Macomber
Tags: Romance
even managed to skim through a couple of magazines, although she barely knew what she was reading.
    Finally, the receptionist opened the door and called her name. Eager to get this over with, Shelly stood, picking up the large box she’d brought in with her. She paused on her way out of the reception area and turned to Mark. ‘‘I wish you and Janice every happiness,’’ she said formally.
    ‘‘Thank you,’’ he answered, then grinned. ‘‘The same to you and whomever the wedding dress finds for you to marry.’’

Chapter Six
    S HE SHOULD BE HAPPY , Shelly told herself early the following morning. Not only had she survived the audit—in fact she’d come away with an unexpected refund—but she’d learned that Mark was practically engaged.
    Yes, she should be dancing in the streets, singing in the aisles… Instead she’d been struggling with a strange melancholy ever since their last encounter. She seemed to have lost her usual vitality, her sense of fun.
    And now it was Saturday, and for once she had no looming deadlines, no appointments, no pressing errands. Remembering the exhilaration and solace she’d experienced when she videotaped an ocean storm sequence recently, Shelly decided to see if she could recapture some of those feelings. She headed toward Long Beach, a resort town on the Washington coastline. The sky was clear and almost cloudless; the sun was bright and pleasantly warm—a perfect spring day. Once she drove onto the freeway, the miles sped past and two hours later she was standing on the sandy beach with the breeze riffling her long hair.
    She walked around for a while, enjoying the sights and sounds about her, the chirping of the sea gulls, the salty spray of the Pacific Ocean and the scent of wind and sea. She was satisfied with the end product, her beach video, and started to work out plans for a whole series—the ocean in different seasons, different moods. That would be something special, she thought, something unique.
    She wandered down the beach, kicking at the sand with the toe of her tennis shoes. Tucking her fingertips in thepockets of her jeans, she breathed in the vivid freshness around her. After an hour or so, she made her way back to the concession stands, where she bought a hot dog and a cold drink.
    Then, just because it looked like such fun, she rented a moped.
    She sped along the shore, thrilled with the sensation of freedom, reveling in the solitude and the roar of pounding surf.
    The wind tossed her hair about her face until it was a confusion of curls. Shelly laughed aloud and listened as the galloping breeze carried off the sound.
    Her motorized bike rushed forward, spitting sand in its wake. She felt reckless with exhilaration, as though there was nothing she couldn’t do. It was that kind of afternoon. That kind of day.
    When she least expected it, someone else on a moped raced past her. Shelly hadn’t encountered anyone during her ride and this person took her by surprise. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, amazed by how far she’d traveled. The only other person she could see was the one who’d passed her.
    To her surprise, the rider did an abrupt turnaround and headed back in her direction. With the sun in her eyes and the wind pelting against her, Shelly slowed to a crawl and she shaded her eyes with one hand.
    It wasn’t until he was nearly beside her that Shelly recognized the other rider.
    Mark Brady.
    She was so shocked that she allowed the engine to die, her feet dropping to the sand to maintain her balance. Mark appeared equally shocked. He braked abruptly.
    ‘‘Shelly?’’ He seemed not to believe it was her.
    Shelly shook her head and blinked a couple of times just to make sure she wasn’t fantasizing. The last personshe’d expected to encounter on a beach two hours out of Seattle was Mark Brady. Mr. Conservative on a moped! This time, though, he wasn’t wearing a dark suit. He didn’t have his briefcase with him, either. And he looked

Similar Books

And Darkness Fell

David Berardelli

Rogue

Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Flawless

Sara Shepard

The Secret Country

PAMELA DEAN

Murder in the Latin Quarter

Susan Kiernan-Lewis

Land of Hope and Glory

Geoffrey Wilson

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Khaled Hosseini