Luck of the Draw

Chapter 35 - When Opportunity Kocks

Teddy sat at the side of the road in his car, hands squeezing the steering wheel and his eyes staring blankly through the windshield. Where was he going? What the hell was he going to do? His family would wonder about that as well when he failed to return home. His father might secretly be pleased, but he would still attempt to learn what happened. Was he now a man without roots? Traffic raced by on the highway and the shaking of the car stirred him from his dismal reverie.

Sally, he was assured, would send him money once he settled somewhere. That had to be his first order of business. Settle somewhere. He took a deep breath, checked the mirror and pulled back onto the highway. There were a number of small towns along this route, he would pick something suitable, something to use until he got his money.

Teddy tramped on the gas. He would need an address or a post office box. With goals established, he felt a little of his old confidence returning, and even managed a few bars of, King of the Road.

!!!!!

Using his laptop, Barclay routed his message all over the country and even offshore, e-mailing his wife with the news that she could carry on her carrying on as much as she liked, it was his reputation that was the only reason he hadn't confronted her earlier. He was through with their marriage, and there would be no more contact for any reason.

He hit the send button then deleted the message from his drive. Barclay Hanover was now a single man in a new position with a very rosy looking future... at least after NaturGro was forgotten. He hoped that Sally could handle Malcolm, or Harry, as he was now known, because he didn't want to have to go to the mat with his ex-boss.

The fact that Harry had set up this other existence made him resentful, it was like he had planned to desert NaturGro all along. The situation suddenly overwhelmed him, and he felt his nerve running away like rain water down the gutter and turning to guilt.

!!!!!

Carly finally managed to spend a full day in her shop and luckily so; she had a number of customers dropping in to sample her seasonings and admire the decorations in the shop. Most of the women, and a couple of men, came by after meeting her at the nursery, and she figured the loss of the few hours she missed at the store was made up in the word of mouth response from helping Mac and Katherine.

She made a point of checking all Mickey's cacti to be certain they were in good health, and then she called him at the nursery and asked about dinner.

"In or out, your choice," he said.

"Well thanks to my exposure at the nursery, I've done a decent day's business so I'd say out."

"I don't recall you being exposed out here."

"Hilarious, Schafer."

"I would have said erotic."

"Yes, you would. What about dinner?"

"Out sounds good to me. Where and when?"

"How about your den of leggy women around eight?"

"Sounds even better. You driving?"

"Don't I always?"

"As I don't have a car, it seems a prudent move."

"Customer just came in, gotta go. Eight o-clock."

Carly hung up and smiled toward the woman standing with her back to the counter.

"Hi, can I help you with anything?"

"I think you can, yes." Sally turned around and beamed a huge smile at Carly and strode purposefully toward the counter. Carly's face gave away her surprise and Sally leaned on the counter, waiting.