Free Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 15 by Chautona Havig Page B

house and almost reached Becca ’ s car in time to open the door. “ I ’ ll have to be faster next time .”
    “ You ’ re here! I thought —”
    “ They invited me back and well I —” Josh hesitated. How do you tell someone you ’ ve barely met that you drove back at break-neck speed in order to see you again without sounding desperately pathetic.
    “ I ’ m glad you came .” She whispered the words, her expression pained .
    “ What ’ s wrong? ”
    “ Maybe I can explain later. I should go in —” Becca gestured toward the kitchen as if to say, “ don ’ t you want to come in too? ”
    “ Actually, Willow suggested we take a walk. Something about her bread .”
    They started toward the field where the annual “Dinner” cow and the sheep grazed. He didn ’ t care to admit it, but the sight of the large animals unnerved him. “ How dangerous are cows anyway? ”
    “ Willow says they ’ re safe. They pretty much leave everyone alone , but we only have to cross that corner. We could run for it before they got to us if we had to .” Becca ’ s voice held a trace of mirth.
    “ Stop laughing at me. I ’ ve never been around big game —”
    “ I ’ m pretty sure sheep aren ’ t considered big game .”
    Once near the stream, the couple continued to amble along the banks, rarely speaking but communicating much. Finally, Josh ’ s curiosity overcame him and he sat down in the grassy shade of a tree. “ Ok, so you said you ’ d tell me what ’ s wrong .”
    “ Do you know why I ’ m here — who I am visiting? ”
    “ No, you — no one ever said .”
    Blushing, Becca made herself comfortable against the trunk of the tree facing Josh. “ It ’ s kind of a church sponsored ‘ Bachelor House .’ I ’ m here for a month to see if the guy is the one for me .”
    Josh took in her words. It sounded surreal and far-fetched. “ As in like the TV show with a dozen half-dressed women and hot tub orgies? ”
    “ No! ” Becca ’ s face flamed even deeper scarlet. “ Nothing like that. We have a chaperone — my Gra m actually, and he ’ s kept himself physically respectful. Well, that sounds awkward . He ’ s been great really .”
    “ So you stay for a month, and then what? ”
    “ I go home. Actually, I go home on Friday .”
    Josh didn ’ t miss the relief in her voice. “ Not working out? ”
    “ Well, actually, before yesterday, I would have said it was going well. Now I ’ m all confused .”
    “ Did something go wrong? ” Josh ordered himself not to pray, “ Please say yes .”
    “ I met someone else .” Becca ’ s voice was such a quiet miserable whisper that Josh wasn ’ t sure he ’ d heard her right.
    “ You met someone else? ”
    “ Mmm hmm .”
    “ What are you going to do about it? ”
    “ I don ’ t know .” Disappointment filled her tone. “ I don ’ t want to be foolish and waste what really was the most wonderful month of my life , but how do you ignore strong attraction for someone else? ”
    “ Strong attraction , eh? ” Josh ’ s voice sounded nearly giddy and his lisp grew more pronounced.
    “ You ’ re not helping .”
    “ So what ’ s the real question? ”
    Her shoulders slumped. “ What would you think about a woman who invests herself in one man for a month and is ready to turn her back on all that work she put in to a relationship after just a few hours with someone else? ”
    “ What kind of commitment did you make? ”
    “ To come, get to know him, and decide if I want to continue talking to him after I leave. If he asks, I say yes or no .”
    A grin split Josh ’ s face. “ So, in other words, this is like a really long blind date with no expectations, just hopes .”
    “ That ’ s one way to put it .” She waited impatiently for him to answer and then urged again, “ So what would you think if you were a guy who spent a month with a woman and she turned you down at the end because she thinks another guy is interesting