Wait for the Rain by Maria Murnane Read Free Book Online

with, especially in the Midwest. Anyhow, while I’m a Wolverine and not a Wildcat, I do like purple.” He pointed to her tank top with his left hand, and when he did so, she caught herself glancing at his ring finger. It was empty.
    She felt her face flush and hoped he hadn’t noticed where her eyes had just been. She stiffened. Why did I just do that?
    She couldn’t remember ever checking the ring finger of a man who was clearly so much younger than she. Thirty-two, maybe?
    He bent down and reached into a large cooler on the deck, then fished out a bottle and held it up. “Can I offer you a frosty cold beer? I can’t drink these all by myself.”
    She shook her head. “I’m fine, thanks.”
    “Are you sure? It could be my way of making up for heckling you about that tragic throw, although truth be told, that tragic throw needed to be heckled.”
    She smirked. “Thanks, but my tragic arm and I are good. I’m guessing you’re not alone?” She gestured to the cooler. “That’s a lot of beer for one person.”
    He pointed a thumb behind him. “Bachelor party.”
    “Is that so?” She hadn’t attended a bachelorette party i n . . . how long had it been? KC hadn’t had a bachelorette party. Before tha t . . . her mind drew a blank. She reached into the far corners of her memory and tried to clear away the cobwebs.
    He removed the bottle cap. “This is my seventh in the past year.”
    Daphne felt her eyes open wide. “Seventh? You must be quite popular.”
    “I wouldn’t say that. Then agai n . . . maybe I would.” He gave her a wry smile.
    She put her hands on her hips, then realized it was the second time she’d done so. She quickly removed them. “Are you holding down the fort all by yourself?”
    He took another sip of his beer. “It’s a hard job, but someone has to do it. I only get rattled when a pretty woman walks by.”
    She immediately looked at the ground, secretly thrilled by his comment but at a complete loss as to how to respond. So she said nothing. Instead, she just stared at the sand, stunned that such a handsome man had recognized her not as a mom or a new divorcée, but as a woman.
    She’d forgotten what that felt like. He’s really flirting with me!
    She still didn’t speak, however, and the seconds began to tick away.
    Just before the pause in conversation became awkward, he cleared his throat. “ Anyhow , to be honest, I’m not sure why all my friends decided to get married at the same time, but I’m going broke with all the festivities. Last month it was Florida, now here, and next month a bunch of us are going down to Patagonia to go ice climbing.”
    Finally she looked up and regained eye contact, albeit through her sunglasses. “Are you here with a big group?”
    “Thirteen, plus the groom.”
    “Wow. That’s quite a turnout for such a far-off destination. I don’t think I’ve ever had thirteen friends who would travel so far, no matter what the occasion. The groom must be a great guy.”
    He held up one finger, then two, then a third. “Beach, beer, golf. Yes, he’s a great guy, but men, especially this crew of clowns, will travel far and wide for those three little words.”
    She smiled. “I suspect you’re omitting a select word or two for my benefit. That sounds pretty PG for a bachelor party.”
    He laughed and tipped his beer at her. “Nothing wrong with being a gentleman.”
    She pushed her sunglasses on top of her head and peered over his shoulder at the house. “Are all of you staying here?”
    He pointed toward the deck floor, then down the beach. “There are nine of us here, and five more in a smaller place a couple houses that way. I kind of feel like I’m in a fraternity again, although this place is a hell of a lot nicer than the rat hole I used to live in.” He gestured over his shoulder toward the glass doors. “I’ve been waiting for my turn in the shower for a while now. I’ve long given up any expectation of hot water. I’m just