Evolving Dreams (New Beginnings Series) Read Free

interesting specimen under a microscope.
    “So are you all SEALs?” she asked.
    “Yeah, we’re on the same team,” said Charley.
    She nodded. Silence again. This was exhausting.
    “Can I ask you a question?” Charley said.
    She was so relieved someone else was advancing the conversation she would have answered almost any question. “Sure.”
    “Do you want me to go over and knock some sense into Sean’s head?”
    “What?!”
    “Well, most women would do it themselves if their guy was flirting with a group of women in a bar right in front of them.”
    “Charley! Shut up!” said Trace and he punched him in the shoulder.
    Meg burst out laughing. “He’s not my guy. Thank God!”
    “Oh.” Poor Charley looked stunned. “I guess I just assumed—the two of you being partners and all.”
    “No. We’ve never been involved other than professionally and creatively. We met in college—both majoring in dance—and we’ve been partners ever since. From the beginning we’ve known each too well to get involved romantically. It seems like Sean finds a new true love everywhere we go. I don’t know where he finds the energy,” she smiled.
    “That doesn’t bother you?” Trace asked.
    “As long as it doesn’t affect our performances it doesn’t. So far so good.”
    Sean finally wandered over with her wine and she sat back and listened to him catch up with Trace. Before long Sonny and Charley stood up to leave.
    “So, McKenna, your turn to host Monday night football at your place tomorrow night.” Charley said.
    “Well, maybe we can do it at your place.” Trace glanced over at her.
    “No! Please don’t move it on my account. We’ll stay out of your way.”
    “It’s not that. We just won’t want to disturb you. We can get kind of loud.”
    “Please don’t cancel it. I’ll feel terrible.”
    “Well, okay. If you’re sure.” Trace looked like he’d prefer to meet his friends over at Charley’s, but this was her chance to prove she wouldn’t get in his way. It was also her first chance in a long time to experience a real normal Monday night in a real normal home just like millions of other Americans.
     
     
    CHAPTER TWO
     
    Trace pulled into his driveway under the carport. Sean parked his rental in behind his Jeep and Meg pulled in beside Sean. He was surprised to see they both had rented cars. Sean explained that they liked to be able to go their separate ways sometimes, especially on long engagements in one location.
    Trace walked back to Meg’s car to help with her luggage. When she stepped out of the car she stopped, closed her eyes and breathed in deep. “Wow! Smell that sea air. You have a cottage right on the beach?” She looked enchanted.
    Trace smiled a little. “You make it sound magical. It’s a very small house that I had to put a lot of work into when I first bought it. But it is on the beach and that is the best feature. Come on in.”
    It didn’t take long for him to give the grand tour. The front door opened into the living room, which included a dining area, separated from a small kitchen by a tiny bar. There were sliding doors at the back of the dining area leading to a little deck, which led to the beach. An archway between the living room and dining area opened into a short hallway. To the right, at the front of the house, was a very small guest bedroom big enough for a day bed, small dresser, desk and a chair. Trace dropped Meg’s luggage off between the bed and the closet door of that room. They continued down the hall to the left past a tiny bathroom and on to Trace’s larger master bedroom. When he bought the house he had the back wall on the beach side taken out and moved back to enlarge the bedroom and make room to put a master bath in. It had cost him about a third of the back deck, but it was worth it to him to be able to spread out a little.
    “I hope the guest room is not too crowded for you,” he said to Meg as they came back down the hall toward the living