Tidal Patterns (Golden Shores Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: Rachelle Paige
“Understood. I guess I’m getting a new job.”
Chapter Two
“I am qualified. I am capable. I am smart. I am going to get this job,” Lizzie told her reflection as she applied her third coat of lip-gloss. Her hands shook, either from nerves or her second cup of coffee; she couldn’t be sure which. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, opened them and observed the woman staring back at her. It was all too easy for her, on her own, to forget the she was a grown woman and not some girl playing at adulthood.
Swinging her big purse over her shoulder, she left the door ajar to her half bath, slipped into the heels she’d left by the front door, and walked outside. She took in a deep breath of the briny, brackish marsh water and locked the door behind her. She’d strutted across her front porch and had begun her descent down the staircase to her driveway when she heard a catcall.
“Rose?” she called out, shielding her eyes against the bright sunlight with her hand.
“The one and only,” her friend replied from the street in front of the house.
Rose power-walked over to the driveway. After embracing Lizzie in a warm, enveloping hug, she stepped back to survey her outfit.
“Nice. I like the dress with the blazer. And are you wearing heels? What’s the occasion?”
“I’m going to drop off my resume for the job this morning. I thought I might do it in person and try to get some face time.”
“Good thinking. I like that,” she yawned.
“I’m surprised to see you up and about. I thought you might have a wild night after tap.”
“They wanted to, but I never touch booze. Staying up past ten was wild enough for me.”
She chuckled; she’d say the same about herself. She opened her purse to pull out her keys and stopped. Looking at Rose, the words I met someone last night hovered on her tongue. She’d been up thinking about her handsome stranger long after she should have gone to bed to rest up for today.
“Is something wrong?” Rose asked, peering closely at her.
A gust of wind circled the tall pines in her front yard and shook down their loose needles, Lizzie followed their lead and gave herself a shake.
“No, nothing, I’m just a bit nervous about doing this,” she replied, anxious to hide her treacherous thoughts.
Rose reached out to grab her hands and squeeze them both.
“You’ll be great.”
“Thanks Rose.”
“I’m off. I have another mile to go.”
Waving goodbye, Rose became a blur of pink and purple as she strutted back down the driveway and out towards the street. Having that much energy and good health at eighty, like Rose, was her new goal. They’d become friends not just because of their proximity as next-door neighbors and their shared love of dance, but also due to Rose’s enthusiasm for life. Her encouragement and ready smile endeared her to Lizzie and, from what she’d observed, the world at large as well.
Climbing into her car, she slid in behind the steering wheel and pulled away from her house. Driving, first under the dappled light of the massive live oaks, then passing the swaying tall grasses of the marsh, and finally soaring over the Golden Isles on the cable-stayed bridge, had become a pleasure all on its own. She turned onto Jekyll and slowed down to drive towards the northern end of the island.
She scoured the few faces of the landscaping crew working outside, looking for her stranger. He’s not here today . She frowned, had she been expecting to see him? Was she disappointed? No time to think like that . Glancing at the dashboard as she parked, she still had thirty minutes before her workday began. Why wait to hand in her resume?
Crossing the parking lot, she entered the hotel by one of the French doors and made her way towards a back hallway, discreetly hidden from view of the guests. She climbed the steps and collided with a red tie and a navy blue suit when she reached the top. The impact of her force pushed the man backwards and she
Chapter Two
“I am qualified. I am capable. I am smart. I am going to get this job,” Lizzie told her reflection as she applied her third coat of lip-gloss. Her hands shook, either from nerves or her second cup of coffee; she couldn’t be sure which. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, opened them and observed the woman staring back at her. It was all too easy for her, on her own, to forget the she was a grown woman and not some girl playing at adulthood.
Swinging her big purse over her shoulder, she left the door ajar to her half bath, slipped into the heels she’d left by the front door, and walked outside. She took in a deep breath of the briny, brackish marsh water and locked the door behind her. She’d strutted across her front porch and had begun her descent down the staircase to her driveway when she heard a catcall.
“Rose?” she called out, shielding her eyes against the bright sunlight with her hand.
“The one and only,” her friend replied from the street in front of the house.
Rose power-walked over to the driveway. After embracing Lizzie in a warm, enveloping hug, she stepped back to survey her outfit.
“Nice. I like the dress with the blazer. And are you wearing heels? What’s the occasion?”
“I’m going to drop off my resume for the job this morning. I thought I might do it in person and try to get some face time.”
“Good thinking. I like that,” she yawned.
“I’m surprised to see you up and about. I thought you might have a wild night after tap.”
“They wanted to, but I never touch booze. Staying up past ten was wild enough for me.”
She chuckled; she’d say the same about herself. She opened her purse to pull out her keys and stopped. Looking at Rose, the words I met someone last night hovered on her tongue. She’d been up thinking about her handsome stranger long after she should have gone to bed to rest up for today.
“Is something wrong?” Rose asked, peering closely at her.
A gust of wind circled the tall pines in her front yard and shook down their loose needles, Lizzie followed their lead and gave herself a shake.
“No, nothing, I’m just a bit nervous about doing this,” she replied, anxious to hide her treacherous thoughts.
Rose reached out to grab her hands and squeeze them both.
“You’ll be great.”
“Thanks Rose.”
“I’m off. I have another mile to go.”
Waving goodbye, Rose became a blur of pink and purple as she strutted back down the driveway and out towards the street. Having that much energy and good health at eighty, like Rose, was her new goal. They’d become friends not just because of their proximity as next-door neighbors and their shared love of dance, but also due to Rose’s enthusiasm for life. Her encouragement and ready smile endeared her to Lizzie and, from what she’d observed, the world at large as well.
Climbing into her car, she slid in behind the steering wheel and pulled away from her house. Driving, first under the dappled light of the massive live oaks, then passing the swaying tall grasses of the marsh, and finally soaring over the Golden Isles on the cable-stayed bridge, had become a pleasure all on its own. She turned onto Jekyll and slowed down to drive towards the northern end of the island.
She scoured the few faces of the landscaping crew working outside, looking for her stranger. He’s not here today . She frowned, had she been expecting to see him? Was she disappointed? No time to think like that . Glancing at the dashboard as she parked, she still had thirty minutes before her workday began. Why wait to hand in her resume?
Crossing the parking lot, she entered the hotel by one of the French doors and made her way towards a back hallway, discreetly hidden from view of the guests. She climbed the steps and collided with a red tie and a navy blue suit when she reached the top. The impact of her force pushed the man backwards and she
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