Arkadia (Halfway House Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the rescue. She bundled Sebastian into the other room and helped him get dressed. Arkadia could hear calming words being said to Sebastian, but they were too soft for her to hear. The front door closed and she heard Sebastian’s car start and drive slowly off. Eloise came back into the kitchen.
    “Won’t he tell his dad?” Arkadia felt a stab of panic return.
    “I placed some hazing over the night’s activities. As far as Sebastian is concerned, you started to feel a little unwell, he cut the evening short, brought you home, and then went home himself, feeling content he was a perfect gentleman the entire time and nothing was in the slightest bit strange,” Eloise replied as she sat heavily in the chair, “but alas, that sort of hazing really zaps my energy, so I will take myself off to bed, and we can discuss this more in the morning.” Eloise smiled gently at Arkadia. “I am always here. Arkadia, ALWAYS; no matter what, no matter when.” She winked and vanished up the stairs.
    Wow, Arkadia thought, maybe there was hope for her after all, and maybe her hope was named Eloise.
     

Chapter Six
     
    As Arkadia rolled over in bed mulling over last night’s events, her stomach began to tighten, her pulse raced a little faster, and tiny beads of panic-induced sweat appeared on her brow; she knew it was only a matter of months and the PSEs would need to be taken, and if she didn’t pass? A shudder of ice-cold fear crept up her spine at the thought of what might happen or where she might end up.
    Arkadia thought about how her date, Sebastian, as slimy as he was in person, really didn’t need it proven in the animal kingdom as well. Shaking her head, she wandered to the bathroom. “You need to get your gear sorted,” she mumbled to herself and padded across the hallway in her bright lime-green monster slippers. Hearing a freight train coming up the hallway, Arkadia turned just in time to catch Emerson as he launched himself in her arms. “Holy smokes, Em, go on a diet, I nearly dropped you.” She dropped him to the floor with a chuckle. “Try some vegetables with your steak.” Arkadia winked as she continued walking. Emerson wasn’t giving up his attention seeking yet; he bounced right along beside her and watched as Arkadia got to the bathroom door, turned, and with a quirky grin to match her raised eyebrow, she shut the door in his face.
    Leaning against the door, Emerson pondered loudly, “If you marry Sebastian, and one day he becomes Mayor like his daddy, does that make you automatically a Mrs. Lady Mayor?”
    “Not going to happen, wolf boy,” Arkadia playfully yelled back through the closed door. Emerson smiled to himself. He knew he would always bite since he was the wolf, but if you laid the right bait, Arkadia would always bite.
    “After you become Mrs. Coulter the third, can you work on getting extra tartar sauce in the school cafeteria?” Emerson asked as he still leaned on the bathroom door, waiting for Arkadia to return fire. The door suddenly opened and out popped what looked like the abominable snowman. “Aaaarrrhhhhh! I’ve seen a ghost!” Feigned panic spread across Emerson’s face as he clutched at his heart.
    “Very funny, fur face. Now go chase traffic, will you? I’ve got to get ready for school.” Again, she closed the bathroom door in Emerson’s face. Emerson’s chuckling could be heard as he wandered off.
    Arkadia descended the stairs forty-five minutes later, looking amazing in her tight, dark blue jeans, crisp, white, collared shirt, opened halfway with the contrasting lime green cami underneath it, and her hair down to let her long blonde curls cascade down her shoulders. The image was completed with some gorgeous knee high black boots.
    “Do you have time to talk, Arkadia?” Eloise had a slight pleading tone to her voice.
    “Oh geeeeze, Eloise, I am sorry I don’t.” Arkadia made a grand gesture of checking her watch. “I am in a hurry, maybe later.” Arkadia had