Thy Neighbor's Wife Read Free Page B

sure Claire had a comment. She walked through the thick green
    grass of the backyard straight down to the dock. Much to her sur-
    prise, the gentle lapping of the water against the wood immediately
    calmed her racing heart and boiling blood. She took a deep, cleans-
    ing breath, walked all the way to the end, and just looked out onto
    the peaceful surface of the lake.
    The air was still fairly cool so early in the season. Jennifer had
    grown up in a suburb much closer to the city and had yet to get used
    to the temperature difference near the water. She felt goose bumps
    break out on her arms and rubbed them vigorously, choosing to be
    chilly rather than return to the hostile environment of the house
    behind her. She tried not to think about the fact that Eric never
    Thy Neighbor’s Wife 11
    sided with her and against his mother and she was annoyed at her-
    self for not being used to such behavior by that point. Eric was sim-
    ply accustomed to Claire’s antics and had no trouble just tuning her
    out. Jennifer was exceedingly envious, wishing she could do the
    same, but knowing it was impossible for her.
    Apparently, I prefer to take all remarks as personally as I possi-
    bly can, she thought, then smiled at the sarcastic tone in her head,
    suddenly feeling a little better. She decided she’d just wait out the
    movers, give Claire time to go home, and then she’d have the whole
    week to arrange the place the way she wanted it.
    The simple plan clear in her mind, she let her head drop back
    so she could absorb the sunshine beaming down on her. The combi-
    nation of the cool, soft breeze, the fresh smell of the lake, and the
    warm sun acted like a drug and her anxiety slipped away.
    The silence of the moment was broken by a sharp series of
    barks. She smiled, realizing they must be coming from her furry lit-
    tle friend who lived next door. She turned her gaze and squinted
    against the sun just as she heard a gently scolding voice.
    “Kinsey. Quiet. Nobody wants your opinion.”
    Alex was perched on the section of her deck that faced the
    water, looking very comfortable in the lounge chair she occupied.
    She seemed to be reading, but she looked out onto the water more
    than at what she held in her lap. Jennifer debated whether or not to
    disturb her, but she knew she wasn’t ready to go back into the house
    just yet.
    “Howdy, neighbor,” she called out.
    Alex looked up and met Jennifer’s gaze with a wide smile and a
    friendly wave. “Hi there, Jennifer. How goes the move?”
    “Ugh. Don’t ask,” Jennifer said with a groan.
    “Need a break?” Alex held up the glass she’d been drinking
    from as incentive.
    Jennifer was moving before she even had time to think about it,
    retracing her steps off the dock, across the lawn, and up the stairs of
    Alex’s deck.
    Kinsey was excited to see her, his ears flat against his head, his
    tail wagging furiously. He was clipped to a chain that attached him
    to one of the posts on the deck and Jennifer smiled at the fact that
    Alex wasn’t taking any chances on his escape that day. As she bent
    to scratch the dog, he curled his lips in a goofy manner, showing his
    teeth in a gesture so comical Jennifer laughed out loud.
    “Is he smiling at you?” Alex asked from her chair.
    “Yes!” Jennifer giggled at the description, for that was exactly
    what he was doing. “God, he’s cute.”
    “And he knows it, too,” Alex said. “He uses it to his advantage
    every chance he gets. Have a seat.”
    12 Georgia Beers
    Jennifer took a quick look around the deck. It was spacious,
    the wood natural in color, but well taken care of with no cracks or
    chips, no rotting to be seen. A large glass table, the legs and frame-
    work a deep forest green, occupied one corner. Four matching
    chairs surrounded it, their cushions a floral print of greens and bur-
    gundies. A bit to the right was a pair of lounge chairs, with thick,
    comfortable looking cushions that matched those of the