Death, Taxes, and Peach Sangria Read Online Free

he’d inputted a short bio. “How does
     that sound?”
    I read the entry.
    I am a government technology specialist who enjoys video games, science-fiction novels,
     and spy movies. I am seeking a woman who likes those things, too, and who will want
     to spend time with me.
    Josh looked up at me, a slight blush on his cheeks, a hopeful look in his baby blue
     eyes. “What do you think? Would it make a girl want to date me?”
    Honestly? The bio made him sound like a desperate geek. But I couldn’t very well say
     that, could I? “Let’s tweak it just a little.”
    I pulled over one of the wing chairs and took a seat, glancing at Josh. How could
     I make the nerdy twerp sound interesting? I thought back to the marketing class I’d
     taken in college. According to the professor, advertising was all about spin.
    Time to turn Josh into a human dreidel.
    I swiveled his laptop my way and, after a few minutes of typing, deleting, revising,
     and retyping, came up with what I felt was a fairly good sales job.
    Federal agent specializing in high-tech espionage seeks an adventurous woman who shares
     an interest in traveling together to other worlds via video games, sci-fi books, and
     spy movies.
    “How’s that?” I asked, turning the computer so Josh and Nick could read the screen.
    Nick nodded. “Better.”
    Josh turned to Nick. “You should sign up, too. Maybe we could double-date.”
    “No!” The word shot out of my mouth before I could stop it. The mere thought of Nick
     dating someone else filled me with pure jealousy.
    I felt sick. Terrified. Frantic.
    Nick eyed me intently as I sputtered, trying to cover for myself.
    I turned to Josh to avoid Nick’s gaze. “Um … I mean Nick doesn’t need to join a dating
     service to meet someone. He could meet someone the traditional way. You know, at a
     bar or something.”
    Fat chance. We put in a lot of overtime and Nick had little free time to go searching
     for his soul mate.
    “I’m not into the bar scene,” Nick said. “Burned myself out on that years ago. Maybe
     I should try this online thing. Seems to work for a lot of people.” He stared at me,
     one brow raised, a challenge in his eyes. He was sending me a message loud and clear. This is your last chance, Tara. Stop wondering what we might be like together and
     find out for yourself.
    My stomach felt hollow and queasy. But Nick’s implied ultimatum had me feeling angry,
     too. Not that I had any right whatsoever to be angry, but that wasn’t going to stop
     me.
    Josh turned the computer toward himself again and began pecking at his keyboard, setting
     up an account for Nick. “What kind of woman are you looking for?”
    Nick looked up in thought. “Well, she needs to be reasonably pretty, of course.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Wow. You’re deep.”
    He ignored my jibe, looking directly at me again. “I want a woman with brains and
     gumption. One who’s independent and speaks her mind. One who won’t get all girlie
     and upset when I occasionally act like an asshole.”
    Josh chuckled. “You just described Tara.”
    Nick raised the second brow. I mean it, Tara, said the brow . This is your last chance.
    I stared back at him for a moment.
    And in that instant I knew.
    Nick is a chance I have to take.
    I’d been miserable and heartbroken since that day, weeks ago, when I’d told Nick that
     I’d chosen to stay with Brett. I had made the wrong choice. I should’ve taken the
     gamble. I knew that now with absolute certainty.
    But the thought of losing Brett made me feel sick, terrified, and frantic, too. He
     was a great catch. Sweet, smart, and successful, too. He was not only an up-and-coming
     landscape architect at the prestigious firm of Wakefield Designs, but he’d also recently
     started a nursery business. I admired his work ethic, respected his entrepreneurial
     spirit. We shared many common interests, like watching goofy British comedies on television
     and sampling diverse ethnic