Introduction The House
The red Oldsmobile turned off the tree-lined, two-lane black-topped road and into the narrow driveway. Alice Dupree turned the wheel of her yellow Miata to follow the real estate agent up the drive as it wound through the woods. After 300 feet, the woods gave way to a clearing revealing a well-kept blue two-story house and Lake Michigan beyond. The agent parked her car on the circular drive and got out. Alice turned off her car and followed suit.
"Like I said, you're very fortunate. This house became available only this morning," said the agent, looking around. "It's fully furnished. The rent is $2000 a week or you can lease it for $7000 a month with a minimum of three months. Trash collection and lawn care are included. If you lease it, you'll have to switch the utilities to your name."
The agent continued talking terms but Alice had stopped listening. Her mind was drawn to the vast expanse of sparkling blue water stretching to the horizon. A stiff breeze blew off the lake carrying with it the crash of the waves breaking on the golden sand beach. The agent's voice finally recaptured her attention.
"The house was built in the '40s but has been updated over the last ten years, and has central air," the agent continued. "But, out here, you only need air conditioning a few weeks a year, mostly to handle the humidity. Have you noticed that it's much cooler here than in town?"
Alice nodded. The early August sun had been unbearable standing on the sidewalk outside the agent's office. Here it felt about ten degrees cooler as tall trees shaded the house and the lawn around it. Everything was lush and green.
"Can I look around inside?" asked Alice.
The entry led into a great room with a wall of windows overlooking the lake and a sunroom off on the left. To the left of the foyer was a formal dining room with a kitchen beyond it, and to the right the hallway led to two bedrooms and two bathrooms. What impressed Alice most was that the house was laid out in such a way that every room except the bathrooms had an excellent view of the lake. The second floor was one large room with a bathroom but only had small windows that offered a limited view. The agent explained that the previous owner had rented out the upstairs as an apartment.
The agent led her through the kitchen pointing out the cherry cabinets and granite countertops and walked out onto a low wood deck. A patio next to the deck had a small table and a set of chairs. A hammock was set up under some trees near the edge of the grass before it dropped down to the water. The property jutted out on a bluff fifty feet above the lake and the deck had views of the water to the south and to the west. Alice stepped onto the back lawn to wander. Thin lines of trees partially obscured the neighboring houses on each side and offered some privacy.
The agent stayed on the deck enjoying the view. She didn't need to do anything; the house would sell itself. She wondered about Alice Dupree. How did a pretty, blond-haired, blue-eyed girl in her mid-20s have the money to afford such a place? Well, she decided, she'll find out soon enough. In a small town like Neuwunder it wouldn't take her long to learn Alice's story.
Alice walked back to the agent, her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.
"I'd like to lease it," she said finally.
The agent looked down at her and gave her a broad smile. "Let's go sign the papers."
Chapter 1 The Writer
She awoke to a light filled room. Opening her eyes, she could see the lake through the west window of her bedroom, the breeze off the water kissed her face. She'd decided to sleep with the blinds open since the neighborsí houses didn't have a clear view into her room. Besides, she enjoyed watching the stars as she drifted off to sleep. Out here, the light pollution was minimal so she had an unspoiled view of the western sky.
It had only taken one car trip to move all of her belongings in. Everything she owned was contained in a set of matching luggage. She had other things besides her clothes and personal items, but those were things her cheating, bastard of an ex-husband had bought her and she didn't want them now. The only thing she was sorry she left behind were several boxes of books. No matter, though - the second bedroom had shelves lined with books, many of them non-fiction.
By her third day, Alice had already settled into a routine. After washing up, she'd dress and eat breakfast on the patio while reading. Afterwards, she would take a walk along the beach followed by more reading, then lunch. In the afternoon she would go down to the beach, soak up some sun and take a swim. A nap in the hammock would round out her afternoon. She still had not met any neighbors but that was fine with her - the solitude gave her time to think.
This morning she had just started a book on eastern philosophy when movement from next door caught her eye. Her neighbor to the south had emerged from his house and was walking across his lawn, heading for stairs that descended to the beach. He was about six feet tall, with sandy brown hair and a lean build. He carried what looked like a thick notebook in his hand and started down the stairs. He stopped at a large deck built into the hill about a third of the way down and cranked open a large sun umbrella. He sat at a wooden table, opened the notebook and looked out at the water, not moving for several minutes. Then he picked up a pen, bent over the paper and started writing.
She returned her attention to her book. A half hour later, she was descending the narrow stairs down to the beach for her walk. She headed south, walking barefoot on the packed, wet sand, her eyes on the beach in front of her or looking out over the water. Since it was the middle of the week, she encountered very few people. When she returned an hour later she noticed her neighbor was still bent over his writing.
She went inside to get a drink and noticed for the first time a pair of binoculars sitting on the counter. She picked them up and looked out the kitchen windows, scanning the lake, pausing on the occasional sailboat, working her way south. When sand came into view she lowered the glasses. From her vantage point she could see her neighbor's deck and she brought the binoculars up to her eyes to get a closer look.
His brow was furrowed in concentration as he wrote. His pen stopped moving and he looked up at the lake. He had a handsome close-shaven face, with blue or possibly green eyes and appeared to be in his mid to upper 30s. A small smile played across his lips and he bent back over the page, writing again. Soon the pen stopped and he set it down, leaning back. The smile was still on his face as he studied the lake. His head turned and it appeared he was looking right at Alice.
She brought the binoculars down suddenly, feeling embarrassed. She was unsure if he could see into the darkened house. His head kept turning until he was looking up at his own house. He stood and stretched, gathered his things and walked up the steps, across his lawn and into his home. He gave no indication if he had seen Alice watching him.
Later that day Alice drove into town to do some grocery shopping. As she wandered the aisles filling her cart she became aware of the manager watching her closely. Her 5'8" 126 lbs body with 34C breasts had always caught the eye of most men. At the check out the manager personally bagged her groceries, offering to carry them to her car. A man held the door for her as she walked out and as they passed, she noticed it was her neighbor.
Her eyes locked on his pale blue eyes momentarily and he gave her a slight nod and a small smile as she passed. The manager stowed the groceries in her trunk, beads of sweat standing out on his round, red face. Alice thanked him, placing her hand on his arm and his face turned redder. He held the car door for her as she got in and stood in the parking lot, watching as she drove off. Alice's mind was not on the manager, though. She was thinking about the neighbor and how good looking he was.
Easy there, girl. You just got out of a bad relationship and you don't need to rush into another one. You can dream, though.
A short while later Alice was sitting in a plastic lawn chair, looking at the water, and slowly sipping a glass of red wine, reflecting on the last six months. Her life had been turned upside down when she caught her husband in bed with an assistant, and her subsequent discovery that he had over a dozen affairs in their six years of marriage. The worse part about it is she blamed herself, initially. She had married young, when she was 20, and although her husband was 40 when they met, she was instantly physically attracted to him, and should have known other women, young and old, would be drawn to him sexually, too.
