SHADOW OF WHIMSY by ANN HYMES

Author:ANN HYMES
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781944962258
Publisher: Secant Publishing, LLC
Published: 2016-06-13T15:27:16+00:00

Chapter Nine

RICK’S WORK BOOTS had left deep imprints in the sand, and Theresa retraced his steps as she emerged from the water, cold, refreshed, excited. He was leaving fingerprints on her life. That night she slept without a nightgown. After the freedom of swimming with no bathing suit, she’d worn only a thin cover-up for the rest of the day, and then slipped naked between the soft sheets. The nights were wonderful at Whimsy Towers—crisp, breezy, and fragrant with a mixture of pine and salt air. A faint hint of blossoms teased its way into the wind, and birds were silent only when the darkness demanded quiet.

She’d gone to bed realizing that another odd incident with Rick was keeping her from calling him about the yard work. She was certain he had been the man standing on the beach, and she wondered why he’d come back to the house. He did not call, and she waited in order to examine her own motives. Did she want him as a gardener or a lover? She had never had either.

The phone rang and broke the train of thought that was leading to danger.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Theresa. I’ve had trouble getting through to you. You must be outside or out exploring a lot.”

The familiar voice shattered her reverie and the expectation of someone else.

“Hi, Kevin. Yes … yes, everything’s fine.” She’d been rehearsing what she would say if Rick called, and she stumbled to switch gears and realign emotions.

He continued, not delving into her sincerity. “I tried calling all day yesterday, but there was no answer. And last night I had to work late. Hope this isn’t too early.”

“No, it’s fine. We’re up. I mean … Gypsy and I are up.”

Her clarification was peculiar, but she didn’t dare pursue it. In her heart she had committed adultery, plain and simple. She increasingly thought of Rick and what it would be like to be with him. The rolling daydream from the beach repeated and repeated, but now the man’s face was clearly Rick’s, and Theresa’s imagination carried them to new heights. Her restlessness was protected by distance, but she knew the glue that kept her married to Kevin was losing its grip. Theresa could not quite admit the finality of it, but lack of satisfying companionship makes places empty and uninteresting. She knew she was selfish to think of discarding a good man who wanted her so much, but she did not care. She was not willing to rot in place.

Theresa was glad Kevin could not see into her eyes, but she knew he was searching for clues to figure out the moment, to move forward.

She pounced on the lull. “I need to let Gypsy outside. Can you hold a minute, and I’ll pick up downstairs?”

Theresa knew he’d be glad for the opportunity to gather his thoughts. Lawyers liked preparation.

She grabbed her robe and hurried downstairs with the dog. As she opened the door, her heart pounded, and she froze. Scattered on the porch floor and down the steps were bits of celery, carrots, and crackers.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.