Read Online Tossing the Caber (The Toss Trilogy) by Susan Craig - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susan Craig
Ads: Link
She’d never felt at home here—it was just a stage set where she played her role. Who would she be after she walked out the door?
Only one way to find out. Diana picked up the box with its few oddments. Closing the door behind her, she left her keys on Mildred’s desk, and walked out of the building. The Lexus waited in her parking spot—his spot now. She set the box on the passenger seat, gave the faded brick building a long, lingering look, and drove away.
chapter SEVEN
Eight days later, as the early morning sun splashed the trees along the ridge with a golden glow, Diana policed the runs at Man’s Best Friend after taking the dogs out to the paddocks. She’d come in early because she was restless—had been restless all week—with too much time and not enough to fill it. The work, the cool morning air, and the fresh scent of the grassy fields always helped to center her. She needed that more today than usual. Since turning over the company to Logan Carmichael, she felt unfocused—unsure what the next weeks would bring.
For years her parents had dictated one goal after another. Even after their deaths, she continued to move from goal to goal, piling up one achievement after another, always moving forward. It was comfortable to have a plan to follow, but right now she was drifting—and it was u nsettling. The white noise of water rushing from the hose filled her brain, granting a temporary reprieve from her thoughts. As she began to relax, a movement caught her peripheral vision, and she turned to look across the meadow, lifting a hand to block the rays of the sun. She spotted a tall, slim figure cutting across the field next to the shelter.
Sally caught sight of her. “Hey, Diana!” She broke into a trot. “We missed you last weekend. What happened?”
Diana turned off the hose. “I needed some time for myself.”
“Problems at work?”
“Not exactly.” Maybe talking would help. “Sally, do you remember Logan Carmichael? He was here two weekends ago—he adopted Spud.”
“You bet I do! He’s the engineer you were talking about that mor ning, isn’t he?” Sally swung the gate to the enclosure open and came inside.
“He is. How did you know?”
“I saw the way you ran out of here after talking to him. I figured he might be someone from work trespassing on your personal life.” Sally grinned. “Besides, I had to interview him before I let him adopt Spud, didn’t I?”
Diana nodded. “What do you think of him?”
“I think your description fell way short of reality. He’s a hunk. Why?”
“I turned the company over to him last week.”
“Well, you said before that you might.” She leaned a shoulder against one of the poles supporting the chain link fence, and pushed her hands into the pockets of her jeans.
“Yes, but there’s more. I went to dinner with him again, after we met that next Monday.”
Sally’s eyebrows shot up and she grinned. “Way to go, girl!”
Diana laughed. “It’s not like that. He thinks of me as a friend.”
“Oh, really?” Sally tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow. “He looked pretty interested, talking to you at the dog run the day he got Spud.”
“What were you doing, spying on me?” Diana smiled and began to coil the bulky hose.
“When I saw him making a beeline for you? You bet I was! Have you kissed him?” Sally grabbed the scooper and bag, following Diana toward the shelter.
“Sally!” From the first day they met, as freshmen college roommates, Sally’s openness had clashed with the restraint Diana’s parents cultivated. Diana had never quite gotten used to it. “Um, yes, I have…or rather he’s kissed me.” Diana’s voice drifted off as she hung the hose in place on the outer wall, remembering the kiss…
“Diana, is something wrong?”
“Probably not…I don’t know.” Was it just her? Or was it him? “Maybe.”
“Are you falling for this guy?” Sally hung up the scooper and tossed the bag into
Only one way to find out. Diana picked up the box with its few oddments. Closing the door behind her, she left her keys on Mildred’s desk, and walked out of the building. The Lexus waited in her parking spot—his spot now. She set the box on the passenger seat, gave the faded brick building a long, lingering look, and drove away.
chapter SEVEN
Eight days later, as the early morning sun splashed the trees along the ridge with a golden glow, Diana policed the runs at Man’s Best Friend after taking the dogs out to the paddocks. She’d come in early because she was restless—had been restless all week—with too much time and not enough to fill it. The work, the cool morning air, and the fresh scent of the grassy fields always helped to center her. She needed that more today than usual. Since turning over the company to Logan Carmichael, she felt unfocused—unsure what the next weeks would bring.
For years her parents had dictated one goal after another. Even after their deaths, she continued to move from goal to goal, piling up one achievement after another, always moving forward. It was comfortable to have a plan to follow, but right now she was drifting—and it was u nsettling. The white noise of water rushing from the hose filled her brain, granting a temporary reprieve from her thoughts. As she began to relax, a movement caught her peripheral vision, and she turned to look across the meadow, lifting a hand to block the rays of the sun. She spotted a tall, slim figure cutting across the field next to the shelter.
Sally caught sight of her. “Hey, Diana!” She broke into a trot. “We missed you last weekend. What happened?”
Diana turned off the hose. “I needed some time for myself.”
“Problems at work?”
“Not exactly.” Maybe talking would help. “Sally, do you remember Logan Carmichael? He was here two weekends ago—he adopted Spud.”
“You bet I do! He’s the engineer you were talking about that mor ning, isn’t he?” Sally swung the gate to the enclosure open and came inside.
“He is. How did you know?”
“I saw the way you ran out of here after talking to him. I figured he might be someone from work trespassing on your personal life.” Sally grinned. “Besides, I had to interview him before I let him adopt Spud, didn’t I?”
Diana nodded. “What do you think of him?”
“I think your description fell way short of reality. He’s a hunk. Why?”
“I turned the company over to him last week.”
“Well, you said before that you might.” She leaned a shoulder against one of the poles supporting the chain link fence, and pushed her hands into the pockets of her jeans.
“Yes, but there’s more. I went to dinner with him again, after we met that next Monday.”
Sally’s eyebrows shot up and she grinned. “Way to go, girl!”
Diana laughed. “It’s not like that. He thinks of me as a friend.”
“Oh, really?” Sally tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow. “He looked pretty interested, talking to you at the dog run the day he got Spud.”
“What were you doing, spying on me?” Diana smiled and began to coil the bulky hose.
“When I saw him making a beeline for you? You bet I was! Have you kissed him?” Sally grabbed the scooper and bag, following Diana toward the shelter.
“Sally!” From the first day they met, as freshmen college roommates, Sally’s openness had clashed with the restraint Diana’s parents cultivated. Diana had never quite gotten used to it. “Um, yes, I have…or rather he’s kissed me.” Diana’s voice drifted off as she hung the hose in place on the outer wall, remembering the kiss…
“Diana, is something wrong?”
“Probably not…I don’t know.” Was it just her? Or was it him? “Maybe.”
“Are you falling for this guy?” Sally hung up the scooper and tossed the bag into
Similar Books
