Three Brides, No Groom by Debbie Macomber Read Free Book Online

arms.
    She closed her eyes and angled her face toward the sun rather
than look at him. “Never mind,” she said, silently laughing at him. “It wasn’t
important.”
    “Ask me,” he barked.
    She rolled onto her stomach and trained her gaze on the ocean.
“It has to do with Didi Wilson.”
    “What about her?”
    Gretchen paused, unsure now that she wanted to proceed, but the
need burned within her, and she knew she wouldn’t be completely at peace until
she discovered the answer. Besides, at this point she couldn’t walk away from
the subject gracefully. She inhaled and held her breath momentarily. “I realize
it’s none of my business…”
    “Listen, if it has to do with Didi and Roger, I’d rather
not—”
    “No,” she said, interrupting him. “Not them. This has to do
with Didi and you. ” Her words were like a hatchet
coming down on a chopping block.
    His gaze pinned her. She exhaled sharply and blurted, “Have
you…did you and Didi…you know…do that?” She couldn’t make herself say the words. Make love. Did you make love to Didi? Her heart
was laid open, exposed, revealing everything. Over the past six months she’d
frequently seen Didi riding through the campus on the back of Josh’s Harley. Her
arms had squeezed him, her ample assets pressed against his back.
    Now she knew that Josh hadn’t been Didi’s only love interest.
With a shock, she realized that while the news of Didi and Roger had shattered
her world, if she learned that Josh had been Didi’s lover, as well, she would be
devastated. She should have known better than to ask a question when she was
afraid of the answer.
    “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to know,” she said
hurriedly, then leaped to her feet, kicked off her shoes and raced toward the
surf. Her face burned with humiliation, but she had no one to blame but herself.
She raced into the ocean, gasping at how cold it was. The surf surged against
her thighs before she stopped running. Her pulse pounded in her temple.
    “Gretchen!”
    She heard Josh call, but she ignored him. The lunch that had
made her feel so pleasantly replete now felt like a rock-hard lump in the pit of
her stomach.
    “Come on, Gretchen, would you listen to me?” He stood at the
water’s edge, glaring at her.
    “I shouldn’t have asked,” she said. “It was none of my
business. Please, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” She pranced about in
the shallows, trying to make him think she was having the time of her life.
    “Stop that right now.” It was the same tone of voice her father
used to employ with her when she was a child and misbehaving. A tone full of
authority she didn’t challenge.
    She stopped playing in the surf and faced him.
    “Didi’s my friend,” he said. “Nothing more. Never has been and
never will be. Understand?”
    She nodded miserably.
    Josh extended his hand to her in much the same way he had the
day before, when he’d invited her to climb onto the back of his motorcycle.
“Come here before you’re completely drenched.”
    The water was so cold her feet had gone numb. Mustering every
shred of dignity she possessed, she remained where she was, her chin angled high
and proud. How desperately she longed to believe him!
    “Don’t make me come in after you.”
    “Would you?”
    He didn’t hesitate. “Yes, but trust me, you’d regret it.”
    The threat was as bold as the man himself. “Really?” She
reached down and with feigned nonchalance dangled her fingers in the water.
    The challenge was there, bold as ever. The confidence he’d
exuded didn’t waver as he lowered himself onto the hot sand and removed his
boots one at a time. Then he stood and unfastened his belt.
    “Josh.” She watched, fascinated.
    “I’m not getting these jeans wet. It’s uncomfortable riding in
wet pants.” He peeled down the zipper and hooked his thumbs through the belt
loops, clearly prepared to remove both his jeans and his underwear.
    “Okay, okay. You