Free Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series by Tricia Daniels

walks up the pathway to her back door. The key
sticks in the lock and she struggles to get it open, wiggling it
back and forth, trying to coax the door and the lock to line up
properly. It only seems to stick at the most inconvenient times and
tonight she is tired, upset and in no mood to be challenged by a
stubborn door. Taking a breath, she pulls the knob towards her as
far as she can and gives the key one more twist. It’s stiff at
first but then it turns all the way and clicks. Finally!
    Once inside she drops her stuff on the
floor, kicks off her shoes, and heads straight to her room. When
she takes her pajamas out of the dresser drawer and tosses them on
the bed, she catches her reflection in the mirrored cupboard doors
and stops to stare at herself in her dress. She pulls at the
material around the waist and smoothes it around her hips trying to
reduce the appearance of her curves as if that was the reason Noah
brushed her off. She sighs as she pulls the dress over her head and
discards it onto a laundry pile on the floor.
    Changing into her favorite pink kitten
fleece pajama pants, she grabs a pillow and a blanket and heads
back downstairs. Throwing them on the couch, she prepares to sleep
there, as she does many nights, when she can’t bear to sleep in her
bedroom. Nightmares seldom find her downstairs so the couch has
become a warm, familiar place.
    Tears stream down her face and she wipes at
them with the back of her hand as she stands at the stove, heating
up a can of soup. She wonders why she’s crying since she should
have known better, this isn’t the first time that Noah has brushed
her off for a pretty blonde. As she stirs the noodles in a
continuous circle, she realizes that she doesn’t really have an
appetite. Running her hand across her forehead, she’s concerned
that she feels a little feverish. That would explain why her
muscles ache and she feels very tired. Perhaps a quiet night on the
couch is what the universe had in mind. Turning off the stove, she
leaves the soup in the pot, no longer having the stomach for
it.
    Curling up on the couch, she pulls the
blanket over herself, making sure that her feet stick out at the
bottom and wiggles her toes in the cool air. As far back as she can
remember she hasn’t been able to handle the restriction of tucked
in blankets. Exhausted, she surrenders to the fever and fades off
to sleep.
     
    At the Headwaters Bar and Grill, Rachel,
Scott and Ethan have been seated for dinner. This is the only place
to go in town if you want a good meal and evening entertainment.
Tonight there is a live band during the dinner hour, followed by
the best DJ from the nearby city. The place is standing room only
on Friday and Saturday nights. This Friday night is no
exception.
    “I love this place.” Ethan says, with his
mouth half full of food. “I should buy it.” Looking around the room
at its rich dark wood trim and country character, he gives it
serious consideration.
    Scott laughs and Rachel looks at him with
serious interest. “Are you joking?”
    “No, not at all.” He says as he swallows.
“It reminds me of home.”
    Rachel is impressed and looks at Scott with
raised eyebrows. “Sweet.”
    The DJ takes over, pumping up the bass, and
over the next couple of hours the room fills to capacity. Drinks
flow freely at the table and the alcohol has made Rachel very
talkative. Ethan’s obsession for Olivia consumes his thoughts. He
looks at his watch and thinks about her on a date with another man
and it makes his stomach twist in uncomfortable knots. When Scott
excuses himself and goes to the restroom, Ethan interrupts Rachel’s
rambling. “Tell me about Olivia.” He’s hoping that she’s much more
forthcoming with information than Scott is.
    Rachel is delighted in Ethan’s interest. “My
poor, sweet friend, Olivia.” She begins. “She has had more than her
fair share of assholes. A string of bad relationships
actually.”
    “Ah, well that explains a lot.”