Waking Up by Amanda Carpenter Read Free Book Online

the plot, and a universal theme of revitalization that caught at Robbie’s flagging spirits and quickened her heart.
    Revitalization, low ebb and high tide, great strengths and terrible frailty. This was the stuff of human life. Her book lowered slowly, until it rested on the chair and she was staring sightlessly at the sunny scene before her. The word kept echoing queerly in her mind, with a heavy emphasis. Revitalization. Odd, how depression could mar one’s outlook with tunnel vision, until all one could see and sense and taste was the darkness. Her optimism reasserted itself, and though she still mourned the scene with Jason yesterday, she now had hopes of patching the tattered, neglected fabric of their relationship together, perhaps continuing with something new.
    Later that afternoon, her empty stomach finally made itself known in no uncertain terms, making her leave the lounge chair and head back inside for a quick, light snack. Since it was nearly time for her father to return home, she limited herself to an apple and a granola bar, while thinking ahead to what she should make for supper.
    She and Herb fluctuated with the chores, though more often than not she was the one who cooked their evening meals. Herb did the grocery shopping and took the rubbish out, and as they owned a dishwasher, they both took responsibility for loading and unloading it.
    She wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about working over a hot stove, and so she resolved to make a fancy salad, with delicately flavored chicken sandwiches, using the cold meat left over in the refrigerator. That decision made, she headed for the stairs, intending to shower and change out of her swimsuit.
    As she reached the hallway, however, the doorbell rang, and so she changed course in midstride to answer the summons. When she pulled the door open, she found Jason leaning casually against the doorpost, his light brown hair ruffled. He was dressed in dark suit slacks, and had apparently stopped by after coming straight home from the office, though he had taken the time to rid himself of his tie and jacket. His white shirt was open halfway down his chest with the sleeves rolled up in the heat.
    For just a split second, she had full view of his profile as he looked over the lawn, that young, lean face, the weariness in his eyes that was more an expression than physical manifestation, the firmness of his sensual mouth. Then he turned his head and smiled faintly into her closed, wary eyes.
    “May I come in?”
    She started and came to herself, and then backed away wordlessly so that he could enter the hall. He ran his vivid gaze down her body. The bikini was basically a series of small triangles in strategic places, leaving on open view her narrow rib cage, the graceful swelling of hipbones under an even narrower waist, and long, lean, lovely legs. She was in good physical condition from the demands of her job, her muscles tight, flowing, her skin very dark and shiny with lotion.
    Under his gaze, she lifted one slim hand and pushed her smooth brown hair back. It fell straight to her shoulders from her strong yet refined features. Somewhere along the line, her face had sharpened from the round immaturity of a child. Her brown eyes searched his, questioningly. He seemed fascinated by something in her.
    When he didn’t say anything straightaway, she asked, “Would you like something cold to drink?”
    “Please,” he responded immediately. When she turned to go back to the kitchen, he followed close behind, and after she had poured two glasses of tea and handed one to him, he leaned against the counter. One hand was propped back on the counter’s edge, while with the other, he swirled his glass and stared down into the clear, brown depths. Light was reflected from the ice cubes and liquid in brilliant splashes of honey. Robbie kept her gaze on his glass while halfheartedly sipping from her own.
    “Did you have a good day at work?” she ventured at last.
    “Mmm, yes,”