Free ANOTHER SUNNY DAY by Kathy Clark

was quite a crowd around Jed, some helping and some just getting in the way as he tried to prepare supper. A huge friendly bonfire crackled and beckoned Sarah to its warmth. Almost shyly she joined the group, most of whom she recognized but didn't really know. But they greeted her with friendly smiles, and one of the men got up so she could hav e a campstool on which to sit.
    By the end of the meal she no longer felt like an outsider. It was wonderful to be able to join in normal conversation with people who realized she had more to talk about than gold records and Grammy Awards. Someone brought out an ice chest fun of cold beer and wine, which was qui ckly distributed and consumed.
    Sarah sipped at her glass of wine, enjoying the stories and jokes that were becoming increasingly ribald as the evening progressed. Occasionally she joined in, but mostly she just listened, watching the fire and wondering w hat Tyler was doing right now.
    "What are you doing here?" His unexpected voice nearly caused her to choke on her wine.
    "Where am I supposed to be?"
    He found an empty stool and pulled it up next to hers, lowering his voice so as not to disturb the others' conversation. "I checked your trailer. You weren't there, of course, so I assumed you had gone into town with the others. They did ask you, didn't they?"
    "Yes, they did, but I have been known to pass up a party. I thought it would be more fun to hang around here, and I'm glad I did." She resented him for immediately putting her on the defensive. "Why didn't you go with them? I thought you might need the night off from your bothersome job."
    A muscle in his strong square jaw was working overtime as he leaned closer to hiss in her ear, "You know I don't s till feel that way about you."
    "Well, that's news to me. You avoided me like the plague today and pawned me off on poor Willie like a pair of hand-me-do wn shoes," she whispered back.
    "You two seemed to get along okay." Grudging admiration warmed his voice. "He was quite overwhelmed by you, and that's some compliment. He doesn't take to many people."
    "You were lucky we finally hit it off. For a while there I was thinking of crea tive ways of paying you back."
    "If you wanted me to get someone else to ride with you, you should have just said so," he sai d with an innocent smile.
    "I wanted you," she admitted, then added hastily, "to ride with me and point out the highlights." His smile was working its magic on her, making her forget her resolutions to remain emotionally uninvolved.
    "Didn't Willie do that?"
    "Yes, but it wasn't the same," she answered softly.
    "No, it wasn't," he agreed, attracted once again to her openness and warm, likable personality and despising himself for it. It would make his life a whole lot easier if she wasn't so damn perfect.
    Their eyes met in silent accord, hinting at what might be, but this was not the time or place to make any promises. A shiver of anticipation shook her sl ight body. Maybe tonight . . .
    "Maybe we could impose on Sunny and get her to sing a few songs for us," someone suggested. Other voices joined in, echoing the encouragement while several people hurr ied away to get their guitars.
    Sarah felt a surge of panic. She had not anticipated being asked to sing. There must be some way she could get out of this gracefully. Her voice was gentle and sweet, but it had none of the vitality and range of Sunny's. Just one song would expose her as an impostor, and she mustn't let that happen now.
    "I'm sorry, but I just couldn't," she stammered.
    "What's the matter? Is the star too big to sing for free? Maybe we should all take up a collection and see what her price is," a man suggested sarcastically as he staggered up to her, obviously feeling the effect of several beers too many. A stunned silence settled over the group as he fumbled with his wallet, pulled out a bill, and with a swiftness that could not have been anticipated, stuffed it into the cleavage that was reveal ed by her