Free Autumn Getaway (Seasons of Love) by Jennifer Gracen

smiled one of his broad, disarming smiles that Lydia found stunning. “Not too many. Just that one.”
    She gave a short laugh. “Okay, okay.” She looked at the window of the jukebox again. “What if the songs get mixed up, shuffled in between other songs?”
    “You’ll let me know.” Sam took the opportunity to gaze at her profile and discreetly look her body over while she read through the titles. Alec had been right about one thing: she sure had curves, and he liked them.
    “Alright, here we go. First song is ‘I Want You Back/ABC’ by the Jackson 5, so your brother and his wife can keep dancing.” Lydia pressed the buttons to register her initial choice.
    “Nice,” Sam said approvingly. “Now pick your other five. They don’t all have to be upbeat songs—Alec didn’t come here to dance, you know, he came here to drink.”
    Lydia laughed. “Okay. Not all party songs. Just good ones. Got it.” She looked at him sideways and said in a teasing voice, “Well, go on, get outta here. You can’t see what I pick, remember?”
    This time it was Sam who laughed. “Ahhh, alright. Would you rather sit at the bar, or on those couches by the fire?”
    She realized he was asking because he wanted her to join him when she was done. Before she let herself think too hard, she said, “The bar is fine. I’m afraid if I sit in those cozy chairs by the fire I’ll fall asleep.”
    He nodded. “I’ll meet you there, then.” His eyes lingered on her for a few seconds before he walked over to the bar and sat on the stool second from the right.
    Lydia tried to choose the rest of her songs, but the song titles swam in front of her, could have been printed in another language for all they meant right then. Just standing close to Sam had her head spinning, and she knew she couldn't only blame the wine. Sam was a very appealing man, there was no denying that. He was certainly her type, back when she used to have a type: tall, dark, and friendly. And he certainly seemed to keep coming around to her. Was he just being sociable, since it seemed she was the only single woman there close to his age; or… she hadn’t been hit on in so long, she was unsure. She knew that, for her part, she hadn’t been flirting back, had just been herself… or at least she didn’t think she’d been flirting…
    She closed her eyes. The music, the sounds of people laughing and talking permeated her mind. I’m here to have a good time, she reminded herself. I’m here to relax a little bit, unwind. There is no harm in just sitting and talking to a nice guy. Chill out, Lydia, you jerk.
    She made herself concentrate and picked five more songs before taking a deep breath, exhaling it slowly, and heading to the bar. Sam was chatting with the bartender. He smiled as she approached. “Hi.”
    “Hi.” She smiled back, amazed at the little flip her stomach did. God, he had a killer smile. She took the seat to Sam’s right, at the end of the bar.
    “Can I get you something?” John asked her.
    “I shouldn't…”
    Sam merely looked at her, his expression neutral.
    Ah, the hell with it , she decided. I'll nurse it. “Why not. A glass of Merlot, please.”
    “Coming right up.” John smiled at her and walked to the other end of the bar.
    The Jackson 5 song Lydia had chosen came blaring out of the jukebox.
    “Ohhh yeaaah!” Alec cheered in approval, grabbing Paige by the hand for another dance and giving her a spin. Ryan and Melanie laughed at Alec’s exuberance and kept dancing as well. Sam and Lydia chuckled as they watched the two couples enjoy themselves.
    “See? I did a good thing,” Lydia said to Sam.
    Sam turned back to her, smiling. “Yes, you did. Point to you, Miss…” He laughed. “God, I'm sorry, I don’t know your last name.”
    “Powell. Lydia Powell.”
    “Great. My name is Sam Forrester, by the way.”
    She nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
    His eyebrows shot up. “You know?”
    “I figured out at dinner that you were