Cedar Hollow Read Online Free PDF Page A

she closed her eyes and felt the tension melt away. Her long blonde hair was piled loosely on top of her head, with stray tendrils dipping down into the water. She could stay here for hours, locked away from the demanding world. And thankfully the bathroom door, at least, did have a lock.
    She tried to push out all thoughts of inheritance and tenants and strange uncles. She tried to just take these few moments of reprieve and enjoy them so that her head would be clear later when it was time to make a decision. She wanted to put that off as long as she possibly could.
    The bathtub was like a warm cocoon, blanketing her from the harsh world. She stayed in it until the water had cooled and her fingers and toes were pruned to the point of discomfort. Reluctantly she stepped out of the bath and wrapped herself in one of the large soft towels that she had found placed on her bed. Mrs. Owens must have left them for her.
    Her limbs felt limber and her body relaxed for the first time since arriving in Cedar Hollow. She knew she needed to dress, it was still daylight outside, but for the moment she just wanted to lie down wrapped in the soft fluffy towel. She felt drugged from the warm bath and suddenly overcome with exhaustion. She crawled onto the bed still only wrapped in a towel and told herself that she would only close her eyes for a moment.
     
    Three loud thuds startled her out of a deep sleep. She bolted upright in bed and felt disoriented, it was dark outside. Surely it had only been a few moments since she’d shut her hers.
    “Miss St. Claire.” Ben ’s voice came strong and demanding from the other side of the bedroom door.
    Cassidy suddenly realized that in her haste to sit up the towel had fallen away leaving her completely exposed and naked, and Ben Riley was standing just on the other side of an unlocked door. She flushed red and scooped up the comforter pulling it around herself in embarrassment.
    “Yes?” She squeaked and mentally kicked herself for sounding so pathetically timid.
    “Lucy has prepared dinner, if you’d like to eat.” Ben stated in a slightly softer tone. Then she heard his retreating footsteps as he walked back down the hall.
    Quickly she scrambled out of bed and rummaged through her bag for something to wear. She really did need to unpack , that is, if she was staying. She still hadn’t decided, she hadn’t had time to decide, and she’d really hoped to have a decision before she had to face Ben again.
    All of her clothes were horribly wrinkled, so for lack of a better option she re-donned th e grey skirt and white blouse that she had worn to Mr. Woodard’s office earlier that day. She took her hair down from the sloppy bun that she’d fallen asleep in, but it really was a hopeless mess after having slept with it damp and tied up so haphazardly. Finally after several unsuccessful attempts to smooth out the kinks she just brushed it back into a high pony tail. Feeling horribly overdressed for a casual home cooked meal she opted to leave her heels in her room and padded downstairs barefoot.
    The lamp on the side table in her hallway had been lit again, casting a dim glow that led her to the stairs. She looked down into the bleak darkness and felt a sense of foreboding. Why did they keep this house so dark?
    She slowly began to descend the staircase into the dark foyer, but hastened her pace on the last few steps not wanting to linger in the shadowy entryway. She hurriedly walked to the kitchen, on the verge of breaking into a jog, and felt an overwhelming sense of relief when she emerged into the brightly lit kitchen.
    Ben was seated at the small round kitchen table. He wore a clean pair of jeans and a fresh t-shirt. His hair was wet and brushed back from his face and he was freshly shaven. Cassidy hadn’t thought he could get any more handsome. She had been wrong.
    She hesitated in the kitchen doorway feeling awkward, shuffling her bare feet. Mrs. Owens turned from the stove and smiled