Awakening by Olivia Hayes Read Free Book Online Page A

I normally liked. His eyes, whose shape reminded me of almonds, were perfectly placed on either side of his nose. He was handsome, and although I pretended not to notice, Eva clearly had. But that's how she was. Men fell at her feet and she loved it.
    "Yes ma'am," he said with a hint of a Southern accent, while removing his hat and running one tanned hand through his hair. "Nick Underwood," he said, shaking my mother's hand.
    "Nick, nice to meet you. This is my daughter Caroline, and her friends Anne Marie Taylor and Eva Williams," my mother said.
    Nick looked at me with his warm gray eyes. "Caroline," he said and nodded almost imperceptibly. "Eva, Anne Marie." Another nod.
    "Please, come in, " she urged. "We just arrived and haven't had time to fully unload the car yet, but may I offer you a bottled water?" She asked him.
    "Thank you, that would be nice," Nick said as he stepped aside and closed the front door behind himself. He turned to follow my mother into the kitchen, but stopped abruptly when his eyes landed on Eva again. A warm smile crept across his face and I could see her face getting flush.
    Oh Lord!
    "Excuse me Miss Eva, ladies, it's been a pleasure." He broke eye contact with Eva to acknowledge Anne Marie and me, before following my mother into the kitchen.
    "Damn!" Exclaimed Eva. "Is it warm in here?"
    Anne Marie and I burst into laughter as Eva fanned her face.
    "Looks like you might have found something to pass the time out here," I said.
    "I will try to control myself! You're the one who needs to be looking for a distraction. I bet a hot roll in the hay would do you a world of good," Eva retorted.
    Eva was probably right. Maybe when I got back to Savannah I would try to find someone to spend time with.  I'd heard sometimes it was the best medicine. That could be just what I needed to get me out of this rut.
    "Caroline, can you please come in here?" My mother called , breaking me away from my thoughts. I walked into the kitchen.
    "Yes, M om?"
    "Nick is a structural engineer. I asked him to come out and take a look at the house to see if it's sound. He and his survey crew will be out here all day tomorrow so we'll need to be out of the way. We'll start work on the upstairs in the morning and try to finish the downstairs in the afternoon, sound good?"
    "Sure Mom, whatever works."
    As I walked to the fridge to get a water bottle, I hear Nick telling my mother that if everything was structurally sound he'd have his partner , who was a period architect, come by and sort out what needed to be done to restore the house to its original glory.
    "You've got a great place here Mrs. Foster. Hopefully we can save it for you."
    "Thanks for coming by Nick. I'll see you in the morning," my mother said as Nick gathered his hat, finished his bottled water and left.
    ~~~~
    Eva, Anne Marie, and I went upstairs to check out the bedrooms. We found one with a queen size bed in the middle of the room and a twin tucked against the wall. Anne Marie and Eva decided to share the queen and I took the twin.
    I threw my bag onto the bed and sat down, exhausted. Just then, the cat jumped up from his hiding spot under my bed and snuggled into my lap. As I absently pet him, I felt something under his fur and realized he had on a collar that I hadn't noticed before. Running my hands around under his neck, I found a tag that read 'Tomcat'.
    "Tomcat? Is that your name?" I asked him. "I think he's the little guy who's been spooking us today."
    "Awe, he's sweet," said Anne Marie, coming over to stroke down Tomcat's back.
    "Keep him on your bed. I'm allergic," Eva said.
    "Since when?" Challenged Anne Marie.
    "Oh, hush!" Eva retaliated.
    "I bet you wouldn't be allergic if it was Nick's cat," Anne Marie goaded.
    Eva flopped over on the bed and put a pillow over her head while Anne Marie and I laughed for the second time at her expense.

June 20, 2013
    I stand on the front porch of the house again, this time I notice a freshly painted swing is hanging