Loving David Read Free Page A

looked around. “Some sort of camp for adults?”
    “No,” Charlotte smiled. “Like I said, it’s a retreat. Most of the ladies here may not realize who you are.” She looked over at him as she reached behind her seat to get her bags. “I hope that doesn’t offend you.”
    “ That would be a nice change of pace.” He ran over to her side. “Let me get the bags for you.”
    “How about you take the groceries and your backpack and,” Charlotte picked up her bags. “I’ll take these.”
    David grinned. “Deal.”
    As she stood in the evening light, watching him sling his backpack over his shoulder and hoist the grocery bags, Charlotte took the opportunity to get a better view of David King. He was even more handsome in person than he was on screen or in any of the tabloids she saw at the supermarket. He had to be at least six feet tall with broad shoulders, and even though his arms were beneath a flannel shirt, she could tell that they were muscular, the kind you could get lost in. A chunk of his dark, unruly hair kept falling into his piercing green eyes, which shone like emeralds.
    Stop staring , Charlotte admonished herself as she pulled the cabin keys out of her purse. She headed toward a small cabin that was squeezed in between two much larger cabins. Charlotte shoved the key in the lock and motioned for David to come in. The scent of pine cleaner greeted them and shadows from the fading evening sun cast themselves against the knotted wood floors. David took a look around as he sat the grocery bags and his overstuffed backpack on the small kitchen table.
    “Nice place,” he said. “Now what are these ladies going to think about you dropping a veritable stranger down in their midst? You’re sure I’m not intruding?”
    Charlotte placed her bags next to the table, deciding to sidestep the question for the time being. David started to take the groceries out of the bags and set them on the table. He inspected the bags of pretzels, cans of potato chips, and assorted boxes of pastries.
“A girl with a healthy appetite, I see.”
Charlotte began to put the groceries away. “I like my sugar and my salt. Sue me.”
“Should I be scared? I’m not walking into a coven of witches, am I?” he asked with a wink.
“No, no. Nothing like that.”
David pulled out a chair and sat down. “So what kind of retreat is this anyway? Are you all doing yoga or something?”
“No. We’re all writers. It’s a writers’ retreat.”
    He looked at her, wide-eyed. “Writers? What kind of writers? Oh dear. Don’t tell me you’re screenwriters,” he laughed.
    Charlotte felt her heart speed up; his smile took her breath away. She pulled out a bottle of Arizona Iced Tea. “Can I pour you a glass?” she asked as she pondered her answer.
    “Please, thank you.” David leaned forward. “What kind of writers are you all?”
    Charlotte pulled two tall glasses from the cabinets and filled them with ice. “Well, we all write different things ---- novels, political articles, biographies,” she paused. “One lady writes educational books.” Distress flickered across David’s handsome face. “Don’t worry, David--- none of us write for the tabloids or anything like that.” She handed him a glass.
    He exhaled. “Thank God.” He held up his glass to hers. “To new friends,” he said. Charlotte joined her glass with his and they clinked. “Cheers.”
    Charlotte gulped her tea, not realizing how thirsty she was. David also drained his in a few quick swigs. They both plunked their empty glasses down at the same time and laughed.
    “I guess we were thirsty,” Charlotte said as she resumed putting away her groceries.
    “Apparently.” David reached for the bottle and refilled both glasses.
    “Before we make our big entrance, there is something else I should probably tell you.” Charlotte paused. “All of the ladies here are either divorced or widowed.” She looked at him for his reaction.
    “Divorced or Widowed ?”