Woodlands by Robin Jones Gunn Read Free Book Online Page A

getting younger and younger. I was the oldest staff member except for Keegan and Marabella, who ran the program. And they’re settled in for the long haul. They have their own cabin. They even have their own hammock.”
    Seth pulled up in front of Ida’s house where Leah’s car was parked.
    “So you came to America in search of your own cabin and hammock,” Leah surmised.
    “Something like that.”
    “Boy, are we ever different,” Leah said, leaning against her door. “Ever since I was fourteen I’ve dreamed of going places and seeing things. What I wouldn’t give to live in a Quonset hut or hike the Alps or go dancing in the streets of a Greek fishing village.”
    Seth laughed. “It’s not all like the movies.”
    Leah returned his smile. He had such a nice smile. “I know. But I always wanted to see for myself that it wasn’t like the movies, you know?”
    “Why didn’t you?”
    Leah looked down. She wanted to answer with the phrase that filled her mind at that moment and to admit to him what he obviously hadn’t figured out yet. She wanted to say, “Because, behold, I’m Leah.” That phrase had been enough to determine her destiny.
    But Seth didn’t know that. He didn’t act as if her options were limited.
    Leah lifted her head, and with a fresh breath of hope, she answered, “You know, maybe I will someday soon.”

Chapter Six

    M artin showed up with his tow truck before Seth could comment on Leah’s statement, but that didn’t matter. She felt brave and strong for having said what she did. And she meant it, too. Maybe she would take off and see the world someday. The freedom the very thought gave her was exhilarating.
    Leah found it hard to keep from smiling as Martin checked under the hood for possible problems. At this moment she felt she didn’t need a car to take her anywhere. She had something better. She had hope. And hope could take her places she hadn’t been in a long time.
    How strange that hope should have returned to my life after such a long, cold season of silence
.
    Leah glanced at Seth. He and Martin were engrossed in examining her car’s engine. When Martin said he didn’t see anything obvious that could cause the problem, he hooked up her Blazer to his tow truck and promised to have a look at it first thing in the morning.
    Seth drove Leah home, but before they entered her front door, they could hear Bungee barking from the mudroom. They hurried to rescue the forlorn pup and remove the board from the doggie door so Hula could get in and have her dinner. Poor Hula looked offended that Leah had locked her out but had allowed the little pip-squeak to take over her domain.
    Seth comforted Bungee in his arms while Leah checked on the spinach. The oven was turned off. “Oh no, don’t tell me my oven is breaking down, too.”
    “Hey, I think your friend came by and took some of the eggs while we were gone,” Seth said, nodding at the kitchen counter.
    Leah noticed that half the eggs were gone. A note from Lauren replaced the note Leah had left on the counter. It read,
    Sorry it took me all day to get over here. Molly Sue had her two-year-old checkup at the doctor’s this afternoon. I turned off your oven because it smelled like something was burning. Hope I didn’t ruin your dinner. See you tomorrow night at the Good Friday service
.
    xoxox Wren
    Leah checked the frozen state of the spinach and reset the oven. “Looks like it’ll take another half an hour. Can your stomach wait that long?”
    “You know, I was thinking I should probably head home and get this guy settled.” Seth seemed to have turned self-conscious. He looked at the clock and then at Bungee in his arms. “I need to stop by the store on the way home and buy a few necessities for him. Thanks for the offer on dinner. Maybe another time.”
    Leah felt as if she was being rejected even though Sethhadn’t overtly indicated that.
What happened to my burst of hope? Where did those restored dreams fly off to