Page 3 of Unexpected Adventures

And Denise should know, seeing as she has four of them and already has plans for her fifth.

After making a sharp turn up a hill, Denise suddenly slams on the brakes, sending me forward into the dash. “What theeff? You don’t stop on a blind corner!” she yells, glaring at the car in front of us.

I wince at her shrill voice, my arms already aching from bracing myself. “Pretty sure he heard that. How could he not? I, on the other hand, am now deaf in my left ear.”

“Sorry,” Denise said, still looking out the windshield. She lays on the horn. “What a doofus! We’re not that far from Sherri’s.”

“Jeez, calm down. Maybe he’s having a problem. Let me go see what’s up.”

I start to open my door when she grabs my arm, startling me. “No! He could be some deranged person, luring unsuspecting women into a trap!”

“Uh, huh. WatchDangerous Mindsmuch?” How she could stand to watch shows like that is beyond me. “It’s no wonder you’re paranoid.” I grab my phone out of my bag, reaching for the door handle again. “I’ll be fine. It’s broad daylight. I’ll approach the passenger side and see what’s up. Maybe he needs directions. Or his car is having problems.”

“Well, let him call for help himself. I’m sure he has a phone. Everyone has a phone!”

“Denise, relax. If you hear gunfire, put it in reverse and get the flock outta here.”

“Very funny, Abby.Not! Let me just drive around him. We can call for someone when we get to Sherri’s. Her house is the next one up at the end of the cul-de-sac.”

“Well then, maybe he’s a guest. Call Sherri and see if she’s expecting anyone driving a maroon Honda Civic. I’ll wait, if it makes you feel better.”

“Fine,” she huffs. She puts the car in park, then fishes her phone out of her bag. As Denise is waiting for Sherri to answer, I see the driver open his door and reveal himself. Now I’m starting to get all paranoid thanks to my sis. “What are you doing?” I whisper, knowing full-well he’s going to make his way over to us.

“Uh, Abby, he’s coming for us! What do we do? Sherri?” She realizes she’s connected. “There’s a guy coming at us! Oh my God!”

“Calm down,” I say without any effect. Denise is getting hysterical, blabbering on the phone while the guy’s walking to my side of the car. “Why my side?” I mumble. “Don’t you always go to the side opposite of traffic?”

“Youwere going to go to the passenger side!”

“Yeah, well you can’t be too careful,” I say to her. “He doesn’t look menacing,” I now say to myself. No, he doesn’t look menacing at all. In fact, he looks down-right relaxed as I track his casual movement. He’s wearing flip-flops, board shorts, a tank top, and mirrored glasses. Sandy hair blows across his forehead and pearly whites shine from between his luscious lips as they part in a smile.

Why am I thinking his lips are luscious? What is wrong with me? He could very well be a deranged lunatic in disguise.

Somehow, I doubt it with a look like that. A player? Possibly. A lunatic? Nah. One look at those tan, muscular arms and those perfect legs, and I’m convinced. What does he do to stay in shape, I wonder?

I’m barely able to make out what Denise is saying to Sherri when the stranger leans over and raps on my window. I open it just a crack and stupidly reply, “Can I help you?”

The baritone chuckle he emits makes all my short hairs spring to attention and the butterflies in my stomach take flight.

Oh, brother.

We’re locked in a gaze. At least I think we are, even though I can’t see his eyes but I’m trying like heck to stare right through those dang mirrored sun glasses and all I see is my own reflection…

“Okay. Thanks, Sherri,” I hear Denise say in the calmest of voices. “He’s okay. It’s just her brother.”

I break the stare to look at Denise, then back at the stranger at my window who is apparently ‘just’ Sherri’s brother. I watch as he removes the glasses from his face, still smiling with his perfect lips. My eyes zero in on the iciest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. And not icy as in cold and calculating, but crystal clear, sharp and focused. Yet somehow warm and soulful. At least … they’re warming me.

I feel my face blush. You’d think I was looking at a movie star.

Well, wearein California…

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