Concealed Attractions (Cedar Island Tales) Read Online Free Page B

he Thing. Joel looked in the rear view mirror at her. “You okay back there?”
    She nodded. “ This place stinks.” S he pointed to the floor of the cab.  “Who’s been riding back here ?”
    “Let’s see. I transported two sheep to the office the other day when Ben was checking out that Arabian mare Geo ff Temple brought in . The farmer ’s truck br ok e down, and the sheep seemed to like it— looked out the windows nice as can be and didn’t bleat once going through town .”
    He grinned at Ben. “See how we improvise around here?” He picked up their conversation where he had left off, describing the stitching technique he ’d used on a cocker spaniel that had tangled with barbed wire .
    When they arrived at the farm, Danni followed the men to the barn and took a seat on a hay bale in the corner .  The men wandered through the outbuildings and into the field where most of the cattle were grazing .
    When they returned, Ben kneeled down next to the hay bale, his head near her ear.
    “Sleepy-head, time to get up. ”
    She ignored his whisper. Go away, Ben. Let me rest.
    He clapped his hands together and shouted, “Reveille!” She had no choice but to open her eyes .
    Ben laughed as she struggled to sit up , frowning . “It’s time to go,” his voice soft er . “If you want, I’ll sit in the back and you can have the seat in front.”
    “No, that’s okay ,” she yawned. “ You guys probably need to talk business. But, let’s sweep out the sheep droppings.” While they waited for Joel, she and Ben cleaned out the back of the cab. “I think I’ll go home when we get back. I can’t seem to keep my eyes open.”
    She walked home slowly, unable to stop comparing Ben with Steve. She had no intention of having another boyfriend, at least not until she finished school, but if she did, she ’d want one like Ben, who seemed to like her in a friend sort of way. Casual. Unthreatening. She sighed. No more boyfriends for her, especially the kind of who insisted on having sex, even if she didn’t want to .
     
    Danni felt much better the next morning— until she ate breakfast. Not wanting to alarm her mother, she did not tell her sh e couldn’t keep the food down. She walked to the clinic with saltines in one pocket and a soda in the other. And, she did her best to avoid f alling asleep while at work . During her break, she tried to recall what she had eaten that might have upset her stomach. Maybe she’d ask her mom when she returned home.
     
    “Come on, Danni , why are you so slow?” Monica topped the hill on her bike .
    Dannilynn caught up with her best friend since grade school. “I can’t seem to catch my breath. If you could just go a little slower, I’ll be fine. I’m o ut of practice and out of shape, I guess. T oo much sitting in class. Not enough real exercise.”
    “Well, if you’d lay off the extra food, you might be able to go faster. You’re getting a pooch in front.” S he pointed to Danni ’s abdomen.
    “I am not! ” She looked down. “ I quit the soccer team in March. I guess I didn’t realize how much that kept me skinny .”  
    “W hat’s with this Steve guy you wrote me about in January? Are you still seeing him?” Monica and Danni walked their bikes across the intersection.
    She frowned. “ I was going with him all spring. H e’s work ing in Alaska this summer, but I broke up with him.” Except he’d never agreed , as if it matt ered now.
    “ At first I thought he was nice. But he’s changed since— ” She paused and her face felt dipped in flame . 
    “He what? Wait a minute. He’s the guy, isn’t he?” Monica looked at her. “You said you were going to. And you did, didn’t you? You slept with him. I thought so. You h inted at that before. N ow I know you did.”
    “Monica, don’t talk so loud. I’m trying to forget him .” As if she could .
    “If you love him and he loves you, what’s the big deal?” Monica stopped walking.
    Danni remembered