Free Beginning Again: Book 1 in the Second Chances series (Crimson Romance) by Peggy Bird

for him, too?”
    “Fuck off. But I do have an idea about how we can get this sorted out.”
    “I’m listening.”
    Collins told him. After a brief argument, David agreed to let him try. But if it didn’t work, they were headed for court with or without the books. The client was adamant.
    • • •
    After Collins left, Liz felt nervous and confused. Part of her realized she’d actually be doing something she’d fantasized about, but another part wished she could back out of it. What had she been thinking, giving him that list? She knew he meant it, that he’d find all those places, and then she’d have to live up to what she’d suggested. A beach? Sand in places where sand doesn’t belong. A forest? Twigs, leaves, and bugs in places where they don’t belong. A public place? Dear God.
    The back of a Volkswagen was easy and a hot tub tame after the other three.
    When Collins returned, she asked him how his errands had gone. He shrugged off her question, not saying much. The man from last night who’d been so eager to fulfill her fantasies seemed to have disappeared. She was confused. Had he gotten a dose of common sense about it? Absorbed her fear? Cooled to the idea?
    He went up and down the stairs a couple times, making phone calls in the parking lot out back. She got more curious — and more concerned — as time went on. But just as she was about to ask if he wanted to reconsider the plan for spending two days together, he seemed to shake off his mood. He hugged her, kissed her cheek, suggested she change into jeans and running shoes, and pack for overnight. They’d be leaving in a half-hour, he announced. He disappeared down the steps again with his duffle bag without telling her where they were going.
    It became obvious when he headed west on the Sunset Highway that they were going to the coast. The sand option. Great. And, on top of it all, in spite of being the end of summer, it wasn’t warm enough to lie naked on a blanket on the beach. This just got worse the more she thought about it.
    At least he’d let her pick out the music. She still loved the songs she’d played as a young teenager. She listened to mix tapes from three decades ago in her house and always kept at least one Eagles and one Chicago CD in her car at all times.
    Today, however, Rod Stewart singing “Maggie May” was up now. Next came Creedence Clearwater Revival, who would accompany them to the coast.
    And then, the fun would begin. The fun. The embarrassment. The sand. What the hell had she gotten herself into? And why was she continually asking herself that question about this man?
    “Okay, it’s obvious where we’re going. Which beach?” she asked about an hour into the trip as she was changing CDs.
    “There’s a state park south of Cannon Beach that’s in a beautiful woods. And it has a secluded beach. I have a campsite reserved for us. Because it’s a good fifteen-, twenty-minute walk to the ocean, it’s usually pretty deserted especially — ”
    “Oh, no, I’m not rolling around in the sand right near a state park. I was thinking more like an out-of-the-way … ”
    “Okay, then the campsite it is.”
    “A public campsite? Are you crazy?”
    “Relax. I went up to REI this morning and got a tent. We’ll be in the woods, in sort of a public place, in a tent … ” He glanced at her and laughed. “You look absolutely terrified. This is going to be even more fun than I imagined.”
    He was right about how beautiful the park was. And, because it was the middle of the week and the middle of the day, the crowd was sparse. That didn’t make Liz any less nervous. She tripped over tree roots as she tried to help put up the tent, finally leaving it to him to complete while she looked around anxiously, trying to see how close anyone else was to their campsite, sure that it wasn’t remote enough.
    After the tent was secure, they walked hand in hand to the beach carrying the two blankets Collins insisted they needed and