Read Online Waken (The Woods of Everod Book 1) by Angela Fristoe - Free Book Online

info button to check the time. Almost six-thirty. I jumped up and raced for the stairs. Justin, who was heading downstairs, was shoved out of my way.
    I didn’t have time to shower, so settled for a quick brush of my hair and teeth along with a change of shirt. Despite the warm days, the mountains cooled quickly with nightfall and my tank top wasn’t going to cut it. I thought back to Justin’s teasing. Was Tristan really interested in me? Why he was trying to befriend me, I didn’t know. He was gorgeous. He could have any girl he wanted. Why me?
    The sharp peel of the doorbell caused me to bump my elbow as I valiantly attempted applying mascara for the first time in a year. I frantically rubbed the black smudge as I dashed down the stairs. Tim was in the living room watching television. No way did I want him answering the door.
    I threw open the door and Tristan stood there, his eyes crinkling when he saw me. Tingles swept along my arms. All of the frustrations I’d been feeling lifted, floating away.
    “Sorry I’m a bit late, but my parents wanted us to go to the afternoon service at church, then we had to have a family meeting,” he explained.
    “A family meeting? I thought only TV families had those.”
    “Yeah, I wish.”
    Before I could say something embarrassing, Tim’s large hand was wrapping around the door above my head, pulling it open the rest of the way.
    “Evening,” Tim said, “You must be a friend of Justin’s.”
    I couldn’t blame him for assuming that.
    “No, I’m here to pick up Janie,” Tristan responded.
    “I see.” His brow furrowed in confusion then his eyebrows shot up in understanding. “Oh, I see.” He threw me a sly smile and blood rushed to my face.
    “Tim, this is Tristan Anderson. Tristan, this is my stepdad, Tim Moore.”
    “Nice to meet you Mr. Moore.”
    “Call me Tim, that way I don’t feel like such an old fogey.”
    They shook hands and then the sound of cheers on the television had Tim leaping back to the living room. His whoops indicated that the Blue Jays had hit a run. I rolled my eyes at his reaction and Tristan chuckled. It always amazed me how a simple sports game could turn a grown man into a six-year old child.
    “He’s a little obsessed with sports and it’s the first Jays game that’s been on since we moved here. Let’s go before he decides to come back and bond.”
    “You may want to bring a coat. It’s a bit cool out.”
    I pulled my fleece jacket from the hall closet. Tristan took it from me, holding it open so I could easily shrug into it.
    “Tim, I’m leaving. I’ll be back by...” I called out letting my voice trail off having no clue what my curfew would be.
    “Take your cell,” he answered out of habit, completely ignoring my unspoken question about time.
    “Got it.” Little good it would do since reception was horrible up here in town.
    Tristan put his hand on my lower back as we walked to his silver hatchback. Dusk was falling, blanketing the still light sky with stars. I gazed up at them for a moment, relishing the clarity of it, unclouded with pollution from the city. The faint sounds of life carrying on filtered through the chilly air, giving a normalcy to the night that was in such a sharp contrast to the emotions pulsing through me.
    For those few moments, neither of us spoke and I basked in the strange glow he sparked in me. Warmth spread through me, originating from his palm on my back. He opened the car door and I slid in with a thank you.
    “Nice car,” I said, then immediately grimaced internally at the trite comment, especially since it was actually kind of old and not that great.
    “Thanks, it was a birthday gift from my parents.” His hand caressed the steering wheel. Okay, he was a car guy. I knew nothing about cars.
    “Have you always lived in Everod?”
    “Yeah, my nom was born here and Dad was pretty young when he moved here. They thought about leaving after they got married,” he shrugged his shoulder,