Robin Alexander - The Secret of St. Claire

Robin Alexander

Intaglio Publications (2012)

Lighthearted romance, sweet and funny.

Idyllic, quaint, and straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting is St. Claire, Louisiana—at least on the outside. Beneath the veneer, it’s anything but. That’s the secret of St. Claire.

Born and raised in St. Claire, Lindsay Juneau’s life was seemingly full raising a six-year-old daughter and caring for her widowed mother. Of course, things aren’t always what they seem, and the newest resident of St. Claire isn’t buying the ruse.

Veterinarian Nicole Allen is looking for something different. She finds it in St. Claire with its hypochondriac rabbits, shotgun-toting shut-ins, and eclectic mix of people. The most alluring, though, is a woman who’s also looking for something different.

The Secret

of

St. Claire

By Robin Alexander

The Secret of St. Claire

© 2012 by Robin Alexander

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

ISBN 13: 978-1-935216-38-4

First Printing: 2012

This Trade Paperback Is Published By

Intaglio Publications

Walker, LA USA

www.intagliopub.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

____________________________________________

Credits

Executive Editor: Tara Young

Cover design by: Tiger Graphics

For the sweetest of Roses

For Grams

For Barbara

Acknowledgments

As always, I’d like to thank Tara Young and our editorial staff for keeping me in line.

I’d also like to thank my daughter. She is the inspiration for Alexis’s character. Writing this book reminded me of what she was like as a little girl…so different from the weapon-spinning martial artist I look up at now. I miss the baby, but I love the young woman she’s become. I wouldn’t trade her for the world.

Becky, my love, thank you for just being you.

Chapter One

“Wait, I want to take a picture.”

“Mom!” Alexis cried as she danced in a circle. “Everybody’s already out. I’m gonna miss the good candy.”

“Move closer to Maddie, so I can get you both in the shot.”

The reluctant kitten moved next to a teenager dressed as a punk rocker and made a weak attempt at a smile that revealed a couple of missing fangs. “Now can we go, please?” Alexis asked with a lisp that sounded like a feline hiss.

“No.” Lindsay lowered her camera and walked over to Maddie as her thumbs danced over the keyboard of her phone. “Maddie, you’re taking my whole life in your hands tonight.” Lindsay pointed to her seven-year-old daughter. “I need both of your eyes on her, not this.” She pulled the phone away and waved it in front of her. “Promise me that she’ll never leave your side or your sight.”

Maddie’s sole focus was on the phone. Her gaze followed it as Lindsay waved it around. “I promise, Ms. Juneau.”

Lindsay frowned and tucked it into Maddie’s jacket pocket. She knelt in front of Alexis and straightened her black-and-white-striped cat ears. “What’s the law?”

The kitten exhaled dramatically in true feline form. “Stay with Maddie. Don’t go to houses that aren’t lit. Stay on our street and don’t eat the candy until you look at it.”

“And don’t chew your butt.”

“Momma, eww,” Alexis said.

“Cats do it all the time.” Lindsay kissed her on the cheek and stood. “I just don’t want you picking up any bad habits while dressed like one.”

“If she chews her butt, I’m leaving her.” Maddie headed for the door.

“Oh, come on. I can’t chew my own butt.” Alexis ran after Maddie as she descended the porch steps.

Lindsay watched as her pride and joy chased her trick-or-treat escort across the front yard and merged into a stream of ghosts, goblins, and pirates roaming the sidewalks. She prayed that the twenty bucks she gave Maddie was well spent. There weren’t many teens in town in whom she entrusted Alexis’s care. And it wasn’t like they lived in New York, either. The town of St. Claire, Louisiana, was safe and looked like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting, but Lindsay kept up her guard, especially where her only daughter was concerned.

With a sigh, she sank down into one of the wooden rockers on her porch and put the tub of candy on her lap, signaling to tiny warlocks and witches that she was open for business. They came in droves with their chubby little cheeks wet with drool. They waved swords and pitchforks. They rode in wagons and in the arms of their parents, and Lindsay knew every one of them right down to the newest, a few months old.

Unfamiliar faces were a rarity in town. Thirty miles from the nearest highway and surrounded by marsh on two sides, St. Claire was cut off from the rest of the world. Unless some hapless driver took a wrong turn, no one just wandered into the quiet enclave, and frankly, that was how the residents liked it. An idyllic community with no crime, no drugs, and no negative influence from the outside world—at least to the naked eye, and that was the secret of St. Claire.

Lindsay Juneau had lived there all her life. She smiled as she recalled the excitement of trick-or-treating. She and her friends dressed in bed sheets and would roam from house to house, collecting candy, and despite the warnings of their parents, they ate as much as they could stuff into their mouths.

Growing up in a town where everyone knew everyone else had at one time been magical for Lindsay. Whether on bike or foot, she and her friends explored every inch of the small settlement. Long hot summers were spent at Millburn Creek and in the shade of the old oaks that lined the streets. In those days, Lindsay and nearly every other child in town rarely wore shoes; the bottoms of their feet were like leather. Cut-offs and T-shirts were standard dress with the exception of Sunday when dressing up for church was required.

Although St. Claire was the perfect place for a child, it became a prison for the young adult, at least in Lindsay’s case. A brave few had moved away from their childhood home, and Lindsay had made up her mind to follow suit. She was making plans for college when her father passed away suddenly. Aside from a few distant relatives, she and her mother, Rose, were all who were left. Leaving her mother behind then was not an option, so Lindsay did what so many others were doing—taking over the family business and settling down.

The one thing that set Lindsay apart from the rest of her friends was her lack of interest in boys. She liked playing football with them, but when she became a teen, she never could muster the enthusiasm for the opposite sex that her girlfriends did. She may’ve been living in a small town but not under a rock. After reading books and watching a few television shows that dared to mention the topic, Lindsay put a name to what she was feeling. Lesbian was not a word she shouted from the rooftops, nor did she whisper it to friends. She did her best to look and act like everyone else and blend quietly into the background. She wore her dark hair long, covered her face with makeup, and tried to keep up with the latest fashions, though she often ended up wearing what was comfortable. And her secret remained buried deep in the proverbial closet.

With that secret, she married a man because that’s what she was supposed to do. And in some way, Lindsay realized too late the commitment did not chase away her true self, and as hard as she tried, she could not find the numbness she wished would come and allow her to live the life she thought she was supposed to lead. When she turned thirty, another word came to mind—divorce—and on the day she was about to tell her husband that the marriage was over, she found out she was pregnant.

In a small town, one becomes sort of a celebrity when she’s expecting a child. She and her husband, Mike, and a few other pregnant couples were the center of attention. Lindsay became quite the actress, pretending to be thrilled with beginning a new family, but behind her fake smile, she felt shackled to a life she didn’t want to live.

But Alexis’s arrival changed everything. The moment Lindsay held her in her arms, she resolved herself to do anything she had to do to give her child the perfect life. And that meant staying with Mike. For a while, changing diapers and living on an infant’s schedule distracted her, but once Alexis was up and running, Lindsay found herself once again wanting to do the same.

Despite rumors, there was no infidelity, no fighting, and no drama, and the divorce was quiet and amicable. To his credit, Mike had known for some time that his wife was going through the motions. He bought the “married too young” line and granted Lindsay her freedom. It was then that Lindsay realized that he too was dissatisfied. Mike worked offshore on long assignments, and Lindsay had full custody. When he was home, Alexis spent time with him. The arrangement for both was perfect.

Though Lindsay was free from marriage, she was not free to live as she pleased. Discreetly dating a woman with her daughter in the house and her mother living next door was not going to work. There weren’t any prospects in St. Claire anyway, so Lindsay spent her nights alone in a fantasy world believing that one day she’d meet the right woman at exactly the right time.

Lindsay’s watchful gaze moved down the block until she found the kitten she was looking for. Her bag was bulging; the candy haul had been a good one. Alexis was walking slower, and Maddie had to prod her to keep up. Lindsay grinned as she remembered how she’d hit the streets running, but the walk back with a heavy sack was slow and painful. And that was after she’d spent the day at the fall festival bobbing for apples and throwing beanbags through tire swings for prizes. Alexis had at least enjoyed a power nap before trick-or-treating, but she looked dead on her paws.

“Brought her back in one piece, Ms. Juneau, and she didn’t chew her butt or her tail.” Maddie grinned as they came up the walk.

“And, Momma, look what I got.” Alexis climbed the three steps to the porch, dropped her bag, and dug around until she produced a cellophane-wrapped caramel apple. “Mrs. Castillio was giving them out to all the kids,” Alexis pointed accusingly at Maddie, “and she ate hers without having it checked.”

“If the apples came from Mrs. Castillio, then they’re safe.” Lindsay handed out the last of her candy to two cowboys and stood with a groan. “Thank you for taking Alexis, Maddie, and please tell your mother I appreciate her allowing you to help.”

“I will.” Maddie scampered down the porch steps calling over her shoulder, “Night, butt biter.”

Alexis dropped the apple back into her bag. “Mom, see what you did?”

Lindsay scooped up her daughter and the bag. “I’m sorry. It was just a bit of cat humor between us.”

“How many pieces can I have?” Alexis wrapped weary arms around Lindsay’s neck.

“You can have two and not the apple. That’s too big of a job for this evening. Save that for tomorrow night or Saturday.” Lindsay walked into the kitchen and poured the candy on the table. Except for a couple of melted peanut butter chews, all the wrappers appeared intact. “I’ll get you a glass of milk, and you can have your snack. After that, it’s shower time.”

Alexis climbed onto one of the chairs and perused her stash with a gleam in her eyes. “Billy Meyers stole all the Butterfingers out of Hailey Everett’s bag, and she was some pissed off.”

Lindsay missed the cup and poured milk onto the counter before she caught herself. “Honey, that’s ugly. Where did you hear that?”

“From Billy.” Alexis unwrapped a Milky Way and took a big bite. “He said Hailey was pissed off and tried to kick him in the beans.”

Lindsay hid her grin as she wiped up the counter. “Doesn’t Billy get in trouble a lot at school?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Then I think it’s best that you don’t follow his example. From now on, if he or any of the other kids at school says something you haven’t heard before, we should discuss it before you start to use it. ‘Pissed off’ is just an ugly way of saying mad or angry.”

Alexis held up a small chocolate-smudged hand. “But what makes it ugly if it just means mad or angry?”

The kid had a point. “One day when you’re older, you’ll make choices about how you talk, but for right now, let’s just keep it simple and clean. Okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Alexis picked up a pint-size pack of M&Ms. “Would you tear this for me? They’re a bitch to open.”

*******

“Teeth clean?”

“Check.”

“Body and fur clear of fleas, dirt, and debris?”

“Check.”

Lindsay peeked around the doorjamb. “Ready for monster check?” Alexis grinned and nodded as she lay on her back with her hands tucked behind her head. Lindsay made a show of checking the closet, rustling the clothes for any creepies that might’ve been hiding there. Then she got down on her hands and knees and looked beneath the bed. “You’re all clear except for this little monster here.” She pointed to the face on Alexis’s comforter.

“Don’t knock the Bieb, Mom.”

“I don’t know how you sleep under this. The Bieb has beady little eyes and sharp fangs.”

“Justin Bieber is the cutest boy on the planet. He’s not gross like the boys in school.”

“Speaking of cute boys, where’s Peepers?” Lindsay looked around, expecting to see the white fur ball that usually slept in the middle of Justin Bieber’s face.

Alexis sat up with a look of concern. “Maybe he’s still outside.”

Lindsay gently pushed Alexis back down and tucked the blankets under her chin. “I’ll take care of Peepers. He’s probably hunting grasshoppers or field mice.” She stroked dark strands of hair from Alexis’s face and stared into the same brown eyes she saw in the mirror each morning. “I love you with all my heart, kiddo.”

“Love you, too, Mom.”

Chapter Two

Nicole Allen watched the moving van pull out of her driveway and turned to go inside, so she could begin hours of dreaded unpacking.

“Are you Dr. Allen?” a voice called out.

“I am.” Nicole shielded her eyes against the morning sun and watched as a tall lanky teenager ambled across her new lawn.

“I’m Deana St. Angelo. Dr. Gary told me to come and see you as soon as you got into town.”

“Okay, well...” Nicole glanced inside the screen door and frowned at the boxes lining her wall. “We can chat here on the porch if that’s all right with you. My place is a wreck right now.”

Deana smiled awkwardly. “Is this a bad time?”

“Not unless you want coffee. I have no idea where my maker is.”

“I can run down to T-John’s and get you a cup if you’d like.”

Nicole was prepared to say no, but as she looked at the mountain of boxes, she had a change of heart. “How far is that?”

“Just a block away,” Deana said with a shrug.

“If you truly don’t mind, I’d be grateful.”

Deana looked pleased. “Cream and sugar?”

“Yes to both.” Nicole watched the girl run across the lawn, her boots kicking up leaves dropped from the white oak that shaded her porch. While she waited, Nicole unpacked a couple of the smaller boxes in her kitchen and tried to recall what Landon Gary had told her about Deana. Nicole had stopped listening after punctual and professional. The kid had the job based on that alone.

Gary had also said it was a good idea to keep a regular on board because the locals were resistant to change. And even though she was the only veterinarian for eighty miles, that didn’t mean she’d have guaranteed business until she gained the trust of the town. Having been raised in a large city, she was unaccustomed to small-town ways, as Gary had put it. “Give yourself some adjustment time. Life in St. Claire is very different,” he’d said when they closed the deal.

Nicole’s father, Darrin, had studied veterinary medicine at LSU. Far from home for the first time, Darrin bonded with another homesick student, Landon Gary, better known as Gary. After graduation, Darrin moved back to Montana, but Gary had fallen in love with a Louisiana girl and stayed behind. They’d remained in contact throughout the years.

When Gary told Darrin of his retirement plans, Darrin made the recommendation to Nicole to buy the practice. Dad claimed it was time to settle down. Nicole didn’t argue the point. They both knew the reasons she could no longer remain in Butte. They visited St. Claire together the previous summer, and something about the tiny town called to Nicole. Oddly, it felt like home, even though it seemed like a million miles from where she grew up. The deal was made, and Nicole had a new house and business.

Nicole heard the sound of boots clomping across her front porch. Deana stood smiling on the other side of the screen door and raised the cup. “I feel bad about not being able to offer you anything. I have some juice if you’re interested.” Nicole stepped onto the porch.

Deana shook her head and smiled. “No, ma’am. I’m just fine.”

“Have a seat.” Nicole gestured to one of the freshly painted Adirondack chairs. She took a spot on the swing, so she could get a good look at her new receptionist/assistant. Deana looked like any other teen, wearing a pair of faded jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt sporting an American Eagle logo. Her brown hair was full of highlights, but there were no oddly placed piercings, none that was visible anyway. “Refresh my memory, how long did you work for Dr. Gary?”

“It would’ve been three years this spring.” Deana folded her hands and put them in her lap.

“What about plans for college?” Lindsay could tell that Deana had almost made a face but caught herself. “You don’t like school?”

“No, ma’am, I don’t, but I know that if I want a job with a decent paycheck, I’m gonna have to learn to like it. My parents are letting me work for a while, so I can understand just how hard it is.”

Nicole nodded in understanding. She’d been the same way. By the time she graduated high school, she would’ve favored a beating over a classroom. It took her about a year of flipping burgers and ringing up groceries to appreciate the opportunity for education. “What’re your hobbies?”

“I love to play Call of Duty.” Deana smiled shyly. “That’s a videogame. I ride horses and fish. That’s pretty much what everyone my age does around here.”

Nicole nodded and took a sip of her coffee. “Tell me what makes you the best candidate for the job.”

Deana didn’t hesitate. “I have experience in this office. I know all the filing and computer systems. I’m great with animals. I’m the only person that Mrs. Berthalot’s rabbit Nibbles will come to besides her. And I have only called in sick once the entire time I worked for Dr. Gary.” Deana folded her hands and held them in front of her face like she was praying. “And I really, really want this job.”

Nicole grinned. “It’s yours on a few conditions. First, you must always be polite to the customers. Second, I expect you to be on time. And third, I need you to tell me about the people and the animals that come in. I’m not asking about gossip, but if you know something that’ll assist me in my job, I’d like you to apprise me of it.”

“Well, for starters, Nibbles is a hypochondriac. Well, not the rabbit, really. Mrs. Berthalot is. She’ll bring him in once a week for some illness she read about at the library. Dr. Gary said she’s just lonely, but she’s pretty mean. Nobody in town wants to spend a lot of time with her because she loves to argue.”

Nicole pointed at Deana. “That’s exactly the kind of stuff I want to know.”

Deana thought for a few minutes. “Mr. Piper’s kinda crazy, but he’s really nice. He has an old beagle named Chip, and every now and then, Chip will tangle with a raccoon.” Deana shook her head. “Chip never wins. But Mr. Piper falls in love with every woman that comes into town. A lady moved in last year, and he sent her roses every day until she had to tell him to stop. The funny thing is the lady was like ninety, and I think Mr. Piper is like sixty or something.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Nicole said with a grin.

“Oh, and there’s Mrs. Crantz. Did Dr. Gary mention anything about her?”

Nicole nodded. “He said she was a shut-in with a lot of dogs and cats.”

“Yes, ma’am. She doesn’t come into town. Dr. Gary always went to see her, and if the animals needed to be neutered or spayed, he’d bring them back to the clinic. Never—” Deana jumped when a car horn blared. “I’m sorry, that’s my mom. She wants me to ride with her to Houma, and she’s in a hurry because there’s a sale at Bed Bath & Beyond.”

“That’s all right. I’ll see you Monday at eight.”

Deana squealed with delight and pumped her fist. “Thank you so much! I won’t let you down, I promise.”

“You’re welcome,” Nicole said, but she doubted that Deana had heard. She watched the exuberant young woman race down her driveway and jump into the waiting silver minivan. With a stretch and a groan, Nicole tried to persuade herself to leave the sunny spot on the porch and attack the mountain of boxes inside. The sunny spot won out at least for a few extra minutes.

The grass was still green; trees still had leaves, though most were brown, red, and yellow. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear a lawnmower—sounds and sights so foreign to her this time of year. Back home, there was already snow on the ground and the trees long barren. People on the sidewalks wore sweatshirts and a few light jackets, but to Nicole, it felt like a summer day. She’d miss the snow at Christmas, but the prospect of never having to pick up another shovel was worth it.

It was the Southern summer she feared. Her previous visit to St. Claire had been in June, and when she walked out of the New Orleans airport, a heat so oppressive fell over her like a heavy wet blanket. Her normally straight hair was untamable. It curled in some places and grew wavy in others. And sweat she did. Her clothes were wet anytime she spent more than five minutes outside. “There’s no time to acclimate,” Gary had said. “We go from what we consider cold to hot in a matter of days. Spring here is hotter than July in Montana.”

But still this odd place felt like home, and for the life of her, Nicole could not figure out why. The second Gary drove them down Main Street she felt an inexplicable feeling of familiarity, as though she were coming home from a long journey. Sometimes, she wondered if perhaps she somehow inherited her father’s love for Louisiana. Maybe all the talking he did about the food and the places he loved had somehow become a part of her like a memory. Whatever it was didn’t matter. She was far away from Montana and all the problems there, and that made Nicole extremely happy.

Chapter Three

“But, Momma, I can’t go to school, not with Peepers lost somewhere. Let me stay home and help you look for him.”

The forlorn look in Alexis’s eyes had almost convinced Lindsay to agree, but Alexis had missed a week of school the month before with a case of strep throat. “Honey, I’m off today. I promise I will turn this town completely upside down until I find that cat.”

A tear slipped down Alexis’s cheek. “He’s my first cat. I’ve had him as long as I can remember.”

Lindsay wiped the tear away and hugged Alexis tight. “I’ll find him, baby.” She watched as Alexis descended the steps, shoulders slumped, and ambled slowly to the bus stop. They had searched the entire weekend, and the cat was not in any of his usual haunts. Lindsay ran a hand through her hair. Alexis would be inconsolable if Peepers was not found—alive.

When the bus pulled away from the curb, Lindsay hit the pavement and walked the entire block. She talked to anyone who was outside, and no one had seen Peepers. He was Alexis’s cat, but the white beast, as Lindsay was fond of calling him, had a place in her heart, too, and it was beginning to break as she rounded the corner toward home. By chance, she stopped a couple of older kids walking to school, one of whom was Maddie, her occasional babysitter, and showed them a picture. Cade shook his head immediately and started walking as he called over his shoulder, “Sorry, Ms. Juneau.”

Maddie looked at the picture sadly. “The McCreedy kids were joking about… I didn’t know it was Peepers.”

“Maddie,” Cade said in a warning tone.

“You know how important Peepers is to Alexis. If you know anything, please, tell me.”

“Check the old Mortensen house. The McCreedys were there late on Halloween.” Maddie began walking away, then turned. “Please don’t tell anyone you heard this from me.”

Lindsay nodded and began jogging in the direction of the abandoned house. Repossessed two years earlier, the old two-story sat empty on a corner lot. St. Claire’s finest did a good job of keeping it from being vandalized, but the property was surrounded by fifty-plus-year-old azaleas that formed a thick hedge, providing the perfect hiding place for the mischief-makers of St. Claire.

Lindsay picked up a stake from an old real estate sign and moved slowly up the driveway. The grass was high, but the house was still intact, no windows broken, and the doors appeared to be locked. The old rollup door on the free-standing garage caught her eye. It was open about two feet. She got down on her hands and knees, calling softly, and nearly cried when she heard a mournful meow in response.

Fear of spiders and other creepy things was pushed into the recesses of Lindsay’s mind as she flattened herself and crawled beneath the door. Dim light shone through the dirt-encrusted windows as she waded through debris littering the floor. Boxes of discarded belongings had been left behind by the former owners. The contents had been rifled and emptied throughout the garage. She followed the sound of another soft mewl and found Peepers in a wire cage. He was in bad shape.

*******

“Deana, does Dr. Gary have time to see Peepers? It’s an emergency.”

Deana was on her feet in an instant and came around the counter. She knelt and looked inside the cage. “Oh, Peepers, you poor boy.” She stood abruptly. “Dr. Gary retired, but Dr. Allen is in, and she’ll see you now. Let’s take him to exam room one.”

Lindsay followed Deana down the hall feeling foolish. “I went to Dr. Gary’s retirement party. It just slipped my mind when I found Peepers. Is the new doctor nice?”

“Oh, yes, very nice.” Deana opened the door to the exam room, and Lindsay walked inside. “I’m going to go get Peepers’s chart and let Dr. Allen know you’re here. We’ll only be a minute.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Lindsay blew out a breath and talked softly to the cat, who had curled into a very tight ball in the back of the carrier.

Dr. Allen was the first to arrive. Lindsay had grown up knowing Dr. Gary. His hair had been white as long as she could remember. She liked the way his bushy white eyebrows peeked out over his black-rimmed glasses. And even though she knew he’d retired, she still expected to see that image come into the room, not a woman around her age. Black hair was pulled up in a haphazard knot and held in place by a clip. Instead of the white coat and black slacks that Dr. Gary favored, she wore a navy blue cable-knit sweater and a pair of faded jeans. Her gray-blue eyes twinkled as she smiled. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Juneau. What’s going on with Peepers?”

“Ah.” Lindsay pointed to the kennel. “Some kids I think—”

“The McCreedy boys, I bet.” Deana walked into the room with a chart. “They’re the only ones mean enough.”

“He’s been gone since Thursday,” Lindsay said as Dr. Allen pulled the cat from the carrier. “I found him in an abandoned garage in a cage…looking like this.” Peepers cowered on the exam table covered from head to toe in multicolored paint. “There were busted balloons all over the place. I think they filled them with paint, and he was the target.”

Dr. Allen spoke softly to Peepers as she felt around his body for injuries. “It’s okay, big boy, I’m not going to hurt you.”

Lindsay fought the urge to pace. “I took him home first, and he drank like a gallon of water. He ate some food but not as much as he usually eats.”

The doctor looked into the cat’s mouth and tugged on his lower eyelids. “I was worried about dehydration. He didn’t throw up after the food and water, did he?”

Lindsay shook her head. “No, he kept it all down. It’s the paint that worries me. What if it’s toxic?”

“We can get him cleaned up, and I’ll take a closer look at him.” Dr. Allen turned to Deana. “Why don’t you get the kitty bath ready, and I’ll look over his chart?” Deana gave Lindsay’s shoulder a squeeze and promptly left the room. “What would you be more comfortable with, Ms. Juneau? Would you like to hold Peepers, or shall I put him back in the carrier for now?”

“I’ll hold him.” Lindsay gathered the cat into her arms. “And it’s Lindsay.”

“I’m Nicole, and I’m not big on formality.” She scanned the chart. “He was in for vaccinations a month ago. Aside from being overweight, he was in good health then. I’ll draw some blood and check for toxins.”

Lindsay nodded. “My daughter spoils him.”

Dr. Allen grinned. “This is going to take us a few minutes. You’re welcome to wait here, but there’s fresh coffee in the reception area.”

Lindsay put a reluctant Peepers back into the carrier. “I’ll wait up front.”

“I’ll call you back as soon as I’ve checked him over. I think he’s going to be fine.”

Lindsay nodded with relief and exited the exam room. Coffee was exactly what she needed. She poured herself a cup and sank into one of the chairs opposite the TV that was playing CNN. She sipped and stared, her mind uncomprehending what she was seeing on the screen. Instead, she mentally debated on how to deal with the McCreedy boys. They had not only painted her cat, but also the inside of the garage. She’d report it all to Steven Miles, the police chief, but doubted he’d be able to do more than give the kids a speech, which was normally how he handled them. The three boys who ranged in ages from fourteen to seventeen…she’d find a way to deal with them.

A tinkling bell on the door caught Lindsay’s attention. Mary Berthalot walked in with a carrier of her own, and Lindsay groaned internally. The morning had been traumatic enough without having to deal with an eternally pissed off old crow. “They’re in the back with Peepers, my cat,” Lindsay said when Mary looked at the empty desk, then back at her.

“Dr. Gary always had adequate staff. I hope this new doctor isn’t going to be one of those ‘cut the corner’ types.”

As far as Lindsay knew, Gary had only had one assistant. Either Mary was delusional and imagined more people, or she just wanted a reason to dislike the newcomer. She suspected the latter.

“It’s a woman.” Mary took a seat next to Lindsay. Nibbles looked at Lindsay out of the wire mesh of his crate curiously. “If women would just go back home where they belong, we wouldn’t have all the unemployment.” Mary raised a gnarled finger. “I’ll tell you something else, we wouldn’t have a problem with today’s children if women were real mothers. They all want their own careers nowadays and forsake the most important job of all—raising their young. That’s what women’s lib does for you, puts women in the workforce and on the battlefield.”

Lindsay stared up at the TV and mentally went to her happy place where she was pelting the McCreedy boys with paint-filled balloons. Mary droned on as though she had Lindsay’s full attention. A balloon with purple paint sailed through her mind and caught the eldest McCreedy boy upside his redhead.

“…and you. You have no business running a hardware store. What do you know of farming equipment and machinery? You should be making a home for a husband and your child.”

“Do you vote, Mrs. Berthalot?” Lindsay met the old woman’s gaze.

“Every election,” Mary said indignantly.

“You have women’s lib to thank for that.” Lindsay grinned and stood. “I’ll check in with Deana and let her know you’re here.” She walked away before the stunned woman could wind up for a new tirade.

Lindsay stepped into the hallway and followed Deana’s voice and Peepers’s yowls to the bathing room. “I’m sorry to inform y’all that Mary Berthalot and Nibbles are in the waiting room. You’re going to need a tranquilizer and a muzzle.”

“Nibbles is out of control?” Deana looked stunned.

“No, Mrs. Berthalot is. I wasn’t in the mood for her usual gripe session, and I’m certain I’ve pissed her off.” Lindsay grinned at her own choice of words. Alexis would be shocked.

Peepers was white again and anxious to be out of Dr. Allen’s arms. He mewled and carried on. “I’ll dry him if you hold him. The dryer doesn’t make a lot of noise, but they’re still frightened of it anyway.” Dr. Allen set Peepers on a table and kept a grip on his scruff.

“I’ll handle Mrs. Berthalot,” Deana said with a roll of her eyes. “Happy face, Deana, happy.” She practiced her smile before leaving the room.

“I’m sorry that your first experience with Mary Berthalot is going to be a negative one, Dr. Allen. You might as well get used to it, though. She’s a hateful old biddy.”

“It’s Nicole, unless you’re hell-bent on Dr. Allen,” she said with a smile.

Lindsay grabbed Peepers’s scruff, allowing Nicole to let go. The cat calmed under a familiar pair of hands.

“I didn’t see any burns in his mouth, and his preliminary blood work looks fine. His pride was wounded, but that’s about all.” Nicole turned on the dryer and began slowly working it across the cat’s fur.

“Alexis will be so relieved. She was crying this morning when I put her on the bus.”

“How old is she?”

“Seven,” Lindsay said with a smile.

“That’s a sweet age.”

“She’s a sweet kid. I’m very lucky. Maybe she’s storing up for the teen years.”

Nicole laughed. “Were you cursed by your mother? The one where she tells you that she hopes you have one just like you?”

“Absolutely. I guess that means I have a wild ride ahead.” Lindsay grinned. “I wasn’t really bad, just curious and adventurous.”

“And her dad?” Nicole asked.

Lindsay raised her brow. “He was bad. The next time I see him, I’ll have to ask if his mother cursed him, too.” Lindsay gazed up at Nicole. “How about you—kids?”

“No, no little ones for me, much to the chagrin of my mother and father. I have four nieces and three nephews, so that takes some of the pressure off.”

“Big family?”

Nicole nodded. “I’m the youngest of five.”

Deana poked her head around the doorjamb. “Nibbles is in exam room two. Mrs. Berthalot says there’s something wrong with his teeth.”

“Thanks, I’ll be right there,” Nicole said with a knowing smile. “I think Peepers is relatively dry now. I cleaned out the carrier and put in a warm towel. He’s probably chilled from his bath. If he stops eating or drinking, I need to see him again. Call me day or night if there’s a problem. The clinic phone rings in the house, too.”

“Thank you, Dr….Nicole. I really appreciate you taking care of him.”

Nicole scratched the cat behind his ears. “I enjoyed meeting you and Peepers. Now while we have Mrs. Berthalot captive, you can sneak out the front. Deana will mail you an invoice.”

“Thank you big-time for that. I owe you.”

“You’re welcome,” Nicole said with a smile as she slipped out of the room.

Lindsay returned Peepers to his carrier and walked lightly down the hall. Outside of exam room two, she heard Mary go after the doctor. “I’m Mrs. Mary Ellen Berthalot, Dr. Allen, and I expect—”

“No need to worship me, Mrs. Berthalot. I am but a humble veterinarian. Now let’s meet Nibbles, shall we?”

“Oh, Peepers, there’s no need to worry about the doctor,” Lindsay said with a giggle. “She’s going to be just fine.”

Chapter Four

Nicole opened one eye and frowned at the clock. The phone was ringing, and it wasn’t yet daylight. That it was Saturday morning added to the insult. “Dr. Allen’s office,” Nicole said groggily as she sat up and switched on the bedside lamp.

“Oh, but that does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“Good morning, Dad.” Nicole flopped back down and pulled the blanket beneath her chin. “I thought retiring meant sleeping in and taking it easy.”

“I’m retired, not dead. Just be glad I didn’t call when I awoke this morning at four thirty. I at least waited an hour before calling to hear all about your first week in St. Claire.”

“Gary was right, it’s an adjustment. I was prepared for a slower pace, but this week has been anything but.”

“Busy is good.”

“That’s true, but I think it’s temporary. After everyone in town gets a good look at me, it’ll taper off. That’s according to Deana, my assistant.”

Darrin Allen chuckled softly. “Are you regretting your decision not to partner with your brother?”

“Not in this lifetime. I love him, but there’s no way Brian and I could ever work together. We barely get along during the holidays.”

“He’s like your mother, knows absolutely everything about everything.”

“Speaking of, I don’t hear her in the background.”

“Up and gone already. She’s having breakfast with Carol, then she’s going shopping with the girls.”

“Is she still mad at us?”

“Furious with me, but you’re in the clear. She’s been spoiled all these years with her brood living close by and under her wing. I’ll take the tongue-lashing this holiday season since I’m the one who convinced you to take Gary’s practice, but after that, you’re on your own. Better start looking now for someone to cover for you next year or come up with some really clever excuses as to why you’re not coming home.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The conversation was light and to Nicole’s pleasure steered clear of her long-term plans for the clinic. Unlike her father and brother, she had no desire to expand the practice. Gary had been frank. The clinic sustained and at times was profitable, but in its current location, one doctor was sufficient. That’s exactly how Nicole wanted it. She wasn’t a business tycoon but a veterinarian who enjoyed caring for animals, not constantly worrying about the bottom line and the prospect of new clinics bearing her name. Though her father was a go-getter, he was able to understand her desire to keep it simple. That was why she and Brian could never work together.

“What are your plans for the day now that I’ve forced you to begin it early?” her father asked.

“According to Deana, I need to have breakfast at T-John’s. It’s the local hangout. If I don’t make a showing, I’ll be considered stuck-up.”

“Small-town policy?”

“Apparently so. I’ll have breakfast, give them all my most dazzling of smiles, then I’m going up to see the shut-in Gary told me about.”

“And this evening you’ll call your mother.”

Nicole grinned. “I might not.”

“Don’t do that to your old man. Last night, she put those two ice blocks she calls feet on the backs of my legs. Anything she can do to make me miserable, she’s doing it. I’ve eaten tuna casserole for dinner the last two nights. If she doesn’t hear from her baby soon, I’m afraid of what’s coming next.”

“All right, you’ve suffered enough. I’ll give her a call around seven.”

“Thanks, little one. I love you.”

“Love you, too, Dad. Bye.”

*******

“Can I have chocolate chips in my pancakes, Mom?”

“Of course, you can.” Rose leaned down and kissed her only granddaughter on the cheek.

Lindsay watched her mother and daughter rub noses. There was a time when she and Rose sat in that very diner and did the same. She felt as though she were looking back in time as she watched Alexis, a smaller version of herself. But like Lindsay, her mother had grown older, too, and that acknowledgment stabbed at her heart. Time marched on so quickly now that she was an adult, and there would soon come a day when her mother would no longer be a fixture in her life.

Lindsay bit her lip as she regarded Rose. Her dark red hair had thinned and was now a light shade of red, thanks to Revlon. The once fair, unblemished skin of her mother’s hands was now covered with age spots, and veins stood out starkly beneath the pale skin. The beauty regimen could no longer hide or lessen the deep lines that had formed on the face she remembered so well as near perfect. But Rose wasn’t one of those women who bowed to the aches and pains of an aging body; she fought tooth and nail. She still carried herself with the poise and grace of a woman ten years her junior.

“Grams, can I ask for double chips in my pancakes?”

“Say yes, and you can pull her down off the ceiling fan when all the sugar from breakfast kicks in.” Lindsay shot Alexis a look.

“She’ll burn it off in the mall today.” Rose grinned at Alexis when she beamed and rubbed her hands together. “You don’t mind if I kidnap her today, do you?”

“I suppose not.” Lindsay feigned disappointment, but inside, she was thrilled to have an afternoon to herself. An afternoon that included her favorite movie, the couch, and a blanket, maybe even popcorn.

“I need a new dress for Thanksgiving,” Rose said.

Lindsay fought the urge to grin at the look of disgust on Alexis’s face. “You already have a Thanksgiving outfit, no dress for you.” Lindsay looked at her mother. “And no toys, either. Santa’s coming soon.”

“But I get a pretzel, right?”

“You know it.” Rose held up her fist, and Alexis bumped it.

“Inga’s slow this morning,” Lindsay said under her breath as she watched one of three waitresses move between the tables with a coffeepot. “Bet the arthritis is acting up with this cool snap we’re having.”

“Poor darling, we’ll have to tip her good today.” Rose lifted her head when the bell on the door tinkled. “This must be the new doctor.”

Nicole smiled at a few folks who said good morning as she looked around for a place to sit. The only other table that had an empty seat was occupied by Mary Berthalot, and Lindsay couldn’t bear to subject Nicole to her mercy. “Join us, Dr. Allen,” she said with a wave.

Nicole approached awkwardly. “I don’t want to impose. I’ll come back later.”

“Oh, nonsense.” Rose pushed out the open chair with her foot. “You sit right here. I’ve been dying to meet you.”

“Nicole, this is my mother, Rose, and my daughter, Alexis, the toothless,” Lindsay said with a smile. “This is Dr. Allen, who prefers to be called Nicole.”

“Pleasure to finally meet you, Nicole.” Rose’s eyes twinkled, and the muscles in Lindsay’s stomach tightened. Her mother loved people and had a way of extracting information that one might not ordinarily give up. Lindsay had often thought her mother would’ve made a brilliant attorney.

“I understand you’re from Montana,” Rose said. “I’ve only seen it in pictures, and it looks indescribably beautiful. How on earth did you find this sleepy little town?”

Nicole fell hopelessly under her charm. “I’m from Butte. It’s much like any other city, but the outlying areas are breathtaking.” She went on talking about “Big Sky” and getting used to the change in climate.

Lindsay felt her time alone slipping away minute by minute and word by word. Having time to herself was a luxury she seldom got to enjoy. On the rare occasion she was alone, she’d take out her favorite DVD and for a little while live vicariously through the characters. Imagine Me & You was her darkest secret and ultimate fantasy. The idea of a woman coming into her life and sweeping her off her feet was only a pleasant dream she hoped one day would come true. She wanted to experience that undeniable attraction that made one want to throw propriety and convention to the wind. To date, that hadn’t happened, and she doubted it ever would in St. Claire.

“…so when Dr. Gary told my father he was retiring, the wheels started turning in my dad’s mind, and here I am.” Nicole smiled up at Inga when she appeared at the table with pad in hand. “I’ve been running my mouth, and I haven’t even looked at the menu.”

“Get the chocolate chip pecan pancakes, they’re the best,” Alexis said with a grin. “That’s what I want, Ms. Inga, and bacon, too.”

“Chocolate chips, you say?” Nicole raised a brow, and Alexis grinned. “I’ll have the same with bacon, coffee, and water, please.”

Inga nodded as she jotted on her pad, then looked at Lindsay. “I’ll have the pecan pancakes, bacon, and a coffee.”

“Me too, Inga,” Rose said with a nod. “You feeling okay, hon?”

“Up all night with my back and Earl’s snoring.” Inga tucked a loose strand of hair into her graying bun. “Tonight, I’m duct-taping his mouth shut and taking a muscle relaxer.” She sauntered off before anyone else could comment.

“Momma said you saved Peepers.” Alexis beamed up at Nicole as though she were Wonder Woman.

“Not really. I just gave him a bath and got the paint off his fur. Your mom is really the one who saved him.”

“I bet you have lots of animals.” Alexis propped an arm on the table, mimicking Nicole’s pose.

“I used to have a cat, but he died last year.” Nicole shook her head sadly. “I had him for a long time, and I don’t think I’m ready for another one.”

Alexis’s expression turned solemn. “That’s very sad. You can come over and pet Peepers anytime you want to.”

“Thank you.” Nicole gave Alexis a fist bump.

“Nicole, tell me, are you a bachelorette like me and the girls here?”

Nicole smiled at Rose. “I am.”

“Then you’ll have to join us for dinner sometime. Lindsay and I rotate the cooking. There’s always something hot on the stove in the evenings.”

“I never turn down the offer of food.” Nicole winked at Alexis. “So you’re not married, either?”

Alexis giggled and shook her head. “All boys stink except for Justin Bieber.”

“We’re going to the mall in Houma this afternoon. Would you like to join us?” Rose asked.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m supposed to ride out to Mrs. Crantz’s place today.”

Inga, who had come to the table with a loaded tray, nearly dropped it. “You can’t go out there alone.” She began to distribute the plates. “That old woman will shoot you before you get both legs out of the car.”

“Mary Beth says she has a bazooka,” Alexis said, chiming in.

Rose patted Alexis’s hand. “That’s not true, honey.”

“She’s got a shotgun, though.” Inga shook her finger at Nicole when she finished unloading the tray. “And a good aim.”

Lindsay chewed her bottom lip to keep from laughing at the stunned expression on Nicole’s face.

Alexis shrugged. “She shot the UPS man last Christmas.”

“She did not shoot him, just his truck.” Lindsay smiled at Nicole. “It was just a misunderstanding.”

“Ruby Crantz is a widow who lives alone in a big old house out in the woods.” Rose sliced up Alexis’s pancakes. “And she’s discovered Internet shopping. Delivery drivers run late during the holidays, and one night, a UPS man tried to deliver a package after eight in the evening.”

“Ruby’s hard of hearing,” Lindsay added.

Rose nodded. “She thought someone was trying to break in.”

“Mary Beth said she only got him in the shoulder because one of Mrs. Crantz’s dogs attacked him first.”

“Honey, you can’t believe everything you hear at school,” Lindsay admonished. “She didn’t shoot him, not even in the shoulder.”

“Because the dog knocked him off the porch,” Rose said, “that part is true.”

Nicole stared down at her plate. “Oh, my God, thanks a lot, Gary ol’ pal.”

“You should go with her,” Rose said to Lindsay. “Ruby will feel better if she’s properly introduced by a local.” Lindsay bumped Rose’s leg with her knee when she mentally saw her afternoon alone disappear in a wisp of gun smoke. Rose jumped and feigned a cough but was undeterred. “Nicole, what kind of vehicle do you drive?”

Nicole looked up wide-eyed. “A Camaro that I paid a fortune for. I don’t want to see it sprayed with buckshot.”

Rose shook her head and looked at Lindsay. “She can’t get up the road to Ruby’s place in a car. You’re gonna have to take her, hon.”

“Sure,” Lindsay said with a forced smile. “We better eat up before the food gets cold.”

Nicole looked shaken and ate quietly. Rose knew she was in hot water with Lindsay and focused on her breakfast. Alexis was oblivious and smiled up at Nicole. “I sure hope Mrs. Crantz doesn’t kill you because I like you.”

Chapter Five

“I’m so sorry you have to play cab driver for me.” Nicole rested her elbow on the windowsill of Lindsay’s old truck and rubbed her temple. “This is probably the last thing you wanted to do on a Saturday, and frankly, I wouldn’t, either, but Gary made this appointment for me before he left.”

Lindsay’s smile was tight-lipped. “It’s no problem, really.”

“Is this your only day off?” Nicole asked miserably.

Lindsay pulled her sunglasses off the visor and put them on. “I’m off most weekends, and sometimes if we’re slow, I’ll take a day off in the middle of the week to catch up on things around the house.”

“What kind of work do you do?”

“Mom and I own Strickland Hardware.”

“The big place in the middle of town?”

Lindsay nodded as she downshifted and made a turn onto the highway that would take them to the Crantz place. “My great-great-grandfather originally opened it around the turn of the century. It’s been in our family ever since. Having no sons, my dad passed it on to me. It’s like the hub of town. Everyone comes in and sits at the counter. I’ve often told Mom that we should charge for the coffee, and after a couple of years, we could retire.”

“Deana mentioned that it’s one of the hot spots other than T-John’s. I didn’t realize you were a Strickland.”

Lindsay nodded again. “I was, but I kept Juneau after the divorce, so Alexis and I would have the same name.”

Nicole shifted in her seat until she was facing Lindsay. “Would it be too personal to ask if you’re raising Alexis completely on your own?”

“No, it’s not.” Lindsay kept her gaze on the road. “Mom helps out a lot with her, and Mike works offshore for an oil company. He works twenty days and is off for ten. Alexis spends the second week with him and his fiancée after they’ve been reacquainted, so to speak. We all get along fine.”

“Wow, that’s rare. My oldest brother and his first wife have been divorced twelve years, and they still can’t be in the same room together. My niece and nephew are in their teens and seem to take it all in stride, but I know it has to weigh on them.”

“Our divorce was amicable, but even at its best, things are still hard. Alexis misses me when she’s with Mike and vice versa. The holidays are always rough because one of us has to spend them without her. I think that’s when I feel the guiltiest.”

Lindsay regretted the last part of her comment because Nicole didn’t comment. She sat quietly and waited for Lindsay to elaborate. She accelerated and passed a slow-moving car. “The divorce was my fault. I was the one who wanted it. There were no affairs or drunken brawls, Mike is a good man. I just married too young because that’s what everyone else was doing. It’s what’s expected, but I wasn’t happy.”

“Happens all the time, doesn’t it?” Nicole looked out the windshield and squinted against the sun. “Two of my siblings did the same thing. My brother got a divorce, but my sister stayed for the children. She’s miserable and makes everyone else just as unhappy.”

Lindsay glanced at Nicole. “So being the youngest, you learned by their mistakes and didn’t fall into the marriage trap.”

Nicole shook her head. “Not really. I ignored advice and screwed up plenty of relationships, even though I didn’t have a ring on my finger.” She sighed. “I just had to see for myself.”

Lindsay slowed and turned off the paved highway onto a gravel road. “You may want to hang on to something, this road is very rough. Ruby has delivery trucks coming in and out of here all day long, and they’ve made deep ruts.” Even though she’d downshifted and was moving at a snail’s pace, the truck lurched back and forth. “Ruby Crantz is the wealthiest woman in St. Claire. She could afford to pave every road in town, including this one, but she doesn’t like company unless they’re bringing in something she ordered.” Lindsay shot Nicole a quick glance. “And even then, she’s not really happy to see them.”

“So much to look forward to,” Nicole said quickly before they descended into the next deep rut.

The road, thickly wooded on both sides, went on for a few miles until a clearing came into view. Lindsay pointed to rows of pecan trees that also seemed to go on for miles. “She has the best pecans, but she won’t let anyone get near her trees. The nuts rot or are carried off by squirrels. A few local teens sneaked out here once and tried to harvest a few. Ruby ran them off by shooting rock salt at them.”

“And she’s not in jail?” Nicole asked incredulously.

Lindsay grinned. “Before she became a Crantz, her name was St. Claire. Her family has basically owned this town from the beginning. The St. Claires financed our store way back when. Actually, they financed the entire town.” Lindsay pulled up onto the paved circle drive and parked the truck directly in front of a huge set of windows. She killed the engine and turned to Nicole. “Let me tell you something about Ruby, and for your sake, you need to pay attention. She’s often difficult and downright rude, but she also likes to give gifts. When she’s ready, she’s going to give you one, and no matter what it is, don’t argue. Accept it graciously, and you’ll be in her favor. Argue and you could be staring down the barrel of a shotgun filled with rock salt.”

Nicole swallowed hard. “Got it.”

Lindsay unclipped her seat belt. “Stay by the truck…better yet, stay behind it, but let her see you. Don’t approach until I wave you over.”

“Good God.” Nicole ran a shaking hand through her hair before she slowly opened her door while Lindsay walked up the brick steps and knocked loudly on the door. Nicole watched from where she hid behind the front fender. Lindsay appeared to be slightly nervous as she bounced from foot to foot, making Nicole’s insides turn to jelly. They were so far out in the sticks that if the old woman came out firing, no one would ever hear the shots. She rubbed her hands together, wondering when someone would finally come to look for them if they didn’t return. Nicole had to resist the urge to throw herself on the ground when the large front door swung open.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Crantz,” Lindsay yelled.

A slight woman stood in the doorway wearing a pair of khaki pants with a neatly pressed brown blouse tucked into them. On her feet, she wore what looked like a brown pair of riding boots. A shotgun with the barrel open lay in the crook of her right arm. She carried it like most women would a purse. “Lindsay, girl, what are you doing here and who the hell is that by your truck?” Dark eyes beneath a head of pure white hair pulled back in a beret stared coldly in Nicole’s direction.

“That’s the new vet, Dr. Gary’s replacement. You have an appointment, remember?”

“She looks like one of those minxes on the front of a JC Penney’s catalog.” Ruby Crantz shook her head in disapproval. “Come in.”

Lindsay waved Nicole over. The walk felt like an eternity. Nicole wished they could just climb back into the truck and go screaming back to town. There she would pick up her car and leave the house and business in her dust and exhaust fumes.

“Remember she’s hard of hearing, so you’re gonna have to yell,” Lindsay said from where she stood behind Ruby. She stepped forward and screamed loudly. “Mrs. Crantz, this is Dr. Nicole Allen.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Crantz,” Nicole said with a nervous smile as her gaze darted to the shotgun.

“How old are you?” Ruby looked Nicole up and down.

“Thirty-eight.”

“How long have you been a vet?”

Nicole straightened and held her chin up. “Thirteen years.”

Ruby didn’t reply; instead, she stared at Nicole so long that Lindsay had to intervene. “I had to take Peepers in to see her the other day. The McCreedy boys got a hold of him, and he was in bad shape. Dr. Allen took real good care of him, and he’s back home with Alexis.”

“Inbred little bastards. You need to get one of these.” Ruby held up the shotgun. “Fill their narrow asses full of rock salt a time or two, and you won’t have any more problems.”

Lindsay grinned. “I may do just that.”

“I ain’t joking, girl.” Ruby turned and walked inside. “Come on in. Mind your step.”

The foyer was massive, and the walls were lined with boxes that were a good two to three feet above Nicole’s head. As far as she could tell, most were unopened and filled with things like TVs, scooters, and electronics of every kind. Perched on top were several cats that watched her curiously as she passed. “It looks like Best Buy exploded in here,” Nicole said softly as they walked into the den. There were six large-screen TVs mounted on the walls, each one hooked to a recorder and playing something different. DVDs filled every nook and cranny in the room.

“I’ve got two male cats that need fixing, and Stickers has a torn dewclaw that I want removed. Do the other one while you have him down.” Ruby motioned for them to follow.

Lindsay grinned and winked as she waved Nicole on ahead of her. They walked down another long and cluttered hall to a door leading outside. The fenced-in area was filled with dog toys and Dogloos of all sizes. “This is the dogs’ play area. Right now, the groomer is giving them all a bath and a trim. Stickers has dry skin, so don’t wash him while he’s in your care. My man is almost done. He’ll be out in a minute.”

Nicole nodded when Ruby narrowed her eyes, then yelled, “I understand. How many dogs do you have?”

“Nine.” Ruby wagged a finger in Nicole’s face. “Now don’t you be giving me any disapproving looks, girl. They’re well fed and well taken care of. Look around this yard. Do you see any shit?”

Nicole shook her head.

“That’s right. I have a man that keeps those dogs from stepping in their own crap. Got a mountain of shit on the back of my property, but their area is clean. I’ve seen animal hoarders on TV, and I’m here to tell you I ain’t one of them.” Ruby stuck her finger in Nicole’s face again. “You got that?”

Shotgun or not, Nicole was quickly growing tired of the attitude and the finger being wagged in her face. “You’ve made your point.”

Ruby narrowed her eyes for a moment, then turned. “Be right back.”

Lindsay scuffed at the ground with her shoe. “I think she likes you.”

“I think she’s got distemper. She did say she had a mountain of shit in her yard. Maybe it’s seeping into her water supply.” Nicole looked at the building that Ruby had entered. There were at least five dog doors lining one wall.

“That’s the Taj Mahal for dogs. Their beds are nicer than mine, and the rooms are heated and cooled.”

Nicole looked back at Lindsay. “Rooms?”

“Oh, yeah,” Lindsay said with a laugh. “They all have their own rooms, and they’re decorated.”

“Do they have TVs, too?”

Lindsay nodded, then they turned toward the building when a door slammed. Stickers looked as though he was a mixture of every dog breed known to humankind. His wiry brown and red fur stood out at odd angles, even though he’d just been bathed and groomed. Ruby walked up and handed Nicole the leash. Stickers sat and looked up at her. Nicole held her hand out, and he gave it a sniff before giving it a few licks.

“He likes you. That’s a good sign, minx. Stickers is an excellent judge of character. Had he shied away from you, I’d be running your ass out of here right now.” Ruby waved her hand. “Come along.”

Inside, she rounded up two cats, which she referred to as Orange and Gray, and stuffed them into a carrier together. “They both need to be neutered. They’re up to date on their shots. You can check Gary’s records if you don’t believe me.” Ruby spoke softly to the mewling cats and straightened. “When can I expect them back?”

“Day after tomorrow,” Nicole said loudly.

Ruby nodded. “Good enough.” She looked at Lindsay. “Go into the foyer and get yourself a TV. Get one for your mom, too. Minx, go help her. I’ll get the animals.”

*******

Nicole reached back and petted Stickers, who was lying on the backseat. Lindsay was moving even slower than she had when they came in because there were two extremely large flat-screen TVs in the back of the truck. “I cannot believe she just gave you those TVs. They had to cost hundreds of dollars.”

Lindsay held up a finger. “But you don’t argue, remember?”

“Was it a bribe or something? What does she expect in return?”

“Ruby’s old. She can’t do many things for herself anymore. She’s had to hire someone to care for the animals. Someone has to come in and clean her house and maintain her yard. There was a time she did it all by herself. I think the gifts are her way of maintaining control. She gives things so extravagant that you feel beholden in a way, but she never calls in the favor.” Lindsay grimaced as she navigated the truck through a deep rut. “When I’ve had to deliver things to her, she tripled the delivery fee. I made the mistake of contesting that one time, and she tore into me so bad, I almost ran back into town.”

“I can’t let her triple my fee, that’s not right. I don’t want to take advantage of anyone.” Nicole lowered her voice. “I’m not my brother.”

“I heard that.” Lindsay glanced over at Nicole, who stared out the passenger’s window.

“I love my dad and brother, but they’re never satisfied. Dad had to have the largest clinic in town. We clashed constantly when I worked for him. When my brother took over, he opened up four more just as large. Dad was never around when we were growing up because he could not stop himself from working. Brian, my brother, is worse.” Nicole shrugged. “I should be grateful because Dad put me through school. I never had to worry about student loans, but we didn’t get to know each other until recently. Brian is following in his footsteps. I don’t think he’s ever attended even one of his children’s birthday parties.”

“Ah, that’s why you’re content with a practice in this podunk town.”

“That’s right. It’ll always be just me unless I’m forced to bring in another vet, but according to Gary and his financials, enlarging will probably never be necessary. I want to be able to pay my bills, sock some money away for retirement, and live life.”

“It’s gonna be a quiet life. You’ve really moved to nowheresville.”

“You don’t like it here?” Nicole turned and looked at Lindsay.

“Not always. I like raising Alexis in a small town where I know everyone, it makes me feel safer. But I don’t want to stay single for the rest of my life, either. As it stands, I’m gonna have to wait until she goes off to college before I can move somewhere that I can meet new people. If you want romance in your life, you’re going to have to travel because every man in this town is either married or…just gross.”

“Suits me fine. I’m not looking for a man.”

Lindsay glanced at Nicole. “Don’t tell people that around here. They’ll think you’re a lesbian, then you’ll be run out of town. You can be a drunk, cheat, or vandal, but you can’t be queer.”

“Is that why you want to move?”

Lindsay swerved and nearly ran into the woods. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Because you said ‘meet new people,’ not meet a single man. My kind picks up on that sort of thing.”

Lindsay pulled to an abrupt stop when they came to the highway. “Your kind?” She refused to meet Nicole’s eye.

Nicole folded her arms. “I’m a lesbian, and I really don’t care who knows. People are still going to have to bring their animals to me because I’m the only vet for eighty miles. I don’t care if they don’t like me.”

“I went to high school with a girl who had that same attitude. The people in this town harassed her so much, she moved to New Orleans, and her family disowned her. If you like living here, don’t tell people who you really are, and for heaven’s sake, don’t tell my mother.”

“Rose doesn’t really strike me as the hating kind. Granted I only just met her, but I don’t get that vibe.”

“Trust me on this.” Lindsay’s hand shook as she reached for the gearshift. “Tell everyone you have a broken heart or a communicable disease, but don’t tell them the truth.” She popped the clutch, obviously forgetting about the TVs in the back of the truck, and sped off.

“Am I being naïve by asking if this is going to change our friendship?”

“I like you, but you’re going to make things very hard on me if you jump out of the closet. I know that sounds mean, but I’m not willing to do anything that’s going to cause my child to be chastised. It’s hard enough living in a place where everyone knows your business. Kids repeat things their parents say. Alexis came home from school on several occasions after other kids told her I had an affair, and that’s why Mike and I were getting a divorce.”

Lindsay’s voice shook as she spoke, and Nicole decided to let the subject drop.

Chapter Six

“How’d it go at Ruby’s?” Rose looked up from the pot she was stirring on the stove as Lindsay came into her kitchen.

“It went fine.” Lindsay opened the refrigerator door. “You didn’t make a fresh pitcher of iced tea by any chance, did you?”

“It’s right here on the counter. I’m letting the sugar melt before I set it to cool in the fridge. There’s plenty of ice.” Lindsay dropped a few ice cubes into a glass, then poured the tea into another glass. Rose watched her out of the corner of her eye. “Are you going to drink that hot?”

The glass was almost at Lindsay’s lips before she’d realized what she had done. “Not paying attention, I guess.” She poured the tea into the glass with ice. “Ruby sent you a gift.”

“Bless her heart. What is it this time—another stereo?”

“No, a flat-screen TV that will take up most of your living room wall.” Lindsay sat wearily at the kitchen table and grinned when her mother dropped the spoon into the spaghetti sauce and splashed the stove and wall.

“I’ve got to call her tonight.” Rose wiped up the mess with a cloth. “Maybe I can come up with a way to tell her that such gifts aren’t necessary. I hate the idea that she thinks we come expecting. She and her family have been good to us enough already.”

“You were the one who told me not to argue, just accept the gift graciously.”

Rose turned to Lindsay. “Yes, but that’s when she was giving out things like boxes of candy or scarves, not expensive electronics.”

“Well, if there’s anyone who can talk some sense into her, it’s you. I wish you luck. Is Alexis at Mary Beth’s?”

“She is. I told her she could play until the streetlights came on.” Rose poured herself a glass of tea and joined Lindsay at the table. “You’re not going to believe this, but at one time, Ruby Crantz was demure and soft spoken.”

“How old was she—three or four?”

Rose swatted Lindsay on the arm playfully, then she stared off into space deep in thought. “I think the change came about sometime in her forties. She was a social person. She and Ira would come into town for all the festivals. Sometimes, your father and I would have breakfast with them at T-John’s. One day, she came into the store nearly in tears, said she overheard some women talking about her. One of them was Mary Berthalot. Up until that day, they’d been friends, but she heard Mary say Ruby was a privileged brat and didn’t know a thing about real life.” Rose shook her head. “I remember Ruby saying that no matter what she did or how nice she was to people, they’d always stab her in the back. She stopped coming into town, and when I went out to see her, Ruby had become the foul-mouthed, take-no-prisoners woman you know today.”

“She pulls no punches.” Lindsay shrugged. “I kind of like that about her when she’s not chewing my butt cheeks.”

“She got her feelings hurt, and she’s never forgiven. It’s made her bitter.” Rose reached over and laid her hand over Lindsay’s. “Most of the people in this town are well meaning. They’re human, they gossip, blow off steam saying ugly things they really don’t mean, us included. But we can’t stop living our lives just to keep their tongues from wagging.”

“What are you getting at?”

Rose shook her head. “Nothing, just giving advice. We just have to live our lives and be happy with who we are because Ruby was right—people are going to talk regardless.”

Lindsay wondered as she stared down at her mother’s hand atop hers if Rose could read her thoughts. Perhaps it was because she was an only child and her mother had time to pay attention to her moods, like she did Alexis’s. But at that moment, she felt like Rose had clearly seen into her brain and all the insecurities that lay hidden there.

Rose patted her hand as she stood and walked back over to her cooking. “Why don’t you invite Nicole over for dinner tomorrow night? She doesn’t strike me as the kind that will just show on an open invitation. She needs something formal.”

Lindsay continued to stare at her own hand. “Tuesday maybe, not tomorrow I want to be a bum. On Mondays, Alexis brings home her assignments for the week. Let me gauge how much homework she’s going to have before we bring in a distraction.”

“She does seem rather enamored with Nicole.” Rose filled a pot with water and set it to boil for the pasta. “She’s a very pretty woman. That’s not going to endear her to the women of St. Claire. They’re not going to like their husbands showing her any interest. She’s going to need another single female ally, a friend.” Rose looked over her shoulder. “And, honey, you do, too.”

*******

“So Justin Bieber spurred his white steed and lifted his sword high with a battle cry that made the mountains shake. The great dragon’s eyes widened as he saw the fury in the young man’s gaze. Justin was on him before he could react, riding his horse straight up the tail of the beast. He launched himself into the air and drove the sword deep into the dragon’s back, and all the magic stored inside rushed out like a mighty wind. The dragon deflated like a plain ol’ balloon.

“Justin raised his face to the high tower where Princess Alexis waited to be rescued. ‘Wait for me but one more moment, my one true love,’ Justin said with a hand over his armored chest, then scaled the wall. When at last he was face to face with the princess he’d seen in all his dreams, his heart swelled with love. He took the princess into his arms and placed the sweetest of kisses upon her lips.”

“Eww, no, Momma. No kissing. He can take me down from the tower and ride me on his horse, but I don’t want him kissing me.”

“I like that, and I can work with it.” Lindsay nodded. “Justin approached the princess and went down on one knee. ‘We’ll take my horse to freedom, and you can drive,’ he said to the princess and gave her a fist bump.”

Alexis pumped her fist. “Sweet, now that’s more like it.”

Lindsay bent down and kissed Alexis on the cheek. “I’m glad you enjoyed the tale of Princess and the Bieber. Now it’s time for you to go to sleep.”

“Good night, Mom. Love you.”

“I love you, too, sweetie,” Lindsay said from the doorway and reached to switch off the light.

“Amanda Stanton’s parents are getting a divorce, too.”

Lindsay’s hand froze in midair. “Where did you hear that from?”

“Amanda told me. She said she heard them fighting, and they were saying they were gonna get a divorce. Everybody at school’s talking about it.”

Lindsay walked over to Alexis’s bed and sat. “Is Amanda okay?”

Alexis shrugged and put her hands behind her head. “She doesn’t cry or anything. She says she’s just tired of the fighting because she and her sister have to go to bed when her parents start yelling at each other.”

“You know that sometimes when our feelings are hurt or when we’re mad, we say things we don’t mean. Maybe Amanda’s parents really didn’t mean what they said. Amanda’s your buddy, right?”

Alexis nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“As her friend, you should keep what she says just between y’all unless it’s something that’s going to cause her harm, then you should tell only me or Grams.”

“But the whole school already knows.”

“And that still doesn’t give you the right to betray your friend’s confidence. She probably needs someone to talk to right now, someone she can trust.”

“Billy Meyers says they’re breaking up because Amanda’s daddy is a cheater, and he has lots of hos.”

Lindsay blinked rapidly at this tidbit. “Do you remember when your dad and I split up and how kids were saying I cheated?”

Alexis’s face darkened as she nodded.

“It hurt your feelings, didn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Sometimes, we get really curious when we don’t know everything that’s going on, so we try to figure it out. We come up with theories, those are ideas. When we discuss those ideas out loud, they become rumors. That’s what happened with me and your dad. It was nobody’s business but ours, but people were still curious anyway. Those rumors hurt all our feelings, didn’t they?”

“They made me cry.”

“Me too, sweetie, and knowing that someone else is going through the same thing, we should be more understanding and supportive. Don’t repeat anything you hear. And don’t repeat the ugly rumors to Amanda. All she needs to hear from you is that you’re her friend and her secrets are safe with you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Lindsay ran the back of her fingers across Alexis’s soft cheek and kissed her forehead. “See you in the morning. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Lindsay gave Peepers a scratch behind the ears. “Watch over my kitten, cat, or no kibble for you.”

*******

Peepers gave up his post and climbed up on Lindsay’s bed where she lay staring at the TV screen, her mind a million miles away. She’d always wanted someone she could talk to, someone who could relate to her feelings, and now that she had arrived, it mortified Lindsay. It was the attitude. Nicole had spoken with conviction when she’d said she did not care what people thought. Lindsay had hoped for a confidant who would be just like her—secret, covert.

If just a peep of Nicole’s real identity got out, Lindsay would be branded a sympathizer and maybe even a lesbian. If it were just her, Lindsay could pack up and shake the dust of St. Claire from her shoes. But she was tethered to her mother and daughter, and they would suffer equally if not more. Lindsay couldn’t sacrifice her loved ones for her own happiness because even if she did, she’d simply never be happy while they suffered.

Chapter Seven

“You’ve done something to my rabbit!”

Deana and Nicole looked up from the computer in Nicole’s office. “Mrs. Berthalot, why didn’t you ring the bell? I didn’t know you were here,” Deana said.

“Because this is an emergency.” Mary held up the carrier and pointed to Nibbles inside. “He’s constipated and hasn’t been making his binkies—his happy dance.”

“Mrs. Berthalot,” Nicole began calmly. “You asked me to check his teeth the last time you were here. You were in the exam room, and you know that’s all I did.” Nicole stood and walked around her desk. “When did he have his last bowel movement?”

“This morning, but it wasn’t a lot like normal.” Mary shoved the carrier into Nicole’s hands. “There were only a few pellets.”

“Has he been eating less?”

“Yes,” Mary said curtly. “He only eats the food in his dish. He won’t eat any of his treats or snacks.”

Nicole looked at Deana. “I’ll take Nibbles to exam room one. If you’ll bring me his chart, I’d be grateful.” She turned back to Mary. “Follow me, please.”

Nicole set the carrier on the table and opened the door. The brown rabbit came out slowly a moment later with his nose twitching. “So since you brought him in last, there’s been no happy dances. How many happy dances would you say he normally does in a day?”

Mary seemed surprised by the question. “At least a dozen,” she said with a furrowed brow.

Nicole stroked Nibbles’s fur. “How many did he do the day before you first brought him to see me?”

“How could I possibly remember that? Two or three maybe.”

“But you said he normally does around a dozen, so if he only did two or three on that day, he’s been tapering off.” Nicole took out a thermometer and took the rabbit’s temperature. “That tells me this has been a gradual thing.”

“I suppose so.” Mary’s drawn-on brows knitted together. “Do you think there’s something seriously wrong with him?”

“He’s not running a fever, so I doubt infection.” Nicole looked at the thermometer. “I’ll run some tests for parasites. Mrs. Berthalot, I’d like to keep him for a few days and monitor his eating and elimination habits. I want to make sure he didn’t ingest a foreign body like a piece of wood he might’ve been chewing on.”

Mary put a hand to her throat. “Well, anything he needs if you think it’s necessary.”

Nicole nodded with a grim expression. “You’re welcome to call and check in on him. It should only be for a few days.” Deana walked in and handed Nicole the chart, which she read over. “According to his chart, Nibbles is up to date on all his shots and has been healthy. Besides binkies, does he get a lot of exercise? Does he have free roam of the house, or do you keep him in a cage?”

“I never cage him other than when we go to town,” Mary said indignantly.

Nicole took Nibbles in her arms, and he sniffed her face. “Have you found any chewed furniture or power cords?”

“No, not that I’ve noticed, but I’ll look when I go home.”

“Please do that, and should you find anything, call me immediately.”

“I’ll go right now.” Mary reached over and stroked Nibbles’s back. “Now don’t you worry, baby, you’ll be back with Momma soon.” She gave Nicole a stern look. “If anything happens to him, I will hold you accountable.”

Nicole nodded and watched as Mary grabbed her purse and left the room at a brisk pace.

“What’s wrong with him?” Deana asked when they heard the bell on the door chime.

“I’m going to check him for parasites. His belly is nice and soft, and he doesn’t squirm when I touch it, so I don’t suspect that he’s constipated or ingested anything.” Nibbles was perfectly at ease in Nicole’s arms, and when she held him against her chest, he burrowed into her. “He might just be depressed.”

“Rabbits get depressed?” Deana asked with a quizzical expression.

“All animals can, especially if they’re not stimulated. Maybe Nibbles just needs a change of pace. I’m gonna keep him back at my house when I’m home, so don’t freak out if you come in and he’s not here. Oh, and don’t charge Mary for the boarding.” Nicole smiled. “I don’t see anything here that looks life-threatening and would warrant boarding, but I’d like to see if my hunch is correct.”

Deana nodded and turned to leave. “Don’t forget about your two o’clock. Dusty Meyers is bringing in his Rottweiler to have his nails cut. If you have a suit of armor, you may want to put it on.”

“You hear that, Nibbles?” Nicole held the rabbit to her face. “This day just keeps getting better.”

*******

Nicole stretched out on her couch after a long day and watched Nibbles explore her living room. He’d eaten dinner but passed on the lettuce leaf. She’d expected him to be intimidated and afraid of the new surroundings, but he didn’t appear to be in any distress. She figured it was because Mary packed him along everywhere she went, and he was used to being in strange places.

Once she was satisfied that Nibbles was comfortable, Nicole’s thoughts went to Lindsay. She’d spent the previous evening replaying their conversation. Lindsay had seemed appalled when Nicole inferred that she too was a lesbian but never confirmed or denied it. Even though Lindsay looked like any other straight woman, she pinged loudly on Nicole’s gaydar. There was just something about her that spoke kindred spirit.

Normally when Nicole met someone so deeply hidden in the closet, she let her stay there. It wasn’t for her to say how anyone should lead her life. The problem was that she found Lindsay irresistibly attractive the minute she’d laid eyes on her, and this was one sleeping dog she couldn’t let lie. She wanted to know if Lindsay Juneau was on the same team, and if so, she wanted Lindsay to be equally interested in her.

“Nibbles, are you lonely?” Nicole rolled on her side and watched the rabbit hop around, sniffing this and that. “Is that it? You need rabbit companionship?” She got up and went into her bedroom. In the bottom of her closet was a pair of brown fuzzy slippers that someone had given her as a gift. She’d never worn them, favoring thick wool socks to keep her feet warm. Nicole returned to the living room and tossed the slipper onto the floor. She flopped down on the couch and watched as Nibbles eyed it curiously.

People have many reasons for hiding their sexual identity—religious beliefs, family, harassment at the workplace. She’d never faced those struggles, but many she knew had. In Lindsay’s case, if she were a lesbian, it would be especially difficult in a small town. But adding to the mix a small child who could suffer ridicule was probably one of the strongest motivators of all for hiding. Nicole could respect that, but could she live with it? She could call her friends, even her father for advice, but she already knew what every last one would say. Leave this one alone.

“Nibbles, my friend, it’s time for bed.” She scooped him up along with the slipper he’d been circling warily. “Tonight, you’ll have to sleep in the kennel. I hope you’ll forgive me. I’m afraid you’ll chew into something that will cause you harm. After all the tests today, we know you’re perfectly healthy, and that’s how I plan to return you to your mom.”

*******

“Hey, Deana, is Nicole in?”

Deana smiled at Lindsay as she walked in the door. “You’re the first pleasant face I’ve seen all morning aside from Nicole’s. She’s downright giddy.”

“Why is that?”

Deana stood and grabbed the portable office phone. “This you’ll have to see for yourself.”

Lindsay followed her to the back of the office, then across the backyard. Deana knocked twice on Nicole’s back door and walked in with Lindsay behind her. They could hear Nicole’s hysterical laughter coming from the living room.

“Is he still dancing?” Deana asked as they walked into the room.

“Among other things.” Nicole looked up and noticed Lindsay. “Hey, both of you, come watch this.” Nicole climbed down on the floor and reached under the sofa. She pulled out a slipper and tossed it into the middle of the floor. “That’s Sally.” Seconds later, Nibbles darted from underneath the couch. First, he rubbed his face all over Sally the slipper, then gave her a bath. He sprang straight up off the ground and twirled in a circle before landing on his feet like a cat. He repeated the process three times before descending on the slipper and mated with it for half a second before flopping on the ground. Nicole clapped her hands together. “He’s in love.”

“You’re watching a rabbit...hump a shoe,” Lindsay said with a look of disgust.

“He’s neutered, so he’s not really having sex with it. I think it’s more of a dominance thing. At any rate, he’s happy as a lark,” Nicole said triumphantly.

“The binkies are definitely back.” Deana grinned. “That’s a happy dance.”

“I’m glad we have a cat. Peepers doesn’t show any interest in my footwear other than occasionally batting at my laces.”

Nicole scrubbed her hands together as though her job was done. “Can I get either of you something to drink?”

Lindsay stood and thrust her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “I can’t stay. Mom wanted me to come by and tell you we’re having pot roast for dinner. She’d like you to join us. Deana, you’re welcome to come, too, if you’re free.”

“Thanks, Ms. Juneau, but I have a date tonight, and I need to get back to the office. Tell your mom I said thanks and say hello to Alexis and Peepers for me.”

Nicole watched her go, then turned to Lindsay. “Are you okay with that?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” Lindsay tried not to nervously shuffle her feet.

Nicole tilted her head to the side. “Are you uncomfortable around me now?”

Lindsay subconsciously backed up a step. “No, I’m not. Who you are doesn’t change my opinion of you.”

Nicole seemed to study her for a moment as her gaze roamed over Lindsay’s face. “What can I bring—wine, dessert?”

“Just yourself, dinner’s at six.” She handed Nicole a slip of paper. “That’s my address. We can make it later if that’s a problem.”

“No problem at all.”

“Good, well…I’ll see you then.”

Nicole nodded and smiled as Lindsay retreated quickly.

*******

A call had not been good enough for Rose. “You’re gonna be out anyway, go by there and invite her in person.” Lindsay rolled her eyes as she climbed into her truck and turned the engine. She wasn’t sure if Rose was just insatiably curious about the newcomer, or if she was working overtime to make Lindsay and Nicole become the best of friends. A frown creased Lindsay’s face as she backed out onto the road. Would her mother be so gung-ho if she knew what Nicole really was? Or if she knew her daughter was the same?

She wheeled into Summer’s Market and picked up the potatoes Rose had sent her for. She was on her way to the checkout when she turned the corner and nearly crashed into Tiffany Stanton, her old high school chum and the mother of Amanda, Alexis’s best buddy. Tiffany’s eyes were swollen and red, her nose looked like it had been blown a thousand times. “Oh, hey, Tiff. Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”

“That’s okay. How are you?” Tiffany avoided Lindsay’s gaze. She fiddled with the strap on her purse and shuffled her feet in painfully obvious discomfort.

“I’m doing good.” Lindsay wasn’t going to ask the apparent question. Tiffany’s misery was plain. “You did a fine job with the fall festival. Alexis and I had a wonderful time.”

A small smile flittered across Tiffany’s face and disappeared. “Have you heard?” She glanced at Lindsay and looked away quickly.

“Amanda told Alexis. She told me. Is it true?”

Fresh tears brimmed in Tiffany’s green eyes. She looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them. “I don’t know yet.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Mom’s at the store today. You wanna come by for coffee? We could talk.”

Tiffany ran a finger under her eye and wiped the moisture on her pants leg. “I do, but I’m not up to it today. I’ve had about six hours of sleep in the last forty-eight. I can’t think straight.” She sniffed. “Can I take a rain check?”

“Call me anytime and I’ll drop what I’m doing.” Lindsay had intended to give her a quick hug, but when she wrapped her arms around Tiffany, she sank into Lindsay’s arms and stayed there. Lindsay gave her a tight squeeze and whispered in her ear. “This will get better, I promise.”

“Thanks.” Tiffany let her go and walked away without looking back.

Chapter Eight

Nicole closed the office at five, took a quick shower, then raced to T-John’s, where she bought a chocolate cream pie. She arrived at Lindsay’s at two minutes after six. She smiled as she strode up the walk to the front porch. The old two-story was painted a dark taupe with slate blue shutters. Two large oaks dropped their leaves on the flowerbed lining the front porch that took up the front of the house. It felt like home. Nicole’s stride faltered. Perhaps she was getting a bit too close to Lindsay Juneau.

“Hey, Ms. Nicole.” Alexis pushed through the screen door and came bounding down the steps wearing a tiny pair of blue jeans and a blue-sleeved jersey bearing the image of Justin Bieber. “I’m so glad you’re here. I can’t wait for Peepers to see you.”

Nicole held out her fist for a bump that was enthusiastically met. “I’m looking forward to seeing him again, too.” She gave Alexis’s nose a soft pinch. “And it’s good to see you.”

Alexis took her by the hand, led her onto the porch, and through the front door. Nicole chuckled under her breath at the large-screen TV mounted on the wall. It was the newest thing in the room and stood out in contrast against the well-worn sofa and recliner. There were pictures of Alexis everywhere at every stage of life. Toys were piled neatly in a corner, and children’s books covered the coffee table. It was easy to spot the priority in Lindsay Juneau’s life.

“Ah, Nicole, what do you have there?” Rose walked into the room wiping her hands on a dish towel.

“Chocolate cream pie.” Nicole grinned down at Alexis. “I knew I couldn’t go wrong with that.”

“It wasn’t necessary but much appreciated, I assure you.” Rose took the pie from Nicole. “I’m just putting the finishing touches on dinner, and Lindsay’s upstairs changing. Can I interest you in a glass of tea, or would you prefer soda?”

“Tea would be great, thank you. Can I help with dinner or set the table?”

“Oh, no.” Rose shook her head and smiled. “You make yourself comfortable. Once I convince you to do this more often, I’ll let you help.”

“Well, all right then.” Nicole grinned when Alexis handed her Peepers. “Hey there, big boy.” She cuddled him close and scratched beneath his chin. Purring immediately started and rumbled against her chest. Nicole took a seat on the couch, and the cat settled into her lap. “So tell me, Lexi, what have you been up to?”

“Is that going to be my nickname?” Alexis climbed onto the couch and sat as close as she could to Nicole.

“You like it?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Then it’s yours. So how’s school?”

“It sucks,” Alexis said in a whisper. “Billy Meyers is really getting on my nerves.”

“What does he do?”

Alexis made a face. “He picks on me all the time. At recess, he runs by and pokes me in the ribs. It makes me so mad.”

“Sounds like he likes you. That’s how little boys show their interest.”

Alexis shifted so she could look at Nicole. “I don’t like him,” she said with a face full of disgust. “His breath stinks, and his skin smells like bologna. He’s not as mean as Mark McCreedy, though. Sometimes when we get off the bus in the afternoon, he and his friends are walking by, and Mark pulls our hair till we cry.”

“Have you told your mom about this?”

Alexis shook her head and lowered her voice as she looked at the stairs. “He says if we tell, he’ll tell his older brothers, and they’ll egg our houses and beat up our moms.”

Nicole tried to keep her face neutral. “How old is Mark?”

“He’s a teenager, but he doesn’t drive yet.”

“A teenager?” Nicole said with a frown. “What time do you get off the bus?”

“Three thirty, but—” Alexis clammed up when Lindsay came down the stairs taking two at a time.

Nicole gazed up at her and decided then and there she shouldn’t have come. She recognized the skip in her heartbeat, the way her skin warmed as she took in the body wearing a faded pair of jeans and a snug-fitting, long-sleeved gray shirt. She was attracted, and it had little to do with being in a small town with only one lesbian prospect.

“Hey, Nicole.” She smiled and tucked her hands into the front pockets of her jeans. “Did Mom offer you anything to drink?”

“Grams was gonna get her some tea,” Alexis said.

“Let me check on that.” She disappeared into the kitchen and came back a minute later with the drink. “Mom got distracted by a phone call.” She handed Nicole the glass and took a seat in the recliner. “Is Nibbles still happy?”

Nicole laughed before taking a sip of her drink. “So happy that I called Mrs. Berthalot to pick him up. You should’ve seen her face when I told her she’d have to take the slipper home or get a rabbit playmate for Nibbles. After I explained that the slipper ate far less and didn’t need any shots, she reluctantly agreed.”

Lindsay looked as though she were tempted to make a wisecrack and thought better of it when she glanced at Alexis. “I see Peepers is content to warm your lap.”

Nicole looked down and stroked the cat. “I like this fella. He makes me want to get another one.”

“Oh, you should,” Alexis chimed in. “Morgan Tinsley’s cat had six kittens. There’s a gray one I just love.”

Nicole looked up and smiled sheepishly at Lindsay before addressing Alexis. “You’d put in a good word for me and assure Morgan that I’d give it a good home?”

Alexis jumped off the sofa. “Mom, can I use the phone, please?”

Lindsay pulled her close and stroked her hair. “Let’s give Ms. Nicole some time to think about this and see if it’s really what she wants to do.”

“Okay, but can I call Morgan and ask her if she still has the gray one?”

Lindsay looked over at Nicole, who grinned and nodded. “Yep, sure.” Alexis darted into the kitchen with a squeal. “You realize the can of worms you’ve opened, right? She’s not going to be satisfied until you have that cat.”

“I know,” Nicole said with a smile. “I think it’s time.”

Lindsay nodded. “Good for you.”

“You, Rose, and Alexis have a lovely home.” Nicole looked around. “There’s a lot of warmth here.”

“Mom lives next door in the house I grew up in.” Lindsay’s gaze followed Nicole’s to the pictures on the mantel. “I bought this place after the divorce. That’s Mike in the picture on the end.”

Nicole moved a sleeping Peepers and got up to take a closer look. “He’s a nice-looking fella. I expected his hair to be dark. Alexis has his dimples, but the rest is all you.”

“Who do you look like—your mom or dad?”

“I’m my dad in female form.” Nicole stuffed her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “My brother Brian and I took after him, and the rest look like my mother. They have her curly hair and dark skin. We all have her eyes, though.”

“Obviously, I took after my dad, too. He had the dark brown hair and eyes. Mom always said I passed straight through her and didn’t pick up anything on the way.”

Nicole shook her head. “You have her compassion and her ability to size people up.”

Lindsay grinned. “Now how would you know that?”

Nicole turned and looked at her. “What you said about Ruby Crantz and why she feels the need to give gifts.” She shrugged. “Deana told me that Rose is the town’s confidant. Everyone goes to her for advice, and she’s known for her discretion. I imagine you’re much the same.”

“To a degree,” Lindsay conceded. “I’m a bit more reserved than my mother.” Lindsay clamped her hands over her mouth. “We were supposed to take Ruby’s animals back today.”

“I spoke to Ruby earlier. Stickers’s dewclaw was seriously infected. I wanted to get some antibiotics into him before I remove it. I told her I’d bring them out tomorrow. Are you available then?”

“You’re still not ready to go by yourself?” Lindsay asked with a laugh.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be. No pressure, though. Deana said she’d borrow her dad’s truck and take me.”

“I don’t mind, but Mom said the next time you go, she wants to take you so she can talk to Ruby. She’s worried about how extravagant the gifts are becoming.” Lindsay turned serious. “And she probably wants to get all up in your business.”

“I won’t do or say anything to hurt you,” Nicole said softly. “I understand your situation.”

Lindsay looked back at the kitchen door. “Explain.”

Nicole reclaimed her seat on the couch. “If I were to be honest about myself, it would make things difficult on you, like you said. You’d have to decide on maintaining our friendship or protecting your family from ridicule.”

Lindsay licked her lips and looked away. “Now isn’t really the time to talk about this. Will you stay for coffee after I put Alexis down for the night?”

The smart side of Nicole wanted to say no and that nothing else needed to be discussed. As she looked at Lindsay, she was helpless but to accept the invitation.

*******

“This is absolutely delicious.” Nicole speared a potato and popped it in her mouth. She chewed slowly with her eyes closed, eliciting a pleased chuckle from Rose.

Alexis was so excited she could barely eat. She was bouncing in her chair. “Mrs. Tinsley said you can come over anytime and look at the kittens. And she said you could have as many as you wanted.”

Nicole waved her fork. “Just two.”

“Two?” Lindsay said surprised. “Earlier, it was one.”

“Two would entertain each other when I’m working.” She smiled at Alexis. “I don’t have a precious little girl to cuddle one while I’m at work.”

Alexis grinned. “I can come over after school if you need me.”

“Now who would help this old woman around the store if you did that?” Rose pouted. “I’d miss you so much.”

“Well, Grams, you could get a kitten, too, and I could take care of it while I was helping at the store.”

The adults laughed at Alexis’s logic, and she grinned.

“Did you have a lot of pets growing up, Nicole?” Rose asked.

Lindsay smiled at her mother’s smooth subject change and looked at Nicole.

“We had three dogs and one cat. When my father couldn’t find homes for the strays, we ended up with them. My mother put her foot down when he brought home the cat, and it climbed the drapery. Stripey the cat was kinda crazy. One night at dinner, he jumped up on the table and snatched a piece of chicken off my mother’s plate.”

Alexis busted out laughing.

“True story.” Nicole nodded. “She told my dad no more pets or she was moving out.” Nicole leaned in close to Alexis. “And do you know she still has that crazy cat? I have a picture at the office. I’ll show it to you the next time I see you.”

“How about tomorrow? We can go to Morgan’s and look at the kittens.”

Rose pointed her finger at Alexis. “That child is going to be the best salesperson we’ve ever had.”

*******

After dinner, Rose took Alexis upstairs for her bath. Nicole helped Lindsay clean up the kitchen and entertained her with stories of her childhood. “So you really thought you were a boy?” Lindsay dried a pot that Nicole had washed and put it away.

“I knew I wasn’t actually a boy, but I wanted to be one so badly, I prayed that God would change me. Every time I went to the bathroom, I was disappointed. Being a girl was just so unfair to me. We had to do chores like this.” Nicole rinsed a saucepan and handed it to Lindsay. “The boys only had to take out the trash and mow the grass. I loved to mow the grass, but my mom would make me stop every time she caught me. And she didn’t want me to play sports. I had to sneak down the street to play football with the guys. It wasn’t until I turned thirteen that I decided I liked being a girl, but I still played ball with the boys.”

“I was a tomboy, too, but Mom never tried to dissuade me. She’d let me pick out my own clothes, which were mostly shorts and T-shirts. She’d sneak in the occasional dress for church, but as long as my clothes were clean and they matched, I pretty much wore what I wanted.” Lindsay smiled wistfully. “I remember that I wanted a baseball uniform, not the kind of thing that girls played softball in, but a real baseball uniform. My dad was opposed, but Mom got it for me anyway. I think that was the first and only time I ever saw them argue.” She shook her head. “Alexis is so different. She likes dresses, but she likes the sporty clothes, too. She’ll play in the dirt with the boy across the street, but if a girl comes over, she’ll drop him like a hot rock to play Barbies.”

“I played with Barbies, too,” Nicole said. “I liked to dismember them because it made my sister furious.”

Rose walked into the kitchen. “Girls, is there anything I can help with?”

“You bathed the Tasmanian devil, you’re off the hook for dish duty.”

“Then I’m going home, love.” Rose kissed Lindsay on the cheek. “Your Tasmanian is tucked in bed reading her book and awaiting good night kisses.” She walked over and pecked Nicole on the cheek, too. “So glad you could join us. I expect to see you back real soon.”

“Thanks, Rose. You’re a wonderful cook,” Nicole said.

“Lindsay’s pretty good in the kitchen, too. Come back and sample some of her cooking. Good night.” Rose slipped out of the door quickly without looking back.

She was in a hurry, Lindsay thought idly as she put the last pot away.

“Is Grams gone?” Alexis peeked around the corner.

Lindsay put a hand on her hip. “Yes, and why are you hiding from your grandmother?”

“She made me get in bed at seven forty-five.” Alexis held up both hands. “My bedtime ain’t until eight.”

Lindsay glanced up at the clock. “Your bedtime isn’t until eight, but it’s seven fifty-seven now, so say good night to Nicole, then we’re headed upstairs.”

Nicole knelt and held out her arms. Instead of a simple hug, Alexis wrapped herself completely around her new best friend and whispered in her ear. “The chocolate pie rocked. Come back tomorrow and we’ll go to Morgan’s and get our…your kittens.”

Nicole smiled and squeezed Alexis tight. “All right, Mrs. Bieber, it’s a date.”

Lindsay watched the exchange with a mixture of amusement and trepidation. Alexis didn’t get attached easily. It took months for her to warm to Mike’s fiancée, and she still shied away from some of Lindsay’s friends. Yet something about Nicole captivated her. Nicole was entitled to live her own life however she pleased. A part of Lindsay wished she could share Nicole’s devil-may-care attitude, but when it came to her child, all bets were off.

“Nicole, if you’ll put the coffee on to brew, I’ll tuck this wild animal into bed.” Lindsay grabbed up Alexis in her arms and tickled her ribs. “The decaf is in the cabinet above the maker.”

*******

The smell of fresh-brewed coffee filled Lindsay’s senses as she came down the stairs. Nicole stood with her arms folded, leaning against the counter, and appeared a million miles away as she stared into the darkness of the kitchen window. “I have some amaretto. Would you like some in your coffee?”

“Sounds delicious, sure.” Nicole kept the same pose, but she watched as Lindsay filled two cups with coffee and added a dash of the liqueur to both.

Lindsay handed Nicole a cup. “Porch or living room?”

“Porch.”

Lindsay smiled. “I was hoping you’d say that. It’s my favorite place to unwind.”

“Mine too. I fell asleep in the porch swing the other day. Sometimes, I wonder what the neighbors would think if I dragged a mattress out there.”

“They probably wouldn’t think anything of it. Now the mosquitoes that are here year-round would consider you a buffet.”

Nicole followed Lindsay through the screen door onto the porch where they sat in a pair of twin rockers. “This town is like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting.”

Lindsay nodded. “That’s exactly what I think of it. Time forgot us somewhere along the way, and the people here want to keep it just like that.” Lindsay cleared her throat. “I realize that I’ve been selfish. What I said was true—people won’t take kindly to having someone different than what they’re used to in their midst. But it’s wrong of me to say I won’t be your friend if you…step out, so to speak.”

“My intention was never to hang a LGBT flag on my porch. We take stands in our own way.” Nicole took a sip of the coffee and raised her cup. “This is good, thank you. I prefer to let people get to know me and draw their own conclusions on who I am, not what I am, first. The only thing that separates me from the people in this town is my sexual identity. I worry about the economy, and our men and women fighting in other countries. I don’t want to live in a place where I’m afraid to go out after dark. I want freedom of religion and freedom from religion. And just like everyone else, I’m tired of putting half of my paycheck in my gas tank. It’s my opinion that people need to see that side of me first, and if they hate me once they know all of me, then…that’s their problem.” Nicole began rocking the chair back and forth slowly. “I understand your need to protect your family from hypocrisy and ridicule.” Nicole pointed to Lindsay’s free hand that was holding white-knuckled to the chair. “But I need to understand why it makes you so nervous to discuss it.”

This was Lindsay’s moment of truth. She wanted desperately to trust Nicole with a secret no one knew but her. “I’m…” She looked down at her hand and relaxed her grip, only to tighten it again as the words tried to force their way through her clamped lips. “We’re not that different.” It came out in a rush, but Nicole didn’t appear to be taken aback. “I’ve never been with another woman, but I’ve known for a long time that I’m not intended to be with a man, either.” She released the chair and lifted the cup to her lips with both hands to keep the liquid from sloshing out.

“Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter,” Nicole said. “I take it you’ve never made this admission before?”

Lindsay shook her head.

“Your secret is safe with me. I’m honored that you trusted me with it.” Nicole moved her chair around until they were face-to-face. Lindsay found it nearly impossible to look at her. “You obviously trust me because you took a big risk just now.”

Lindsay glanced at her, then away quickly. “I don’t believe you’d do anything to hurt Alexis.”

Nicole was quiet for a moment. “I won’t do anything to hurt you, either. We’ll trade secrets. I’ll tell my darkest, then we’ll be even.” She poked Lindsay in the knee playfully. “I hope then that you’ll relax around me, and we can talk candidly. Deal?”

Lindsay met her eye for a second and nodded.

Nicole exhaled loudly. “Before God and everything out here, I promise that what I’m about to tell you is the truth. When I realized that I couldn’t work for my brother, I started working at a clinic in a neighboring town. Dr. Heidelberg had a sixteen-year-old son who would work with me on the weekends and after school. I liked Tyler right off the bat, and we got along great. What I didn’t realize is that he developed a crush on me. We were at the office alone a lot, and he told his friends that we were sleeping together.”

“Typical of a teenage boy,” Lindsay said in understanding.

“That’s not how the mother of one of his friends saw it.” It was Nicole’s turn to be nervous. She began rocking the chair back and forth furiously. “Instead of going to Tyler’s parents with her concerns, she talked to everyone she knew about it, then went to the police.” Nicole’s dark expression turned even more grim. “They questioned Tyler, and I can only assume that he was trying to save face at that point. So he made up details and gave specific times that we had supposedly had sex.”

“Oh, my God.” Lindsay momentarily forgot about her discomfort.

“I was questioned by the police and ended up having to get an attorney. The only thing that saved me was Tyler changed his story often, and he bragged to one of his friends that I had a tattoo on my backside. Do you have any idea how degrading it is to have your ass photographed and shown to everyone?”

Lindsay shook her head at the horror of it all.

“Tyler finally came clean, but not before my reputation was ruined. There are some that will never believe in my innocence. And aside from falling in love with this town, that incident was the strongest motivator to move across the country.”

“Oh, Nicole, how awful. I’m so sorry.”

“If that gets out here, I’m screwed. So you see? You now have as much power over me as I have over you.”

Lindsay looked down at her cup. “I’m ashamed to admit that it does make me feel better.” She held a hand up. “Not in the way you’re thinking. It just confirms my belief that sometimes no matter what you do, you’re just screwed in the public eye.”

Nicole had pulled up an article proclaiming her innocence on her phone and handed it to Lindsay. “That’s the only piece the news did after Tyler came clean, but you can read article after article damning me before then.”

Lindsay stared hard at the picture of Nicole. “How long ago was this?”

“Last year.” Nicole took three big gulps of her coffee.

“You look so different. Your hair is so much lighter here, and your eyes…they seem so blue in this.”

“I dyed my hair after I left Butte.” Nicole ducked her head for a second and looked like she was rubbing her eyes. When she straightened, Lindsay was shocked at the brilliant blue pair that stared back at her. “Contacts.” Nicole held them up in her palm. After this conversation is said and done, you may have your doubts about me, but I’ll show you all the interview transcripts I have.”

“I believe you,” Lindsay said sincerely. “You don’t have to prove anything to me, but why didn’t you sue the hell out of this little shit’s family?”

“My lawyer and my family wanted me to, but I couldn’t.” Nicole smiled wryly. “I’d like for you to believe that I had mercy on a foolish teenage boy that made a mistake. The truth is, I didn’t want to have to relive that again. When it was over, I wanted to run and hide, and that’s exactly what I did. I know that makes me look guilty, and I only have Tyler’s sworn statement to prove that, but it does something to a person when they’re falsely accused.”

“I understand that.” Lindsay nodded, unable to think of anything else to say.

Nicole held out her hand. “Friends now?”

Lindsay grinned as she shook it. “Friends.”

Chapter Nine

Lindsay lay in bed that night with her laptop, peeking into Nicole’s past. She read every article, but what she paid the most attention to were the pictures. Since Tyler was underage, there was none of him but plenty of Nicole. Had she not already met Nicole, she wouldn’t have recognized the down-trodden look in her eyes. There were quite a few of her leaving her home or going into what appeared to be her brother’s veterinarian clinic. Lindsay figured that she’d been forced to go back to her family business after the scandal broke—something that Nicole had admitted that she didn’t want to do.

One of the things that disgusted Lindsay the most was that in just about every article, they interviewed the whistleblower, Sarah Harkin, and showed her picture. Lindsay had to wonder if Sarah was cashing in on her fifteen minutes of fame at the expense of another’s reputation. As a parent, I felt obligated to go to the police. I wouldn’t want my son suffering in the hands of a pedophile, male or female.

Lindsay wondered if she would’ve handled it the same. What if she’d heard that someone was supposedly abusing one of Alexis’s friends? She would report it, yes, but would she want her face splashed all over the Internet and TV? She took one last look at Nicole’s image before shutting down her computer. She would keep Nicole’s secret because it was the right thing to do, but that wasn’t the only reason, and that bothered her. She was daring to let her interest in her new friend blossom.

*******

Nicole and Deana meticulously rearranged her schedule for the day. Deana did not ask why, and Nicole didn’t divulge her plans. She was sitting in the same chair on Lindsay’s porch as she had the previous night, waiting on Alexis and hopefully the McCreedy boy. Common sense told her that she should’ve told Lindsay what Alexis had said, but the chivalrous side of her wanted to spare Lindsay the wrath of the McCreedys. She’d already seen their handiwork on the cat, and that just pissed her off.

In the distance, she saw three boys coming up the sidewalk. Two short pudgy ones and one tall decently built teen in the middle. “How much you want to bet that the big one is the McCreedy?” Nicole said to herself. She looked to the right at Rose’s porch and doubted that Rose had seen her pull into Lindsay’s driveway. If she had, Nicole had no doubt that Rose would’ve already come out. At dinner the previous night, Rose had commented on Lindsay being the one to get Alexis on the bus and Rose was the one to get her off. Nicole hoped that the boys and the bus would arrive at the same time and before Rose could spot them, so she would have a chance to chat with the bully.

Nicole heard the unmistakable sound of a bus and the brakes screeching as it made a stop to her left. Children got off as the boys she’d spotted ran by the group. The largest of the three shoved a small boy to the ground as he passed and kept running. It was clear they were hustling to catch up to the next stop, and it would no doubt be Alexis’s. Nicole hopped off the porch and hid behind a tree, watching through the foliage as the bus stopped and kids began to trickle off. Four girls stepped onto the sidewalk, and the bus driver moved on. The boys were closing in fast. The girls began to run, but their small legs weren’t fast enough to outpace the teens.

Before Nicole could step out of her hiding place, the tall boy had Alexis by the ponytail and yanked her to the ground. Nicole had meant to deter the daily happening with stern words of warning, but as the boy passed her laughing like a hyena, she grabbed a fist of his hair and yanked with all she had.

“You bitch!” the boy said as he bowed but refused to go down to his knees.

“You haven’t seen my bitchy side yet.” Nicole held on. “Back up, you little trolls,” she said through gritted teeth to the two others who moved in cautiously, “or I’ll kick your tiny nuts into your throats.” She gave the McCreedy boy’s hair a hard yank. “You get off on hurting little girls?”

“Bitch, when I get loose, I’m seriously going to hurt you.”

“You’ll do nothing of the kind.”

Nicole looked up at Rose, who was standing nearby with Alexis and her schoolmates fanning out behind her like ducklings. “If you have any sense, you’ll walk away when Dr. Allen releases you.”

Nicole was forced to tighten her grip when the boy wrenched his head toward Rose. “Shut up, you old crow, or I’ll kick the shit out of you after I’m done with her.”

Nicole was wondering if she could hold her own against the teen when she heard a car door slam. “Daddy!” Alexis screamed and ran out of Nicole’s line of sight. She began rattling off what was happening in a high-pitched tone. A moment later, Nicole heard a deep voice but couldn’t turn to see the speaker.

“Let him go, ma’am.” The voice was close. “If he makes one move, I’ll nail him into the pavement.”

Nicole released the McCreedy boy and took a step back. The teen straightened with fury in his eyes. He stood there a moment as his friends pleaded with him to leave. The internal debate was evident in his stare as he sized up Nicole and the man standing next to her.

“Go on home, boy, and tell your folks how you got your butt handed to you by a woman nearly a foot shorter than you,” Mike said.

The boy’s face twisted into a sneer. “Fu—”

“Shut your nasty yap before I put my fist in it. Start running before I decide to press charges against you for assaulting my daughter.”

One of the smaller boys grabbed the McCreedy boy by the arm and tugged on him. “Come on, we’re on probation already.”

The obstinate boy pointed a finger at Nicole but thought better of speaking when Mike took a step toward him. He turned and swaggered off like he’d beaten all of them.

“You must be Mike, Alexis’s father.” Nicole put out her hand and the tall blond man with Alexis’s dimples shook it. “I’m Nicole Allen, a friend of the family.”

“I’m sorry to go mother on you, but what were you thinking, Nicole? That boy was twice your size.” Rose’s pale skin was flushed red.

“It was stupid.” Nicole held up her hands in defense. “When I saw what he did to Alexis, I snapped.”

“Girls, you go on home now,” Rose said to the children still flanking her. “Everything’s going to be just fine. I’ll be outside when you get off the bus from now on.” The children scampered off, and Rose turned to Alexis. “You go on into the house. I have fresh cookies on the table with a glass of milk. Let me talk to the adults for a minute.”

Alexis tugged on Mike’s hand. “Don’t go, Daddy.”

He knelt and gave her a hug. “I won’t. I’ll be there in a few, and I’ll help you work on Grams’s cookies.” Alexis kissed him on the cheek, hugged Nicole’s leg, and took off in a sprint with her Justin Bieber book sack bouncing on her back.

“Nicole,” Rose wagged her finger, “you’re gonna have problems with those boys from here on out now.”

“No, she’s not.” Mike clenched and unclenched his fists. “I’m going to the McCreedy house. It’s about time someone talked to Kevin about his boys.”

“No!” Rose shook her head emphatically. “You let Miles handle this, it’s his job. That boy had no business putting his hands on Alexis.”

“That’s just my point.” Mike’s voice got a little louder. “I can’t be here all the time to protect her, and Miles is a coward with a badge. He doesn’t want to tangle with the McCreedys, that’s why they get away with so much.” He jerked a thumb toward Nicole. “This lady stepped up for my daughter. I’m not about to let that bunch of hooligans terrorize her.”

“What the hell is going on?” Lindsay stalked across the yard. “Anna Tinsley just called me and said there was a gang fight out here.” Lindsay bent at the waist and put her hands on her knees to catch her breath. “The battery died on the truck, and I had to run six blocks.”

“I was putting dinner in the Crock-Pot when I heard the girls screaming.” Rose looked at Nicole. “What exactly did happen?”

Nicole felt like back-stepping to her car and making a hasty retreat. How could she explain why she was really there without betraying Alexis’s confidence? “I…uh…came to see the kittens and thought maybe I could catch Alexis when she got off the bus. When she did, that McCreedy boy grabbed her by the ponytail and jerked her to the ground.” Nicole shrugged. “I just reacted and grabbed a handful of his hair.”

Lindsay’s face was a mask of rage. “He did what?”

“He put his hands on our daughter,” Mike said. “I’m going to talk to Kevin.”

“I’m going with you.” Lindsay stood up straighter. “You hit him high and I’ll hit low.”

Mike grinned at Rose when she went off. “Neither one of you is going over there, do you hear me? We’ll call Miles and press formal charges if we have to.” She glared at Lindsay. ‘“Hit him low,’ are you crazy? The man is well over six feet tall and has got to weigh over three hundred pounds. One of you get out your cell phone thing and call Miles right now.”

“He’s not gonna—”

“Mike, don’t you argue with me!”

“No, this is one time I have to respectfully disagree with you.” Mike looked at Lindsay before stalking off. “I’m going.”

“I’m going to call Miles.” Rose marched off in the other direction, leaving Nicole and Lindsay alone.

“I’m sorry.”

“That brat hurt my daughter, don’t apologize,” Lindsay said with as much fire as Rose had shown. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. Alexis is tough.” Nicole shook her head. “That’s not what I’m sorry for…I lied to you.”

Lindsay put a hand on her hip like she did with Alexis. “About what?”

“I didn’t come here to see the kittens. Alexis told me last night that the McCreedy boy harassed them every day at the bus stop.” She raised her voice when Lindsay opened her mouth to speak. “She also told me that he threatened them. If they told anyone, he and his brothers would egg their house and beat up their moms.” Nicole grimaced at the look on Lindsay’s face. “I didn’t know if he’d make good on his threat, so I tried to handle it myself.”

Lindsay raked a hand through her hair. “I’ve never been so mad and thankful at the same time.” She shook her hands as if to stave off the urge to wring Nicole’s neck.

“Alexis is going to be so disappointed with me for telling you this. She was taking his abuse because she thought she was protecting you.”

Lindsay held up a hand. “That’s not helping. It’s making me madder.”

Nicole had dug herself in deep enough. She pursed her lips and stared at the ground.

Lindsay released a long, labored sigh. “Thank you for what you did, and thank you for why you did it. From now on, though, you have my permission to betray my daughter’s confidence when it’s something like this.” She waved her hand before replacing it on her hip. “Thank you, I mean that. Now help me rein in my mother before she lines up a posse.”

*******

Nicole felt fatigued from the day’s events. She gave her statement to Miles, who looked like Barney Fife. He’d nearly had to call in the state police for backup because by the time he’d arrived at the McCreedys with his one volunteer deputy, Mike and Kevin were squaring off. In the retelling, Miles made it sound like he was Superman, but after he left, Mike told them all Miles had hid behind the car and had to fire his gun in the air to get their attention.

Nicole went back to the office and gathered up Ruby Crantz’s animals. Rose and Lindsay arrived after they had replaced the battery in Lindsay’s truck since Alexis was having dinner with her dad, who had just returned home from his shift on the oil rig. During the twenty-minute drive to Ruby’s house, Rose gave Nicole a lesson on the McCreedys. All of it sounded like page torn from a Mafia novel—a hick Mafia novel.

After Ruby thoroughly inspected her pets and welcomed them home, Rose and Ruby went into the formal living room for a private talk. Lindsay and Nicole stayed in the den where they stared up at the bank of TVs. All were muted except for the one playing Wheel of Fortune.

“Living the life of Riley.”

Nicole looked at Lindsay. “Huh?”

She pointed at one of the sets. “That’s the answer to the puzzle. Living the life of Riley.”

“Ruby must’ve been married to Riley then.” Nicole looked around. “Have you ever seen so much shit? She’s got like a dozen car CD players stacked in the corner over there.”

They turned when Rose and Ruby walked into the room. “Minx, I’ve seen a whole new side of you, thanks to Rose here. You’ve got some balls, girl.”

“Oh, ah, thanks?” Nicole looked at Rose, who was squinting and pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You let me know if those little shit birds give you any trouble.” Ruby jerked a thumb at her chest. “I’m your ally.” She handed Nicole a check. “That’s payment on your invoice. Good job.”

Nicole sat straight up. The check was made out for three times the bill. “Mrs. Crantz, I can’t—” Lindsay thumped her in the ribs, but it was too late. Ruby had put in her hearing aid for the chat with Rose and heard the beginning of the protest.

“Don’t let my praise go to your head, minx! I pay what I think is fair. I don’t give a damn what your bill says.”

“Now, Ruby,” Rose began.

Ruby softened her tone when she addressed Rose. “Let me handle this my way, dear.” She walked off and picked up a box, which she deposited into Nicole’s lap none too gently. “You take that check and this gift and carry your ass on back home. And the next time you come out here, your attitude better be different, or you’re gonna see my bad side.”

Ruby walked over to a stack of boxes and tapped her chin. “Rose, I got something here for you. Let me find it.”

The only person in St. Claire who could defy Ruby was Rose, and even she walked lightly. “Ruby, there is something I want from you.”

Ruby lifted her chin high. “Name it.”

“A hug. After a day like I’ve had, all I want is a hug from a good friend.”

Ruby actually looked embarrassed. “Well, shit.” She genuinely smiled when Rose stepped up to her and pulled her into a tight lingering embrace. “You’re cheap, Rose Strickland, but I like you anyway.” She patted her on the back awkwardly.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Rose released her. “Now I need to get my girls home, so I can have a glass of brandy and put an end to this day.”

“You still drink that old stuff?” Ruby asked with a wistful smile. “I remember sitting around your kitchen table sipping that nasty swill.”

“Come see me sometime. I have vodka, too.”

“Don’t get out much as you know.” Ruby glared at Nicole as she walked by, then looked back at Rose with a sweet smile. “For you, I may just make an exception one day. Be safe on your way home.”

*******

“I warned you,” Lindsay said to Nicole as they pulled out of the driveway. “Take what Ruby gives you and don’t say a word. If Mom hadn’t have been there, she might’ve gotten a handful of your hair.”

“It’s an elephant—a juicer,” Nicole said from where she sat in the backseat. “Put the fruit in his back and the juice comes out the trunk.”

Rose laughed delightedly. “Oh, how adorable.”

“It’s not going to match my décor. I’ll give it to you, Rose, but not until we’re on the road.” Nicole looked out the window. “I’m afraid that Ruby’s watching me on some elaborate surveillance system.”

Chapter Ten

The following evening found Nicole, Lindsay, Rose, and Alexis sitting around Nicole’s kitchen table with an empty pizza box. Nicole had a sleeping tabby in her lap, and Alexis was playing with a vivacious solid gray kitten. “What are you gonna name them, Ms. Nicole?”

“I could do like Mrs. Crantz does.” Nicole looked down at the ball of fur. “Name them Gray and…Kinda Gray.”

Alexis scrunched up her face. “Could you think of something else?”

Nicole held up her hands. “I’m open for suggestions.”

“Hmm,” Alexis said as the kitten in her arms jumped at a strand of her hair. “We could name this one Bounce.”

“I like that,” Rose said, and Lindsay nodded.

“Okay, he’s Bounce. Now what do we want to dub this little guy?” Nicole pointed down to the one in her lap.

“Lazy?” Lindsay offered with a grin, eliciting a frown from Alexis.

Alexis’s eyes widened. “Justin!”

Rose and Lindsay smiled at Nicole sympathetically.

“What about Bieber, so they can both have B names?” Nicole picked up the sleeping kitten and rubbed her face against his soft fur. “He looks more like a Bieber.”

“Okay, Bieber.” Alexis was nearly bouncing out of her chair.

Lindsay stood. “Nicole, thank you for the pizza and a lovely evening, but I need to get my kitten home. She has school tomorrow.”

Rose looked at Nicole. “Do you like seafood?”

“Love it.”

“We’re having gumbo tomorrow night. Why don’t you come over?” Rose squeezed Nicole’s arm as she stood. “You can bring the bread.”

Nicole glanced at Lindsay, who was looking at her with an expectant expression. “I’d love to.”

Rose gave Nicole a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek, Alexis followed suit. But she did not expect Lindsay to do the same. It came as a surprise when Lindsay wrapped her arms around Nicole’s shoulders and said, “Sleep well, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

Nicole stood on her back porch with Bieber and Bounce in her arms, watching as the three climbed into Lindsay’s truck. The smell of Lindsay’s perfume was on her clothes, the memory of her arms still warmed her. Lindsay Juneau was the perfect recipe for disaster and heartbreak, but Nicole was already under her spell.

*******

“Um…good morning, Nicole.”

Nicole glanced up as Deana timidly entered her office. “I can’t remember my password to get into the accounting system.” Nicole shuffled through stacks of papers on her desk. “I never can remember those things, and now I can’t remember where I wrote it down.”

“There’s a black book in the right top drawer. The password is under A for accounting. Dr. Gary could never remember them, either, so I made a book for you out of habit.”

Nicole sank into her chair with a grin. “Good job.”

“Um…Nicole, have you been outside the front of your house lately?”

“No, are newspapers and circulars piling up out there?” Nicole thumbed through the book.

“You’ve been egged.”

Nicole looked up. “What?”

Deana began to fidget, obviously expecting an explosion. “Word’s out all over town that you took on Mark McCreedy. It doesn’t take a detective to know who threw the eggs at your house. It’s typical McCreedy mayhem, that’s what we call it.”

Nicole sank back into her chair and drummed her fingers on the armrest. “The schedule is full today. I don’t have time to deal with this. Do you know anyone I can hire to get the mess cleaned up?”

“My cousin does odd jobs when he’s not on shift at the plant. I can call and see if he’s available today.”

Nicole nodded. “Please do.”

Deana hesitated. “Don’t you want to take pictures of it, maybe call Miles to make a report?”

“I don’t want to look at it.” Nicole waved a hand. “I’ll only get angrier. They’ve had their fun at my expense. Now they can move on.”

Deana folded her arms, then stuffed her hands in her pockets, only to fold her arms again.

“What is it?” Nicole asked with dread.

“They don’t move on. Once they’re mad at someone, it’s for life. You might want to get security cameras or something. It might delay them until they get brave enough to knock them down.”

“For a pack of brats?” Nicole asked angrily. “What does everyone else in this town do when they’ve incurred the McCreedy wrath?”

“Nothing.” Deana shook her head. “Clean up, repair the damage, and hope the McCreedys get bored. Some people have filed charges with Miles, but their dad always covers for them. Tells Miles that the boys were home when the crime was committed, and Miles claims he can’t do anything. Mrs. Crantz is the only one they don’t mess with because she has a shotgun and a lot of rock salt.”

“And if I shot a McCreedy with rock salt, I’d go straight to jail,” Nicole said disgustedly.

Deana nodded sadly. “That’s about the only time Miles would do anything. He’s afraid of Kevin McCreedy, always has been. They went to school together.”

Nicole sank lower in her chair. “Go call your cousin, please.”

*******

Tiffany Stanton looked worse than when Lindsay last saw her. Fatigue was still obvious by the way she walked, but added to the dark circles around her eyes was thinning of her face. She looked as though she hadn’t eaten in days. “How about a cup of coffee, Tiff?” Lindsay asked as Tiffany approached the counter of the store.

“Yes, thank you.” Tiffany accepted a hug from Rose and sank down onto one of the stools.

Rose remained close by and stroked Tiffany’s back like she did Lindsay’s when she was upset. “Honey, what’s going on?”

“She’s pregnant.” Lindsay dropped the container of creamer she was holding and stared at Tiffany slack-jawed. Tiffany’s face was blank as she stared back. “And she’s only twenty.”

Rose groped behind her for a stool. It nearly tipped over before she got a firm grip on it. She sat with a sigh. “What can we do for you?”

Tiffany smiled wryly. “Help me bury him after I beat him to death.”

“Let’s not even joke like that.” Rose continued petting.

“I could hire Dr. Allen. I heard she beat Mark McCreedy to a pulp.” This time, Tiffany didn’t crack a smile.

“That’s not true.” Lindsay came around the counter and pressed the cup of coffee into Tiffany’s hands. “She only pulled his hair because he did the same to Alexis.”

Tiffany stared ahead blankly. “They egged her house. I saw it this morning when I took the girls to T-John’s for breakfast. You couldn’t buy that many eggs at Summer’s. The McCreedy chickens must be laying well.”

Lindsay and Rose exchanged worried glances.

“I guess Dr. Allen can’t help me then because Jake is as bald as a grapefruit. She could grab him by the nuts, though, and—”

“Sweetheart, focus,” Rose said. “I know you’re in absolute agony, but you have your babies to take care of. Do you need a place to stay?”

“I am focusing,” Tiffany said numbly. “Today, I burned all his clothes. There’s nothing but zippers and buttons in the backyard. Thank you for the offer, but I had all the locks changed on the house, and he’s shacked up with the baby he knocked up.”

“Have you contacted a lawyer?” Lindsay took the stool on the other side of Tiffany.

Tiffany nodded and looked down at her coffee. “Dad has a friend, he describes him as a ball-buster. His name is Peavey, and his motto is ‘Don’t get Peavey peeved or you’re gonna pay.’ Dad says I can expect a lot of alimony and child support by the time Peavey is finished with Jake.” A single tear slipped down Tiffany’s cheek and splashed in her cup. “This isn’t what I wanted. Is it too much to ask for a faithful husband and a loving father for my children? Now I have to start all over again and hope if there’s a next time, it’ll be better for me and the girls.”

“Life is starting over, baby.” Rose took Tiffany into her arms and looked over her shoulder at Lindsay. “If we stare at change too long, we miss the opportunities it brings.”

“I don’t want this change. It’s too painful.” Tiffany sobbed. “I want my life back the way it was.”

Rose continued to meet Lindsay’s eye. “You have a lot of loving arms to hold you up. All you need to do is pick up one foot at a time and walk in a new direction. One day, you’ll see that the journey wasn’t all that far. Something so much better awaits, I promise.”

*******

“Momma, how could you promise Tiff that there’s something better out there?” Lindsay asked later as they ate lunch in her office. “She may never meet another man, especially if she stays in St. Claire.”

“Because there is.” Rose dabbed the corner of her mouth with her napkin. “She knew like everyone else in this town her husband was a philandering idiot. Do you think she was truly happy? It took him impregnating a twenty-year-old to make Tiffany take a stand.” Rose shook her head. “She wasn’t happy, but now she has the chance to be once her heart heals.”

Lindsay popped a grape into her mouth and considered Rose’s logic and the point she made earlier about missing opportunity by staring too long at the change. Was that what she was doing? Was putting her life on the back burner motivated more by fear of being honest than her desire to protect her child and mother?

“What are we going to do about Nicole?”

The question was unexpected, and the way Rose looked at Lindsay made her nervous. “What about her?” she asked as her internal defenses rose.

“This egg business. She’s suffering because she took up for Alexis.” Rose wagged a finger. “We can’t allow this.”

I remember you wagging that finger in Mike’s face the other day when he said he was going to confront the McCreedys. What do you suggest we do—call Miles?”

Rose furrowed her brow. “No, I’m calling in the big gun.”

*******

“Minx, I hear you’re having some McCreedy problems.”

Nicole cradled the phone on her shoulder. “Hi, Mrs. Crantz. Bad news travels fast around here, doesn’t it?”

“All news travels fast around here, good or bad, fact or fiction. Do you have a video camera?”

“I do,” Nicole said as she lint-rolled her sweater to remove the evidence of kitten play.

“Listen up and listen close if you want this problem solved. The McCreedys will be back tonight, you can count on that. When you hear from me, you get that camera and stay inside. Film those boys while they’re egging the house and talk the whole time so the recording will pick up your voice.”

“I don’t think Miles is going to do anything, video evidence or not.”

“You’re right, minx. Do your part and leave the rest to me.” Ruby hung up without a goodbye.

Chapter Eleven

With a loaf of French bread and another chocolate pie in her arms, Nicole knocked on Lindsay’s front door. Alexis’s face appeared behind the screen a few seconds later. She grinned toothlessly as she pushed the door open and took the pie from Nicole’s hand. “How are Bounce and Bieber?”

“Wild,” Nicole said with a smile. “I played with them all day in between patients.” She followed Alexis toward the kitchen.

“I’m trying to talk Mom into letting Peepers have a kitten to play with. So far, it’s a no-go.” Alexis looked over her shoulder. “Would you talk to her about it?”

“Oh, no, you’re on your own. That discussion is between you and you mother.”

“What discussion?” Lindsay asked as Nicole entered the kitchen.

“Anything that falls under birds, bees, and kittens.” Nicole set the bread on the counter. “That’s fresh, according to Inga at T-John’s.”

“Thank you, hon,” Rose said from where she stirred a large pot on the stove.

Lindsay ruffled Alexis’s hair. “Sweetie, would you run next door to Grams’s and get the tea out of her pantry?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Alexis was out the back door in a flash.

“We heard about the egging. I’m so sorry, Nicole,” Lindsay said sadly. “I’ll be happy to come over after dinner and help clean up.”

“Thank you, but I hired Deana’s cousin, and he took care of it today. I’ll have to leave if Ruby Crantz calls. She’s up to something and has given me strict instructions to follow.”

Rose chuckled but kept her back turned.

“I’d love to know what you and Ruby are concocting, but I don’t want to discuss this in front of Alexis. The news will upset her and probably make her more frightened of the McCreedys.” Lindsay poured a glass of tea and handed it to Nicole.

“Did she have any trouble today?” Nicole asked.

Lindsay shook her head. “Mike was here when she got off the bus. He said the boys didn’t show.”

Nicole grinned at Alexis as she came racing in through the door and dropped the box of tea bags on the counter. “Wow, you’re fast, kid.”

“Thanks, I’m the fastest girl at school.” Alexis pushed her hair off her face and grabbed Lindsay’s glass of tea. She drank most of it before Lindsay could react.

“Hey, no caffeine this time of night—milk or water.”

“Sorry, Mom.” Alexis looked up at Nicole. “Everybody’s talking about you at school. Morgan Tinsley told them you beat Mark McCreedy up real bad. I didn’t tell them anything ’cause Momma said not to gossip.”

Lindsay rolled her eyes.

“I got that a lot at work today. At least now I know where it’s coming from.” Nicole winked at Lindsay. “Out of the mouths of babes.”

“Okay, girls, everyone pick up a bowl and bring it to the table.” Rose handed the first to Lindsay, who passed it to Nicole.

*******

Once the gumbo was eaten and a healthy dent was made in the pie, Rose ushered Alexis up the stairs after she’d kissed everyone good night. Lindsay made coffee, and she and Nicole took their spots on the porch. “This is becoming a tradition,” Nicole said after she’d taken a sip.

“I like it.” Lindsay smiled and stared out at the night sky. “Now tell me what Ruby said.”

“I’m supposed to stay inside, get my video camera when she calls, and talk while filming whatever’s going to happen.” Nicole waved a hand. “That’s all I know.”

“Lord, I hope she doesn’t shoot those kids with rock salt.”

Nicole looked at Lindsay aghast. “She wouldn’t…would she?”

Lindsay didn’t answer and shrugged instead.

“She probably just wants the video. Maybe she can use her muscle to force Miles to do something or make the McCreedys stop. Ruby’s a shut-in. She’s not going to go out at night to load some boys up with rock salt.”

“She’s a shut-in by choice.” Lindsay chuckled. “If there’s one thing Ruby Crantz would come into town for, it’s revenge. You better stay indoors because I hear rock salt stings like a bitch.”

“Stop teasing me.”

“I’m not, that’s the funny part.”

“Ruby’s certain they’ll be back tonight. T-Roy, Deana’s cousin, said the same.” Nicole looked at Lindsay. “I learned something Cajun today. ‘T’ means little, so instead of saying little Roy or Roy Junior, they say T-Roy.”

“You’re catching on, I’m so proud of you. Hang around the coonasses long enough, and you’ll start talking like one.”

Nicole raised a brow. “Coonass?”

Lindsay nodded. “I have no idea where that started, but that’s how Cajun folk refer to themselves.”

“Then you’re a coonass?” Nicole grinned.

“Only half. My coonass father married an Irish school teacher, and even Rose will spout out a Cajun word or two when she’s mad. She used to call my dad ‘coullion,’ which basically means doofus or dumbass, but that was only when she was irritated.”

“I didn’t know Rose taught school.”

“Yep, right up until Dad passed away, then she came to help at the store. I think she felt closer to him that way. He’d come home smelling just like that old place every night. It was a part of him.”

“She must’ve been devastated. Both of you.”

“We were.” Lindsay nodded. “I lost my father, and she lost her best friend.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “The one thing I remember most about them was laughter. I’d go to sleep listening to my mother cackling over something he’d said. They were perfect mates, and each had a deep and abiding respect for the other.” Lindsay looked at Nicole and smiled. “They met in their senior year of high school, Mom had just transferred in. She used to say she didn’t like him the first time they talked, he seemed too cocky and arrogant to her. But my dad, he said he lost his heart the moment she turned up her nose and stalked off. They became friends one summer when she went into the store in search of a lawnmower part for her dad. It took two years for my dad to win her over, and after that, they were never apart until…”

“I’m so sorry for you and Rose.”

“Thanks.” Lindsay took a sip of her coffee. “It’s just one of those inevitable things.”

Nicole nodded and looked away. “It still sucks.”

They sat quietly for a moment, then Lindsay asked, “The contacts you wear, are they prescription?”

“No, they’re just some disposable things I picked up to change my appearance.”

Lindsay clutched her cup in both hands. “It’s a shame to cover up such beautiful eyes.” She blushed when Nicole looked at her. “I…my eyes are just shit bird brown. I’d love to have eyes that blue.”

Lindsay could feel Nicole looking at her, even though she’d turned away. “You have lovely eyes regardless of the color. It’s the love they reveal, especially when you’re looking at your daughter.”

“That’s a sweet thing to say.” Lindsay inhaled deeply. “Take them out, the contacts.” She glanced quickly at Nicole. “I’d like to think I’m looking at the real you.”

Nicole complied with the wish and blinked rapidly when she looked back at Lindsay. “Better?”

“Much,” Lindsay said with a smile. “You have to be more comfortable now.”

Nicole returned Lindsay’s smile. “You mean physically or with you?”

Lindsay raised her brow. “Both?”

“I do, but I’ve always felt comfortable around you. Can you say the same now about me?”

A second passed before Lindsay nodded, but she averted her gaze when she said, “I do.”

“Honey, where’s your hairbrush?” Rose asked in a weary tone. She was standing just inside the door with her arms folded. “Your child has a head full of knots, and I’ve looked all over the house.”

“There’s no telling.” Lindsay sighed as she stood. “Your granddaughter has a nasty habit of not putting things back where she got them.”

“I’d better go.” Nicole stood, as well. “I should probably be at home if Ruby calls.”

“Sorry to cut the evening short.” Lindsay took Nicole’s cup. “Please call anytime if you need help.”

Rose chuckled again before saying, “Good night, Nicole.”

Chapter Twelve

Lindsay lay in her bed with the TV muted, even though her favorite movie was playing. Late at night when she couldn’t sleep, she’d watch Imagine Me & You. But on this night, it failed to hold her attention. She was still tingling from the prickling sensation that washed over her when Nicole had taken out her contacts and looked at her with naked eyes. The barrier that had been removed was so much more than plastic. What she thought she saw in Nicole’s eyes at that moment shook her to the core—desire.

No woman had ever looked at her like that before, though in her dreams it had happened many times. The reality was frightening and insatiably alluring at the same time. Had Rose not interrupted them, she may’ve melted on the spot or done something equally embarrassing like babble insanely to quell the anxiety. This was so very different from how she had been imagining it should be.

In her perfect world, Alexis was grown and off at college. Her mother was content to manage the store alone. Lindsay had left St. Claire and was living somewhere in between Alexis and her mother. A place where no one knew her, where no one cared what she did or who she did it with. And then, she would come along—the perfect woman at the perfect time. Everything would fall neatly into place. No stress, no drama. The only problem was Lindsay couldn’t visualize anything beyond that point because sooner or later, she’d have to come out of hiding. And that didn’t fit in her fantasy world.

Her reality was Nicole had come along at the wrong time just like Luce in Imagine Me & You. And like Rachel, Lindsay was at a loss as to what to do about it. Most romantic movies had happy endings, but this… Lindsay was fairly certain would not turn out that way. Every time she closed her eyes and prayed for sleep, she saw Alexis’s face covered in tears because she’d spent the whole day at school being taunted about her mother’s lesbianism. After that, Rose’s face would appear; disappointment and revulsion etched her features. Then Lindsay saw herself unnerved, confused with Nicole slipping from her grasp.

Angrily, she grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. The room was plunged into darkness. “Time to face the facts, Lindsay Juneau,” she whispered. “Your someday is never going to come, and you’ll sleep in the bed you made for yourself alone for-frickin-ever.” She punched the pillow and flopped on her side, and even after her mental chastisement, she wondered what Nicole was doing.

*******

“Get your camera, and don’t turn on any lights in the house!” The line went dead. Nicole got out of bed and dashed into the living room. The kittens scrambled as they looked for a hiding place. With the camera in hand, she raised one slat of the wooden blinds and peeked out. There were three boys of varying sizes, all of whom were larger than her, standing on her front lawn. She watched as one reached into a bag and pulled something out.

“White plastic bags. The little bastards aren’t remotely worried about being caught.” Nicole raised the camera and peered through the viewfinder as she pressed Record. She zoomed in on the first boy, who drew back to throw, and just as he did, three pink things exploded against his crotch. Nicole watched in shock as he sank to his knees and went facedown into the grass.

She panned over to the second boy. He too was winding up for the throw, something pink and bright burst in his armpit. The egg fell from his hand before he gripped his side in obvious pain. Two more pink missiles caught him as he staggered—one in the thigh and the other in his stomach. He too dropped to the ground.

“My God, what is that?” Nicole had never seen anyone shot with rock salt, but she was fairly certain it wasn’t pink and there was no explosion.

Mark McCreedy was the last boy standing and was so busy throwing eggs he’d not noticed his brothers. Nicole watched open-mouthed as pink fluorescent balls came from three different directions. He danced as they began to pelt him before he fell to the ground. The other two boys writhing on the lawn received much of the same treatment until all three were glowing pink.

“Such a waste of good eggs,” Nicole said aloud as she remembered Ruby’s instruction to talk while filming. She watched as one last pink ball caught the boy closest to the house in the ass. The McCreedys might’ve been brothers, but they did nothing to help one another. Nicole watched as one by one they got up and hobbled toward the street.

Nicole’s phone rang again. “Minx, open your back door.”

She switched off the recorder and dashed to her kitchen. Ruby dressed in black from head to toe rushed passed her, followed by two more figures dressed in black with knit caps pulled down over their faces. All three were laughing hysterically and holding some sort of guns.

“Oh, dear God.” Ruby sank into one of the kitchen chairs and held her stomach as she doubled over in laughter, and one of her accomplices removed his mask.

“T-Roy?” Nicole said in shock.

The young man nodded and jerked a thumb at the stranger who’d removed his mask. “This is Hector, he works for Ruby.”

“Minx, did you record it all like I told you to?” Ruby asked.

Nicole held up the camera. “Yep.”

“Well, plug it into the TV, girl. I gotta see my handiwork.”

Nicole poured lemonade for her assassins, then hooked her camera to the TV.

“Damn, girl, this thing’s no bigger than a postage stamp.” Ruby pulled an ottoman up close to the screen. “Next time you come to the house, I’m gonna fix you up. Hit Play.”

The picture was dark, but each of the McCreedy boy’s faces was visible as Nicole zoomed in on them. “What’s the pink stuff?”

“Paint.” Ruby patted her chest. “I picked the color myself. Ever been hit by a paintball at close range? It stings like hell and leaves a welt that becomes a nasty bruise.”

“They’re gonna look like Dalmatians tomorrow.” T-Roy pointed at the screen. “Great shooting, Rube. You got him right in the nuts three times.” They all burst into a fit of laughter again and continued to laugh until the video ended.

“Boys, go put your glasses in the sink.” Ruby handed hers to Hector. “Load up the car and let me talk to minx alone for a minute.”

“Uh, thank you,” Nicole said, unsure how to react to the men as they obeyed their commander.

“No problem, Dr. Allen,” T-Roy said with a smile. “I’ll be back out in the morning to clean up the mess.” Hector only waved as he followed T-Roy.

“Now, minx,” Ruby said as she stood. “Listen close.” She walked up to Nicole and put a hand on her shoulder. “I think you’re a pretty decent woman and are probably uncomfortable with what you saw tonight. That’s why I didn’t tell you what I had planned. This brand of justice isn’t for everyone, so it’s best that you don’t discuss it with anyone except Rose and Lindsay.” Ruby patted Nicole on the cheek. “Those boys won’t be back, but if I’m wrong, it’ll be much worse for them next time. I doubt Miles will contact you, but if he does, show him that tape. Lie and tell him you don’t know who the shooters were. Your voice is on the recording, so it’s indisputable that you weren’t involved. He gives you any guff, you call me.”

“I don’t know how to thank you, Mrs. Crantz. Maybe next time you’ll let me take care of your animals at no charge?”

“No.” Ruby shook her head. “What you did for Alexis is payment enough. Rose Strickland is the only true friend I’ve ever had besides my husband, Ira, God rest his soul. Those two out there,” Ruby jerked a thumb toward the door, “are on my payroll. They’re loyal as long as the checks are good, but Rose and Lindsay, too, they’re good people.” Ruby extended her hand. “I’ll consider you a friend, too. You can call me Ruby.”

Nicole gripped Ruby’s hand firmly. “Thanks, friend, and you can call me Nicole.”

Ruby grinned and shook her head. “Not a chance. Good night, minx.”

*******

The next day, Nicole was lint-rolling her shirt to rid herself of fur that had accumulated after seeing four patients back to back. Deana stuck her head around the doorjamb of Nicole’s office. “Mrs. Strickland is here to see you. Can I send her back?”

“Oh, sure anytime.” Nicole tossed the lint roller into her drawer and straightened up her desk.

“I understand there was a…ruckus at your house last night.” Rose strode in, grinning from ear to ear. “Your pest problem was taken care of?”

Nicole walked around her desk and gave Rose a hug. “You might not have been pulling the trigger last night, but I think you had something to do with it.” Nicole pulled back and held her at arm’s length. “Did you know what Ruby had up her sleeve?”

Rose shook her head. “Not a clue until she called me this morning. I haven’t laughed that hard in a very long time.”

Nicole cocked her head to the side. “What brings you by today?”

“I had to run a couple of errands, so I decided to drop in and see if you wanted to come to dinner tonight. Lindsay’s planning on grilling chicken.”

“Have a seat.” Nicole gestured to the small leather couch in her office and closed the door. She joined Rose a moment later. “I really do enjoy the cooking and the company, but I don’t want either of you to feel like you have to invite me every night.”

“We don’t, hon.” Rose met her gaze. “We enjoy your company.” Rose narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t realize your eyes were that blue.”

Nicole cleared her throat. “Contacts, I don’t need them anymore.” Rose stared at Nicole until she started to feel uncomfortable.

“Sometimes…I worry about Lindsay. She’s so young…” Rose exhaled through her nose and straightened her blouse. “I know she’s a grown woman and I shouldn’t stick my nose into her life, but you’re like a breath of fresh air.” Rose shook her head as though she were choosing her words carefully. “I liked you the minute I met you. There’s just something that happens when you and Lindsay are together. The atmosphere changes somehow.” Rose paused and pursed her lips. “She gets lonely when Alexis is away at Mike’s like she is this week. She’d wanna strangle me if she knew I said that.” Rose grinned and shook her head again. “Anyway, I just want y’all to be friends.”

Nicole was being hit with so many mixed signals she wasn’t sure what they were really talking about. “What can I bring if Alexis isn’t there to eat the chocolate cream pie?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Rose stood. “A bottle of wine, maybe. It would be nice to have an adult drink with dinner.” She winked at Nicole as she opened the door. “Dinner is at six. See you then.” She waved and walked away, leaving Nicole to sit and wonder. Rose peeked back around the doorjamb. “Oh, and bring that video. I’d like to see it.”

Nicole had played matchmaker before, so she knew the game well. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that Cupid had just been in her midst.

*******

“I’d planned to have dinner with you, then take a long hot bath with a book.” Lindsay worked on the battery display. “Couldn’t you have talked to me before inviting Nicole over?” Outwardly, she was being difficult, but inwardly, Lindsay was warming to the idea of spending an evening with Nicole.

“You want me to call her and say we’re going to put it off until tomorrow night?” Lindsay turned to her mother, who for a second had been sporting an impish grin. Her expression turned immediately sour. “I’ll just have to lie to a good friend so you can spend time with your all-important book.”

“No, that would just be rude.” Lindsay slid another pack of batteries onto a peg. She whirled around and looked at Rose, who was grinning again. “What are you up to?”

“Don’t you want to know what happened last night? With the McCreedys?” Rose asked coyly.

“Nicole told you?”

Rose shook her head. “Ruby did.”

Lindsay left the rest of the battery packs in the box. She walked over to the counter and leaned against it. “Out with it, rascal.”

“Ruby, Hector, and T-Roy shot up those boys with paintballs. Ruby said she got one right in the crotch. Nicole’s bringing the video with her tonight.”

Lindsay’s jaw sagged. “Those things hurt, even with padding. I went with Mike one time when he and some friends used to play war.”

Rose chuckled. “Ruby played war last night. This is only between us, though.”

“I think Ruby has gone a bit off her rocker,” Lindsay said with concern.

“Normally, I’d be appalled.” Rose jabbed the counter with her finger. “But desperate times call for desperate measures. It was bad enough last year when they killed Mr. Robinson’s dog because he backed over one of their bikes. That was an accident, but what they did to Red certainly wasn’t. Mark went too far when he and his friends started hurting Alexis and those little girls.” Rose wagged a finger. “What I saw in that boy’s eyes when he looked at Nicole really concerned me. I believe if Mike hadn’t have been there, he would’ve attacked her. He and his brothers needed to know she’s off-limits.”

Lindsay frowned at the notion of Mark McCreedy putting his hands on Nicole. At fourteen, he was nearly as big as Mike, and she had no doubt he could do serious damage, especially in a rage. “You make a good point.”

“I always do. You should listen to your mother for a change.” Rose raised her hands. “We always know best, right, Mom?”

Lindsay wagged a finger in Rose’s face. “Don’t play that reverse psychology on me. Sneaky thing, you.”

Rose laughed and patted Lindsay’s cheek. “Oh, my baby, you have no idea how sneaky I can be.” She reached under the counter and grabbed her purse. “I’m gonna sneak out of here early. I’m tired today. Maybe I’ll catch a catnap before dinner.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Lindsay asked with concern. “You never really have been a weekday napper.”

“I’m a bit achy.” She shrugged. “Maybe I just slept wrong. You can count on me for the potato salad and the baked beans, though.” Rose kissed Lindsay on the cheek and left her standing at the counter.

Chapter Thirteen

That evening, Lindsay found herself with a dilemma. She’d showered and was standing in front of her closet peering in at her wardrobe. Any other night, she would’ve donned a sweatshirt and jeans. After all, she was going to be grilling chicken. But on this particular evening, nothing she found would do. She was willing to cast off the discontent with her wardrobe as PMS when she wasn’t happy with anything she owned, but the timing wasn’t right. And that left her with only one logical conclusion that Lindsay didn’t want to admit, even to herself. Nicole.

With a towel wrapped around her body, Lindsay sank onto the foot of her bed. Regardless of the plans she’d made to keep her life in order, the feelings were coming. Thoughts of Nicole would invade her mind at work, and she’d push them away, only to have them return later when she wasn’t forcing herself to concentrate. She wanted to know more about Nicole. What made her happy and sad, her vices? What kind of music did she like? But what she craved the most was the feeling that swept through her when Nicole looked at her like she was the most incredible thing she’d ever seen.

“It’s a schoolgirl crush, nothing more.” Lindsay thought by admitting it aloud, the words would have more of a significant impact. They didn’t. Nicole was the only other lesbian she’d met, except the girl she went to high school with, and she couldn’t remember her name. The simple truth of it was that Nicole was the only lesbian around for miles. And Lindsay was like someone who had been stranded on a deserted island. Any human being would look good after being alone for so many years. “That’s just it,” she said aloud again. “I’m just jumping on her like a dieter would a hot dog.” She got up, grabbed the first sweatshirt, and was pulling it over her head when she decided that she looked better in red than gray.

*******

Lindsay left Rose inside to listen for Nicole while she stayed close to the grill on the back porch. She didn’t want to appear too eager, and Alexis wasn’t available to play doorman. The more she thought about it, the sillier she felt. She was almost as angry with Nicole as she was with herself when the back door opened, and she was faced with a smile that made her tingle down to her toes.

“How do you stay so slim eating like this every night?” Nicole pointed to the grill. “I’ve gained two pounds already.”

“Horse feed, I suppose.” Lindsay looked down at the chicken to hide her blush at Nicole’s backhanded compliment.

“You eat…horse feed?”

“No,” Lindsay said with a laugh. “I load it all day long. I’m always on my feet at the store. I burn off what I eat in the evening. Even the chocolate cream pie you’re so fond of.”

“I didn’t bring pie tonight.” Nicole toyed with the wind chime hanging above her head. “Your mother suggested wine since Alexis is with her dad.”

Lindsay began brushing the chicken with her homemade sauce. If Rose only knew the things that were banging around in her head, she wouldn’t have suggested anything that might’ve released her inhibitions. No, it would’ve been more like a chastity belt and a revolver.

“I chose a Zinfandel. I understand that goes better with barbecue.” Nicole covered her mouth as she yawned. “Summer’s has a pretty decent wine and liquor selection. I don’t know why I got the impression this place was dry.”

“Are you tired?”

“A little. Ruby called me just after two this morning. I couldn’t go back to sleep after all the excitement. I’m sure Rose filled you in.”

Lindsay nodded. “She says you have a video for us to watch.”

“Yes, it’s kind of grainy because it was so dark, but you’ll get the gist. The pink paint glowed.”

Lindsay checked the chicken and began loading it onto a serving tray. “If you’ll get the door for me, we’ll be ready to eat in just a minute.”

As they walked into the kitchen, Rose was filling the last of three wineglasses. “I set up trays in the living room,” she said brightly. “We’re being totally hedonistic tonight.”

“We’re plum wild,” Lindsay said drolly. “Eating in front of the TV, drinking wine. What’ll be the topper—tabletop dancing?”

“Only at your house, my dear.” Rose handed Lindsay a plate. “I waxed my furniture yesterday.”

With full plates and glasses, the three women settled in the living room. Rose took the recliner, leaving Lindsay to sit on the couch with Nicole, who had burned the video onto a disc that was beginning to show on the TV screen.

“Oh, dear.” Rose laughed when the first McCreedy boy fell face first into the grass.

“That was Ruby’s shooting skills right there.” Nicole pointed at the screen. “I don’t know how close she was, but her aim is deadly, isn’t it?”

“Ira was a sportsman. Ruby always said she had to learn to love hunting and fishing so she could spend time with him.” Rose made a face. “I never could’ve done that. But Ira taught her how to shoot, and obviously, she’s kept up her skills.”

Lindsay squinted at the screen. “They’re literally glowing in the dark.”

“I figure each one of them must’ve been hit more than a dozen times.” Nicole shrugged. “I can’t help but feel a little guilty. I imagine they’re all in pain right now.”

“Yeah, well, Mom straightened me out when I felt sorry for them, too.” Lindsay tore open her chicken. “Those boys have been terrorizing this town for years, and nothing’s been done about it. They would’ve continued messing with you if Ruby hadn’t stepped in.”

“Nicole,” Rose said suddenly, “are you planning on going back to Montana for the holidays?”

Nicole held up a finger as she finished chewing a bite of food. “Not this year, much to the consternation of my mother.”

“Good—well, not good since you’re not going to be able to be with your family.” Rose smiled. “We’d like to be your substitute unless you already have plans.”

“I haven’t given much thought to it, but thank you, Rose.”

Lindsay looked at Rose in surprise. They hadn’t discussed the topic, but her mother was doing a good job of making it look like they had.

“We don’t do much,” Rose went on, undaunted. “On Thanksgiving, we gather here since Lindsay’s house is larger. We’ll get together around one. I always invite Mrs. Achord, she’s the lady who lives next to me. Oh, you’ll like her. She’s full of stories, especially about Lindsay when she was growing up. Her favorite was the time—”

Lindsay coughed loudly and pointed her fork at her mother.

Rose rolled her eyes and went on. “We’re much more festive on Christmas. We attend the festival on Christmas Eve, then on Christmas morning, I make a big breakfast while Alexis opens her Santa gifts. And then…” Rose lowered her fork and turned to Lindsay. “Mike’s home for Christmas this year, isn’t he?”

Lindsay nodded. “He’d like to have her for Christmas dinner.”

Rose tried to remain cheerful. “Then it’ll be the four of us. Two old women and two young beautiful ones.” She raised her wineglass. “We’ll have more of this then, too.”

The TV played softly in the background as they ate for a while in silence. Rose ate the last of her chicken and once again turned her attention to Nicole. “Does it make you sad that you won’t be with your family this year?”

“Yes and no.” Nicole laid her napkin on her empty plate. “I’ll miss them, but I won’t miss the argument we get into every year. Usually, Brian and Kim want to draw names since there are so many of us. Mary and Ethan want spending limits on the gifts, and they don’t want to draw names. It’s an argument they’ve been having since we all became adults. I stay neutral, and that makes everyone mad at me. Then they argue about when and where we’re going to have our celebration, and by the time that day rolls around, everyone is just stressed out and cranky.” Nicole sat back with her glass of wine. “I have a very large opinionated family. It always makes for an interesting and very loud gathering.”

Rose stood and picked up her plate. She held a hand out when Lindsay tried to do the same. “I took off work early today, so I’m on cleanup. I’ll tidy the kitchen and put my old bones to bed.”

“To be fair, I should be on cleanup duty,” Nicole said as she stood. “I didn’t cook anything.”

Rose gave Nicole a kiss on the cheek and a playful shove that sent her back down onto the sofa. “No arguments.” She kissed Lindsay on the forehead and winked at Nicole. “I’m saving your duty day for Thanksgiving. You ought to see the mess Lindsay makes with the turkey. She took a new electric carving knife for a test spin last year, and we had to wipe the ceiling. Good night.”

“She’s telling the truth,” Lindsay said drolly. “That thing was like a chain saw.”

Nicole groaned and patted her stomach. “Your mother is spoiling me.”

“She’s being gentle with you right now. Soon, she’ll be inviting you to church and her once-a-month bridge games.” Lindsay took a sip of her wine. “And today, she referred to you as her adopted daughter when she was talking to Mr. Morris. Before long, everyone will think your last name is Strickland.”

Nicole laughed. “She loves easy, doesn’t she?”

“Sometimes, but there are many that she holds at arm’s length, those she doesn’t trust. Don’t let that sweet nature fool you, either. Her bad side is hard to get onto, but once you’re there, you might as well be dead. Vera Hawthorne knows that better than anyone. They were friends, but Vera had too much to drink at a party one time and made a pass at Dad when he and Mom were engaged. Mom and Vera haven’t spoken since.”

Lindsay glanced over at Nicole, who seemed to be mentally a million miles away until Peepers leapt into her lap.

“Hey there, fella.” Nicole began scratching him under the chin. Lindsay could hear the purring on the other end of the couch.

“He misses Alexis. He’ll sleep all over me tonight and follow me around the house in the morning, expecting treats.”

“I miss her, too.” Nicole looked at Lindsay. “She’s a great kid. You’ve done a wonderful job with her.”

“I can’t take all the credit. Mike’s a pretty good dad, then of course, there’s Mom.”

“What about Mom?” Rose asked as she walked into the room with the wine bottle.

Lindsay smiled up at her. “You help me take care of Alexis.”

“It’s just like taking care of you when you were young—easy, easy.” Rose topped off Lindsay’s glass and poured the remainder into Nicole’s glass.

“Thanks, Mom,” Nicole said with a laugh.

“I like the sound of that. Good night, girls.” Rose left the room without looking back.

“I may have to leave my car here and walk the six blocks home.” Nicole swirled the liquid in her glass and took a sniff of it before she drank. “This is the most alcohol I’ve had at one time in years.”

“I’m not much of a drinker myself.” Lindsay stared at her glass.

“What do you do for entertainment?”

Lindsay was thoughtful for a moment. “That should be something easily answered.” She made a face. “I watch a movie every now and then or read a book. That’s about it.”

“Presently, that’s about all I do, too. Should we be ashamed?”

“Not unless we don’t enjoy it,” Lindsay said with a grin.

“I do, though.” Nicole sat up a little straighter. Peepers mewled his discontent and resettled. “I guess I’m at the age where I find quiet time enjoyable. I think that’s why St. Claire appealed to me so much. It’s just peaceful and serene.”

“Were you a party animal in Montana?”

Nicole shrugged. “I frequented the bars in college. Afterward, I got into a serious relationship that lasted a couple of years. Connie and I would go out dancing with friends every now and then, but for the most part, we just stayed at home. I was working for Dad then, and he kept me hopping. By the time I ate dinner, I just wanted to shower and sleep.”

Lindsay turned and stretched out her legs with a sigh. “What kind of work did Connie do?”

“Respiratory therapy. She worked on shift at the hospital. I had a lot of alone time. When she was home at night, we’d do just what we’re doing now. Make dinner, talk, watch TV.”

“If it’s not too personal, may I ask why you broke up?” Lindsay internally chastised herself for behaving just like her mother and digging.

Nicole ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “According to Connie, I didn’t respect our relationship and was unfaithful.”

Lindsay blinked in surprise, and though she tried, she couldn’t formulate a response.

“I wasn’t seeing or sleeping with anyone else. Connie thought my work was my mistress.” Nicole looked away. “I guess to some degree it was. I got caught up in the Allen drive to succeed. Dad was pushing me hard, and I was letting him. And Connie thought anytime she wasn’t working I should come home early and spend time with her.” Nicole growled in frustration. “It was a constant tug-of-war, and finally one day, she was reading me the riot act, and I realized that I didn’t want to work myself to death, and I didn’t want to be with her, either. She left that night because I didn’t say it nicely. The next day, I had a chat with my dad, and he backed off. I managed to work for him for a while after that, but when he retired and Brian took over, it became too much all over again, and I left. You know my story after that.”

“What did they want from you?”

“To be just like them.” Nicole took a sip of her wine, then another. “I love caring for animals, but I didn’t enjoy selling things I knew they and their owners didn’t need. We had salesmen in our faces, constantly pushing new products that we in turn pushed on our clients. And I hated scaring people into procedures that weren’t warranted just to make a buck.” Nicole shook her head and took another drink. “As I said before, my dad put us all through college doing business that way. I shouldn’t judge, but I don’t have to do the same thing.”

Lindsay cocked her head to the side. “That really upsets you, doesn’t it?”

“It makes me feel…” Nicole gestured as she thought. “Less somehow.”

“Do you pay your bills and have money left over?”

Nicole smiled and nodded. “Thus far.”

“Are you happy with the work you do?”

“I am. That’s not less, is it?”

Lindsay shook her head. “Not in the least. I work at a hardware store. There’s nothing exotic about that, but I enjoy it.”

“You own a hardware store.”

“Trust me when I say I still load feed just like everyone else, and I’m usually filthy when I come home. Some of the people I went to high school with went on to college and have bright careers, but we all work for the same thing—to keep a roof over our head and food on the table.” Lindsay grinned and shrugged. “Their roofs are bigger than mine, but I’m still living well as long as I enjoy what I do.”

“And what exactly do you do?”

“Stay seated, this is wild,” Lindsay said with a laugh. “I make keys, drive the forklift, set up displays, wait on customers, and spend time with Mom on the accounting, of which she is an absolute wiz.”

“Sounds almost as exciting as stuffing a thermometer up a dog’s butt.”

Lindsay made a face. “Not all of us can have the cool jobs like you.”

“Hey, sometimes, I—”

“Stop right there, Nicole Allen. You’re about to be gross, I can see it on your face.”

“Damn.” Nicole laughed. “You know me so well already.”

“Sometimes, I feel like I do.” Lindsay looked away, feeling embarrassed, and she had no idea why.

“Well, what is it you want to know?” Nicole asked playfully.

“I…I…don’t know…what’s it like? Being in a relationship…with a woman?”

Nicole grew serious and was quiet for a moment. “Sexually or just relationship-wise?”

Lindsay wanted to say, “both,” but couldn’t muster the courage. “Relationship.”

“I’ve only had a few serious relationships, and I’ve never been with a man, so I can’t make a comparison there.” Nicole repositioned herself again, and Peepers gave up on her. He hopped down and scampered away. “I always wanted a partner, a meet-me-in-the-middle kind of thing. But the women I seem to attract are…well, I always mowed the grass, and they cooked.” Nicole began to fidget as though she were uncomfortable. “The women I got involved with wanted to be taken care of, and I didn’t mind…but I never felt like it was a partnership.”

“Taken care of how?” Lindsay asked without looking at Nicole.

“Financially, emotionally, and…sexually.”

“So you’re saying they wanted you to pay the bills, hold them when they needed it, and…”

“Take the lead in the bedroom.” Nicole stared at her glass. “I’m still looking for that meet-me-in-the-middle girl, but I haven’t found her yet.”

“No one ever did those things for you?”

Nicole shook her head and continued to stare at her glass.

“That’s not how I imagined it.” Lindsay pulled her other leg up on the couch and wrapped her arms around it. “I guess being a woman…in love with another woman, you’d automatically know what she wanted.”

“I have friends that appear to be that way. One always seems to know what the other is thinking, but Sue and Rene are always talking. They’re very open with each other, and that’s the key.”

“Why weren’t you open then?”

Nicole pursed her lips. “Rene asked me the same question. Fear, I didn’t trust them enough. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I do now.” She swallowed down the last of her wine. “I guess if we’d had frank conversations like this, we might’ve lasted.” She grinned. “Then again, maybe not. Connie was kind of a tool.” Nicole stood and stretched. “I need to get out of here and let you go to bed, it’s late.”

Lindsay looked up at the clock and was surprised to find it was after ten. She stood and took Nicole’s empty glass. “I’ve enjoyed it.”

“Me too,” Nicole said with a slight nod and started moving toward the door. “I need to learn to cook, so I can return the favor sometime.” She turned at the front door, her eyes widening a split second when she found Lindsay very close. “Thank you again for a pleasant evening.”

“Thank you for an enlightening evening.” Lindsay hesitated briefly before hugging Nicole. The embrace was warm and tight and lingered longer than previous hugs. “Be safe on your way home.” Lindsay released her and stepped back, seeing confusion and surprise in Nicole’s expression.

The raspy tone of Nicole’s voice when she said “good night” confirmed what Lindsay saw. Desire, plain and simple.

She watched as Nicole moved briskly down the walk and climbed into her car. With a wave, Lindsay closed the door and locked it as the Camaro moved into the street. She sighed as she sank back down onto the sofa and lifted her half-full glass to her lips. She might’ve been naïve about sexual relationships between women, but she knew desire when she saw it. Nicole Allen had no poker face. Her emotions and thoughts were easily discernible.

What Lindsay didn’t know was why. Was Nicole truly attracted to the woman she was coming to know or the idea of taking a virgin lesbian to bed? Whatever Nicole’s motivations were, they troubled Lindsay less than her own because she wasn’t clear on what they actually were, either. Every step she took with Nicole was leading somewhere. The more she learned about Nicole, something inside of her grew more demanding, something that didn’t want to wait, didn’t want to be concerned with what people thought.

*******

Nicole looked at her reflection in the rearview mirror after she closed her garage door. The woman who stared back at her looked composed and calm despite the swirling of arousal she felt in the pit of her stomach. She thanked God that she’d been wearing her poker face earlier.

Lindsay, like her mother, was a storm of mixed signals. The way Lindsay looked when she took the empty glass from her hand made Nicole want to throw caution to the wind and kiss her senseless. But as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, and Nicole all but ran for the door. And then came the closeness and the hug. Lindsay had pressed her body so firmly against Nicole’s that she felt every curve and had Nicole wondering if she missed a subtle cue. Then Lindsay had stepped back, putting distance between them, and once again, Nicole doubted what she felt and saw.

Nicole groaned in frustration as she climbed from the car and pushed through the door. Bieber and Bounce came running to her with verbal demands for her attention and affection. She picked them up, and their bodies felt like they would break apart from the force of their purrs. “Why can’t women be as simple?” Nicole headed to her bedroom. “Although if I ever met one that purred, I’d freak.”

Chapter Fourteen

“Kyle’s off tomorrow?” Rose looked up from the schedule.

“Uh-huh.” Lindsay stared down at the newspaper as she took a sip of her coffee.

“Then who’s going to come in as manager?”

“I am.” Lindsay looked up at Rose. “Alexis is with Mike this weekend. I might as well do something.”

Rose put a hand on her hip. “Yes, you should, like call Stacy and see if she’ll cover. People have Christmas shopping to do this time of year. Overtime is a blessing.” She pulled the paper from Lindsay’s grasp when she refocused her attention on the article she was reading.

Lindsay held up a torn piece of newspaper. “I was reading that.”

“I know.” Rose tossed the part she’d taken into the trash can. “And you were ignoring me. The weather’s supposed to be in the mid-seventies and sunny. Go fishing or shopping, do something relaxing.”

“I was doing something relaxing. Did I look stressed while drinking coffee with my feet propped up?”

“Something beyond these walls. Go feel the sun on your face.” Rose grumbled something under her breath as she poured herself a cup of coffee. “Call Nicole, I’ll bet she’ll enjoy getting out.”

“You call her. See if she wants to go shopping with you.”

“Mighty testy this morning. Is that what a little wine does to you?” Rose snatched the corner of paper that Lindsay was still trying to read and tossed it into the trash with the rest.

“If anybody’s testy, it’s you, grumpapotomous.”

Rose looked like she was going to retort and laughed instead. “Grumpapotomous, I like that.” She took a seat next to Lindsay. “There’s nothing wrong with living a little, baby.”

“I live just fine.” Lindsay folded her arms.

Rose regarded her silently for a moment. “You live for me and Alexis.”

Lindsay shrugged. “You did the same with me and Dad.”

Rose shook her head. “Your father and I did things together. We went out to the movies, restaurants, and we had romance. He used to—”

“Whoa.” Lindsay held up both hands. “Don’t take me there.”

Rose laughed and swatted Lindsay on the leg. “I was going to say he used to take me someplace interesting once a week so life wouldn’t get stale.”

Lindsay refolded her arms. “Are you afraid I’m gonna get bored and pull up stakes here in search of something more exciting? Is that what this is all about?”

Rose stroked Lindsay’s cheek. “It would break my heart if you and Alexis moved away, but it would devastate me if you were resigned to living only half a life just to satisfy me.” Rose smiled sadly. “You’re the same way with Alexis. You teach her to think for herself and be independent because one day she’s going to want to spread her wings.”

Lindsay took Rose’s hand into her own. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Wake up. You’re a smart woman.” She pulled away, stood, and picked up the phone. Lindsay watched her curiously as she dialed and waited. “Hey, darling, we have an opportunity for overtime tomorrow, are you interested?” Rose smiled. “Yep, you’ll be opening. Great, thank you.” Rose ended the call and began dialing again. “Hey, Deana, this is Rose. Is Nicole available? Yes, thank you.”

Lindsay’s jaw sagged as she looked at her mother incredulously.

“Good morning, sweetie,” Rose said without looking at Lindsay. “My daughter was just complaining that she wanted to go fishing tomorrow, but there’s no one to go with her.” Rose listened for a second and laughed. “Oh, Lord, no. I’d be fishing with a bare hook because I wouldn’t touch the bait.” Rose grinned as she listened to Nicole. “Well, I think she’s going to borrow Mike’s boat, so you’ll need to be at the house by seven. Stop your whining, it’s not that early, you sissy. Okay, sweetie, see you tomorrow.”

“Mother!”

Rose wagged a finger at Lindsay and said, “shut up,” as she dialed again. “Hey, Mike, how’s my baby? Well, that’s wonderful, but how’s Alexis?” Rose listened for a moment, then laughed. “I’m glad y’all are having a good time. Will you be taking the boat out tomorrow? Lindsay wanted to borrow it. About six thirty? Great. Thanks.”

Rose hung up the phone and turned to Lindsay with a look of accomplishment. “You’re going fishing tomorrow. Bring sunscreen, you can still get a burn this time of year.” Rose started to walk away, then turned. “Pick up the boat at six thirty, Nicole will meet you at the house at seven. As for the rest,” Rose winked, “I think you can figure out that much on your own.”

*******

On the other side of town, Nicole leaned on the counter in front of Deana’s desk and rested her chin in her hand. “You fish, don’t you?”

“Oh, yeah,” Deana said with a grin.

“Can you teach me? Apparently, I’m fishing tomorrow, and I have no idea how.”

Deana giggled. “Well…we’ll need a rod and reel. I assume you don’t have one.”

“No.”

“If you’ll cover the desk, I’ll run home and get mine. You can use it tomorrow if you want.”

Nicole looked at her watch. “How far away do you live?”

“About three blocks from Ms. Juneau.”

Nicole took her keys out of her pocket and handed them to Deana. “Take my car, and if you scratch it, keep on going.” She lowered her voice. “Never come back.”

Deana held the key ring as if it were made of gold. “Really?”

“Hurry. Go, before I change my mind.” Nicole laughed as Deana scrambled out of the office with a high-pitched squeal.

*******

“I take it the hook shouldn’t be in your pants leg.”

Deana shook her head and bent down to remove it from her jeans. “Not in the sink, the exam table, or the light fixture, just the trash can.”

Nicole waved the pole around as she talked, making Deana’s job more difficult. “Do I really have to be that accurate?”

“If you don’t want to blind Ms. Juneau, yes. Reel it in and cast again.”

“Flick the wrist and release the button,” Nicole said as she did just that. The hook sailed through the air and landed within a foot of the can. “Ha! Did you see that?”

“Sweet!” Deana patted Nicole’s shoulder. “Try again.”

Nicole never did hit the can, but after what felt like a billion times, she consistently got within a foot of it.

“Very good, now you’re ready for baiting and fish removal.” Deana took the rod and reel gingerly from Nicole. “I’ve been fishing with Ms. Juneau a couple of times, and she uses live bait. Since I don’t have any crickets or minners, we’ll have to improvise.”

Nicole’s brow furrowed. “Minners?”

Deana smiled. “You’d call them minnows. We’ve always said minners or shiners.”

“Ah.” Nicole watched as Deana pulled a rubber fish resembling a minnow out of her tackle box.

“You’re gonna wanna hook a live minnow through his back like this.” Deana pierced the rubber fish in the spine near the eyes.

“Aw. I’m going to have to do that to a live little fish?”

Deana frowned. “If you don’t like this, you’re really not going to enjoy what I do to the rubber cricket.”

Nicole looked disgusted. “No, I’m sure I won’t.”

“Okay,” Deana said with a sigh. “Artificial bait training.”

Chapter Fifteen

Lindsay was quiet on the drive to the lake and left Nicole to wonder if she was just tired or if something was bothering her. Concerned with learning how to fish, Nicole hadn’t stopped to consider that Lindsay had not been the one to extend the invitation. On some level, she couldn’t help but wonder if Rose knew more than she let on and was really playing Cupid. God help her if she was wrong. How would she react if they did get together as a couple and Rose’s intent was only to find a friend for her daughter?

The truck slowed as Lindsay prepared to pull into a dirt drive lined with trucks and empty trailers. “Everybody and their left-handed cousin Earl is fishing today.” Lindsay made a turn and began backing up. “Have you been fishing before?”

“Uh, yes, just recently.” That it was in her office was unimportant, Nicole hoped as she grimaced and looked out her window.

“Do you know how to back a boat off a trailer?”

“No,” Nicole said apologetically. “I’ve only fished on land.” Tiled floor to be exact.

“No problem.” Lindsay maneuvered the truck and trailer until the boat was at the water’s edge. “I’ll back it off and move it to the dock. You can load the cooler while I find a place to park the truck if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Nicole hopped out and tried to act like she knew what she was doing. She grabbed the cooler from the rear of the truck and carried it down to the dock, watching Lindsay out of the corner of her eye.

Lindsay walked around the boat and released straps and a bar from the motor. She climbed back into the truck and moved the boat into the water. Nicole watched closely, hoping to pick up a thing or two. With one leg in the boat, Lindsay cranked something, then climbed in effortlessly. She sat atop the backrest of the driver’s seat and turned the motor. A moment later, she pulled up beside the dock. “Let me tie off, then you can begin loading.”

Nicole nodded as Lindsay secured the boat, then sprinted down the dock to her truck. “Flick your wrist and release the button,” Nicole said under her breath as she stepped carefully in with the cooler. So far so good, she thought as she looked down at what she was wearing. Jeans, a denim shirt over a T-shirt, boots, and a ball cap. Lindsay was dressed much the same, so at least Nicole felt like she looked like a fisherwoman.

“Do you know how to swim?” Lindsay asked when she returned.

Nicole felt her blood run cold as she looked at the dark water surrounding her. She’d seen Swamp People on TV and knew exactly what lived beneath the surface. “Why?” She tried to keep the panic out of her voice.

Lindsay climbed into the driver’s seat. “Just in case.”

Nicole refused to sit. “In case of what?”

Lindsay pointed to a hatch. “Life jackets are in there if you’d feel more comfortable. Accidents do happen. It’s always good to be prepared.”

“You’re trying to scare me.” Nicole settled in the passenger’s seat.

“I am not.” Lindsay laughed. “But you do swim, right?”

“If we have to go into the water for any reason, I swear I’ll walk on it. Peter and Jesus did it, and if motivated, I can, too.”

Lindsay threw back her head and laughed as she backed the boat away from the pier and took off. The feeling of sluicing across the smooth surface of the water was exhilarating when Lindsay got them out into the open lake. Nicole pulled out her phone to see if she still had a signal. It was weak but present. The office was closed, but Deana was on call for emergencies and to care for the two dogs that were being boarded. Nicole could’ve ridden for miles and just took in the sights, but being too far away wasn’t an option she could enjoy.

“I should’ve mentioned this earlier,” Nicole shouted over the sound of the wind and motor. “I can’t go out too far in case of an emergency.”

“I’m not comfortable with going that far anyway. I don’t know the lake as well as Mike does, so I tend to stay close to the dock.” The boat began to slow, and Lindsay stopped yelling. “I’m going to take us to the mouth of a canal where I always have luck.”

Nicole nodded, thinking that they would fish in the middle of the lake where if she screwed up she’d be less likely to get caught on something.

Lindsay slowed again and navigated the boat toward the canal. She killed the engine, letting them coast into the inlet. “There’s perch, we call them sacalait, beneath the fallen logs. Bass are plentiful around here, too. They’ll both hit on shiners or minners.”

“I prefer artificial,” Nicole said nonchalantly. “Less mess and pain for me and the bait.”

“I’m fishing with lures today, too, mainly because I forgot to get the bait now that I mention it. I wasn’t planning...I didn’t plan properly,” Lindsay amended with a sheepish smile and handed Deana’s rod and reel to Nicole. “Bow or stern?”

Nicole had no idea what she meant. “Bow?”

“Okay.” Lindsay pulled out a seat and pushed the pole jutting beneath it into a larger pole sticking out of the floor in the boat. “Your throne awaits.”

Nicole took her reel and tackle box and squeezed past Lindsay. She kept her back turned as she put on the lure that Deana suggested. She could hear and feel Lindsay moving around the back of the boat, then go quiet. “Flick your wrist and release the button,” Nicole whispered as she did. The lure flew out a respectable distance and landed close to shore.

“You might want to set your float shallow if you’re gonna fish that close to the bank,” Lindsay suggested from behind her.

“Thanks.” Nicole reeled it closer to the boat and wondered how long she would be able to sit still and stare at the orange ball bobbing in the water.

“Do you feel forced into this trip?” Lindsay asked.

“Not at all.” Nicole looked at the cypress trees lining the shore and the moss hanging from them. “This is beautiful. It’s a pleasant change of scenery.” She looked over her shoulder and found Lindsay staring at her.

Lindsay clamped her lips together, then released a sigh. “Yes, it is.”

The admission seemed almost reluctant.

“Lindsay, tell the truth. Did Rose orchestrate all of this?” Nicole looked back at her float. The response wasn’t prompt, and Nicole turned around. “Did she?”

Lindsay cast her line effortlessly. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was trying to get us together.”

“Do you know better?”

Lindsay’s eyes were wide when she looked back. “She wouldn’t do that. She doesn’t know anything about how I feel.” Nicole was tempted to argue the point, but she held Lindsay’s gaze. “She has no reason to suspect.” Lindsay looked away.

Nicole felt the rod in her hand move and turned to see the float dip under the water. “Shit.” She started reeling as the taut line moved back and forth. A fish broke the surface as she continued to bring in the line. She could hear Lindsay banging around at the other end of the boat.

“Damn it, where’s the net?”

Nicole half reeled and half slung the fish onto the deck. “Step lightly on him and grab him by the lip,” she recited aloud as she chased the flopping fish.

Lindsay snatched the line and pulled the fish to her. Nicole watched as she grabbed the fish’s mouth and removed the hook with her other hand. “Excellent job,” Lindsay said with a grin.

Nicole pointed at the fish and yelled, “I caught that.” She slapped the tops of her legs as she stomped the deck. “Oh! Oh!” Nicole pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of her catch. “Okay, put ’em back.”

Lindsay raised a brow. “You don’t want to put him on a stringer or in the live well?”

“Uh…” Nicole had no idea what Lindsay meant.

Lindsay held the fish out to Nicole with an impish grin. “Take him.” She pulled the fish back when Nicole timidly reached for it and laughed. “You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?”

“Well…I’ve never caught one before.” Nicole put her hands on her hips.

“Do you want to have your picture taken with him?”

“No, he’s been out of the water long enough, put him back in.”

“You’re beautiful,” Lindsay said as she let the fish go. She turned back to Nicole, grinning ear to ear. “How many times have you gone fishing?”

Nicole jutted out her chin. “Twice if you count today and yesterday in my office.”

Lindsay started laughing hysterically. “You’ve never been fishing and you managed to land a bass.” She slapped her leg. “Mom is going to laugh her head off at this.”

“Hey, I caught Deana, two cotton balls, the light, and the exam table. I am an experienced fisherwoman.” Nicole pounded her chest. “I know what I’m doing here,” she said with a laugh.

“Why are you here?” Lindsay asked, still smiling.

Nicole held up her arms. “I wanted to have this experience with you.”

Lindsay couldn’t seem to stop smiling. “You are a true delight. Cast out again. We might just keep your next catch.”

“Make fun of me.” Nicole plopped down in her chair. “You haven’t fished until you’ve caught a cotton ball. They put up one hell of a fight.”

Lindsay was still laughing. “That’s obviously my problem. I should try that sometime.”

Nicole cast her line out near the place she’d caught her fish. “I’m having a good time.” She looked back at Lindsay, who was just sitting there watching her.

“I am, too.” Lindsay picked up her rod and cast out again.

Nicole turned back to her float with great expectation from the fish below and the distinct feeling that Lindsay was watching every move she made. “What else is there to do in St. Claire?”

“This is about it unless you like to hunt. If that’s something you want to tackle, you’ll have to talk to Ruby. I can’t shoot anything.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Nicole thought for a moment. “If you wanted to go dancing, how far would you have to travel?”

“New Orleans, I presume, unless you want to dance with a man.”

Nicole sighed. “I do miss that sometimes…not dancing with a man but dancing.”

Lindsay fell silent. Nicole didn’t turn to look at her and hoped she was getting the drift, but no offer was made.

*******

Nicole’s fish was the only action they saw that day. They ate the chicken salad sandwiches Rose had made for them, but by late afternoon, they were starving. Reluctantly, they headed in. Lindsay gave Nicole lessons on loading the boat onto the trailer with a promise to let her drive next time they went out.

Next time, Lindsay thought as they headed toward her house. She was making plans. There was no use fighting it. Even if she tried to avoid Nicole, they’d still manage to run into each other in the small town. Rose wasn’t going to let it drop, either. Whatever reasons she had, Rose was determined that they be friends, close friends. Lindsay glanced over at Nicole. She was somewhere deep in thought as she stared out her window and realized that she was quite content to let whatever was going to happen…happen.

My girls,

I’m playing bridge tonight, so don’t wait on me for dinner, which by the way is in the oven. Warm it up and enjoy.

Love,

Your mother who thinks of everything

Lindsay laughed and handed the note to Nicole as she went to retrieve their dinner.

‘“My girls.’ I really am adopted,” Nicole said. “You want me to pour the tea?”

“Please.” Lindsay spooned the chicken pot pie onto two plates and stuffed one in the microwave. “I’ve never been to any…bars in New Orleans. I wouldn’t even know where to go.” She watched as Nicole nearly dropped the tea pitcher. “I’m…picking up on the conversation we had earlier.”

Nicole brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “I know. I’m just clumsy.”

The microwave dinged, and Lindsay removed one plate and replaced it with another. “I’ve been to bars, just not the ones where the same sex dances together.” Lindsay scooted the plate toward Nicole. “Eat, don’t wait on me.” She looked back at the microwave. “I don’t particularly care for barrooms, but if you…”

“I don’t, either.” Nicole smiled when Lindsay turned to look at her. “I just like to dance, and well, that’s mostly where it’s done.”

The microwave dinged again, and Lindsay took out her plate. “You want to eat at the table or in the living room?”

“The living room’s fine.” Nicole took her plate and glass and waited for Lindsay to go first.

“TV?” Lindsay picked up the remote.

Nicole pondered the question for a second. “Music?”

Lindsay looked at the CD player that Alexis’s iPod was plugged into. “You’re gonna have to dig through my CDs unless you want to listen to Justin Bieber.”

“I’ll dig,” Nicole said with a grin.

“The blanks are just some I’ve burned with different songs. I never took the time to label them.”

“Potluck then.” Nicole put one in the player and turned the volume down when the music began to blare. “Alexis likes it loud.”

“And that’s when I use my iPod. We’d plug it in, but Mom has it.”

Nicole looked up. “Your mother listens to your music?”

“She says she likes to stay relevant, and Pitbull makes her feel saucy.”

“Oh, my God, she’s one of a kind.” Nicole took a seat on the couch and picked up her plate. “Fleetwood Mac.”

“Lindsey Buckingham. ‘Trouble’ was always a favorite of mine, and that we share the same first name just makes it cool.”

They ate for a few minutes, and the next song came on. “The Spice Girls?” Nicole laughed.

“I’m eclectic. Keep listening and you’ll hear Dusty Springfield.”

“Are Dusty Springfield and Pitbull on the same CD?”

Lindsay grinned and nodded. “What do you listen to? Do you have an iPod in your car?”

“Yes, and you’ll find a lot of different stuff on it, too. Alanis Morissette, club music, reggae, and classic rock. I have it divided into groups, and I play it according to my mood.”

“What was your mood this morning?”

“The eighties, I forgot to mention that one. I was listening to the Cure on the way over. I needed something to wake me up.”

Lindsay set her empty plate on the TV tray. “I ate that way too fast.”

“It’s delicious.” Nicole took her last bite and chewed slowly. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

Lindsay stretched and sighed. “I’m thinking about curling up on the couch and watching movies all day.”

Nicole set her plate down and blinked rapidly when the next song came on. “I have this song.” She snapped her fingers. “I know it, it’s Mario, but I can’t remember the title.”

“‘Let Me Love You’…that’s what it’s…called.”

Nicole got up and started the song over. “Dance with me.”

Lindsay looked at her in surprise for a moment as Nicole put out her hand. It wasn’t a fast song. Lindsay got up before she changed her mind, and Nicole pulled her loosely into her arms and began moving with the beat. This is it, Lindsay thought as she allowed Nicole to pull her closer. We are crossing boundaries here. Lindsay laughed as “Sexual Healing” came on next.

Nicole continued to move. “It’s not hard to imagine what you had on your mind when you made this CD. ‘Trouble,’ ‘Too Much,’ ‘Let Me Love You,’ and ‘Sexual Healing.’”

Lindsay laughed and continued to hold on to Nicole as they swayed. Nicole held one hand against her chest, Lindsay’s other hand rested on her shoulder. The feeling of their bodies fitting so perfectly together made her light-headed, and Lindsay prayed that the next song was not Pitbull. She wasn’t ready to let go.

“Thank you,” Nicole said against her ear. “I haven’t danced in a long time.”

“I’m sure it isn’t as fun as being on a crowded dance floor where I’m sure you could’ve had any dance partner you wanted.” Lindsay instantly regretted her words when Nicole stopped and pulled back to look at her.

“I didn’t want any dance partner. I wanted you.” Nicole looked deep into her eyes. “You know that, too. You can lie, but the way you looked at me today…like the way you are right now…you know.”

Lindsay realized at that moment that she and Nicole had something else in common. Neither of them had a poker face. And then she did something she’d only done in dreams. She kissed Nicole. The softness of her lips and the way they moved against hers was better than anything she’d imagined. When Nicole’s tongue met hers, it sent fire through her veins. No kiss had ever ignited her that way. Lindsay’s eyes were still closed when Nicole pulled away. She touched her own lips with her fingertips, finding them still moist and tingling. “God, help me,” she whispered.

“I have to go now,” Nicole said.

Lindsay’s eyes opened wide. “Why?”

Nicole backed away and folded her arms. She looked just as unhinged as Lindsay felt. “If I stay, we’re going to do that again. You do something to me,” Nicole admitted exasperatedly. “I can’t control myself.”

Lindsay smiled weakly. “I do that to you?”

“I’m shaking from head to toe.” She took a step closer and stopped. “Lindsay, is it me you want or is it the idea? I really like you, and I don’t think I can handle being an experiment.” Nicole scrubbed her face with her hands. “That kiss…Oh, my God, I have to go.” She was at the door before Lindsay could stop her. “Think hard about what I just asked you.” Then she was gone.

Lindsay stood in the middle of her living room dumbstruck with Pitbull blaring from her speakers. She felt like she was floating as she turned the music off. The taste of Nicole’s kiss was still on her lips. Arousal coursed through her so strongly that she couldn’t complete a thought, and somewhere, Nicole’s question burned in the back of her mind.

Chapter Sixteen

Nicole stood under the spray of water from her shower. The kittens gathered outside the door watching her curiously. “The hot water tank in this house must be huge.” Nicole slammed her hand against the wall of the shower and sent Bieber and Bounce running for cover. She’d been in the shower for so long that her fingers had begun to prune. She pressed them against her lips, remembering the jolt when Lindsay’s mouth had met hers. The feel of Lindsay in her arms had already sent her spiraling, but the kiss was her undoing. So unexpected and so incredibly hot.

Nicole turned off the water and grabbed her towel. She nearly forgot to dry off before stepping out. What if she had regrets? Nicole wondered. How will I ever be able to be around her knowing how perfect it felt? She pulled on her robe and wrapped the towel around her hair. Bieber came out of hiding and jumped at her belt. He was still hanging on when she walked numbly into her bedroom and pulled a pair of sweats out of her drawer. It was going to be a long, sleepless night.

She pulled the belt, cat and all, from her waist and lowered it to the floor so Bounce could get in on the action when she heard her phone chime. She dashed into the kitchen to retrieve it, sending the startled kittens once again into hiding.

The last message read: Are you there?

Nicole moved the screen with her thumb and was surprised and disheartened to see so many messages from Lindsay. She’d written a lot, and that couldn’t be good. She almost didn’t read it for fear that Lindsay felt the need to explain why it was all a mistake.

I have thought about what you said. Honestly, I’ve been thinking about it before you asked…

Maybe the reason I’ve never been involved with a woman isn’t because I live in this town…

Nicole swallowed hard and tried to prepare herself for what she knew was coming next.

Maybe it’s because I’ve never met anyone that makes me feel like you do…

It’s not curiosity. I can honestly say that. It’s you…

Come back, please?

Are you there?

Nicole looked over her shoulder as she knocked softly on Lindsay’s front door with a head full of wet hair and wearing a mismatched pair of sweats.

“I thought maybe you changed your mind.” Lindsay opened the door and let her in.

“I walked.” Nicole shivered violently. “I didn’t want your mother to see my car in the driveway.”

Lindsay looked shocked. “You did that for me?” She closed the door and locked it.

“I did it for us. I thought—” Lindsay’s hands were on the front of her shirt, pulling her, while her mouth restarted the fire that burned deep within Nicole. She wasn’t entirely sure how she’d gotten up the stairs and didn’t care when she felt Lindsay’s hands slip beneath her shirt and fan out over her back. Lindsay’s teeth grazed the skin of her neck, and Nicole bit her lip, hating the question she had to ask next. “Are you sure?”

The response came fast and shockingly. Nicole was on her back, and Lindsay was on top of her, reclaiming her mouth with a kiss that made the point moot. That was all the encouragement she needed. She filled her hands with Lindsay’s shirt and pulled it up, forcing their lips apart. Lindsay pulled away from her in the pitch-black bedroom and tugged at the bottom of Nicole’s sweatpants as though they offended her in some way. Nicole groped in the darkness, expecting to feel warm bare skin, then Lindsay was behind her tugging at her shirt. When Nicole was free of it, she felt Lindsay’s hands in her hair pulling her head back. Lindsay’s breath was hot against her ear when she spoke. “I don’t have the experience you do, but I’m not a fool.” Lindsay’s mouth was on hers again as she lowered Nicole back down on the bed.

Nicole wasn’t sure what to expect from Lindsay on the six-block walk to her house, but it wasn’t this. She expected apprehension, timidity. She had reminded herself to go slow, keep her head, and not get too carried away. But Nicole had forgotten her own name by the time Lindsay lowered herself on top of her and began grinding into her. She covered Nicole’s breast with her palm, then began to pinch her erect nipple. Slow be damned, Nicole thought as she rolled and flipped Lindsay onto her back. Lindsay’s mouth was on her neck first, and she managed to move down and claim a nipple.

“Yes,” Nicole said through clenched teeth. “Fuck, you’re killing me.” Lindsay’s response was to suck harder. “Let me go,” Nicole said desperately. “I want to feel you under my mouth.”

Lindsay released her with a groan. Nicole kissed her with a frenzy she couldn’t control. Lindsay’s mouth was just as eager as her hand slipped between them and reclaimed a breast. Nicole pulled away with a gasp. “You have got to stop touching me.”

Lindsay’s response was breathless. “I can’t.”

Nicole pinned her hands at her sides and kissed her way down Lindsay’s chest. She moaned loudly when she took one of Lindsay’s nipples into her mouth and felt the body below writhe against her. “You’re so expressive,” Nicole said against her skin. “It’s so fucking hot.” Lindsay’s hands jerked in response, wanting to be free. Nicole moved farther down her body before she let Lindsay go. Hands were immediately in her hair as she buried her face between Lindsay’s legs.

Lindsay groaned throatily, moving her hips, frantically trying to force Nicole to touch her where she wanted it most. Nicole dipped her tongue deep inside of her, marveling at how wet Lindsay was. “Nicole.” The one-word utterance conveyed so much, a desperate plea that was answered. Lindsay inhaled sharply when Nicole focused on her clit and slipped two fingers inside of her. Lindsay answered by tightening her hold on Nicole’s hair. It was a wild ride that Nicole didn’t want to come to an end, but Lindsay stiffened, inhaled once, and held it. Nicole could feel her shudder from head to toe and the fluttering around her fingers. She planned to let her down gently and take her time, but that was not to be.

Lindsay pulled gently on her hair. “Come here,” she said breathlessly as she tugged more firmly and forced Nicole to comply.

Nicole felt herself being shoved onto her back. Lindsay kissed her roughly as her hand trailed down her stomach. She pulled away and put her mouth against Nicole’s ear. “Put your hand on mine, show me what you want.” Nicole’s hand was shaking as she rested her own atop Lindsay’s fingers. Lindsay was breathing heavily against her ear and moaned soft and low when their fingers dipped into Nicole’s wetness. She bit her lip as she moved two of Lindsay’s fingers into her and released a shuddering breath.

“This could make me come.”

Nicole almost did hearing those words breathed against her face. She pulled Lindsay’s fingers out of her and ran them over her clit before reinserting them. “Let me go now,” Lindsay said against her lips. Nicole groaned, and Lindsay’s tongue filled her mouth at the same time. Lindsay worked her into a frenzy as she kissed her. Nicole gasped for breath and turned her face away to inhale a lungful of air.

“If I stop for a second, will it frustrate you so much that you can’t come?”

“Don’t make me answer that,” Nicole said tremulously.

Lindsay stopped and cupped her. “You are on the edge, aren’t you?”

“Ah…yes.” The tension coiled up in Nicole’s body demanded to be released.

“When I do it,” Lindsay swallowed, “it’s so much more intense if I make myself wait.”

Nicole clamped her jaw and breathed out through her nose. She was nearly undone on those words alone. Lindsay’s hand started to move again. “Don’t stop, please.”

But Lindsay didn’t obey. “When I start again, I won’t stop.”

Suspended somewhere between intense pleasure and pain at being denied—controlled—Nicole found herself unable to utter a word.

“This is better than anything I’ve ever dreamed.” Lindsay’s voice shook as if she were on the same precipice. “The power you’ve given me is intoxicating.” Her hand began moving again and robbed Nicole of the ability to breathe. The orgasm shook her, and she released a shuddering cry that was matched by Lindsay’s.

Nicole lay gasping behind one of the most intense orgasms she’d ever experienced. Lindsay covered her neck and chest with kisses and began a slow descent. Nicole’s grasp was weak. “Where’re you going?”

Lindsay squirmed away from her and whispered against her stomach, “I’m out of control. I want all of you. Don’t deny me this. I’ll go slow…I’ll try.”

Nicole had never been nervous about this part of lovemaking. She craved it, urged it on in the past, but with Lindsay, it was different. She lay with her eyes closed, worrying that Lindsay felt pressured to complete this act despite what she’d just said. Lindsay’s movements were deliberately slow as she ran her cheek across the skin of Nicole’s stomach. What if she’s having second thoughts, Nicole wondered. What if— Nicole’s eyes flew open. “Oh, my…” The sentence caught in her throat. Lindsay had not lied about being out of control, and Nicole finally knew what it was like to have her body worshipped.

*******

Nicole awoke the next morning to dim light streaming through the blinds. Every muscle protested movement, including the one under her tongue when she swallowed. Normally, she slept on her side or her back, but she’d fallen asleep—no, passed out—on her stomach. She opened one eye, then the other to fully take in the body lying next to her. Rising up slowly, she visually memorized every curve that her mouth and hands acquainted themselves with the night and early morning before.  “Oh, my God.”

Lindsay’s eyes flew open. “What is it?” she asked as she sat up.

“You’re flawless. I hate you. I have stretch marks on my hips, and I didn’t have a baby.” Nicole flopped over on her back. “I’m turned on and crushed at the same time.”

Lindsay grinned as she took her time gazing at Nicole’s body. “You’re magnificent.” She reached out to touch a thigh and frowned when her hand was caught.

“I’m dehydrated. I don’t think I could even sweat if it were a hundred degrees in here.”

Lindsay got up with a grin and pulled her robe on. “Well, I need to rehydrate you quickly then. Are you hungry, too?”

Nicole tucked her hands behind her head. “Yeah, hurry back,” she said with a wink. “You know, I’m not talking about bacon and eggs.”

“There’s a new toothbrush in the bathroom if you want it.” Lindsay nearly skipped down the stairs and was humming “Sexual Healing” as she opened the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water.

“How was the fishing trip?”

Lindsay let out a surprised yelp and dropped one of the bottles. “Mom! You scared me half to death.”

“Sorry, sugar.” Rose adjusted her dress. “How do I look?”

“Lovely, you going to church?” Lindsay positioned herself on the other side of the bar and tried to appear casual.

Rose nodded. “The fishing trip?”

“We had a really good time.” Lindsay twisted the lid off her water and took a swallow.

“How was Nicole?”

Lindsay blinked rapidly and cleared her throat. “Great…she caught a bass.”

“How’d you do?”

“I didn’t catch anything but a sunburn.”

Rose looked down at Lindsay’s chest before she closed her robe up to her neck. “You do look very flushed.”

“And tired, I think I’m gonna spend the day lying around.” Lindsay feigned a yawn.

“Do you have any pot pie left? After church, I’m going to lunch with the girls, and we may ride into Houma to do a little shopping. I’ll be too tired to cook tonight, I’m sure.”

“I’m fine. I’ll snack on the pot pie and order a pizza if I get hungry later.”

“Okay, sugar.” Rose opened the door and looked back over her shoulder. “Tell Nicole I said hello if you see her, and don’t forget to pick up that other bottle of water.”

“Oh, I didn’t notice. Thanks.”

Rose hesitated for a second and winked before closing the door.

Lindsay waited a minute or two before retrieving the other bottle. She couldn’t possibly know, could she? Lindsay wondered as she took another swallow of water. Sunday was nap day for her mother. Rose was more religious about that than church. She readjusted her robe and realized she smelled and probably looked like she’d spent the night having wild sex, which she had. Amazing, mind-blowing sex.

She’d been nervous while she waited for Nicole to return, but when Nicole walked in all flushed, her wet hair clinging to her face, something…snapped. In the span of a millisecond, Lindsay made up her mind that if this was going to happen, she’d approach it no holds barred. The animal inside had been caged for so long, and when she opened the gate, it sprang out uncontrollable and wild. Lindsay made no attempt to hold anything back.

*******

She sprinted up the stairs to find her bed empty. The bathroom door was wide open, and Nicole was nowhere in sight. “Where are you?”

Nicole jerked the shower curtain back with a toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. Toothpaste went everywhere when she asked, “Was that Rose?”

“Yes.” Lindsay ran a shaking hand through her hair. “The conversation was so strange, and she was grinning the whole time.”

Nicole stepped out of the bathtub and rinsed her mouth. “You know her better than I do, but I swear she knows.”

“I don’t think she’d be this giddy or cool about it.” Lindsay leaned against the doorjamb. “But I can’t deny that her behavior is bizarre.” She grabbed Nicole’s hand and dragged her back to bed where she drank the entire bottle of water, then reached for Lindsay with lustful intent clearly displayed in her eyes.

“Wait, let me brush my teeth.”

“There’s no time,” Nicole said with a laugh as she tried to drag her down.

Lindsay squirmed away and dashed into the bathroom where she brushed with record speed. When she walked out of the bathroom, Nicole lay on her back with one hand tucked behind her head, the sheet up to her waist. “I didn’t dream the whole thing, did I?” Lindsay asked as she approached the bed slowly.

“It was a dream come true,” Nicole said softly. “This is happening fast, you know?”

Lindsay untied her belt and sat next to Nicole. She took one of Nicole’s hands and laid it on her lap, tracing the veins with her fingertips. “You’re not an experiment. I know now more than ever what I want. What I don’t know is just how to keep it.”

“I knew beforehand what you were up against, and I came for you anyway. I want what’s between us to grow, and if we have to keep it a secret forever, then so be it.”

“I can’t make you any promises.” Lindsay held up a hand when she saw the hurt immediately flood Nicole’s eyes. “I don’t mean about us,” she amended quickly. “I can’t give you any time limit on when I’ll tell my family the truth.”

Nicole visibly relaxed. “There’s no pressure.”

Lindsay shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. “Last night, I didn’t care if anyone saw your car in the driveway all night. I wanted you so badly that it didn’t matter. That’s a little scary in the light of day.”

Nicole grinned. “And I didn’t care that I had to walk six blocks in the cold with a wet head.” She ran her finger down the opening in Lindsay’s robe. “To be honest, I ran half the way.”

Lindsay fingered one of the wild locks of hair that hung down Nicole’s shoulder. “You look like a woman who spent the night rolling around beneath the sheets.”

Nicole laughed as she pulled Lindsay on top of her. “We didn’t roll under anything but each other.”

Lindsay kissed her slowly. “I’m deeply in like with you, Nicole Allen.”

“That feeling is very much mutual.” Nicole pulled the robe from Lindsay’s shoulders. “I’d like to spend the day showing you just how much.”

Chapter Seventeen

“Are you even on the same planet with me?”

“Huh?” Lindsay looked up from the paper just before Rose snatched it away.

“You’re not even reading. You’ve been staring at the same page for thirty minutes. The phone rang twice, and you didn’t even flinch.” Rose watched Lindsay out of the corner of her eye as she filled her coffee cup. “Are you feeling okay? You look exhausted.”

“I’m fine.” Lindsay looked around for something to occupy her and keep her out of her mother’s line of sight.

“I was telling you that I got a great deal on a turkey. It’s taking up half my freezer right now.”

“That’s great.” Lindsay smiled. “We’ll have plenty of leftovers.”

Rose lowered her head and looked at Lindsay over the top of her glasses. “You complain every year about having to eat leftovers for the week after. As I recall, last year, you wanted to make barbecue ribs for Christmas because you were sick to death of turkey.”

“I’m in the mood for bird, Mom, what can I say?” Lindsay feigned interest in the key-making machine. “We need to clean this thing. It’s getting grimy.”

“Are we seeing Nicole tonight?”

“Ah, no.” Lindsay shook her head. “I hadn’t planned on it. I’m gonna go back to my office. I’ve got a couple of calls to make.”

Rose looked at her oddly. “All right then.”

Lindsay walked away, feeling painfully guilty for lying. She was seeing Nicole that night but after everyone else had gone to bed. Alexis would be back Wednesday, and Lindsay wanted every second of alone time she could get with Nicole.

She’d begun denying her attraction to Nicole not long after they’d met. Now the floodgates were open, the craving was constant, and it made her feel totally off-kilter. Every waking moment, she wanted to know what Nicole was doing, thinking. More than that, she wanted to have her hands on that body, her mouth on… “Lord, help me, I’m useless.” Lindsay closed the office door behind her. She’d never known a longing like this—sweet and agonizing at the same time.

*******

Nicole set Deana’s rod and reel behind the front counter. “Thank you for the lessons and for loaning me that.” She jerked a thumb at the rod. “I’m in your debt.”

“Catch anything?” Deana asked excitedly.

“Oh, yes, and it had a mouth on it.” Nicole felt a tingle race up and down her spine as she remembered watching Lindsay kiss a burning trail down her stomach.

“A bass?”

Nicole nodded. “I think that’s what Lindsay called it.” Nicole took out her phone and displayed her catch.

“Not bad!”  Deana said with a laugh as she handed the phone back to Nicole.

“How’re we stacked up today—busy?” Nicole hoped for a hectic pace that would keep her mind off the woman across town who had dominated her every thought. Otherwise, time would creep by at a snail’s pace until she could see her again.

“Surprisingly slow for a Monday. I was going to spend the morning sprucing up the lobby if you don’t mind. You know, dust and throw away the old magazines.”

“That sounds fine. Thanks for being so industrious.” Nicole drummed the counter with her fingers. “You’re bucking for a Christmas bonus, aren’t you?”

Deana shrugged. “It’s not expected, but I sure won’t complain if a few extra duckies are swimming around on my check.”

Nicole grinned and retreated to her office. She had begun cleaning off the surface of her desk when Christmas came back to mind. “Shopping, that’s what I need to be doing.” Her fingers danced over her computer keyboard as she tried to summon the perfect gift for Lindsay. What token of affection could she give without drawing attention?

“Nicole, you have a call on line one. It’s Ms. Juneau,” Deana said over the intercom.

“Well, hello, Ms. Juneau,” Nicole said as a warm feeling washed over her.

“I can’t work, I can’t think, and I can’t seem to find a place to hide from my mother.” Lindsay sighed dramatically. “You’ve ruined me.”

“We’re in the same boat. I’m just hoping I don’t neuter something by mistake.”

Lindsay chuckled softly. “The stakes are much higher for you. I may only load an extra bag of feed or two, and no one will complain about that.”

“Keep slinging that feed, honey. I’m loving the muscle tone.”

“I’d like to sling a leg over—”

“Stop that right now,” Nicole whispered as she closed her door. “You have me messed up enough.”

“I won’t deny that makes me very happy. I’ve looked at the clock at least a million times since I got here this morning.”

“Me too,” Nicole admitted with a long sigh. “Is Peepers feeling all right? Need me to make a house call?”

“Oh, don’t tempt me. Want to know what I’m doing right now?”

“Don’t.” Nicole sounded miserable. “Okay, yes.”

Lindsay’s laugh was low and sexy. “I’m making a mental list of all the things I want to do to you.”

“Stop it!”

“You asked.”

“You goaded. I’m so weak.” Nicole pinched the bridge of her nose. “This morning, I poured coffee into the cat food bowl. Bieber and Bounce nearly took my arm off.”

“I can’t top that. Don’t you need anything delivered? Isn’t anything broken over there?”

Nicole pulled up the day’s schedule. Her next appointment was two and a half hours away. “My sink is leaking in the master bath.”

“Really?”

“No, but it will be by the time you get here.”

Lindsay spoke a bit louder. “You’ll need a pipe wrench for that and maybe a few washers. It’s definitely a do-it-yourself thing. Try that before you go to the expense of having a new faucet installed. Oh, no, we’re slow today. I can run the stuff by within the hour.”

“Are you talking to me?” Nicole asked.

“It’s no problem at all. I’ll be there soon. Oh, and Mom says hi.”

Nicole pulled the phone from her ear when she heard the dial tone. She got up and walked into the reception area. “Deana, Lindsay’s gonna help me repair a leaky faucet. Will you call me if anyone comes in?”

Deana looked up from her dusting. “Sure will. Tell Ms. Juneau I said hello if I don’t get to see her.”

“I will, thanks.”

Nicole went back to her house and straightened up a few things. She eyed the sink faucet in her bathroom. It was dry as a bone. “We’re pathetic.” She looked at herself in the mirror and grinned.

Bieber pounced on the shoelace on her sneaker while his brother gave himself a bath in the corner. “Could you two behave while I have company?” She reached down and picked up Bieber. “If we end up in my bed, would you and your sibling refrain from attacking our feet under the covers? We really need to discuss this at length. My toes aren’t your toys.”

Bieber replied by biting her on the thumb. It was a soft bite, but his message was clear—neither he nor Bounce had any intention of playing nice.

“That’s what I thought.” Nicole sighed and dropped him gently on his brother. They began rolling around on the floor in a play fight.

Nicole straightened more of the house and had resorted to pacing when she heard a knock on the back door. She opened it to Lindsay, who was carrying an assortment of tools that she promptly deposited on the kitchen table. She smiled at Nicole and held up both hands defensively. “I know I got racy on the phone, but it’s not all about sex.” She paused and chewed her bottom lip. “Okay, a lot of it is about sex because I just can’t get enough of you.”

“I’m so not offended.” Nicole took Lindsay into her arms.

Lindsay buried her face in Nicole’s neck and breathed in deeply before pulling back to run the backs of her fingers across Nicole’s face. “I just had to see you, smell you, touch you. I keep thinking that this is one marvelous, long dream and I’m going to wake up and be very disappointed.”

Nicole took her hand and kissed the palm. “I’m real.” She kissed each one of Lindsay’s fingers. “And this is all real.”

Lindsay chewed at her bottom lip again. “Am I…” She sighed when Nicole kissed the inside of her wrist. “I don’t have a lot of experience. I worry that—”

“You don’t compare to the others by a long shot.” Nicole grinned when Lindsay’s shoulders sagged. “That was mean of me. I should’ve begun that sentence by saying you are the most exciting lover I’ve ever known. You meet me in the middle, and more often than that, you overpower me. You turn me on more than my wildest fantasies, and you know why?”

Lindsay raised a brow. “Because I’m like an out-of-control octopus?”

Nicole laughed. “Well that, too. It’s right between us.” She pressed Lindsay’s hand to her chest. “This is right.”

Lindsay leaned in and kissed Nicole. “You want to know when I found you absolutely irresistible?”

“The minute you met me, like I did you?”

Lindsay shook her head. “When we met, I thought you were extremely attractive, but I couldn’t let myself go there. I was too afraid to hope. It was when you told me you lied about why you were at my house the day you pulled Mark McCreedy’s hair. You were disheveled, your face was flushed, and I wanted to kiss you right there in my front yard. Ow!”

“Bieber, we talked about this.” Nicole bent down and plucked the kitten off of Lindsay’s pants leg. “Go maul your brother.” She rubbed Lindsay’s leg with an apology.

“You’re making this very difficult to prove this isn’t an all-about-sex visit.”

Nicole regarded Lindsay seriously. “It’s not just about mind-blowing, powerful sex. We both know that.” She filled her hands with Lindsay’s soft hair and kissed her with a fervor that seemed to belie the point. Lindsay responded in kind as Nicole pushed her slowly toward the bedroom.

Clothes flew in all directions before the women landed on the bed naked and clinging to each other as though they were living their last second. Lindsay’s hands were blazing a fiery trail over every expanse of skin she could claim. Nicole broke the kiss and spoke breathlessly. “I want something from you.”

“Anything.” Lindsay looked into her eyes.

“Grab the headboard or clutch the sheets, but just for a little while, let me have my way with you.”

Nicole’s heart pounded as Lindsay slowly reached out on either side of her and fisted her hands in the sheets. The muscles in her forearms flexed, along with her body nestled beneath Nicole’s. “For a little while.”

Nicole shook her head and moved off Lindsay. “Turn over and do the same.”

Lindsay didn’t hesitate. She flipped over onto her stomach and grasped the pillows above her head. Nicole ran her fingertips down Lindsay’s spine, enjoying the way the muscles flexed and the skin rose in goose bumps in the wake of her touch. “You are so absolutely perfect,” Nicole said before kissing Lindsay’s shoulder. “Try not to make a sound. All I want to hear is your breathing.”

“Are you afraid someone will hear us?”

Nicole kissed Lindsay’s ear and ran her tongue around the edge of it. “No, I want complete control of you, even the sounds you make. Spread your legs wide.”

A breath rushed out of Lindsay’s lungs as she complied.

“No more talking. No sound.” Nicole climbed between Lindsay’s legs and kissed a slow trail up her spine, starting at her lower back and ending at her neck. She lowered herself fully atop Lindsay. “All you will hear is your own breathing and my response to loving your body.” Nicole gripped Lindsay’s forearms and began to grind slowly into her backside. The shuddering breath that Lindsay released sent a jolt of electricity through every fiber of Nicole’s being. She laid her cheek next to Lindsay’s ear, her erratic breathing matching Lindsay’s. “I’m so turned on by you that just doing this brings me so close to the edge,” Nicole said shakily.

Lindsay hissed between clenched teeth but didn’t utter a word.

Nicole increased the pace, moaning softly against Lindsay’s ear as she shook beneath her. When she felt herself losing control, she rolled off of Lindsay. “Turn over.”

Lindsay’s eyes were wild and wide as she stared up into Nicole’s. Every muscle in her body stood out beneath the skin. Her nostrils flared as Nicole once again lowered herself atop her body and began grinding into her. Nicole wanted to kiss her, but her breathing was so labored that she buried her face between Lindsay’s neck and shoulder. “You’re so wet, I can feel it.” Lindsay inhaled sharply when Nicole pushed harder against her and gripped her wrists. “I’m so fucking close, and you haven’t even touched me.”

Lindsay was breathing like she was running a marathon as she wrapped her legs around Nicole and tried to increase the contact. Their bodies slid easily against each other as the moisture between them continued to gather. “You make me so wet that when you go back to work today, I’ll still be between your legs.” Lindsay surged up off the bed, unsuccessfully biting back a cry as she shuddered repeatedly beneath Nicole.

“Your ‘little while’ is up,” Lindsay said as she forcefully shoved Nicole onto her back. She climbed between Nicole’s legs and pushed her knees up, spreading her legs wide. Nicole reached for her, and Lindsay pushed her hands away. “Don’t touch me. It’s your turn to grab the sheets, and I’m going to watch you as you come for me.”

Nicole craned her head back and clamped her eyes shut when Lindsay entered her in one swift stroke.

“Look at me, Nicole. Open your eyes,” Lindsay commanded shakily.

Nicole swallowed hard as her eyes fluttered open and tried to focus. “You’d come again if I touched you, you’re still on the edge,” she said, wishing Lindsay would allow her to make that happen.

Lindsay filled her as she sank down and took one of Nicole’s nipples between her teeth. Nicole’s hips bucked as she tried to come into contact with Lindsay’s palm. “Oh, not like this,” Lindsay said against her skin before rising up to meet Nicole’s eyes. “Do it with me watching you and you watching me.”

Lindsay put a hand in the center of Nicole’s chest to keep her flat on the bed. Nicole fought to keep her eyes open as the first wave of white-hot heat began between her legs and fanned out over her lower body. She came with her teeth clamped together and a strangled cry in her throat.

*******

“I will spend the rest of the day with the mental image of you coming.” Lindsay lay with her head on Nicole’s shoulder, caressing the skin between her breasts. “I have no idea how I’m going to drive back to work.”

“I have to give a puppy its first shots at two. Poor baby, I hope I stick them in the right end.”

Reluctantly, Lindsay sat up. “I have to go. Three orgasms before lunch, that’s a mighty fine sendoff.”

Nicole pulled her down for a kiss. “Eat hearty. I plan to give you more this evening.”

*******

“Where are your tools?” Rose asked when Lindsay came back into the store. “Weren’t you able to get it fixed?”

The tools and parts were still on Nicole’s kitchen table. “It’s…uh…gonna take some more time.” Lindsay avoided her mother’s curious gaze. “I’ll have to go back later, maybe on the weekend when I have more time.”

“Speaking of,” Rose said with a hand on her hip. “Mike called, he’s been asked to go back to work early. Alexis will be getting off the bus at the house today. Do you want me to meet her?”

All of Lindsay’s evening plans went down the drain in a heartbeat. “Um, no, I’ve missed her. You mind staying on here if I make dinner?”

“Not at all.” Rose smiled and waved at one of their regular customers. “Did Nicole change her mind about dinner tonight?”

“We didn’t really talk about it. I’ll call her later.”

“Good, I want to hear what she thought about the fishing trip.” Rose took a good look at Lindsay, and it made her incredibly nervous. “I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you look downright haggard. Aren’t you getting any rest?”

“I’ve been a bit restless.” Lindsay avoided Rose’s gaze and straightened a rack of fuses that up until then had been perfect. “I’ll pick up some tea on the way home later.”

“No, do it now and take a nap before Alexis gets home. It’s slow here today. No need for you to hang around.”

Lindsay nodded and pulled her key ring from her pocket. “Thanks, Mom. I think I will.”

She felt incredibly guilty again as she drove home. Lying to her mother was becoming a common thing in only a matter of days. Add to that, she should’ve been ecstatic that Alexis was coming home early. Though she was thrilled, there was still a part of her that regretted the time lost with Nicole. She was becoming a greedy liar.

When she got home, Lindsay debated on sending Nicole a text message with the news or calling. She opted for the latter, wanting to hear her voice. Deana put her through cheerfully, and when Lindsay heard Nicole answer, she sighed as she recalled their morning. “I have some news. Mike’s been called in early, and Alexis will be coming home tonight.”

“I missed that little stinker,” Nicole said brightly. “As much as I’ve enjoyed our alone time, the house just wasn’t the same without her.”

“You amaze me.” Lindsay sank down onto the couch. “I expected to hear disappointment in your voice.”

“I am disappointed that I won’t be able to do the things I planned. I made a list, actually wrote it down, then put it in the shredder. But one of the things I enjoy the most about you, aside from what we did earlier, is spending time with your child. I’ll take every minute I can get with her and you, too.”

“Does that mean you’ll join us for dinner?”

“Absolutely, and I’ll bring pie. Do you suppose Lexi is tired of chocolate cream yet?”

“Not a chance,” Lindsay said with a smile. “See you at six?”

“Earlier if I can swing it.”

“I’ll look forward to that. See you soon.”

“Okay, sexy.”

Lindsay ended the call and stared down at the phone. Everything about Nicole Allen was a pleasant surprise. In such a short time, Lindsay had gone from interest to attraction to downright lust. The other L word was bubbling up within her like a spring. Could it genuinely happen this fast? It had taken her mother two years to fall for her father. Did love truly come this quickly, or was she just caught up in a whirlwind of new experience that packed strong emotions and would dissipate when the storm was over?

The phone rang again in her hand. Lindsay grinned. thinking it was Nicole, but the caller ID read St. Claire Elementary.

Chapter Eighteen

Clarice Pendarvis met Lindsay in the parking lot. Lindsay couldn’t recall when she’d ever seen the principal without a smile, but that day, her expression displayed anything but joy. “Is she okay?” Lindsay asked again as she climbed out of the truck. She’d asked the same on the phone, but Clarice’s dour expression had her rattled.

“She has a split lip and a black eye. The school nurse is looking her over now.” Clarice gave her a tight hug and stroked her back. “She’s okay, honey. I would’ve been honest with you on the phone if she wasn’t.”

“Will you tell me what happened before I have to face the other parents?”

Clarice took Lindsay by the arm and started leading her toward the school office. “They’re not here yet. I waited a few minutes after talking to you before I called them. What I’ve gotten so far is Billy Meyers began taunting Amanda Stanton, saying things like her father was a cheater and a liar.” Clarice sighed. “This, of course, upset her, and she became hysterical, and that’s when Alexis stepped in.” Clarice pulled them to a stop. “Lindsay, she threw the first punch, the second, and third in front of many witnesses, including a teacher who couldn’t get out of her classroom fast enough to stop it before it began. You know, according to school policy, we have a zero-tolerance stance on this. It’s more lenient in elementary school, but I’m going to have to suspend Alexis at least for one day.”

“Lord!” Lindsay rubbed her forehead as fear gave way to aggravation.

“Between you and me, Billy had it coming. He’s already been reprimanded for harassing Amanda and a lot of other children. I’ve had conferences with his parents, followed all the steps. He’ll be suspended, as well.” Clarice rubbed Lindsay’s arm. “I know this isn’t going to make you feel any better, but if I’d been any of those other children, I would’ve knocked Billy on his ass a long time ago.”

Lindsay smiled weakly. “I remember you did just that to Kevin McCreedy. To date, I think you’re the only one in history that ever laid him out.”

“Times are different, though, honey. My back’s against the wall on this one. I wanted you to know before everyone else got here.”

“Thanks, Clarice. Alexis and I have had many discussions about not using fists to settle an issue. She knew better.”

“Be that as it may, a child can only take so much. Go easy on her, okay?” Clarice said with a sad smile. “She did it for a friend who’s going through a lot right now.”

Lindsay nodded. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

Lindsay was asked to wait in the teachers’ lounge until Clarice talked to the other parents. Tiffany Stanton joined her after about ten minutes. “I’m so sorry,” Tiffany said as she came into the room. “Please don’t be angry with Alexis.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. Alexis could’ve handled this differently.”

“To my knowledge, she’s never hit anyone before. Even when she and Amanda were babies, Alexis wasn’t one to get physical. She was upset because Amanda was hurting.”

“She can’t—”

Angela, the assistant principal, stepped into the room. “Ladies, would you follow me, please?”

Silently, Lindsay and Tiffany followed Angela down the hall. Lindsay felt like a schoolgirl being summoned to the principal’s office. Her palms began to sweat as her empty stomach swirled. Alexis and Amanda sat on one side of the room, Alexis with an ice pack to her lip. On the opposite side of Clarice’s office sat Wileana Meyers and her son Billy, who looked like he’d gone through a meat grinder. His face was red and swollen, dried blood ringed his nostrils. His lip was also split in two different places, and he was sporting a small gash above his left eyebrow.

Lindsay sat on the bench beside Alexis and took her into her arms. Alexis began to cry softly as she leaned heavily into her.

“I’ve spoken to all the parents separately,” Clarice began. “I’d like you all to hear what Mrs. Altman witnessed today.” She nodded toward the nervous-looking teacher. “Be frank, please, so that there’s no misunderstanding.”

“It was the beginning of recess,” Mrs. Altman said timidly. “I was straightening up my classroom, and I heard a child scream and cry. I wasn’t on duty, but I went to my window anyway to see what the commotion was. I saw Billy circling Amanda, saying something I couldn’t hear. As I turned to go outside, one of the other children came in and told me that Billy was chanting, ‘Your daddy is a liar and a cheat, and he’s going straight to hell.’ As I went out the door, I saw Alexis step in between them, and I heard for myself that Billy was saying exactly what the child had told me. Before I could get to them, Alexis punched Billy in the mouth. She punched him two more times before I could get through the children that had gathered.” Mrs. Altman looked at Alexis sadly. “I grabbed Alexis to stop her, and Billy punched her in the face a couple of times before I could get them apart.”

“He said my daddy was going to hell,” Amanda said tearfully as she pointed a finger at Billy.

Wileana’s face flushed red as she regarded her son. She nudged him. “Apologize.”

“Sorry,” Billy muttered without looking up from his shoes.

Wileana looked at Clarice. “I’ve heard all I need to hear. He got what he deserved, and I understand what you have to do.”

“Thank you,” Clarice said with a nod.

“We’re gonna go now.” Wileana stood and pulled Billy to his feet. “Tiffany, Lindsay, I’m sorry for all of this.” Wileana behaved much like her son and didn’t meet their eyes as she ushered him out of the office.

“Clarice,” Tiffany said when they were gone. “Isn’t there anything you can do? Please don’t suspend Alexis for this.”

“I don’t have a choice,” Clarice said sadly.

“Don’t put her on the spot. She’ll have the school board and every parent of every child who has ever been in a fight on her neck.” Lindsay reached over and patted Tiffany on the arm. “I appreciate your concern.” Lindsay looked down at Amanda. “Are you okay, honey?”

Amanda nodded once, then her face twisted as more tears began to fall. She shook her head to the contrary and buried her face in Tiffany’s chest.

“I’m not mad at you, Amanda,” Alexis said tearfully as she tugged on Amanda’s shirt. “You didn’t get me in trouble. It’s not your fault.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as the two girls embraced.

*******

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” Lindsay buckled Alexis’s seat belt.

Alexis took the ice pack off her lip and pressed it to her darkening eye. “No, ma’am,” she said with a hiccup.

Lindsay kissed her forehead. “We’ll talk about this when we get home.”

She heard a muffled “yes, ma’am” as she closed the door.

*******

Nicole pulled in behind them when they parked in the driveway. Excitedly, she climbed out of her car as Lindsay and Alexis got out of the truck. Nicole was moving fast toward Alexis with her arms open wide when Alexis turned and looked up at her. The smiled dropped from Nicole’s face as she sank to her knees. “What happened to you, baby?” she asked in horror.

“Billy Meyers—”

“What?” Nicole bellowed as her face flashed red.

Lindsay put a hand on her shoulder. “Billy looks like he’s been run over by an eighteen-wheeler. You may want to hold your indignation until you hear the rest of the story.”

Nicole gathered Alexis in her arms and picked her up like a baby. Alexis held on to her like she was the only ally she had in the world. Nicole followed Lindsay up the steps and rocked Alexis gently as she waited for her to unlock the door. Once inside, Nicole sat her on the couch and began inspecting the child for other injuries.

“He only hit me twice,” Alexis mumbled around her swollen lip.

“Twice?” Nicole repeated as she stroked the hair from Alexis’s face. “That little—” Nicole clamped her lips together tightly to withhold the profanity that Lindsay was certain she wanted to scream.

“Let me remind you he took a good beating.” Lindsay sat next to Alexis on the couch and took a closer look at her lip.

The back door swung open and hit the wall. Rose stomped into the room and put a hand to her mouth when she got a good look at Alexis. She sagged against Nicole when she put an arm around her. “Tiffany called me at the store. Stacy’s there by herself, but Roger’s coming in early.” Rose knelt in front of Alexis and stroked her face. “Honey, what possessed you to hit him?”

“I sthnapped,” Alexis said with a more pronounced lisp brought on by a fat lip. “Just like Mith Nicole did when Mark pulled my hair.” Alexis looked at her grandmother pleadingly. “He made Amanda cry.”

Nicole covered her face with her hands. “Oh, my God, I am so stupid.”

“Tiffany told you the whole story, I presume?” Lindsay looked at Rose.

Rose nodded and grabbed Nicole by the hand, pulling her back down to the floor. “Neither of you is stupid. You both did something stupid when emotion took over. Don’t make the same mistake twice, understand me?”

Nicole and Alexis nodded, and Lindsay had to stifle a laugh.

Rose stood like the matter was settled. “Now we’re going to need something soft for dinner. I’ll run up to T-John’s and pick something up for us all.”

“I’m not real hungry, Grams.” Alexis moved the ice pack to her lip.

“Neither am I,” Nicole said wearily.

“Not now, but you will be.” Rose planted a hand on her hip. “I have some frozen vegetable soup in the freezer. It won’t take long to thaw, that’ll do.” She darted off, leaving the other three behind.

“Mom cures all with food,” Lindsay said with a smile. She pulled Alexis into her arms and cradled her. “You’re grounded for a week, no outside play.”

Nicole’s eyes widened, and Lindsay shot her the “no arguments” look. Alexis took it better. “I know, Mom.”

“Let’s get you out of these bloody clothes and into a warm bath.” She put Alexis on her feet, and Nicole hugged her.

“I’m sorry, Lexi. I set a really bad example.”

Alexis hugged her back. “I knew better, it’s not your fault.”

Lindsay felt herself tearing up again.

*******

After dinner and the forgotten pie that Nicole had left in her car, Rose and Lindsay cleaned up the dishes. Rose looked into the living room and put a hand to her chest. “Look at this.” Lindsay came to stand beside her mother and looked at the pair sitting on the couch. Nicole had Alexis in her lap, and they were talking softly as they toyed with each other’s hair.

“What do you suppose they’re saying?” Rose asked.

Lindsay smiled. “I have no idea.” She stepped into the room. “I hate to disturb the grooming session, but someone needs to go to bed.”

“We have a request.” Nicole looked at Alexis. “Since she’s suspended and you both have to work tomorrow and since this is my fault, we’d like to know if the accused can serve out her sentence at my office. Please? We promise not to have any fun, and Alexis has agreed to clean the exam tables after each patient.”

Lindsay glanced over her shoulder at Rose. “Now we know what they were plotting.” She looked back at two hopeful faces. “Yes, but no fun. Are we clear?”

Alexis and Nicole nodded with twin grins.

Lindsay pointed to the stairs. “To bed with you.” She ruffled Alexis’s hair as she went by and looked at Nicole. “I’ll be down in a few.”

Rose stepped farther into the room as her girls raced upstairs. “You’ve got that child wrapped around your finger,” she said with a slight smile.

Nicole stood and stretched. “She’s an amazing kid. I’m just as thoroughly wrapped.”

Rose moved in closer. “I was talking about Lindsay.”

Retreat! Nicole’s mind screamed. She found herself backing toward the door. Rose matched every step.

“I’ve known for a long time.” Rose began wringing her hands together. “I prayed that someone special, someone who could make her happy would come into her life. And then you showed up. I saw the way you looked at her at breakfast the morning we met, and I knew my prayers had been answered.”

Nicole threw the door open. “Don’t do this to me. You have to have this conversation with her first.” She felt like a coward when she turned her back to Rose.

“Nicole, she’s my baby.”

Nicole put a hand to her chest and turned. “She’s my baby, too.”

Rose inhaled deeply. Emotions flashed across her face as the confirmation truly registered. “Not a word of this.”

Nicole’s jaw sagged. “You’re asking me to keep this a secret?”

Rose held up her hands. “Lindsay has to resolve herself to things before she can discuss it. I’m the same way. She has to come to me in her own time.”

Nicole closed her eyes and nodded. “I promise.”

“Welcome to my family, sweetheart. I’ve been waiting such a long time.”

All the air rushed from Nicole’s lungs as she rushed into Rose’s arms.

“You love her, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question.

Nicole dropped her head to Rose’s shoulder and nodded. Rose held her for a moment, and Nicole pulled away to wipe her face.

“Go now, I’ll tell her you had to leave. She can’t see you like this. She’ll know, and I think that’ll upset her.”

“She won’t believe whatever you tell her.” Nicole looked uncertain.

“No, she won’t. Maybe she’ll…” Rose let the sentence drop. “In her own time.”

Nicole kissed Rose on the cheek and moved swiftly out the door.

*******

Lindsay stood on the landing with her hands cupped over her mouth. She moved slowly backward to the darkness of her bedroom when she heard the front door close.

Chapter Nineteen

Lindsay sank down onto her bed in shock. She knew, her mind screamed so loudly, she thought she heard it audibly in the silent room. Her first impulse was to be angry. How much easier would it have been if her mother would’ve just made that admission a long time ago? But if she had anyone to be angry with, it was herself. It was her secret to tell, and she’d withheld it. And then another realization hit. Had she disclosed her true nature to Rose, she might’ve felt free to at least date, then…she might’ve never met Nicole.

You love her, don’t you. Her mother’s words had stolen her breath away, but when she saw Nicole nod, Lindsay had nearly lost the ability to stand. She wasn’t mentally ready to have this conversation with her mother, but she wasn’t willing to force Nicole to keep a secret that would make things tense for them all.

Lindsay wiped her face and headed downstairs.

“Nicole had to leave, honey,” Rose said without looking up as she wrapped the remainder of the pie in plastic.

“I know why she left.” Lindsay’s voice sounded small and uncertain.

Rose slowly met her eye and gestured to the kitchen table. “Sit down, love.”

Lindsay did as she was asked. At first, she folded her arms on the table, then she put them in her lap. She was about to start popping her knuckles, something she never did, when Rose reached over and touched her arm. Lindsay couldn’t meet her eye. “I’m a grown woman and still I can’t…” Lindsay put the heels of her hands to her eyes to keep the tears from falling.

“Could I possibly love you any less?”

Lindsay’s words were choked with emotion as she said, “I didn’t want you to be embarrassed.”

“I’m not,” Rose said resolutely. “My God, I’ve done everything but duct tape you and Nicole together.” She tugged at one of Lindsay’s arms until she was forced to look at her. “Do you honestly think I give a rip what people think over the feelings of my own daughter? Can you sit here and tell me that you’d put that above your own flesh and blood if the roles were reversed?” Rose looked indignant. “If the answer to that is yes, then I’ve done a poor job raising you.”

“How did you know?”

Rose’s face colored slightly. “You and I have always been so close, I guessed I just sensed it. I should’ve said something to you before you married Mike, but I wasn’t completely sure. Then the light went out in your eyes, and I watched you day by day pretend to be happy. It broke my heart.” Rose wiped away a tear that had formed in the corner of her eye. “After you and Mike divorced and you moved in with me before you bought this house, I was putting up laundry in your room. I found that movie with the two guys and two girls on the cover in your drawer.” Rose shook her head. “I must’ve watched it three times that day.” She scrubbed at another tear. “I understood then, and I should’ve talked to you. I tried a couple of times, but when I saw how uncomfortable it made you, I let it drop.”

Lindsay wiped her face on her sleeve. “I’ve been in denial for a long time.”

Rose cupped her face and smiled when she looked into Lindsay’s eyes. “I love you. You handle this thing with Nicole how you feel you need to, and I will be right by your side.”

Lindsay wanted to crawl into her lap as she did as a child. Instead, she hugged her mother tight and whispered how much she loved her, too. They both jumped when they heard a knock on the front door. “I have a feeling I know who that is,” Rose said with a smile. “Wash your face, and I’ll let her in.”

“I can’t do this!” Nicole whispered so loudly when Rose opened the door that Lindsay heard her in the kitchen. “I’ve been riding around in circles, and I know there’s no way I can keep this promise.”

Rose grabbed Nicole by the arm and pulled her in the house.

“I’m such a coward,” Nicole continued to whisper as Rose dragged her through the living room. “I can’t leave her alone. When you tell her I left, she’s gonna know and—” Nicole fell silent when Lindsay appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“We all know now, hon. You can calm down.” Rose gave Nicole a gentle shove in Lindsay’s direction.

“I freaked and I ran.” Nicole approached Lindsay. “I won’t ever do that again. That’s a promise I know I can keep.”

Lindsay threw her arms around Nicole’s neck and held her tight.

“Well,” Rose said with a sigh. “If you two will clear the doorway, I can go home and collapse.”

Lindsay released Nicole and hugged Rose. “Thanks, Mom,” she said with a kiss.

Rose accepted a bear hug from Nicole, then glided toward the back door. She turned and put her hand on the door frame and watched as Nicole and Lindsay embraced again. “Good night, girls,” she said with a smile and left.

Chapter Twenty

There was a lot that needed to be said, but words were made to wait as Lindsay and Nicole made love that night quietly behind a closed bedroom door. It was Nicole’s idea to leave the bed an hour or two before sunrise and take the couch. They’d not discussed how they’d handle the situation with Alexis, but both agreed it was best for her not to find them entwined in bed together.

Nicole felt Peepers jump up on her feet. She opened one eye to find Alexis staring at her curiously. “Why are you on the couch?”

“Your mom and I stayed up late last night.” Nicole propped herself up on her elbow. “Wow, you’ve got one big shiner there.”

Alexis touched the skin beneath her eye. “It’s really black, isn’t it?”

“Does it hurt?”

Alexis shook her head. “Not really. My lip does, though. The toothpaste burned it bad this morning.”

Nicole looked down at the jeans and small LSU jersey. “Did you dress yourself?”

“Mom’s still asleep.”

Nicole looked at the clock—it was just after five. “Oh, honey, we don’t have to get up for at least another hour.”

Alexis looked longingly at the blanket covering Nicole. “Can I get in?”

Nicole rolled over on her side and lifted it up. “Sure you can.”

Alexis snuggled up against Nicole’s warm body and settled her head on the pillow. “My hand hurts. I think I cut my finger on Billy’s teeth.”

Nicole grinned. “Let me see it.” In the dim light coming from the stove in the kitchen, Nicole could make out a small scrape. She kissed it lightly. “Will that hold until we can put a Band-Aid on it?”

“Yeth, ma’am, thank you.”

Nicole wrapped her arm around Alexis and closed her eyes.

*******

Lindsay awoke with a start. She’d forgotten to set the alarm, and they’d overslept by an hour. She calmed a bit when she remembered that Alexis wouldn’t be going to school that day, but she still had to go to work and so did Nicole. After brushing her teeth and going to the bathroom, she went to wake Alexis and found her bed empty. Lindsay grinned as she descended the stairs and saw two heads nestled together on the couch. She stood over them, watching them sleep soundly. Gently, she stroked Nicole’s hair until one blue eye opened and peered up at her. Peepers, ready for breakfast, bounded over both of them and began to yowl, waking Alexis.

“Mom is going to beat us all because she’s going to have to open the store alone this morning.” Lindsay took a closer look at Alexis’s injuries and grimaced. “You look rough, kiddo.”

Alexis sprang up. “I feel good, though. Can I still go to work with Mith Nicole?”

Lindsay grinned at Nicole. “Yes, you can. I see you’re already dressed, so go upstairs and brush your teeth and hair.”

Alexis raced up the stairs, leaving the two alone. Lindsay took a seat next to Nicole and kissed her quickly. “I missed you this morning.”

Nicole smiled back sleepily. “I missed you, too, but your miniature blast furnace kept me nice and warm.”

“I’m going to make bacon, eggs, and toast. Is that okay with you?”

“Do you have any idea how sweet that sounds coming from your mouth?” Nicole draped an arm around Lindsay’s waist.

“That I’m making your breakfast or that you’re here for breakfast?”

Nicole grinned. “Both. I need to learn how to cook, so I can offer the same.”

Lindsay stood and pulled Nicole up with her. “I’ll teach you to cook, and you can teach me how to catch a cotton ball.”

“Oh, you’re on, baby. I’m a master of cotton ball fishing.”

*******

“You be careful with my baby in that sports car of yours,” Lindsay warned as she followed Nicole and Alexis down the steps of the front porch.

Nicole tossed her keys in the air and caught them. “I’m gonna let her drive.”

Alexis pumped her fist and said, “yeth,” then grabbed her lip. “Ouch.”

Lindsay had to catch her by the sleeve to get a kiss. “I love you, monkey. You behave today and mind Ms. Nicole.”

“I will, I promise.” Alexis ran over to the red sports car and waited for Nicole to pop the lock.

Lindsay stood directly behind Nicole so Alexis couldn’t see. She gave her an air kiss that was returned. “Does that thing have a backseat?”

“Small, but yes.”

“That’s where she rides.”

Nicole narrowed her eyes. “I’ve got nieces and nephews, you know. This isn’t my first time around the block.”

“Two of the people that matter to me the most are going around the block together. Be safe and come back to me in one piece.”

“You do the same. We’re going to miss you.”

Lindsay sighed. “I wish I could kiss you right now, but I’ll have to settle for telling you that I can’t wait to see you again.”

*******

Nicole drove slowly, knowing that Lindsay was watching her precious cargo pull away. “When we get to the office, I’m going to see if I have any early appointments. If I don’t, I’ll take a quick shower and you can entertain Bieber and Bounce, unless you’d like to sit with Ms. Deana.”

“Oh, I definitely want to see the kittens.”

Nicole looked in the rearview. “That’s what I thought you’d say.”

“When will we eat lunch?”

Nicole glanced back into the mirror. “You’re hungry already?”

Alexis nodded enthusiastically. “Uh-huh. Mom said it’s ’cause I’m growing.”

“I’ve got some Pop-Tarts and milk. Will that do?”

“What flavor?”

Nicole wheeled the car into her garage. “Strawberry, I think.”

“Yummy.” Alexis bounded out of the car when Nicole moved the seat. “Do you have a Coke machine in your office?”

Nicole laughed as she opened the kitchen door and waited for Alexis to enter. “No, it makes the dogs and cats too hyper.” Her words were lost on Alexis as she dove on the kitchen floor and coaxed the wary kittens toward her. Nicole picked up the phone and dialed the office; Deana answered on the first ring. “I’m running very late today. Do I have anyone waiting?”

“No, but Mr. Claymore will be here in thirty minutes with Duke for a checkup and shots.”

“Hmm, Duke sounds like a big dog name.”

Deana chuckled. “Teacup poodle. Duke is short for Duke of St. Claire,” Deana said, imitating a British accent.

“I’m going to take a quick shower then. I can’t be funky when I meet royalty. I’ll see you soon.” Nicole grabbed the Pop-Tarts and poured Alexis a glass of milk. “If you sit in this chair, you can see the TV from the kitchen table. What would you like to watch while I bathe?”

“Cartoons.”

Nicole went into the living room and grabbed the remote. “What channel?”

“Thirty-three.” Ugly and crudely drawn cartoon characters filled the screen. “That’s it,” Alexis called from the kitchen.

“They sure don’t make them like Bugs Bunny and Scooby-Doo anymore,” Nicole said with a frown. “Okay, I’ll be right out. Yell if you need me.”

“Yeth, ma’am.”

Nicole broke personal bathing records, but there was no time to do anything with her hair. She towel-dried it as best she could and dressed. At the last minute, she brushed and put it up in a ponytail. When she walked back into the kitchen, Alexis smiled up at her with a milk mustache. “You look like me.” She pointed to her hair.

“I wanted to be as cool as you are. Need more milk?”

“No, ma’am.” Alexis hopped out of the chair and put her glass in the sink while Nicole wiped the mountain of crumbs from the table.

They strolled in the back door of the office just as Mr. Claymore came in the front. Nicole and Alexis walked into the reception area as Deana greeted their first patient of the day. Mr. Claymore whistled when he got a look at Alexis’s face. “I sure hope the other gal looks as bad as you do.”

Alexis grinned as much as her split lip would allow. “No, sir, he looks worse.”

Deana covered her mouth and looked away.

“My assistant and I are going into the back to get set up. Deana, if you’ll bring Mr. Claymore on around, we’ll have a look at Duke.” Nicole led Alexis to the first exam room and sat her on a stool in the corner. “You just sit back here and watch, okay?”

“Ith he gonna get a shot?” Alexis asked wide-eyed.

“Yes, sweetie, he is. Will that make you squeamish?”

“Not if they’re not going into my butt.”

Nicole clamped a hand over her mouth after releasing a cackle laugh. “You know, honey, it might be a good idea if you don’t talk to me while I’m examining Duke.” Nicole touched the tip of Alexis’s nose with her finger. “You make me laugh too much, and I might put the shot in his ear instead.”

*******

Across town, Lindsay was begging her mother to stop talking. Rose had had plenty of time over the years to reconcile herself with Lindsay’s sexuality, and now that it was out of the bag, she felt free to discuss whatever came to mind.

“Do you suppose you and Nicole will have a child together?” Rose closed the door to Lindsay’s office, effectively trapping her.

“Mom.” Lindsay rubbed her brow. “You do realize that Nicole is also a woman.”

“Yes, of that I’m fairly certain.” Rose looked down at her nails. “Lesbian couples have babies all the time.”

“We just got together. We haven’t even had a chance to discuss anything like that.” Lindsay spun around in her chair and stared at her computer screen.

“I know, I know.” Rose sighed. “Another baby in the house would be wonderful, though, don’t you think?” She went on without a response. “You took forever to conceive, I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to have a grandbaby. This time, Nicole could carry the child, and you having already had the experience can be so much more supportive.”

Lindsay buried her face in her hands. She had expected Rose to cry or maybe even shout when she learned the truth about her only daughter, but this…was far worse. “Don’t bring it up to her. This is something we should discuss when the time is right.”

Rose sighed again. “You know, gay marriage—”

“Oh, my God!” Lindsay whirled around in her chair. “We’ve only just begun dating.”

Rose waved a finger. “You’re already sleeping together. That much was obvious when I caught you in the kitchen Sunday morning. You looked like you spent the night in the washing machine on the spin cycle.” She went on undaunted when Lindsay’s face flushed deep red and her mouth dropped open. “I’ve been reading a lot over the years, and lesbians tend to move very quickly in their relationships.” She held up her hands as though her logic made perfect sense. “So you see? These questions are completely valid.”

“Have you been checking out books on this topic at the St. Claire library?” Lindsay asked, aghast.

Rose put a hand on her hip and shook a finger. “Your mother, the old crone, knows how to use the Interwebs,” Rose said indignantly. “I know all about the U-Haul syndrome.”

“Mom, Alexis doesn’t even know. Can we deal with that first, then look at the rest further down the road?”

“I thought about that all night,” Rose said seriously. “I lost sleep over it. She adores Nicole, but this is still going to be hard for her to understand.”

“I have mixed emotions on that. On one side, she’s so young and just so open to everything that I don’t think it would be a big deal. But on the other hand…” Amanda Stanton’s misery the day before weighed heavily on Lindsay’s heart. “Do you think Billy Meyers came up with what he said yesterday on his own?”

“No. More than likely, he heard his mother make the comment.” Rose toyed with the small gold cross on her necklace. “He probably didn’t really understand what he was saying.”

“Can you imagine what he and other children will say to Alexis about me?” Lindsay’s pulse began to pound as vile chants played through her mind. Your mother’s a fag, she’s going to hell. Your mother’s a queer and so are you.

Rose was quiet for the first time that day.

“Nicole is very understanding when it comes to Alexis.” Lindsay shrugged. “She’s understanding about everything, but we’re not going to be able to maintain a relationship and keep it hidden forever. People are going to start to talk even if they haven’t already.”

“Moving away is on your mind, isn’t it?” Rose met Lindsay’s gaze. “I meant what I said before when we talked about this.”

“I have been thinking about it.” Lindsay’s heart broke when she saw the resignation on her mother’s face. “It’s not an option.” She smiled sadly. “Until last night, I thought it was something I’d eventually be forced to do. Regardless of where I live, Alexis is going to be faced with who I am, and I have lived in this town all my life. It’s my home and hers. I’m not willing to leave you, nor will I ask Nicole to pull up the roots she’s put down,” she said resolutely. “I just don’t know the best way to handle this yet, but I’ll figure it out.”

“I can help,” Rose said brightly. “We can all put our heads together and come up with something.”

“Well, gird up your loins because we’ll probably all be fist-fighting.”

“Oh, honey,” Rose said with a grin. “There are so many ways to fight without getting physical. Let this old broad show you a thing or two.”

“You make me nervous when you smile like that.”

“See? I’ve still got it.” Rose stood and walked to the doorway where she hesitated.

Lindsay smiled up at her. “What?”

“I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too.”

Chapter Twenty-one

“Mom!” Alexis yelled as she raced in the front door with Nicole trailing behind. “I saw a dog having puppies, and they came right out of her butt!” Before Lindsay could formulate a response, Alexis ran into the kitchen and shouted the same thing to Rose.

Lindsay took advantage of the brief moment alone and kissed Nicole quickly. “You let my daughter watch puppies fall out of a dog’s butt?”

“Do you know Tina McCord?” Nicole looked over Lindsay’s shoulder before planting a kiss of her own.

“Young mother of umpteen children, looks like she’s been put through the wringer?”

“That’s her.” Nicole smiled. “Your description was very kind. One of her kids took in a very fluffy stray that no one realized was pregnant. Tina brought her in saying there was something protruding from her butt. With all the fur, it really did look that way. She didn’t know the dog was in labor.”

Lindsay pursed her lips. “I suppose I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do now that Alexis has witnessed the miracle of birth.”

“Uh-huh. She had a billion questions that I deflected as best as I could. We’re also going to have a chat about my role in Alexis’s life because right now, I’m not sure where to step.”

“I know.” Lindsay sighed. “This is all uncharted territory for me, too. Mom and I had nearly the same discussion earlier today. It’s been weighing heavily on my mind. Telling Mom seemed like the biggest hurdle, but Alexis and everyone else are as equally intimidating.”

“There’s always the option not to tell.”

Lindsay couldn’t resist the urge to touch Nicole. She did so without making sure the coast was clear and stroked Nicole’s cheek lovingly. “I appreciate you throwing me that bone. A few days ago, I would’ve snatched it up and ran with it. But my perspective has taken a radical turn in the last twenty-four hours, and I’m fairly certain that avoidance isn’t the answer.”

Nicole appeared to be stunned. She opened her mouth to speak but changed her mind when she saw Alexis running back into the living room.

“Mom, Mrs. McCord said I could have one or all of the puppies if it’s okay with you.”

Lindsay looked back at Nicole and narrowed her eyes. “I’m beginning to rethink my decision to let her go to work with you, even though it’s a bit late now.” She stroked Alexis’s hair. “Honey, we already have Peepers, and he eats more than a horse. He’d probably hate having to share his house with a dog, too.”

But Alexis had it all planned out. “The dogs can stay in the backyard. We’ll build them a house.”

Lindsay knelt and put her hand on Alexis’s shoulder. “When you’re older,” Lindsay raised a finger, “and I’m not talking about tomorrow, we’ll have this discussion again. I have to clean Peepers’s litter box and keep him fed because you forget. That tells me you’re not old enough to care for a dog, so for now, the answer is no.”

“Yeth, ma’am,” Alexis said, dejected.

Lindsay kissed her on the cheek. “Now go upstairs and wash up for dinner.”

Nicole watched her go in amazement. “She’s a great kid. My nieces and nephews would’ve pulled out every stop to argue their case.”

“Alexis knows that no is no.” Lindsay laced her fingers through Nicole’s. “Mom raised me that way. Her no stood, and if I argued, it opened up a whole new arena of nos.” Lindsay grinned. “That’s your first lesson with Alexis. Your decisions have to be consistent. If not, she’ll never take you at your word.”

Nicole smiled impishly. “I’ll just make it a point never to say no.”

“And you’ll find yourself grounded from a great many things by me.”

*******

After dinner, Rose made it a point to leave early. Nicole cleaned up the kitchen while Lindsay got Alexis ready for bed. As she loaded the dishwasher, she found herself smiling at how easy it was to slip into the domestic role. Peepers walked around her ankles, reminding her of two kittens that wanted and needed her attention. They’d been fed, but Nicole realized that they needed her interaction. She’d adopted them, and it was her responsibility and the joy of having a pet. Not only was she neglecting them, she’d allowed her laundry to pile up, and there were other things in her own home that needed her attention. Splitting her time was going to become an issue if she didn’t get a handle on it.

The cause of the dilemma sneaked up behind Nicole and kissed her ear while wrapping her arms around her waist. “Thank you for cleaning up.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Lindsay’s breath against her neck sent a jolt of desire through her that was compounded by the words whispered. “I can think of much more pleasurable things to do.”

“Me too,” Nicole said with a moan. “But tonight we need to spend some time talking.”

“Totally overrated if you ask me.” Lindsay was grinning when Nicole turned in her arms.

“Those pleasurable things you speak of will only be better if we get things in order first.” Nicole kissed her quickly, though she wanted it to linger.

With a long sigh, Lindsay took her by the hand and led her to the living room, where they settled on the couch together. “Thank you for being the one strong enough to keep us centered.”

“I’m not as centered as you think. Right now, my center—”

Lindsay laughed as she clamped her hand over Nicole’s mouth. “Don’t start. You know where talk like that will lead us.”

Nicole took Lindsay’s hand and kissed it. “Okay, let’s be serious for a moment. Where are you going with what you said earlier?”

“I don’t know yet. I need you to help me figure it out.” Lindsay stared down at their joined hands. “I think the priority is to talk to Alexis first.” She met Nicole’s gaze. “You were absolutely right when you said this is happening fast. I’m already thinking in terms of us being us for a long time, a lifetime. We’ve been very honest with each other, so I hope you’ll understand when I say that I worry I’m being too caught up and premature.”

“I understand exactly what you mean.” Nicole squeezed her hand. “If I were a man, all you’d have to tell Alexis or anyone else for that matter is that we’re dating. But things being as they are, it’s far more complicated than that. And if you’re wondering, I’m looking at everything as long-term. I…” Nicole began to ponder the statement Rose made just twenty-four hours earlier—You love her, don’t you. With Lindsay, she did something she’d never done before. The fall began during their first meeting, and that simply wasn’t logical to her. Making Lindsay believe something that was illogical even to Nicole would be difficult if not sound phony and trite.

“We’re caught in the same spiral.” Lindsay smiled as though Nicole had spoken aloud everything that went through her mind. “It’s hard to accept as legitimate, I know.”

Nicole sighed softly and stroked her face. “You are so very amazing and incredibly special.”

Lindsay leaned in and kissed her. “I feel the same about you,” she said against Nicole’s lips.

Nicole had to reluctantly push her away. With a smile, she said, “Now that that’s established, may I make a suggestion regarding Alexis?”

“Of course.”

Nicole licked her lips. “I think we should put off saying anything to her until after the holidays.” Nicole held Lindsay’s hand against her chest. “I’m being selfish here. If she surprises us and reacts negatively, the holidays are going to be tense. I don’t want this time to be unpleasant for her and our first Christmas together to be tinged with sad memories.”

Lindsay rested her head against the back of the couch. “I don’t think that’s selfish at all. She’s out of school three weeks for Christmas. Maybe after the celebration is over, we can tell her then. That way, she has some time at home to adjust.”

Nicole nodded. “It’s a plan then.” She took Lindsay into her arms and deposited a kiss that left them weak and breathing heavily. “I hate to tell you this, but I have to go home now.”

Lindsay put her fingers to her own lips. “After a kiss like that?”

Nicole smiled as she stood. “If I leave you wanting, then I know you’ll constantly be thinking of me.”

“Now that is selfish,” Lindsay said as Nicole pulled her to her feet. “You’re on my mind constantly anyway.”

“My car can’t be parked in front of your house again all night, or people will talk, and Alexis will hear from someone else like Billy Meyers. And I have two kittens that are turning feral and a mountain of dirty clothes in my laundry room.” Nicole laughed at the look on Lindsay’s face. “We have to learn to pace ourselves.”

Lindsay followed her to the front door and put her hand on it to stop Nicole. “Pacing, like talking, is overrated. It downright sucks.”

Nicole took her in her arms and whispered against Lindsay’s ear. “There are things we talk about that turn your blood to fire.”

Lindsay moaned softly. “You do have a point.”

Nicole gave her another soul-searing kiss and stepped out onto the porch before she could recant on her idea to leave. “I will miss you insanely.”

“Don’t make me miss you for long. I’d hate to have to wake up my mother to sit with Alexis so I can walk to your house in the middle of the night.”

Nicole laughed as she went down the steps. She turned and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “My sink is still leaking.”

Lindsay laughed. “I’ll just have to come back over and take care of that.”

Chapter Twenty-two

Life for Lindsay and Nicole became peaks of stolen moments and valleys of longing. The six blocks between their houses became a well-worn path beneath their feet. To anyone who paid attention, they looked like someone taking a solitary stroll after dinner…who didn’t return for hours later.

Rose played her part in keeping the secret, as well. Nicole and Lindsay learned her looks of warning over Thanksgiving dinner when one or both would let the mask of nonchalance slip and the love that was blooming between them show so obviously on their faces. They had become thieves, stealing kisses whenever they could, and actors when in the presence of others.

The first weekend after Thanksgiving was a big deal in St. Claire. Nearly every resident made the trip to Millsted Christmas Tree Farm on the outskirts of town where they would hunt for the perfect specimen to decorate. Alexis could talk of little else. So on that Saturday, Lindsay, Alexis, and Rose picked Nicole up at her house for a day of tree hunting.

“I want a big one, Momma.” Alexis was nearly bouncing in the backseat where she sat next to Rose. “This year, we get to cut three trees because Ms. Nicole needs one for her house, too.”

“I already have a tree.” Nicole looked over her shoulder. “I just have to figure out where it is in the attic.”

“It’s fake?” Alexis sounded disappointed.

Nicole glanced at Lindsay, who was laughing softly. “Yes, but it’s very pretty.”

“Momma says fake trees make her sad because they have no smell.”

Nicole looked back at Lindsay. “This is true? Fake trees make you unhappy?”

“They’re just so…not real, and you take them out of a box instead of cutting them down, which is a lot of fun.”

“But it’s already strung with lights,” Nicole argued. “All I have to do is throw on a few ornaments, and kaboom, I’m done.”

“That makes me sad,” Alexis said.

“Nicole, honey, the hunt and the decorating are an all-day affair here. We go to the farm, enjoy some cider and a hayride, and we hunt the trees.” Rose squeezed Nicole’s shoulder. “Don’t let us pressure you into anything you don’t want to do. If you’re happy with a pitiful plastic tree, you go right ahead and decorate it. We won’t laugh.”

“Right,” Lindsay added with a grin. “Why stimulate the local economy anyway? The Millsteds won’t mind if little Jake has to go barefooted this winter because they can’t afford to buy his shoes.”

“Did I mention it has LED lights on the end of each branch?” Nicole huffed. “And it plays music when you push a button.”

“Oh, darling, did you hear that?” Rose looked down at Alexis. “Ms. Nicole’s tree is wired for sound. Um, Nicole, how big of a tree is it—eight, nine feet?”

Lindsay was shaking with silent laughter when Nicole glared at her. “Forty-eight inches,” she said lowly.

Alexis looked up at Rose. “How tall is that, Grams?”

“Let me put it this way.” Rose chuckled and stuck a finger in Alexis’s chest. “You won’t need a ladder to put on the star. Nicole, darling, you do have a star for it, don’t you, or do you use a bottle cap instead?”

Lindsay roared with laughter.

Nicole folded her arms and tried to keep a straight face. “Fine, gang up on me.”

“You take it well.” Lindsay patted her on the arm. “I have plenty of bottle caps at the house if you need one.”

*******

Lindsay joined the steady procession of vehicles as they lined up at the entrance of the farm. There were people in vests directing traffic into parking places. Nicole viewed the spectacle in silent awe. Tractors pulled trailers lined with hay bales and laughing children, while others were loaded down with fresh-cut trees. People roamed the rows with saws, and Christmas music blared from somewhere in the distance.

Nicole watched the commotion. “You weren’t joking about this being a big deal, were you?”

“Momma, hurry up. All the good trees are gonna be gone,” Alexis cried as she plastered her face to the window.

“Hold your horses there, spot.” Lindsay wheeled the big truck into a parking place and unclipped her belt. She grinned at Nicole. “Her eye is almost healed. I’m really going to miss being able to call her that.”

The four climbed out of the truck and took their place in a long line. When they reached the front, a teenage boy greeted them with a smile. “How many tags do you want, Ms. Juneau?”

Everyone turned and looked at Nicole expectantly. She held up three fingers in resignation. After they’d been armed with a saw, tags, and a marker, the hunt was on. Alexis took Nicole by the hand and took off in a dead run.

“There’s always more trees in the back because no one wants to walk that far,” Alexis said breathlessly. Nicole looked over her shoulder at Rose and Lindsay, who seemed quite pleased at not having to keep up with a seven-year-old. Alexis shouted and waved at friends but never slacked up until the crowd grew sparse and the selection grew thicker. “Every tree has a price tag. The red ones cost the most, the yellow ones are less, and the green ones are cheap. Mom says this is the one place she doesn’t care about the price tag.” Alexis lowered her voice. “But Grams always picks a tree with a green tag.”

Nicole caught her breath and followed Alexis into the narrow rows. Silently, she agreed with Rose. Why spend the money on something you’re going to kill and not even be able to eat? But Alexis had other plans. She circled a tree with a red tag and looked up at Nicole with a broad smile. “This one could be yours.”

“Why this one?”

“Because it’s taller than you,” Alexis said as if the answer was obvious.

“But it has a bare spot right in the middle,” Lindsay said as she walked up. “Besides, we never cut the first tree we see unless it just calls to us. Is this one talking to you?”

Nicole looked at Lindsay, then back at the tree. “All I hear is, ‘get away from me with that saw.”’

“Then we move on. Not too far,” Lindsay called out when Alexis shot off like a dart.

“I’ve been educated on pricing.” Nicole grimaced when she looked at a tag on one of the trees.

Rose cuffed her on the arm. “Ah, we have a Grinch in our midst.”

“Your granddaughter already ratted you out. She says you buy the cheap trees.” Nicole thumbed one of the green tags.

“Only because my space is limited.” Rose lifted her chin high. “At least I don’t buy plastic.”

Lindsay began to snicker.

“I am stalking and murdering a real tree this year, so you two can retract the claws.” Nicole came to a stop. “Claws, I bet Bieber and Bounce will have a heyday with whatever I get. This could be disastrous.”

“Only if you blow a circuit breaker when you spray them with water.” Lindsay shrugged. “I say wire it to the wall and let them be cats.”

“Is that what you do with Peepers?” Nicole said with a laugh.

“When he was a kitten, yes. Now he’s too fat to climb, so he swats the ornaments off the bottom and chews the wrapping paper on the gifts.” Lindsay’s eyes narrowed when Alexis didn’t appear in the row again. As she was opening her mouth to call out, Rose put a hand to her arm.

“I’ll go find her. You two carry on with the hunt.”

Lindsay and Nicole watched as Rose, looking dapper in her pressed denim shirt and jeans, disappeared between two trees.

“Alexis ratted you out, too, ya know,” Nicole said with a grin. “She says price doesn’t matter when it comes to Christmas trees.”

Lindsay shook her head. “It doesn’t. Finding the perfect tree and decorating it have always been so exciting. I’ve never grown out of that, and I hope I never do. Christmas was such a magical time for me as a child, then when I had Alexis, all the magic came back. Now I relive it through her.”

Nicole smiled at the lilt in Lindsay’s voice. When the mystery of Santa Claus was revealed, everything seemed to pale. Christmas as she now knew it was complete pandemonium with her large family, and though she enjoyed it somewhat, it always came as a relief when the holiday was over. But being with Lindsay and her family was beginning to rub off, and the magic she spoke of was filling her with the same excitement. “This Christmas will always be special to me because it’s our first.”

Lindsay tucked the saw under her arm. “I was thinking the same thing. I wish I could take you in my arms right now and show you how happy I am to have you here. I’d throw you down and— Tiffany, hi.” Lindsay nearly tripped over her own feet when the familiar face peeked out from between the trees.

“Hello.” Tiffany looked at Nicole oddly. A slight flush covered her cheeks as she turned to Lindsay. “I thought I recognized your voice.”

“Have you met Dr. Allen?” Lindsay pointed to Nicole.

“I’ve seen you around town, but we’ve never been formally introduced.” Tiffany thrust out her hand. “I’m Tiffany Stanton, pleasure to meet you, Dr. Allen.”

Nicole smiled and took her hand. “It’s just Nicole, please.”

An awkward silence hung in the air among them, then Tiffany started rambling. “I brought the girls out. They always look forward to getting a tree. At least the weather has cooled off, it makes it feel more like Christmas. Last year, we were out here in shorts. I saw Alexis a moment ago, her eye looks so much better. I bet she’s ready to be out of school for the holidays. I know Amanda is anxious to have her come over and play, and of course, she’ll be banging on your door every chance she gets.”

“She’s always welcome.” Lindsay toyed with her hair.

“I have to run now.” Tiffany glanced quickly at Nicole. “It was really nice meeting you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Nicole said to the pine branches moving in her wake. She looked over at Lindsay, who’d gone pale. “She heard us talking, didn’t she?”

“I think so, but she’s not a blabbermouth.” Lindsay inhaled a deep breath and smiled weakly as she exhaled. “I need to get better at handling situations like this. It’s bound to happen again.”

Nicole wanted to reassure her but kept her distance in case someone else was hiding in the trees. “You did fine,” she said softly. “We’ll just make it a point to be more careful, at least until we talk to Alexis.”

Lindsay put a hand to her chest like Rose often did. “I’m so glad she stepped out when she did. I was about to be very explicit.”

“I look forward to hearing the rest later if we get a chance to be alone.” Nicole looked down the row of trees ahead of them. “Right now, I need the perfect tree to start chatting me up because they’re all beginning to look the same.”

After surveying what seemed like a hundred trees, they really did look the same to Nicole. She was ready to start cutting the closest thing with a trunk regardless of what color the price tag was when Lindsay finally decided on one. Lindsay took it down like a pro, wrote “Juneau” on the tag, and dragged it to the road where it would be picked up. Next came Rose’s, and as Alexis had said, she chose one with a green tag.

Alexis tugged on Nicole’s hand. “Your turn,” she said with a toothless smile.

Eager not to disappoint, Nicole pointed to a large tree with full branches. “This one is telling me it can withstand anything kittens can dish out.”

Lindsay circled it, chewing at her bottom lip. “Impressive choice.”

Alexis plucked the saw from her mother’s grasp and handed it to Nicole. “Now you have to cut it.”

“And so I shall.” Nicole climbed beneath the tree and under Lindsay’s direction began to saw. “This would be easier if we were on the same side of the tree. You can help,” she said to Alexis a moment later when her face appeared on the other side of the trunk. Alexis crawled around and positioned herself in front of Nicole. Together, they put their hands on the handle of the saw and resumed cutting.

“Smile.” Lindsay held up her phone. They paused for the photo, then toppled the tree. Nicole inscribed her tag, “N. Allen,” and with Alexis’s help, she dragged it out to the road.

“They’re gonna pick them up and put them in a net,” Alexis explained. “We can go to the Christmas store and have apple juice that’s hot.” She grabbed Nicole’s hand and led her up the road.

As they stood in line, a few of Alexis’s friends walked up. A socialite like her grandmother, Alexis held court and told them all about their tree hunting adventure. She grinned up at Nicole. “This is my friend…” Her brow furrowed. “You are my friend, right? I can call you that?”

Nicole smiled and nodded. “Of course.”

Alexis looked back at the group of girls who had gathered. “This is Ms. Nicole, she’s my mom’s friend, but she’s mine, too. She comes to my house all the time, and Mom goes to her house a lot, too. Grams says she’s part of the family.”

Nicole shot a glance at Lindsay, who shrugged slightly.

After they’d enjoyed the cider, the Christmas store had to be explored. Since Nicole was decorating more than forty-eight inches of tree, she shopped for ornaments and lights. Her tiny shadow was more than happy to help. Alexis filled both baskets that Nicole carried. She set them on the floor and picked up a flat silver tree ornament that would be perfect for engraving. The line at that table was short, so Nicole grabbed two more as an idea formed.

Lindsay walked up and noticed the two baskets brimming with tree accoutrements and smiled. “Aw, little Jake will have shoes this year after all.”

“He’ll have shoes and his college fund paid up judging by the business they’re doing here.” Nicole handed her one of the engraved ornaments as she waited for the last one to be finished. “Turn it over.”

Lindsay released a small sigh and smiled as she read the inscription. Christmas 2011, Alexis, Rose, Lindsay, and Nicole. Peepers, Bieber, and Bounce.

“I’m having one made for you and your mom, too.”

Lindsay gazed at her like she’d just been given a diamond ring. “This means…” She blinked as she caught herself and lowered her voice. “This will become a tradition. Hopefully, one day, our trees…tree…will be covered in nothing but these.”

It was Nicole’s turn to melt. She truly resented not being able to pull Lindsay close, shower her with kisses, and tell her how much that simple statement meant to her. Instead, she nodded and smiled, hoping that Lindsay could read her thoughts.

*******

By late afternoon, they’d already decorated two trees, saving the one at Lindsay’s house for last. Nicole and Alexis sat on the floor untangling strings of lights that Lindsay wound around the spruce. The house was filled with the smell of the seafood gumbo Rose was preparing in the kitchen. Christmas music played softly in the background. The day had been perfect, and Nicole refused to believe that life could get any sweeter.

She’d talked on the phone to her mother the night before, and Elise lamented the fact that Nicole wouldn’t be home for the holidays, but as she sat there watching Lindsay and Alexis, Nicole realized that she was home. She’d moved away from the place where she was born, left her family behind to live in a strange place, only to grasp it was exactly where she belonged.

“What are you thinking about?” Lindsay asked as she stroked her hair.

Nicole blinked. She hadn’t noticed that Alexis had scampered off or that Lindsay had taken her place. “I was just thinking about how happy I am.”

Lindsay’s smile was huge. Her gaze flitted to the doorway of the kitchen a second before she leaned over and kissed Nicole.

“That was daring.” Nicole ran the tip of her tongue over her bottom lip. “You took a big chance just then.”

“Stay with me tonight. When the house is quiet and we’re alone, I want to sit here in front of this tree with you in my arms.” The lights twinkled in Lindsay’s eyes as she gazed at Nicole. “I know I want too much too fast, but I can’t seem to put on the brakes. I don’t want to.”

“I know the feeling,” Nicole said quietly as Alexis raced back into the room.

*******

“Ya know…How the Grinch Stole Christmas has always been my favorite holiday show, but if I don’t see his fuzzy green ass for another year, maybe two, I won’t be sad.” Nicole loaded the last bowl into the dishwasher. “After tonight, I don’t think I even like his dog anymore, and that’s saying a lot.”

“Why on earth a station would play one show back to back is beyond me. Alexis would’ve sat there and watched it all night if we allowed it.” Lindsay kissed Nicole on the cheek as she moved around her to put the leftovers in the fridge. “I think I’ve memorized every line. I’ll probably be reciting it in my sleep.”

“And you’ll be sleeping alone unless you have earplugs you can loan me.” Nicole tried to keep a straight face.

“You’re a mea—”

“Don’t you dare sing that song.” Nicole spun around and pointed a finger at Lindsay. “I’m crazy about you, but I’ll run screaming into the night if you even so much as hum it.”

“You’re crazy about me?” Lindsay said with a coy smile.

Nicole walked over and draped her arms around Lindsay’s shoulders. “One hundred percent nuts.”

Lindsay wrapped her arms around Nicole’s waist and pulled her snugly against her. “I could be considered certifiable, too.”

The kiss they shared made them both forget all about admiring the tree. With great care, they sneaked up the stairs. Without a peep, they closed the door to the bedroom, and into bed they did creep.

Chapter Twenty-three

Christmas was fast approaching, and Rose had given an early gift by accepting an invitation from Tiffany Stanton to spend the night in New Orleans, so they could take the children to Christmas in the Oaks. Lindsay and Nicole planned to use every minute of the uninterrupted time locked away in Nicole’s house. Six hours into their first day alone found them sweaty, entwined, and on their way to another orgasm when someone pounded loudly on the front door.

Nicole froze. “Did you hear that?”

“It’s the cats.” Lindsay grabbed her head and was about to reclaim Nicole’s lips when the pounding resumed.

“Someone’s at the…front door?” Nicole said, thinking the sound was coming from somewhere far away. “Nobody ever knocks on it.” She settled back down. “Probably selling something.”

“It could be an emergency. Maybe someone tried the clinic first.”

“Oh!” Nicole jumped up and pulled on her robe. “I’ll be right back.” She tried to do something with her wet hair as she walked to the door. “Coming,” she shouted when the pounding resumed much louder than before. Nicole gasped as she looked through the peephole, and her face still showed shock when she opened the door to her parents. “What are you doing here?”

Elise Allen grabbed Nicole and pulled her in for a hug. “If you think I’m going to let Christmas go by without seeing my baby, you’re crazy.”

Nicole was still stunned as she looked over her mother’s shoulder at her father, who shrugged. “It was a whim. We just got into the car and started driving.” Fortunately, for Nicole’s sake, her mother pushed into the house, dragging Nicole behind her before her father could get his hug.

“Why are you sweating? Were you working out?” Elise looked Nicole up and down.

Nicole looked at them helplessly. “I—”

Something banged in the bedroom followed by, “Ow! Bieber!”

“Oh,” Elise said softly before pursing her lips. “Had you answered your phone earlier, we could’ve timed this better.”

“I was busy then…too,” Nicole said as a flush covered her face.

“Good God, that was three hours ago. What are you—part rabbit?”

“Elise!” Darrin tried to stifle a laugh.

“Three hours.” Elise put a hand on her hip and looked at her husband. “We’d be in traction and out of Viagra.”

Nicole looked down at her bare feet. “I’ll go get dressed. If either of you love me, you’ll change the subject before I come back.”

Elise grabbed the sleeve of Nicole’s robe. “Before I make any promises, I need to know if this is serious or a fling.”

Nicole looked up at her father, then her mother. “This is the woman I plan to marry, so please have mercy.”

“You’ve known this woman, what a month?” Elise’s brow rose. “And you’ve already proposed?”

Nicole shook her head. “I haven’t asked her yet, but I plan to soon.”

Elise gave Nicole a soft shove. “Get her out here.”

When she returned to the bedroom, Lindsay was fully dressed, cradling a bleeding thumb. She looked horrified. “Who’s out there?”

Nicole held her by the shoulders. “My parents.”

“Oh,” Lindsay said miserably. “You…we smell like sex.”

Nicole’s expression was just as grim. “Yeah, they’re pretty clear on what we’ve been doing.” She looked down at Lindsay’s bleeding thumb. “What happened?”

“Bieber hasn’t mastered the soft paw. I was playing with him, and he ripped a hole in me.”

Nicole smacked her lips. “I’ve been spraying him with water for that. He’s a little slow.” She led Lindsay into the bathroom where they washed their hands and faces before doctoring the injury.

Lindsay paced nervously as Nicole pulled on her clothes. “I’ve been trying to imagine what it would be like to meet your folks, but this sure isn’t the way I envisioned it.”

Nicole zipped her jeans and pulled Lindsay close. “They’re a lot like your mother, they’ll say just about anything. And, honey, they’ll ask anything. Just give me a wave if it gets too uncomfortable and I’ll jump in.”

Lindsay inhaled sharply and let it out slowly. “Okay,” she said with a nod.

*******

Elise had already put a pot of coffee on to brew when Nicole and Lindsay walked into the kitchen hand in hand. “Mom, Dad, this is Lindsay Juneau.” She smiled over at Lindsay. “My parents, Darrin and Elise.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lindsay.” Darrin stood and gave Lindsay a quick hug.

Elise held back, scrutinizing Lindsay from head to toe, and Nicole felt her own nervousness spike. The dynamic between mothers and sons had somehow begun to apply. Relationship-wise, Nicole could do no wrong in her mother’s eyes. And no woman she had ever been involved with had ever been good enough for Elise Allen’s baby.

Elise stepped forward and offered her hand. “Nice to meet you, Lindsay.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you both.” Lindsay stuck close to Nicole’s side.

Elise turned to Nicole and looked closely at her face. “Have you stopped wearing those ridiculous contacts, or did you just forget to put them back in?” Elise looked over at Lindsay without awaiting a reply. “She looks just like her father, doesn’t she? No one would know she was my flesh and blood except for the color of her eyes, and she hid them.”

Lindsay looked over at Darrin; there was no disputing Elise’s claim. The shape of their eyes, mouth, and noses were the same, even the fair skin tone. Elise, however, was olive-complexioned. Her salon-tended blond hair stood out in contrast. Her blue eyes seemed to glow against the dark skin of her face. What she did share in common with Nicole was her style of dress, though slightly more feminine, conservative, and impeccably pressed. Her pink sweater was accented by a single strand of pearls and matching earrings. She didn’t appear to share Nicole’s love of boots, though. Instead, she wore a pair of loafers with her jeans.

“Sit down, Lindsay, while I pour the coffee. I want to hear all about you.” Elise’s request sounded more like an order. Still holding Nicole’s hand, she took a seat and pulled Nicole into the chair beside her. “Are you originally from St. Claire?” Elise set a cup in front of Lindsay as though she were the unexpected guest.

“Yes, ma’am, my family’s lived here since the turn of the century.”

Darrin smiled at Lindsay as he pushed the cream and sugar her way. “So your parents still live here too then?”

“My mother does, my dad passed away.”

“Siblings?” Elise set the rest of the cups on the table and took a seat.

“I’m an only child.”

“Lindsay and her mother, Rose, own the hardware store in town. They work there together.” Nicole smiled at Lindsay. “You’ll meet her, too, I’m sure.”

“We know all about family business.” Darrin looked at Nicole over his coffee cup before taking a sip. “Working with a parent can be rewarding and trying at the same time.”

Lindsay picked up her own cup. “You hit the proverbial nail on the head, but I wouldn’t trade her for the world, even though she often puts her nose and two feet into my personal business.”

Nicole clinked her cup with Lindsay’s. “I’ll drink to that.”

“So you’ve gotten to know Lindsay’s mother quite well? Because you don’t call your own as much as you should. Ah,” Elise said when Nicole opened her mouth to protest. “Don’t make up any excuses. I know what you spend your time doing now.”

“Mom,” Nicole said with a blushing grin.

Elise looked over at Lindsay. “She wants me to behave.”

Please do, Lindsay thought as she felt her face grow warm.

“So how far has this relationship progressed? Do you live together already?”

“Oh, no,” Lindsay said, “I own a home not far from here.”

“Lindsay has a seven-year-old daughter,” Nicole said, knowing that would derail her mother’s line of questioning. “We haven’t told her about our relationship yet.” She turned to Lindsay. “Would you go get your phone so they can see a picture of her?”

Lindsay nodded and retrieved it from the bedroom. The home screen had a picture of Nicole holding Alexis. They were smiling as they pressed their faces together. Lindsay handed it to Elise so she and Darrin could look at it together. Elise grinned. “This is precious. Are there more?”

Nicole nodded. “Just tap the gallery icon, and they’ll come up.”

Elise laughed and held the phone up for everyone to see the photo of Nicole and Alexis sitting at a table with chocolate cream pie mustaches.

Darrin smiled at Lindsay. “From the looks of this, Nicole isn’t just wrapped around one finger.”

“We’re the ones who’re wrapped,” Lindsay admitted as she regarded Nicole.

“Oh, how sweet.” Everyone turned to Elise as she stared down at the phone. Darrin leaned over and looked at the picture that had softened Elise’s tone and grinned. Elise held the phone up for Nicole and Lindsay to see. Nicole was asleep on Lindsay’s couch. Alexis lay in the crook of her arm with one leg thrown over Nicole’s.

Lindsay looked at it warmly. “They’re snuggle buddies.”

A phone started to ring, and Darrin pulled it from his breast pocket. “Ah, Kim, she’s been checking on us ever since we left the house.” He stepped away from the table and began talking to Nicole’s sister.

“She’s afraid we’ll decide to stay down here and miss the big Christmas party at her house.” Elise handed the phone back to Lindsay. “I’ve managed to keep all my little chicks in the nest, or close to it rather, but the baby had to sneak out and fly south.”

Nicole rolled her eyes at her mother’s pitiful expression. “You have plenty of chicks and grandchicks to keep you company.”

“You’ll understand one day how I feel when that little one you’re so attached to begins to spread her wings.”

“I did mention that Lindsay owns a hardware store,” Nicole said. “At our fingertips, we have many materials with which to build a coop. Hopefully, she’ll be like her mother and stay close to the henhouse. And she may just grow up and partner with me because she says she wants to be a vet.”

“She’s already been doctoring on Peepers, our cat,” Lindsay added. “She got really upset the other day when he chewed up her bandaging.”

“He got really upset when she taped his legs together,” Nicole said with a laugh.

Darrin snapped his phone closed. “Kim sends her love. Where’s the closest hotel, so your mother and I can get settled? Afterward, we’d like to take you ladies to dinner.”

“Well, Dad, there is no hotel in St. Claire, and the closest is eighty miles away. You’ll have to take my room. Welcome to Motel Allen.”

“And where will you sleep?” Elise asked.

“Lindsay’s six blocks away.”

“I’m sorry, dear. We should’ve planned better. Please tell me there are restaurants.” Elise looked at Lindsay and Nicole, who only grinned in response.

“Fast food, T-John’s, the local diner, or Stoner’s Fish Camp,” Lindsay offered.

“Fish…camp?” Elise looked wary.

“I like that place,” Darrin said. “Gary took us there when we first came to see St. Claire.” He looked confused for a moment. “And we did stay at a hotel.”

“Eighty miles away.”

He scratched the back of his neck. “Now that you mention it, I do recall an awful lot of driving.” He clapped his hands together and rubbed them briskly. “Fish camp it is. How fast can you girls get dressed? I’m starved.”

*******

While they waited for Lindsay to return from her house where she was getting dressed, Elise gave Darrin the TV remote to keep him occupied. She ordered Nicole to the porch where they could have a few moments alone. “You’ve only been here just shy of two months. That’s a really short time to get involved with someone and decide you want to marry her.”

“I know.” Nicole toyed with the chain in the swing rather than look at her mother. “It all happened very fast, but I know this is what I want.”

“It’s one thing for two adults to change their minds about a relationship, but when a little one is involved, you also have to consider the child’s feelings.”

“I know that, too.” Nicole laid her head on the back of the swing and stared up at the roof. “If I were in your shoes, I’d be saying the same thing, but this is right. I know it is.” She looked at Elise. “This is going to sound really stupid and far out, but when I first visited this town, it felt like home, and now I know why. Everything I’ve been looking for is right here.”

Elise wrapped a strand of Nicole’s hair around her finger. “I’m not lecturing you, baby. I slept with your father on the second date, and we married two months after we met. I had an orgasm, and I went bonkers.”

“There are some things that children don’t want to know about their parents, and what you just said falls into that category.”

“We’re both adult women, my dear, and let me remind you that when you opened the door today, you were sweating like a pig and smelled like a brothel. So woman up.” Elise tugged on the strand of hair she was toying with and released it. “Your father and I had an amazing sexual chemistry, and it deluded our thinking.”

“Are you about to do more damage to my psyche by telling me you have regrets?”

“I was about to say that, even though I had temporarily lost my mind, I knew it was right, too. I could’ve taken my parents’ advice and dated other men, but Darrin in two months’ time had my heart.” Elise nudged Nicole. “He still does, so you don’t have to worry. My dad once said after we celebrated our ten-year anniversary that our love was one of a kind, but I know that’s not true. It’s happened to others, and more than likely has happened to you, too...I hope.”

“I’ve dated plenty of women, had a few relationships, but none of them compares to Lindsay.”

Elise smiled. “Does she say the same about you?”

The conversation was going well until that moment, and Nicole knew when she answered honestly the smile would slide from her mother’s face like a fried egg on the wall. And it did when Nicole said, “I’m the first woman she’s ever been with.”

Elise slapped her leg. “And I was just prepared to really like her. Nicole!”

“You just said we’re adults. Don’t scold me like a child.” Nicole sat up straighter. “Lindsay and I have been very frank with each other. I’m going to take her at her word and her actions. And if my heart gets broken, then so be it. And for the record, you have despised every woman I’ve ever been involved with, so don’t bait me by saying you like her.”

Elise scowled and looked away. “I do like her. She doesn’t appear to be like all the others. That’s why it was so easy for me to understand how this happened so quickly.” Elise whipped her head back around, and Nicole could see the fire in her eyes. “But it’s not just you and Lindsay. Like I said, there’s a child involved that also appears to have gotten attached very quickly to you.”

“And I have made it very clear that I’m aware of that.” Nicole’s voice rose louder. “If I had any reservations, I’d back off. Lindsay’s crossing a lot of boundaries,” Nicole pounded her chest, “for me. I don’t take that lightly, and neither does she.”

The screen door opened, and Darrin stepped out, looking down at his watch. “It’s a record. You two actually talked for five minutes before the screaming started.”

Elise stood and held up a finger, her head bobbed back and forth as she said, “All I’m trying to do here is get our daughter to think with her head and not the other parts of her body she’s been using lately.”

“Darling, that’s so Jerry Springer. Put your finger down and realign your spine.”

“Well, thank you very much, Oprah.” Elise walked past him and slammed the screen door behind her.

“Were you listening to the conversation?” Nicole asked as her father took Elise’s seat.

“Yes, there’s nothing on TV.” He held up both hands in front of him. “No lectures, I’m only going to say this once. You both look like you’re in love, and that should be enough. Keep your eyes wide open and be honest about what you see and feel because, honey, you’re obviously in up to your neck. That’s all you can do.”

Nicole nodded. “That’s all I needed to hear. Will you go in there and calm her down before Lindsay gets back? I don’t want Mom pouncing on her like a jungle cat.”

Chapter Twenty-four

Whatever Darrin had said to Elise seemed to work, or else Nicole’s mother had found the bottle of rum she had stashed in the kitchen cabinet. As the four of them enjoyed their broiled shrimp salads, the conversation was pleasant, even though Nicole figured Lindsay felt like she was being interviewed by Elise, who shot one question after the other.

“Is Alexis with her father tonight?” Elise speared a shrimp with her fork. “I’m looking forward to meeting her.”

“She’s with my mother and friends at Christmas in the Oaks. They’ll come back from New Orleans around two tomorrow.”

Darrin looked at Elise. “We crashed their party. They had the weekend alone.”

“That’s okay.” Lindsay smiled at Nicole.

“No, no, it’s not.” Elise set her fork down and picked up her wineglass. “We want to do some sightseeing tomorrow. You two do whatever it is you had planned,” she said with a wicked smile. “And perhaps tomorrow evening we can all get together for dinner.”

“That would be nice. I’d love to cook for y’all.”

“You cook?” Darrin looked at Lindsay. “Thank God, our child won’t go hungry after all.”

Nicole laughed loudly, though there was no cheer on her face as she glared at him.

“Our daughter can care for sick and injured animals, she’s handy with tools, can build just about anything, but she cannot cook.” Elise held her glass to her temple. “She did nearly fifty thousand dollars’ worth of damage to our kitchen one time making french fries, set half the house on fire.”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “I was fourteen.”

“You were thirty when you set the barbecue pit on fire at your apartment.” Darrin looked at Elise. “What was the price tag on that one?”

Elise pursed her lips. “That was only ten thousand. They were able to put the patio roof out before it spread to the building.” She looked at Lindsay. “She’s okay with washing dishes, but do not let her near anything that can cause a fire. Not even a toaster.”

Nicole returned to her food. “And you’re leaving when?”

Elise ignored the question. “Have you looked in her pantry, Lindsay? The freezer? It’s all microwave stuff. She knows not to turn on her own stove.”

Lindsay looked away from Nicole to hide her laughter.

“She was a sweet little girl, though,” Darrin said with affection. “Unlike her sisters, we never had a moment’s problem with her until she began to cook.”

Elise and Darrin broke out into fits of laughter, and Nicole looked at Lindsay. “I bet you’re rethinking teaching me how to cook.” Lindsay put the back of her hand to her mouth to keep from joining in with Darrin and Elise. Nicole frowned at her parents. “The question still stands, Mom and Dad. When are you leaving?”

*******

Lindsay crawled into bed and snuggled up to Nicole. “Aside from how your parents busted us in bed, I’ve enjoyed meeting them this way. I think I would’ve been very overwhelmed to meet all your family at once. This way, I can actually have a conversation with just them.”

“Yes, they’re charming, aren’t they?” Nicole said wryly.

“They’re hilarious.”

Nicole started to laugh. “Jerks, I should’ve known they’d bring up my most embarrassing moments. I shouldn’t have changed the sheets on my bed.”

“Just wait.” Lindsay ran her fingers along Nicole’s collarbone. “Rose is on her best behavior right now, but she’ll have her day at my expense.”

“I look forward to that. Will there be photographic evidence?”

“Not if I can help it.” Lindsay ran her fingers down Nicole’s chest and across her stomach. She smiled when she felt the muscles there flutter. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to discuss other things besides our folks.”

*******

A tiny shaft of light forced its way through the blinds the next morning, and Lindsay felt as though it was gouging her eyelid, forcing it to open. Her body was blissfully relaxed. Tension that built in her muscles upon the arrival of Nicole’s parents had been worked out the previous night and early hours of morning. Her workout partner lay halfway beneath Lindsay on her stomach and was still enjoying a deep sleep. Lindsay’s body was warm and content, but her mind was already awake and running laps in her head.

There was a confession she needed to make. For Lindsay, actions always spoke louder than words, so the night before while Nicole was in her arms, she poured every ounce of feeling she had into every stroke and kiss. Wonderful sex became powerful lovemaking, and Nicole had responded in kind. The words, the verbal confirmation pushed at Lindsay’s lips; she longed to give voice to what she felt. Timing was crucial, however. Even in her limited romantic experience, Lindsay knew that often when emotion was running high, things were said in that euphoric state that weren’t truly meant. And when she revealed her heart to Nicole, she wanted her to know that it was true and not brought on by a libidinous haze, so she waited.

People admitted their love on a daily basis and never stopped to realize how much the word was trivialized. I love this tree. I love chocolate. I love this pair of sneakers. Lindsay had been guilty of the same, but would she kill or die for a tree, a pair of sneakers? Chocolate maybe, depending on whether it was dark or milk, but when one admitted to being in love, that was something altogether different.

She and Nicole had danced around the topic. Lindsay didn’t have to hear the words slip past Nicole’s lips because her actions had spoken loudly. Lindsay knew the words would come when Nicole was ready to express them, but for her, the time had come. Because to admit that she was in love was like an oath to Lindsay. It meant commitment.

She’d told Mike that she loved him, and she did, always would. She loved his kindness, his patience, the man he was, but she had never been in love with him. She knew the difference then, and even more so now as she lay snuggled up next to a woman who had been silently asking for her heart, all of it. And Lindsay would give it freely.

Nicole didn’t stir when Lindsay placed a soft kiss on her shoulder and climbed slowly out of bed. The house held a chill as she crept to her dresser and pulled out a pair of sweats. In the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and washed her face as nervous tension once again coiled in the pit of her stomach. What Lindsay had to say would tear down her last line of defense, though she knew it was all a façade anyway. Looking into Nicole’s eyes and baring her soul was almost like supplication. She would bow before her and admit that she no longer had the strength to try to control her own destiny. Love had come quickly and had already become the motivation for her actions while every other part of her obeyed and followed without question.

She closed the door to the bedroom behind her and crept downstairs. Peepers exclaimed loudly that even though he knew change had come to the household, his breakfast should be attended to first. He stopped yowling when Lindsay pulled the bag from the pantry and filled his bowl. But once he was finished with the kibble, he gently reminded Lindsay by rubbing her leg that he was also entitled to a bite of the eggs she was cooking, and he wouldn’t mind a smidgeon of bacon, either.

The smell of the food must’ve wafted upstairs and yanked Nicole from sleep because Lindsay heard the pipes rattle in the wall when she turned on the water in the upstairs bathroom. As she poured the juice, she heard Nicole’s footfalls on the stairs. Seconds later, Lindsay was greeted by a sleepy smile and a soft “good morning.”

“I was about to send Peepers up after you.” Lindsay smiled as she dropped a piece of egg into his bowl. “I knew if I came up there, I’d be held prisoner, and our breakfast would go cold.”

“You’re very wise.” Nicole took both plates as Lindsay set them on the bar and moved them to the table.

Lindsay turned the coffeepot on to brew and joined Nicole, who waited patiently for her in front of a steaming plate of food. She grinned at Nicole, who was dressed in her sweats. In some odd way, it thrilled Lindsay that Nicole felt comfortable enough to wear her things. “Did you sleep well?” she asked after giving Nicole a brief kiss.

Nicole waved a piece of bacon as she spoke. “I’m not sure if it’s your bed that makes me sleep so deeply or if it’s what you do to me.” She bit the bacon slice and chewed slowly as though she were truly pondering a conundrum. “I think it’s both because I don’t sleep like that at home.”

“I’m in love with you,” Lindsay blurted out, surprising herself and shocking Nicole. She watched as the bacon dropped from her hand and landed in her eggs. Lindsay looked down at her loaded plate and found that her appetite had slipped away. “Nicole, I mean it.” She looked back up into her eyes. “We’ve only known each other a month and a half and have spent less time than that truly getting to know each other.” Lindsay swallowed hard as Nicole sat stock-still, her expression still showing signs of utter shock. “But you need to know that this has gone past dating and like for me.”

Lindsay hadn’t formulated a plan, but she had not intended to lay her heart out on the kitchen table with breakfast, either. She’d taken one good look at Nicole, and her confession rolled off her tongue as though she’d been interrogated for hours. Nicole looked like she was choking. Her mouth dropped open, and her bottom jaw started moving as she groped at the pockets of her sweatpants. Without a word, she held up one finger and left the table so abruptly the silverware clattered to the floor in her wake.

Lindsay sat stunned, expecting to hear the front door slam at any second. Nicole pounded up the stairs, and to Lindsay, it sounded like she was rearranging all the rooms above her. There were muffled curses as Nicole ran back and forth, and Lindsay imagined that she was hurriedly collecting her clothes. Had she been wrong? Did she misinterpret the clues she thought Nicole was giving out? They’d spoken of commitment. Was the admission made too soon? Lindsay wondered as her empty stomach began to rebel against the smell of the food coming up from the table.

Nicole raced back down the stairs muttering something under her breath. Lindsay heard the coatrack clatter to the floor and more cursing. “Oh, my God.” She put trembling fingers to her lips. She was on the verge of releasing a full-blown cry of anguish when Nicole came thundering into the kitchen and went down on her knees, nearly sliding across the room. Falling short of her intended destination, she had to crawl two feet to where Lindsay still sat.

“Lindsay,” Nicole said breathlessly as she took her hand and held it tightly between both of hers. “Will you…” Nicole grimaced as she reluctantly released Lindsay’s hand and dug into her pocket and pulled out a small black box. “Obviously, we can’t do it here, but there are some states where…” She opened the box and held up the engagement ring. “I know that right now you won’t be able to always wear this, but it needs to be on your finger when…if…” Nicole reclaimed Lindsay’s hand. “I love you with all that I am. Will you marry me?”

Lindsay had no clue what the ring actually looked like. She could not look away from the expectation, the hope in Nicole’s eyes. Tears of what she thought were a terrible rejection turned to tears of joy and slipped down her face.

“I don’t have much,” Nicole said with a slight smile. “All my savings are in that house and my business. I’ll never be rich because I don’t have it in me to demand what I don’t feel is truly mine.” Nicole tilted her head slightly, never breaking eye contact. “But I will love you and Alexis forever.”

“Yes.” The response came out in a whisper because Lindsay found it hard to breathe. She cleared her throat. “Yes, I will marry you.”

Nicole released her and pulled the ring from the velvet box. “If it doesn’t fit, I’m going to scream.” She took Lindsay’s left hand and gently pushed the ring onto her finger. It was snug, but it fit.

Lindsay still couldn’t look at it, even as Nicole lifted her hand to her lips and kissed it softly. The smile she wore when she looked back at Lindsay was so brilliant that Lindsay found it impossible to look away. She slid out of the chair and wrapped her arms around Nicole’s neck. Her body shook against Lindsay’s, and Lindsay realized that Nicole was just as nervous and as excited as she was. “Lindsay Allen,” Lindsay said with a laugh. “I like the sound of that.”

Nicole’s kiss was like fire, but feverish passion coalesced into something satiny and sweet. Lindsay felt herself being lowered to the floor. Touch had never been so important. She sifted her fingers through Nicole’s silky hair, pressed her nose to soft skin, and inhaled deeply. In all her fantasies, this intense pleasure could not be imagined, nor did she realize it would affect her so. Nicole’s lips were soft and sweet, her kisses tender.

A deep slow burning fever began to develop in the pit of Lindsay’s stomach as she pulled Nicole’s shirt off and allowed Nicole to do the same with hers. The weight of Nicole’s body, the softness of her breasts pressed against her filled Lindsay with a deep craving for release, not her own, but Nicole’s. She had been demanding, forceful, taking everything she wanted from Nicole. But here, now, she wanted permission. She wanted Nicole’s surrender.

Nicole’s mouth was on her neck, her teeth grazing the sensitive skin. A little lower, Lindsay thought, but that request never made it to her lips. “I…I want…”

Nicole rose up and looked at her. “Anything,” she said with a soft smile. “Anything you want, I’ll give.”

Lindsay nearly lost her nerve. How silly to be nervous now, she thought, and she looked back into Nicole’s eyes. “I want you to lie down and let me…” Lindsay swallowed. “I want you to give yourself to me, total submission, and when I’m done, you can have me anyway you want.”

Nicole replied without making a sound. With their gazes locked, she moved and settled on her back. Lindsay discarded her own pants before removing Nicole’s. There were no barriers between them as she stretched out on top of Nicole. Her request was being honored. Lindsay felt it in the way Nicole’s body became pliant beneath hers. There was no struggle to touch or claim. Nicole was surrendering freely, allowing Lindsay to do whatever she desired.

What Lindsay wanted was to take Nicole’s desire, to taste and swallow it, make it her own. She moved quickly down Nicole’s body and settled between her legs, but as she stroked Nicole with her tongue, she realized that in doing this, she was also submitting to Nicole. And for the first time in her life, Lindsay knew that she’d been truly paired with her equal. Her soul mate, her other half would give her what she so desperately wanted and needed.

Chapter Twenty-five

Rose and Alexis returned home shortly after two in the afternoon. When Lindsay told Rose that they would be having Nicole’s parents over for dinner, they went into hyperdrive planning the menu for the evening.

“Nothing extravagant,” Nicole said as Rose and Lindsay began making a grocery list. “My folks eat, drink, and go to the bathroom like everyone else.” She looked down as Rose scrawled “steaks” on the list. “I’ll do the grocery shopping on this one.”

Lindsay took the pen from her mother and wrote down a few items. Rose gasped, then tried to feign nonchalance when she saw the ring.

“Alexis and I are going into the living room now.” Nicole looked at Lindsay. “We’ll leave you two to discuss…things.”

Rose grabbed Lindsay’s hand and looked at the diamond solitaire closely the second they were alone. “What does this mean?” She looked bewildered.

“It means that Nicole and I are getting married.” Lindsay shook her head. “I have no idea what that means legally at the moment, but what it means for us is a lifetime commitment.”

“I want to be happy, I really do.” Rose clamped her hands to her face. “I knew it was serious and that there were a lot of deep feelings forming between you…” Rose put a hand to her chest. “But you said it was too soon. Are you happy, honey?”

Lindsay couldn’t contain her smile. “Do you really have to ask?”

Rose took her hand again and stared down at the ring. “It’s lovely. When did this come about?”

“This morning. She admitted that she sneaked all the way to Houma to a jeweler to have the ring made two weeks ago and was trying to wait until after we talked to Alexis to give it to me.”

Rose looked up at Lindsay and raised a brow.

“Nicole and I have talked about it, and we’re going to tell Alexis about our relationship after Christmas. That way, we won’t put any tension on the holidays if Alexis…feels uncomfortable.”

“She’s an observant child, honey. You may want to take off the ring until then.”

“I know.” Lindsay tried to spin it on her finger. “It fits snug, and I’m just so happy about it that I was waiting until the last minute.”

Rose followed Lindsay to the sink. After they had closed the drain, they worked together with dish soap to remove the ring. Lindsay held it in her palm and watched it sparkle. “This diamond came from a brooch Nicole’s grandmother gave her. She had it set in this band for me.” Lindsay clamped her fist shut. The symbol she grasped seemed to warm her from her head to her toes. “She did this for me.”

Rose smiled and hugged her. “I assume her parents know.”

Lindsay pulled away and shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Did you like them?”

“I liked her dad right off the bat. He’s sweet, and Nicole looks so much like him.” Lindsay sighed. “Her mother…I feel her sizing me up. She seems very protective of Nicole. I think it’s going to be a while before we warm to each other.”

“Hmm.” Rose folded her arms.

“I know that look. I can see the defenses going up all around you.” Lindsay grabbed her arm. “Try to look at it this way—how are we going to feel when some boy comes into Alexis’s life and wants to marry her? We’re going to scrutinize him, too.”

“Or girl.” Rose lifted her head high. “I’ll try to keep that in mind, but I expect this woman to afford my daughter the same respect I’ve shown hers.”

“Fair enough. Now we need to get into high gear. They’re going to be here at five, and I still need to clean the house and get the groceries.”

“Finish the list. I’ll sneak out the back door and do the shopping. From the way Nicole sounded earlier, she’d serve them hot dogs and fries.”

Lindsay raced upstairs and put the ring in her jewelry box, admiring how it sparkled against the red velvet. Jewelry or diamonds never meant that much to her, but the ring made her heart pound as she closed the small drawer. One day soon, she’d wear it freely and be reminded of the heart that beat only for her.

*******

Nicole was none too pleased to learn that Rose had slipped out unnoticed and was headed to the grocery store with a list a foot long. “I can catch up with her and at least pay for what you’re planning.”

“I need your help here.” Lindsay looked around the living room. “Have you ever blown up a vacuum cleaner?”

“Oh, Alexis.” Nicole clapped her hands together. “Mommy has made a funny at my expense. What does that call for—ice water down the back of her pants or tickles?”

Alexis jumped up and down. “Tickles!”

“You little traitor.” Lindsay pointed a finger at Alexis as she backed away from Nicole. “We don’t have time for this. The house has to be cleaned, and we both still need to shower.”

Alexis began to jump around in a circle. “There’s always time for tickles as long as I’m not getting them.”

“You see? There’s time.” Nicole rubbed her hands together again as she moved toward Lindsay.

“I’m not ticklish.”

“Yes, she is,” Alexis screamed loudly. “She goes crazy if you stick your finger between her toes.”

Nicole eyed Lindsay’s socked feet with a grin.

“Now, Nicole, there’s no time for…agghh,” Lindsay yelled as Nicole grabbed her and pushed her down on the couch.

“Get her socks off while I hold her.” Nicole sat on Lindsay facing her feet. “Don’t kick your daughter,” she warned with a laugh as Alexis went after the squirming feet. Nicole latched on to one of them, and Alexis pulled off the sock. “Aw, look, Lexi, she’s making a fist with her toes. Bet we can get between them.” Lindsay began to scream and thrash as Nicole and Alexis wedged their fingers between her toes. “Oh! She’s a bronco.”

Alexis’s squeals were almost as loud as Lindsay’s. The three of them didn’t notice the knock on the front door.

“So what do you think, Lexi, has she suffered enough?”

“She has, she has,” Lindsay cried as she tried to pull her foot from Nicole’s grasp.

A rap on the porch window caught Nicole and Alexis’s attention. “Who’s that?” Alexis asked.

“My dad,” Nicole said with a sigh. “They’re early.”

Nicole opened the door to her parents with Alexis on her hip while Lindsay ran around the living room picking up couch pillows and trying to straighten her hair.

“We got bored,” Elise said with a smile. “We thought we’d come over early and help with dinner.”

“Mom, Dad, this is Alexis,” Nicole said proudly.

“Hi,” Alexis said shyly and clutched tighter to Nicole.

“Come in.” Nicole stepped back and let her parents step through the door.

“Welcome, Darrin, Elise.” Lindsay straightened the pillows on the couch once more. “My house is usually cleaner than this, but it’s comfortable and home for my family, and I suppose that’s all that matters.”

Nicole grinned at her with a slight nod as if to say, “well done.”

“My attempt at cleaning was interrupted by your daughter and her accomplice.”

Nicole looked at her parents. “She asked me if I’d ever blown up a vacuum cleaner. You’re both really to blame for the tickle torture she just endured.”

“We thought you might’ve been cooking,” Elise said, “when we heard the screaming.”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Oh, har har.”

“Come in, sit down, make yourselves comfortable,” Lindsay said. “Mom’s at the store doing some shopping for dinner. Would you like me to put on a pot of coffee to brew, or would you like iced tea?”

Elise shrugged out of her jacket and handed it to Nicole. “I’d love a cup of coffee, but my daughter can manage that without burning down the house. Do that for us, darling, while Darrin and I visit with Lindsay and Alexis.”

Nicole handed Alexis to Lindsay and went off to make coffee without complaint.

Darrin and Elise sat on the couch while Lindsay and Alexis took the recliner. “So what did you two see today?”

“Cows, swamps, and more cows and swamps.” Darrin grinned when Alexis giggled.

Elise swatted him playfully. “We toured an antebellum home and visited Houma, where we did a bit of shopping. We tried to stay away,” Elise said apologetically, “but to be honest, I started missing my baby.”

“The ‘baby’ has put coffee on to brew without causing an explosion,” Nicole said as she reentered the room. “See, Lexi, we grow up and our moms still call us babies.” Nicole took a seat on the floor, and Alexis climbed out of her mother’s arms and took a seat on her lap.

“So, Lexi, or do you prefer Alexis?” Elise asked.

“I like them both,” she said as she squirmed.

“Tell me what you like to do.”

“I like to ride my bike and play with Peepers, my cat.” Alexis was on a roll to the delight of Nicole’s parents. “I like to go to work with Mith Nicole. I like to ride in her car, it’s really cool. And I like to play with my friends.”

“Wow,” Darrin said. “You must really stay busy. Who’s that on your shirt?”

“That’s Justin Bieber.” Alexis pointed to the picture, then at Nicole. “She named her cat Bieber.”

“Yes, we’ve gotten to know Bieber and Bounce quite well.” Elise pointed to a scratch on her hand.

“Did you spray him with the water bottle?” Nicole asked.

“Filled it up twice.” Darrin leaned back and draped an arm over the back of the couch. “He sends his apologies for what he did to the plant in the living room.” Darrin pinched his nose and fanned the air.

Nicole rolled her eyes. “He pooed in my ficus again, didn’t he?” This brought on another fit of giggles from Alexis.

“Lindsay,” Elise began, “I hope you and your mother aren’t going to a lot of trouble for dinner. If you’d rather, we can always go back to the fish camp.”

“We cook every night. It’s no trouble at all.” Lindsay stood. “I’ll just go check on the coffee.”

Elise looked at Nicole when Lindsay left the room. “I mean it, sprout, don’t let Lindsay and her mother worry over us.”

“She called you sprout,” Alexis said with a laugh. “Sprout.”

Nicole was a bit taken aback by her mother’s behavior. The predatory glare was gone from her eyes, and she seemed genuinely concerned that Lindsay was being burdened with dinner. Nicole made a mental note to ask her father if Elise was on some new medication.

Lindsay came in with a tray. She set it on the coffee table and said, “Mom just pulled up. Please, enjoy your coffee, and we’ll get things started.”

“Oh, no, I can’t allow a lady to carry in groceries for me unless, of course, she’s my wife.” Darrin jumped up and headed out the front door before anyone could stop him.

Nicole moved Alexis off her lap. “I’ll go make introductions.”

No one stayed behind for the coffee. Elise followed Nicole, who followed Lindsay out the back door, and Alexis was close on their heels. Darrin and Rose were shaking hands as they walked to the car. Nicole felt the first tendrils of anxiety as she introduced her mother to Rose. Side by side, they were in complete contrast—Elise with her manicured nails and salon ’do, wearing a smart-looking blazer over jeans, then Rose in dark slacks with a floral print sweater. The two looked as though they shared nothing in common, Nicole prayed that her mother would continue to be on her best behavior.

Elise didn’t have close friends. She had acquaintances she shared drinks with and an occasional game of tennis at the country club. Rose, on the other hand, was the town confidant and mother figure to many. Nicole worried that Rose wouldn’t enjoy the stiff-armed approach that Elise often employed with newcomers. But then, they were hugging like old friends who had not seen each other in ages. Arm in arm, they walked slowly toward the house, chatting, while Nicole’s father took nearly all the bags of groceries at one time and Alexis pranced along beside him.

Nicole pulled the last bag from the trunk of Rose’s car and slammed the lid. She walked around to where Lindsay stood watching the spectacle in silent awe. “I was worried they wouldn’t hit it off.”

Lindsay turned to Nicole. “They’re so different.”

Nicole watched them disappear inside the house. “I think my mother’s on drugs.”

*******

Nicole was relegated to coffee service. Her job was simple—keep the coffee flowing and stay out of the way. Her father had stolen her playmate and was on the living room floor with Alexis, who was giving him the latest rundown on her medical treatment plan for Peepers. Her mother, Rose, and Lindsay were a blur as they prepared the evening meal. Elise and Rose chatted away while Lindsay and Nicole exchanged bewildered but hopeful glances.

Dinner conversation was dominated by stories of raising children. Elise told Rose about her flower gardens in Montana, and agreements were made to share pictures in the spring. Rose even offered to supply her with clippings of some of her favorite plants that she thought would adapt to a cooler climate. Even Alexis got in on the conversation and retold the story of seeing puppies come out of a dog’s butt. Lindsay and Nicole sat quietly together, silently communicating with looks and smiles.

It ended all too soon even with the early start. Since Alexis was back home, Nicole had no excuse to stay. She and Lindsay had sneaked off into another room to say their goodbyes before anyone noticed they were gone. “I love you,” Nicole said against Lindsay’s lips. “I’m going to miss you terribly tonight when I’m sleeping on the couch alone.”

“You won’t be alone.” Lindsay kissed her again. “You’ll have two kittens to keep you warm.”

Nicole pulled her more snugly against her. “As they take turns biting my toes, I will dream about the day we don’t have to say goodbye.”

“That day is coming soon, my love.” Lindsay buried her face in the crook of Nicole’s neck and breathed in deeply before giving her a toe-curling kiss. “I love you, too, and I love being able to say that.”

*******

As they gathered at the door, Elise pulled on her jacket. “Lindsay, I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting your family.” To Nicole’s surprise and obviously Lindsay’s, too, Elise kissed her on the cheek. She moved to Rose and hugged her. “It was such a pleasure meeting you. I’m certain,” she cast a quick glance at Nicole, “that we will have many more opportunities to get together.”

Lindsay nearly had to pry Alexis off of Darrin. She latched on to Nicole just as quickly and showered her face with kisses. She even gave Elise a couple. As they drove away, Nicole wondered if she had dreamed the whole thing.

*******

Nicole fed the kittens as soon as they got home, and her father called the shower first. She and Elise settled in the living room, and Nicole couldn’t wait any longer. “Who was that woman wearing your clothes at Lindsay’s tonight?”

Elise smacked her lips before answering. “You don’t give your old mom a lot of credit for being human.”

“I apologize. You were very warm and gracious tonight.”

“I’ll accept your apology, but I do have to confess that I did deserve that jab.” Elise smiled as she stroked Nicole’s hair. “I wasn’t trying to get on your good side yesterday when I said I liked Lindsay. The women you’ve dated in the past were superficial, which was easy for me to spot because I can be the same. The women I spend my time with are not my true friends. We play cards, have a few drinks, play a round of tennis or two, but you can bet when I’m not there, they talk behind my back just like I do theirs.”

“Then why do you want to spend time with them?”

“No responsibility, I suppose. They don’t count on me, and I don’t count on them. My life is full with family. Sometimes, I just want to get away and do something mindless.”

“Then who do you confide in? Don’t you have one close friend you reach out to when something’s on your mind?”

Elise nodded. “Your father, he’s my best friend. And your grandmother. I talk to her when Darrin finds that last nerve.”

“Grandma’s dead.”

“I know.” Elise smiled. “That’s why she’s perfect to talk to. She listens and doesn’t talk back. Who do you confide in?”

“Lindsay.”

“Right. Because she’s your new best friend that just happens to be your lover, as well. In some ways, sprout, we are the same, but you’re not superficial, and a woman like that is not for you. Lindsay’s down-to-earth. She’s not concerned about the car she drives or the furnishings in her house. It’s so obvious that her priority is you and her family.”

“Do you really mean that?” Nicole looked deep into her mother’s eyes for any sign that she was being manipulated. Though they loved each other, they often bickered more than any of Nicole’s siblings.

“I do. You’re so happy. I can see it in your smile and hear it in your voice. I suffered right along with you during the scandal with the Heidelberg boy, but, honey, you looked the same then as you did in your other relationships, and that too was hard to sit back and watch. You don’t look like that now, and I know Lindsay’s the reason. And Alexis, oh, that child is adorable. She’s as crazy about you as you are her.”

Nicole grinned. “They do make me so very happy. Rose, too, she made me feel welcome the second I met her.”

In a rare show of emotion, Elise’s eyes brimmed with tears as she took Nicole’s hands into her own. “You’re never coming back,” Elise said with a nod. “I know that now. But you’re happy, and that makes the separation bearable.”

*******

The next morning, the two families had breakfast at T-John’s, and Alexis got an early Christmas present from her new grandparents, though she didn’t know it at the time. The sterling silver “I love Justin Bieber” bracelet would make her the envy of all her friends. Hugs were exchanged by all, then Lindsay stood back and watched Elise take Nicole’s face in her hands. They spoke softly to each other in a tearful goodbye, then Nicole’s father took her in his arms.

Elise walked over to Lindsay and hugged her tight while whispering in her ear, “You take good care of my baby, and she’ll take care of you.”

“I will, I promise,” Lindsay said as Elise released her.

Elise turned to Rose and gave her one last hug. “Take care of our girls and call me if you need me.” She smiled as she held Rose at arm’s length. “I’m glad to know you, Rose. You come and see us.”

Not caring who looked on, Lindsay held Nicole as they waved goodbye.

Chapter Twenty-six

Lindsay was physically and emotionally exhausted. Business at the store took off at a frantic pace as Christmas crept up on them. Alexis was out of school for the holiday, Santa shopping had to be done, and somehow Rose and Tiffany had managed to rope her into helping with the preparation for the St. Claire Christmas Festival, which was responsible for the physical exhaustion.

In addition, there was a mishap on the rig where Mike worked, and instead of being able to help with Alexis on his time off, he was stuck out in the Gulf. The emotional turmoil came from not being able to spend time alone with Nicole. In her arms, Lindsay wanted to take solace, wanted to feel that connection that made her knees weak, but the clandestine relationship and other obligations would not allow it.

Normally, this was the slowest time at the clinic, but business for Nicole, too, had skyrocketed. She helped with the shopping and took Alexis to work with her as often as she could. But she and Lindsay were on a constant treadmill that only allowed for a few stolen kisses that did not lead to lovemaking but much-needed sleep.

On Christmas Eve, the night of the festival, Lindsay drank half a pot of coffee and took a shower in hopes that it would perk her up. Her favorite holiday was supposed to be a happy time, but she couldn’t muster the strength to summon her usual excitement. And if Lindsay were to be truly honest with herself, she’d have to confess that it wasn’t the busy schedule that had her so wound up, it was the discussion she would have to have with Alexis after Christmas. Lindsay had begun to feel that her whole life depended on how Alexis would react and after her the residents of St. Claire. She wanted so much to share a home with Nicole and put away the secret lifestyle.

Lindsay switched off the water in the shower and dried off. After she’d wiped away the steam covering her mirror, she noticed that the scowl that had formed late that afternoon was still present. She was edgy, and the people who understood and cared for her more than anyone bore the brunt of her frustration. Nicole had a last-minute unscheduled patient and ran late getting Alexis to the house. This put everything behind schedule. Lindsay snapped.

“If you would’ve just called, Mom could’ve picked Alexis up and had her bathed already,” Lindsay said sharply when Nicole pulled up in the driveway. Nicole hadn’t even gotten out of the car before Lindsay started harping. “Alexis, go upstairs and get into the shower right now.” Lindsay hadn’t taken the time to greet or kiss her before shouting out orders.

“It’s my fault.” Nicole killed the engine.

“Yes, and next time, call me.” Lindsay regretted the words as they flew out of her mouth because Nicole’s fatigued face darkened.

“Lindsay,” Rose called from the porch.

“Not now, Mom,” Lindsay said, and Rose went back into the house, slamming the door behind her.

Lindsay let out a long, labored breath as she turned to Nicole. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

“Main Street runs in front of my house.” Nicole turned on the engine of her car without getting out. “I’ll just walk out of my front door, and I’m sure I’ll see you there.”

Lindsay watched her go knowing that she’d made a huge mistake.

*******

“An espresso and an hourlong cry is what I need right now.” Lindsay combed through her wet hair. “But as usual, there’s no time.”

After she dressed, Lindsay apologized to Alexis first, then her mother for her earlier behavior. She hoped that she’d get a moment alone with Nicole to do the same before she had to put on a happy face in front of everyone else. She didn’t want tension between her and Nicole because on this night she had the perfect excuse as to why Nicole should sleep at their house and stay in her room. Santa was coming, and it wouldn’t do for someone to be sleeping on the couch. Nicole needed to be there early so she could see everything he brought before Alexis unwrapped it. “Excuses, I’m sick of excuses and lying,” Lindsay said under her breath as she climbed into her truck.

As planned, she pulled onto Main Street at Miles’s direction. She and Rose unloaded all the pies they’d been tasked with baking. Once Rose had Alexis in her sights, Lindsay parked her truck in the lot of Nicole’s office and hoped she could make amends. “I’m so sorry.” Lindsay stepped inside Nicole’s back door. She wrapped her arms around Nicole and buried her face in her neck. “I was stressed, and I took it out on you. I’ve felt terrible ever since.”

“It won’t be the last time.” Nicole held her. “I’m sure I’ll be guilty of snapping at you one day.”

Lindsay pulled away and held Nicole at arm’s length. “Could you do it now? It’d make me feel a whole lot better.”

Nicole furrowed her brow. “You’re wrinkling my shirt, damn it. Get off of me.”

“You’re wearing a sweater, baby.”

“Hey,” Nicole shrugged, “it’s all I got.” She pulled Lindsay back into her arms and held her tight as she kissed her. “Now let’s hurry up and have fun, so we can really have fun later.”

*******

Main Street was lit up with Christmas lights, on the streetlamps and in the yards of the homes lining the street. The park at the center of town was strung in all white lights with a huge multicolored Christmas tree as the centerpiece. Large boxes wrapped in shiny red, gold, and green paper surrounded it. St. Claire residents gladly paid twenty bucks apiece to eat and drink until the food and soda were gone. Even the McCreedys were in attendance, though most everyone avoided them as they surrounded the turkey leg cart.

Nicole pulled Lindsay to a stop. “Is that Ruby Crantz standing next to your mother?”

A smile spread across Lindsay’s face. “Oh, my God, it is. She hasn’t come to one of these in ages, and doesn’t she look amazing?” Ruby stood with her chin up as if in defiance to all of the surprised stares. Dressed in a long red coat with a white scarf over black slacks, she had a regal air about her.

“She’s got eyebrows,” Nicole said as she studied her.

“Hey, don’t joke. We’re headed to the land of drawn-on brows much faster than I’d like to think.”

“I mean she’s wearing makeup,” Nicole said with a laugh. “The last time I saw her, she was wearing what looked like SWAT gear and a black ski cap. She cleans up pretty nice.”

“So do you.” Lindsay liked the cream-colored sweater and the brown leather bomber jacket Nicole was sporting.

Nicole leaned in so only Lindsay would hear what she said next. “You look stunning tonight, but I prefer to see you dressed down…to nothing.”

“Well, hello, minx,” Ruby said as Nicole and Lindsay drew near. “Nice to see you when you’re not covered in dog fur.” Ruby winked. “Or did you just shave?”

“Lovely to see you, too, Ruby,” Nicole said. “I don’t see the shotgun. Are you carrying it in your coat?”

A few people close by seemed surprised by the exchange and even more so when Ruby laughed and pulled Nicole in for a hug.

Alexis and a pack of her friends were hitting every booth like a miniature gang. The front of Alexis’s white jacket was already stained with what looked like mustard. A band played and people danced in the middle of Main Street. Laughter and the smell of food filled the air. Lindsay felt herself begin to relax until she heard a familiar sour voice.

“Well, well, I shouldn’t be surprised to find you two huddled up together.”

Lindsay and Nicole turned as Mary Berthalot joined their circle. “Ruby,” she said with a sneer. “I see you’ve finally decided to grace us all with your presence.”

“Some of you,” Ruby said curtly.

Obviously recognizing that Ruby was not going to play her game, Mary set her sights on a new pawn. “Rose, I have to say I’m surprised by you. You may’ve lost control of your daughter, but there’s still hope for Alexis. Why do you allow her to be exposed to such debauchery?”

“Excuse me?” Rose said indignantly.

Mary’s voice rose so everyone near would be sure to hear her. “As a Christian woman, I’d think you’d do something about what’s going on under your nose.”

Rose took a step closer to Mary “What are you alluding to?”

“I’m not alluding to anything,” Mary said with a distinct edge to her voice. “Unlike the rest of the people in this town, I cannot turn a blind eye to the sinful lifestyle your daughter and Dr. Allen are embroiled in.” She looked at the faces surrounding them. “It’s my duty as a Christian woman and a righteous pillar of this town to speak out against this. And I’ve taken my business elsewhere.”

Mary blinked when an older male voice in the crowd that had gathered said, “Shut up, you old crow, and mind your own business.”

A tear slipped down Lindsay’s cheek as the nightmare began to unfold. She and Nicole stood side by side in stunned silence.

“Everyone in town knows what’s going on between these two.” Mary pointed a finger at Lindsay and Nicole. “Yet no one will stand up for what’s right. What?” Mary held up her hands. “Will you all turn a blind eye and allow homosexuals to live in our midst? Will you allow these women to degrade the town we have worked so hard to keep from the clutches of this evil world?”

Ruby stepped in front of Rose. “Is your God so small that he needs you to cast his judgment?”

“What do you know of God? You haven’t darkened the doorstep of a church in ages, Ruby,” Mary shot back haughtily.

Ruby shook her head with a smile. “No, I haven’t.” She looked up at the crowd that was steadily gathering. Most of the murmuring stopped as Ruby met their curious stares. “Mary’s right, I don’t go to church anymore because I’ve never really been fond of snakes.” Mary’s gasp was echoed by many others. “Grab your sagging jaws. Christ said the same thing, called the religious folk a brood of vipers.”

Ruby’s gaze settled back on Mary. “You’re the biggest viper of all, Mary Berthalot. You set your religious standard so high that no one, not even you, can live up to it. So you assuage your own guilty conscience by judging others. If I had only your so-called righteous example to go by, I’d have never read the Bible for myself.” Ruby pointed at Lindsay. “This woman has lived in this town all her life. She and Rose have been friends to everyone here, always willing to lend a hand. Can you say the same about Mary and her tiny band of crows? If you needed help, would you go to Mary?”

Ruby shook her head as she began to move along the edge of the crowd, staring into it. “No, you don’t go to Mary, you go to Rose or Lindsay. But many of you have come to me when your gambling got out of control and you couldn’t afford to put food on your tables.” She patted the pocket of her jacket as she walked. “You came to me when you needed money to hide the results of your indiscretions. I’ve been silently collecting your darkest secrets for years. Mary’s got money, too. Why didn’t you seek her help in your time of need? Did you fear her judgment, or was it because you knew she’d tell everyone?”

Ruby raised her head high as she gazed over the crowd and raised her hands. “Anyone? Is anyone going to speak up?” She shook her head and grinned. “No, you’re not. So why are you gathered here now? To see Mary flay these women who have shown you all nothing but kindness? How very Christian of you all. If you allow Mary and her cronies to persecute these women, they’ll probably leave town, then what will you be stuck with?” Ruby jerked a thumb in Mary’s direction. “That’s what. A bitter old hag that most of you cross the street to avoid speaking to.”

Ruby turned to Mary. “I have many regrets, but the biggest was allowing you and your mouth to run me off into the woods. Look at you, flesh and bone and chock full of shit, still I let you get under my skin. You better get down on your hands and knees, Mary Berthalot, and thank your God that he’s not like me because I would’ve dropped a lightning bolt into the crack of your ass a long time ago.” Ruby pointed a finger in Mary’s face. “What makes this town so special is not the picket fences, manicured lawns, and the carefully crafted façade that hides all our misdeeds, it’s women like Rose, Lindsay, and Nicole. What ‘degrades’ this town is all of us bowing to you, Mary and those like you. Go home to your slipper-loving rabbit and leave the good people alone.”

The quiet dispersal of the crowd spoke loudly that Christmas Eve. Though some did follow Mary, most stayed behind. Many verbally expressed their support for Lindsay and her family while others simply smiled and nodded.

*******

Nicole’s gaze fell upon a pair of tear-filled eyes. Alexis stood with her arms wrapped around herself for a moment and darted off toward the playground. Nicole stood stunned, unsure of whether to follow or tell Lindsay what she’d seen.

“Go to her.” Rose squeezed Nicole’s arm. “This is where you become a parent.”

Nicole looked at Lindsay, who Ruby had by the shoulders. The conversation looked intense.

“I will take care of my baby, and I need you to take care of my grandbaby.” Rose gave Nicole a shake and a shove. “Right now.”

Nicole sprinted across the street. Everything in the playground was covered with strings of white lights, illuminating every fixture, but Alexis was nowhere in sight. Nicole scanned the edges of the park looking for a familiar small form. The sleeve of a white jacket dipped behind a large oak. Nicole ran toward it and slowed as she heard Alexis’s soft sobbing.

Nicole moved slowly around the tree. “Can we talk?”

“Why are people so mean?” Alexis looked up with a tear-streaked face.

Nicole took off her jacket and spread it on the ground. She took a seat and held out her arms. Without hesitation, Alexis climbed into her embrace. “For attention, I suppose.”

Alexis buried her face in Nicole’s shirt. “I’m so mad,” she said with a hiccup. “I wanted to hit Mrs. Mary right in the mouth. Aren’t you mad, too?”

Nicole rested her head atop Alexis’s. “I’m furious.”

Alexis pulled away and looked up at her. It was obviously not the response she was expecting. “You are?”

Nicole nodded. “Yes.” She wiped some of the tears that hadn’t been caught by her sweater from Alexis’s face. “Yes, I am, and I wanted to knock Mary on her butt when she made your mother cry. But, honey, we both know that’s not right. We can’t backhand or punch anyone who makes us mad. You know why?”

“Because we’re not supposed to use our fists?” Alexis asked with a sniff.

“No. What Mary did with her words tonight was basically the same thing. The things she said were like a slap in the face. For whatever reasons she may have, she’s always angry. She said those ugly things to us because she wanted us to hurt just like her.” Nicole pulled Alexis snugly against her. “There’s lots of angry, mean people in this world, and if we let them, if we listen to their words, they’ll make us sad and angry just like them. The best thing we can do is be happy being who we are and let them go on being miserable by themselves.”

“So you’re not going to punch Mary in the mouth?” Alexis asked with disappointment in her voice.

Nicole couldn’t help but laugh as she pulled back and looked into Alexis’s eyes. “You are very intelligent. You understood exactly what I just said.”

Alexis shot her a toothless grin. “Yeth, ma’am.” She burrowed back into Nicole. “Do you love Momma like Daddy did?”

Nicole tried not to tense as the question hit her right between the eyes. “Yes, I do. Does that make you uncomfortable?”

Alexis hesitated before responding. “No, ma’am. Will you come to live with us and share Momma’s room?”

Nicole wanted to see Alexis’s face for this part of the conversation, but she burrowed in deeper to Nicole’s chest. When Mary said everyone in town knew, she hit the nail on the head because Alexis certainly seemed to have already figured them out with everyone else. “Would that be okay with you?”

Alexis nodded. “Will Bieber and Bounce come, too?”

“Yes, but Peepers is going to need lots of love and attention. He isn’t going to like kittens in his house at first.” Nicole shifted and put her finger beneath Alexis’s chin. As their eyes met, she asked, “Lexi, I need you to be very honest with me right now. I’ll still love you even if you tell me something you think will hurt my feelings.”

Like her mother, Alexis chewed at her bottom lip. “I don’t want anyone to make my mom cry again. I don’t want them to say mean things to her.”

Nicole inhaled and let it out slowly. “They might, baby. People are always going to say and do what they want to. This is all new to your mom, and after some time, it’s going to get much easier for her to handle. I can’t promise you that she’s not going to get her feelings hurt. But the people who will always love her will be there to make her feel better.”

“Me, Grams, and you?”

Nicole nodded. “If you’ll give me a chance.”

“I will.”

“I’ll be there for you, too, ya know.” The admission made Nicole’s eyes tear. “I love you so much, little kid.”

Alexis seemed surprised by the emotion, then grinned. “I love you, too.”

Nicole hugged her tight and held on for a moment as she regained control of herself. “We need to go find your mom and Grams.”

*******

Hand in hand, Nicole and Alexis crossed the street. A crowd comprised of mostly women stood where Ruby had delivered her speech. In the center were Lindsay, Ruby, and Rose. Tiffany Stanton and Clarice, Alexis’s principal, were there with them, all smiles and showing their solidarity. Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. When Lindsay saw them coming, she rushed over and threw her arms around Alexis.

“You scared me, kiddo.” She knelt and buried her face in Alexis’s hair.

“I was with…” Alexis looked up at Nicole. “Can I call you Nikki? I’m tired of spitting every time I say Mith.”

*******

“It was like a receiving line at a wedding,” Lindsay said later as Rose helped Alexis with her bath. “A lot of people were coming up and congratulating me and throwing their support. I don’t think any of them are ready to see us strolling the block hand in hand, but they seemed comfortable enough to acknowledge us as a couple.” Lindsay grinned. “I guess they’re all scared of Ruby Crantz and her secrets.”

Nicole laughed softly. “I think it’s more than that,” Nicole said seriously. “Maybe we should give them some credit. Not everyone wants to string up the LGBT community, especially after they’ve gotten to know us as individuals.”

Lindsay chewed her bottom lip. “I’ll mull that for a while. I’m making a Mary Berthalot voodoo doll.”

“What was Ruby saying to you when she had you by the shoulders?”

Lindsay laughed. “These are her exact words: ‘You need to nut up and stand up. People walk all over a doormat because it just lays there. Mary’s old nasty shoeprints are all over your face.”’

Nicole snorted with laughter. “Nut up?”

Lindsay laughed along with her. “She also confessed to watching a lot of MTV, said it ‘keeps her in touch with the young world.’”

“Clean body, clean teeth,” Rose announced as she and Alexis came down the stairs.

Alexis raced up to Nicole and Lindsay. She directed her question to them both. “There’s a Christmas cartoon marathon on TV tonight. Can I stay up and watch some of it, please? I don’t have to go to school tomorrow.” She looked at Nicole beseechingly.

“It’s okay with me if it’s okay with your mom.” Nicole looked at Lindsay with a smile.

“Sounds great.” Lindsay picked up the remote and looked at Rose. “Mom, will you stay for a little while?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Rose squeezed in next to Lindsay while Alexis took a seat on Nicole’s and Lindsay’s laps.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas, my favorite,” Nicole said.

And the four enjoyed a warm, peaceful silent night while Peepers chewed the corner of Lindsay’s gift to Nicole—a pair of diamond earrings cut similarly to the engagement ring that Nicole had given her. Later, he’d chew the gift that Nicole had given Lindsay—the same pair of earrings.

About the Author

Robin Alexander is the author of the Goldie Award-winning Gloria’s Secret and eleven other novels for Intaglio Publications—Gloria’s Inn, Gift of Time, The Taking of Eden, Love’s Someday, Pitifully Ugly, Undeniable, A Devil in Disguise, Half to Death, Gloria’s Legacy, and A Kiss Doesn’t Lie.

Robin spends her days working with the staff of Intaglio and her nights with her own writings. She still manages to find time to spend with her, partner, Becky, and their three dogs and four cats.

You can reach her at robinalex65@yahoo.com. You can visit her website at www.robinalexanderbooks.com and find her on Facebook.

You may also enjoy Robin’s fellow Intaglio author...

Sisters’ Treasure

by Mary Jane Russell

ISBN: 978-1-935216-35-3

Available at Amazon, and on Amazon Kindle

Excert:

“That’s my girl.” Tracey Stephens raised her can of Coke in a salute to the television screen. She was a creature of habit—as soon as she entered her apartment after a day’s work, she turned on the television for background noise and went to the refrigerator for an ice-cold Coca-Cola. She was fortunate that her metabolism was such that she burned off the sugar and caffeine with no ill effects to her weight or ability to sleep. She still wore the same size jeans as when a senior in high school seven years earlier. It didn’t hurt that she played golf every weekend unless there was drenching rain falling or snow on the ground.

She set the can on the end table next to the sofa and pulled her hair back in a ponytail using a wide elastic band from an ashtray that had never been used for smoking. Her hair stayed a light blond year-round, thanks to her time outside playing golf, and reached midway down her back. She faced the sofa and pushed aside the pile of laundry that needed folding. If clean clothes stayed on the sofa too long, Tracey simply washed them again.

She purposely kept the living room furniture to a minimum so there was no interference with the treadmill set against the back of the kitchen cabinets that divided the room or the golf clubs and water skis propped against the front wall. Her nonfiction books were in stacks on the floor of what was intended to be a second bedroom that had two folding tables piled high with papers instead of a bed. She considered herself a historically minded jock. She settled onto the sofa to watch the local evening news. Once the news ended, she’d switch to Netflix and her obsession with BBC programs. She tolerated cable television for The Weather Channel and ESPN. She refused to pay for premium channels yet hated sitting through commercials. She was halfway through Doc Martin, fascinated by how obtuse the main character was as she crushed on the schoolteacher. A typical winter evening was spent glancing at the television while reading a book or cataloging documents from the previous two centuries, or both.

Ginny Daniels stood with microphone in hand, leaning toward Alese Walthall with genuine deference that emphasized a stark contrast of different generations of black women. Ginny was twenty-three, slim, and not born in Virginia. Alese was seventy, plump, and a native of Danville.

“You’re a retired schoolteacher who now works at Southside Museum and volunteers at local historical sites?” Ginny asked. She nodded attentively during Alese’s summary of her careers and current activities.

“You’ve no idea.” Tracey shook her head and sipped her drink, waiting.

Mrs. Walthall had been one of Tracey’s elementary school teachers. She’d retired after three-and-a-half decades of teaching. Retirement bored her, so she joined the Southside Museum at its inception as its first museum educator. She’d been an excellent teacher, more so for riding out the first wave of soft integration in Virginia. She’d also been the first black professional woman Tracey’s mother had experienced when placed in her classroom in 1965. Alese survived the system to be Tracey’s teacher thirty years later. She was a gentle taskmaster who made her pupils work for the knowledge that lasted them a lifetime.

Tracey credited Alese with her decision to be a history major. Tracey’s mother teased her that the only surprise was when Tracey decided not to follow her mentor’s footsteps and become a teacher. Tracey had been thrilled to reunite with Alese at the museum when she was hired as its curator three years earlier.

“I hope you did your homework, girlfriend.” Tracey felt herself tensing as she sensed that Ginny was about to make the point of the interview—Black History Month justifiably came across as a double-edged sword in the South. Especially poignant was the impending anniversary of the start of the Civil War. So far, Virginia was the only state to appropriate funds for commemorative events. The NAACP was already cautioning members and organizing demonstrations against celebrating slavery.

Ginny was an anomaly to the area and Tracey’s life. She was born and raised in Ohio with a strong family and upper middle-class neighborhood support structure. Her childhood friends were a mixed bag of Toledo’s population where no one paid much attention to last names. Both her parents had earned doctorates.

Tracey lived in the shadow of generations of tobacco farmers who passed land but not money to the next generation. Danville had briefly served as the Confederate capital during the closing days of the Civil War. It was a city strongly rooted in country music, tobacco auctions, textile production, and its adjoining county’s annual cantaloupe festival. Tracey’s parents had been the first generation not to attend racially separated schools.

Tracey had never had a black girlfriend. She’d been too shy during high school to be anything more than friends with anyone and had watched the girls she grew up with move away for college and careers. Tracey had been too focused on her golf scholarship and college curriculum to seriously date anyone, knowing her parents couldn’t afford the cost of another daughter’s undergraduate education.

Once home and employed by the museum, Tracey concentrated on work. She’d been interviewed a little over a year before by Ginny and hadn’t been able to get her off her mind since. She’d thanked Ginny for the increased foot traffic to the textile exhibit by taking her to dinner and been delighted to discover that Ginny had an ulterior motive for the interview that had begun with a nudge from a mutual friend who thought they needed to meet. They’d been a couple ever since, traveling to North Carolina’s nearby metro areas for concerts and women’s basketball.

“Was there Underground Railroad activity in this area in the decades before the Civil War?” Ginny held the microphone toward Alese.

“None that has been documented this far inland. The Tidewater area had churches linked to steamship routes.” Alese folded one hand over the other, clearly displeased that research was lacking or she was being manipulated.

“My ancestors fled Virginia in the eighteen fifties and served the North during the war. Yet here you are, a native, working on the preparations for theone hundred fiftieth celebration of the beginning of the Civil War as part of Danville’s tourism effort.” Ginny held up a recent brochure from the state office of tourism.

Tracey groaned.

Alese stiffened. “I’m a guide at the National Cemetery where the federal soldiers from Danville’s Confederate prisons were buried and at the Freedman’s Cemetery that once was part of Green Hill Cemetery. I work at the museum to bring to light the wealth of African-American artifacts hidden amongst family collections. We’ve commemorated the pain and suffering of the labor force, as well as the strides made since the time of Abraham Lincoln. Some of us stayed here to make it easier for successive generations rather than being lured away from our heritage by anonymity and paychecks in Northern factories.”

“Danville—a contradiction to itself.” Ginny walked with the camera as the adjoining cemeteries were panned. The newscast went to commercial break.

“She did not just say that.” A man’s voice was raised to be heard through the dividing wall of the duplex.

“Oh, yes, she did.” Tracey went to the refrigerator for two more Cokes, then dashed from her front door to the adjoining unit without a jacket to ward off February’s chill.

Adam Bruffy held the door open. His apartment was as sparse as Tracey’s was cluttered. He resisted all urges to decorate after his divorce other than adding a bar in the corner of the living room to display his beer bottle collection. It also served to hide empty liquor bottles en route to recycling. He’d amassed a collection of bean bag chairs that he piled together in the middle of the living room. His bed was a mattress thrown on the carpet of the master bedroom. His one furniture purchase had been a race car bed for the second bedroom. Adam lived for his visitation rights with his son.

Tracey handed off the cold Coke to Adam, continuing into his kitchen to transfer groceries from bags to cabinets. He was as bad about food as she was clothing, often leaving plastic bags along the wall until the contents were used. Tracey made it a habit to check the contents—laundry didn’t spoil.

“Wonder how many people are watching this.” Adam directed his voice to the kitchen while his eyes focused on the screen. “I haven’t seen that look on Mrs. Walthall’s face since I mooned the audience of the sixth-grade play.”

Tracey chuckled. “I forgot she was your teacher also. I just remember you being the star high school quarterback that most of the girls, including my big sister, had a huge crush on. I was so jealous.”

“Who’d have ever thought I’d end up as the divorced land surveyor who drinks too much?” Adam set the Coke aside in favor of the bottle of beer he was half through. “Thanks for reminding me that I’m older and of the same romantic persuasion as you.”

“I wonder how many people are looking for the parent station’s telephone number in Lynchburg. Ginny’s days as a one-woman affiliate may be numbered.” Tracey held up one of the cans of chili. “I’m assuming you don’t have any hot dates in your future.”

“Lesbian buddies and pay-per-view are my bestest friends.” Adam flashed a toothy smile at her, then waggled his mustache.

“Eww.” Tracey shook her head. She teased Adam about being a throwback to a Burt Reynolds wannabe. His black hair was shaggy on his collar, and his mustache was heavy on his upper lip and corners of his mouth.

Adam laughed. “I’m betting you won’t be taking Ginny home to meet the parents this weekend.”

“I’m not closeted, just very private about my social life. I had enough of a don’t-ask-don’t-tell reaction from Paula to learn my lesson.”

“I never would’ve guessed your sister was so uptight.” He tried the Coke again and made a face. “I think this needs more sugar. How do you chug these things?”

“Paula went to college to nab a husband and earn a degree she had no intention of using. Poor Ashton built her a huge house and fathered her prerequisite—and I love them dearly—two children, so she could climb the ladder with the Baptist Young Women and support the Republican Party.” Tracey shuddered. “Don’t waste any of that Coke. At least my addiction is legal.”

“I heard that.” Adam crushed the can and threw it behind the bar.

“I’m hoping Alese won’t hold this against me. I introduced Ginny to her to set up the interview.” Tracey took her cell phone out of her pocket and hit the speed dial for Ginny. She waited through the voice mail prompt. “You looked great on the news tonight as always, sweetie. Isn’t Mrs. Walthall something? Don’t forget dinner Friday night.” Tracey closed the phone with a snap.

“Chickenshit.” Adam was engrossed in the five-day weather forecast that determined how much he’d be able to work.

“You betcha. That’s chickenshit with a date, thank you.” Tracey thumped Adam on the crown of his head in passing.

By Robin Alexander

Gloria’s Inn  ISBN: 1-933113-01-4 Released 10/2004

The Taking of Eden  ISBN: 978-1-933113-53-1 Released 12/2005

The Gift of Time ISBN: 978-1-933113-82-1 Released 9/2007

Love’s Someday ISBN: 978-1-935216-08-7 Released 12/2009

Pitifully Ugly ISBN: 978-1-935216-21-6 Released 12/2010

Undeniable ISBN: 978-1-935216-28-5 Released 3/2011

Devil In Disguise ISBN: 978-1-935216-26-1 Released 5/2011

Gloria’s Legacy ISBN: 978-1-935216-30-8 Released 12/2011

Half To Death ISBN: 978-1-935216-31-5 Released 8/2011

A Kiss Doesn’t Lie  ISBN: 978-1-935216-36-0 Released 3/2012

Published by

Intaglio Publications

Walker, La.

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