Dragonfly Creek by T.L. Haddix Read Free Book Online Page B

The transition was shocking, an almost instantaneous switch from fast to slow. After the pace of Lexington and the interstate, several miles passed before Ainsley made the mental adjustment.
    She reached Hazard shortly before six and decided to stop at the grocery on her way instead of making a special trip. She saw a sign for the chain store she liked to shop at in Lexington, then made her way there. Taking a deep breath, she prayed for courage and that she wouldn’t run into anyone she knew—not her first night in town.
    When the produce department worker gave her a dirty look several minutes later, she realized she was dawdling. With a quick smile, she hurried on down the aisle. She was putting off going to the house, and she shook her head at herself. After filling the buggy with a few essentials Byrdie hadn’t packed, she stopped in the deli and grabbed a roasted chicken. At least she would have dinner tonight, she thought. She didn’t want to get too much food until she’d evaluated the state of the kitchen at the house.
    With the groceries loaded in the trunk, she bit the bullet and made the trip to the house. Mr. Thornton had sent her the garage door opener in the mail, but she parked in front of one of the three bays without pressing the button. For long, long minutes, she just stared at the house. Of a contemporary design, it had been built in the late nineteen fifties to her mother’s exacting specifications. It was a sprawling structure situated high on the peak of a mountain that overlooked the city. The nearest neighbor was at least half a mile away, down in the valley below. Her mother’s own kingdom, she thought.
    She’d blocked out the need to ever have to return to this house. When she’d left that summer to marry Doug, she’d been so devastated by what she was doing, just the thought of returning to Hazard had made her physically ill. To his credit, Doug had never pushed her to return, especially not after the miscarriage.
    She couldn’t think about that now, though. Too much agony still lurked under the surface of those particular memories. She needed to get inside and get settled in, and then she could start dealing with what her decisions and her mother’s duplicity had cost her.

     

 
    Chapter Eight

     
    A insley woke as the sun was coming up the next morning. She’d taken one of the larger guest rooms on the ground floor, one that faced southwest and out over the pool. She lay in bed, gearing herself up for the day mentally as the room brightened ever so slightly around her.
    As much as she hated what the house represented, she’d always loved this room. White carpet, cherry-wood furniture, and an elegant, lightly patterned wallpaper gave it an understated class. Though somewhat dated, the decor was still stylish. It also reminded Ainsley of home, and she knew she would probably need that reminder over the weeks to come.
    The travel clock she’d set up on the nightstand showed her that it was just seven o’clock. Unable to stay in bed, she got up and took care of her bathroom needs before donning a simple one-piece bathing suit.
    When she’d decided to return to Hazard to oversee the final disposition of the estate, her first order of business was to make sure the pool was in working order. Mr. Thornton assured her it was, and Ainsley hoped the man was as good as his word. One of the first things she’d done after getting sober was have a spectacular all-seasons pool installed at the farm. With very few exceptions, she swam every morning and often every evening.
    The air was still cool when she stepped outside, and the sun was barely peeping through the fog shrouding the mountains around her. Birds were singing in the trees surrounding the clearing where the house sat, but their songs were muted by the thick condensation in the air. Tossing her towel onto a lounge chair on the pool deck, she moved to inspect the water. It was uncovered, and a few leaves floated around on the