Traci On The Spot Read Free

office.
    Early the next morning, Traci piled her sketchbook and her dog, along with a well-worn map she never quite got the hang of reading or folding, into her vintage Mustang and drove out of the city.
    A sense of excitement and adventure telegraphed itself through her.
    Jeremiah had sole possession of the back seat, patrolling the area with the air of a newly liberated king, moving from one window to the other.Traci had opened each only far enough for him to stick out his nose and only part of his head.
    She adjusted her rearview mirror, looking into the back seat as the road threaded onto the expressway. Jeremiah appeared to be one happy dog.
    She wished it could be that easy for the rest of the world. “Unfortunately, it takes more than having your ears and tongue flapping in the wind,” she said aloud to the dog.
    Morning traffic slowly dissipated. It was a long, steady drive. She broke up the monotony by talking to the dog and singing along with the radio. The trip seemed to take longer than she remembered. But then, she’d never made it from the heart of New York City before.
    Finally, she was on the last leg. Taking the narrow road off the beaten path, she looked around as she drove in what she hoped was a northeasterly direction. Things looked vaguely familiar, but that could have been wishful thinking on her part. She fervently hoped she wasn’t on her way to the Canadian border.
    Edginess began to waft through her again. She’d been feeling that way ever since Daniel had given her the ring. Up until that point, she’d been content enough just to float along. Although, at times, that tiny voice that advocated having a husband and children, the one that vaguely resembled her mother’s voice, would get a little louder.
    What was she doing here, anyway? she demanded silently. Granted, the scenery was tranquiland the ripe autumn colors made it look as if she had tripped and fallen headlong into nature’s kaleidoscope. But that should have no bearing on her decision when it came to choosing a partner for life.
    For life.
    An involuntary shiver shimmied up and down her spine.
    Stop it, Traci. He’s going to make a great husband.
    She knew he would. An excellent, loving husband. Traci thought of Daniel. Dr. Daniel Thane, a man whose blinding smile was the first thing you noticed about him, which was fortunate, given his occupation.
    A blinding smile that seemed to lack heart.
    Damn it, that wasn’t fair. Daniel had heart. He had lots of heart. What he didn’t have was chemistry, but so what? There was nothing wrong with being solid, dependable, trustworthy, and-Daniel was all those things. He had all the qualities a woman looked for. Her mother loved him.
    A feeling like a heavy, rain-soaked blanket fell over her soul. Her mother wasn’t going to be married to him; she was. For better and for worse.
    Forever.
    How could one word be so unsettling?
    What was the matter with her? She’d had flash and fire and been summarily burned by it when Rory decided to ride off into the sunset. Commitments frightened him the way they seemed to attract Daniel. Rory had abruptly left at the firstsign that she wanted to become serious. That was where chemistry got you. With an empty bed and a bruised heart. Daniel wanted to fill her bed and take care of her heart. Forever.
    That had to count for something. So he didn’t curl her toes; she could live with that. Curled toes were hard to walk on, anyway.
    Swerving quickly to avoid a squirrel that had darted out onto the road, she sighed. She wasn’t convincing herself. Jeremiah yelped in protest as he tumbled to the side of the car.
    “Sorry. You wouldn’t want me to hit a squirrel, would you?” The half growl, half whimper behind her had her laughing. She could almost hear what the dog was thinking. “No, you wouldn’t. They’re too tough to eat.”
    Slowing down, Traci took a curve, then drove up the winding road slowly.
    So what, she thought, picking up the thread of