Read Online Defiant (an Ell Donsaii story #9) by Laurence Dahners - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laurence Dahners
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Bill.” Then instead of expounding on her answer she asked a question about the story Stephanie Jones had been telling just before Bill asked his question. This successfully turned the conversation away from Donsaii herself.
Ruth was just noticing that her next door neighbor Raquel, the one who had given her the idea to have the party hadn’t arrived yet, when Ell came up. “Yes Ell?”
“Thank you so much for having me over. I’ve just had a call from work and there’s a problem I’ve got to go in for.”
“But we’re just about to eat! Can’t you just stay a few more minutes to eat some of your neighbors’ food?”
Ell winked, “Maybe I could just take a stack of cookies with me?”
Ruth bundled some cookies up in a napkin and saw her to the door where Ell gave her a hug before leaving. When she returned to her guests she felt no surprise to hear them describing Donsaii in glowing terms. “Such a nice young woman.”
“Not at all stuck up like I expected.”
“Couldn’t even get her to talk about herself.”
“Wouldn’t even know she had a gold medal if I hadn’t seen it in the news.”
“A lot of fun to talk to.” This last surprised Ruth because she’d hardly heard Donsaii say anything. She hid a grin when she realized the truth of the statement. Talk to , indeed. The young woman had been a great listener, and after all, almost everyone secretly preferred to speak themselves rather than listen to anyone else.
“Hey Ruth, sorry we’re late.”
Ruth turned to find Raquel behind her with a fruit salad. She arched an eyebrow, “I’ll say you’re sorry. Donsaii was here!”
“Oh! Did I miss her?”
“Completely!” Ruth raised an eyebrow, “Next time you won’t be fashionably late to one of my parties?”
“Oh, I’m sorry I missed her,” She shrugged, “but I work for D5R, so I do see her out there sometimes.” Raquel indicated a handsome man with tousled blond hair standing beside her. “This is my husband, Shan.”
Wow! Ruth thought, that’s a good looking man! “Hello Shan.” She gave him a little hug. Turning to Raquel she said, “You didn’t tell me you work with Donsaii!”
“Oh! I don’t really work with her. I work at the same place and run into her occasionally. I get sent here and there by the company so I don’t even spend all that much time out there at the local facility. And, Donsaii herself isn’t there all the time. Besides, we don’t work on the same things, so we don’t actually see each other very much.”
Ruth thought Raquel seemed a little defensive. I’ll bet if I asked Ell, she wouldn’t even know who Raquel is. “Well she seemed very nice.” She lowered her voice, “The men certainly enjoyed looking at her if you know what I mean.”
Raquel said, “She is kinda cute.”
Now that’s an understatement, Ruth thought to herself, I’ll bet Raquel’s a little jealous, but then, who wouldn’t be? “Well the food’s served; let’s get you guys some plates.”
Chapter Three
“Ah, September in Carolina,” Steve sighed, leaning back in his chair.
Ell had sponsored a barbecue for her security team at the farm. Perfect weather had graced them. A caterer had delivered pulled pork and chopped beef brisket with big buns to load it onto. Potato salad, green salad, beans and some peach cobbler to finish it off with. A cooler full of a variety of beer provided a mellow atmosphere. The team’s members were taking turns trying out the hoverbike, staying low over the field out in the middle of the farm so that the trees would hide them from view of the road.
Barrett got up and headed out for his turn on the bike, leaving Ell and Steve alone on the porch for a bit. Quietly Ell said, “Steve?”
Steve lifted his head and turned her way, “Yeah?”
“I’d like to have an unrecorded conversation. Can you pop the chip out of your headset?”
He said nothing, just pulled off his headband, popped out the chip and raised an
Ruth was just noticing that her next door neighbor Raquel, the one who had given her the idea to have the party hadn’t arrived yet, when Ell came up. “Yes Ell?”
“Thank you so much for having me over. I’ve just had a call from work and there’s a problem I’ve got to go in for.”
“But we’re just about to eat! Can’t you just stay a few more minutes to eat some of your neighbors’ food?”
Ell winked, “Maybe I could just take a stack of cookies with me?”
Ruth bundled some cookies up in a napkin and saw her to the door where Ell gave her a hug before leaving. When she returned to her guests she felt no surprise to hear them describing Donsaii in glowing terms. “Such a nice young woman.”
“Not at all stuck up like I expected.”
“Couldn’t even get her to talk about herself.”
“Wouldn’t even know she had a gold medal if I hadn’t seen it in the news.”
“A lot of fun to talk to.” This last surprised Ruth because she’d hardly heard Donsaii say anything. She hid a grin when she realized the truth of the statement. Talk to , indeed. The young woman had been a great listener, and after all, almost everyone secretly preferred to speak themselves rather than listen to anyone else.
“Hey Ruth, sorry we’re late.”
Ruth turned to find Raquel behind her with a fruit salad. She arched an eyebrow, “I’ll say you’re sorry. Donsaii was here!”
“Oh! Did I miss her?”
“Completely!” Ruth raised an eyebrow, “Next time you won’t be fashionably late to one of my parties?”
“Oh, I’m sorry I missed her,” She shrugged, “but I work for D5R, so I do see her out there sometimes.” Raquel indicated a handsome man with tousled blond hair standing beside her. “This is my husband, Shan.”
Wow! Ruth thought, that’s a good looking man! “Hello Shan.” She gave him a little hug. Turning to Raquel she said, “You didn’t tell me you work with Donsaii!”
“Oh! I don’t really work with her. I work at the same place and run into her occasionally. I get sent here and there by the company so I don’t even spend all that much time out there at the local facility. And, Donsaii herself isn’t there all the time. Besides, we don’t work on the same things, so we don’t actually see each other very much.”
Ruth thought Raquel seemed a little defensive. I’ll bet if I asked Ell, she wouldn’t even know who Raquel is. “Well she seemed very nice.” She lowered her voice, “The men certainly enjoyed looking at her if you know what I mean.”
Raquel said, “She is kinda cute.”
Now that’s an understatement, Ruth thought to herself, I’ll bet Raquel’s a little jealous, but then, who wouldn’t be? “Well the food’s served; let’s get you guys some plates.”
Chapter Three
“Ah, September in Carolina,” Steve sighed, leaning back in his chair.
Ell had sponsored a barbecue for her security team at the farm. Perfect weather had graced them. A caterer had delivered pulled pork and chopped beef brisket with big buns to load it onto. Potato salad, green salad, beans and some peach cobbler to finish it off with. A cooler full of a variety of beer provided a mellow atmosphere. The team’s members were taking turns trying out the hoverbike, staying low over the field out in the middle of the farm so that the trees would hide them from view of the road.
Barrett got up and headed out for his turn on the bike, leaving Ell and Steve alone on the porch for a bit. Quietly Ell said, “Steve?”
Steve lifted his head and turned her way, “Yeah?”
“I’d like to have an unrecorded conversation. Can you pop the chip out of your headset?”
He said nothing, just pulled off his headband, popped out the chip and raised an
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