Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury Page B

life in it to impact his future.
    Or his great love for Laura.
    He needed to run. Living and working in the city didn’t allow him enough time to run outdoors the way he used to do when he lived near the Outer Banks, back when he was a Carolina beach boy with calloused feet and tanned arms. He would have to get on his treadmill and stare at the city lights. Run until the effort it took to draw a breath killed his ability to remember that far back.
    It was the Kotton Kids campaign, that’s what was doing this. That and the date, of course. He gripped the steering wheel more tightly than before. God … why is this happening? Why now? I made peace with You, didn’t I? Wasn’t that enough? Every mistake and misstep from the past doesn’t have to be public knowledge, right? Especially something so awful as … so awful as that.
    There was no audible answer, nothing that rang across his soul.
    Laura’s face filled his mind. She was perfect. He remembered seeing her for the first time. He’d been working for her dad nearly a year, and he’d missed the company Christmas party. When he showed up at the employee summer barbecue, Brad was saying his hellos to Randy and Rita James when he saw her across the lawn, a vision in a sleeveless white linen dress. Blonde hair and tan shoulders, but most of all, a smile that filled her face. He wandered over to Phyllis, the secretary who had been with the company almost since the beginning.
    He made small talk for a few minutes, then he hesitated and nodded toward the place across the yard where Laura was talking with a group of people. “Who is she?”
    “Her?” Phyllis smiled fondly. “Randy James’ daughter.”
    Brad couldn’t take his eyes off the young woman. “What do you know about her?”
    “She doesn’t date. She plays tennis and writes poetry and she visits sick kids at the children’s hospital. She’s more about God than guys.” Phyllis smiled in Laura’s direction. “She’s just what her daddy says. One-in-a-million.”
    Somehow he could tell that about her. He thanked the secretary, and half an hour later he’d worked up the courage to position himself near her. Finally he stepped into her path and held up his hand, his heart slamming about in his chest. “I’ve been meaning to tell you this …”
    Laura looked surprised. She stopped, the wind playing in her blonde hair. “You’ve been meaning to tell me something?”
    “Yes.” Brad’s days as a cutup back at Wilmington High School helped him fight his fear. He kept a mock-serious look on his face, his tone confident. “Here’s the deal.” He cocked his head to one side and gave an innocent shrug of his shoulders. “I think we’re gonna be better off as friends.”
    She took a moment to register what he said. Then she scrunched up her brow and managed a confused laugh. “Do I know you?”
    “Not yet.” He did a few thoughtful nods of his head. “But you will. And when you do, I think we’ll be better off as friends.”
    Her eyes were still narrowed, curious. “Why’s that?”
    “Because, see,” he took a step closer and lowered his voice — as if he didn’t want anyone to hear the next part. “You’re not my type. I like brunettes.” Another shrug. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.” He grinned. “You know?”
    She nodded slowly. “And when are we supposed to start this great friendship?”
    “Today?” his expression lit up with possibility. “I work for your dad … this is the employee picnic.” He shrugged. “No better time.”
    Laughter filled the space between them as they both gave way to the craziness of his request. “What’s your name?”
    “Brad Cutler.”
    “Hmmm.” Laura surveyed him, teasing. “I can’t believe it.”
    “What?”
    Humor shone in her eyes. “I’ve heard about you, but my dad never mentioned this.”
    “Mentioned what?” His heart was beating more normally by then.
    “That you were a struggling comedian.”
    He laughed