"Okay, you can open them now."

"Wow," was all Grace could say. This had to be about the most beautiful sight the city girl had ever seen. The timing could not have been better, the lake and the sky merging into one in glorious array of color.

"I love this view," Carey said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She pointed to the left where a few buildings could be seen in the distance. "Over there is the town proper. Population is about 1,800 year-round residents."

"Why don't more people live in a beautiful place like this?" Grace asked.

"Most people like the conveniences of city life. Packard has the bare necessities. If you wanted to go to a mall you'd have to be willing to drive an hour to get there." Carey walked over to a large rock and sat down. "In the summer the population swells to about 2,000. I only get up here a couple of weeks a year." She looked over at Grace and smiled. "But like I said before, I intend to move here when I retire."

"Where's your cottage?" Grace asked as she walked over to stand by her friend.

"See the little island at the north side of the lake?"

Grace squinted and shook her head. "No, I don't...oh, wait, I see it. That tiny little speck is an island? Don't tell me you have a cottage on that little bit of ground?"

Carey laughed. "It's bigger than it looks from here, but, no, that's just my landmark. I'm east of the island tucked back against that stand of trees." She stood up and brushed off her pants. "Come on. I'm gonna buy you dinner at Martha Jane's Diner. She serves the best chicken fried steak you ever tasted."

"Mm, can't wait," Grace said as she followed Carey back to the truck.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Carey called through the door.

"Let me sleep a little longer," Grace said, as she buried her head under her pillow. She started to drift off again when suddenly her covers were yanked off and Carey grabbed her ankles and pulled her to the bottom of the bed.

"What?" Grace said, blinking rapidly.

"I've got the coffee on and the batter for pancakes ready. Now get up. We need to get out there while the fish are biting."

Grace looked at the window. "But it's still dark out."

"Won't be by the time we get out there." Carey reached out and grabbed her hands, pulling her to her feet. "You hit the bathroom and I’ll start cooking."

Grace laughed as Carey turned and marched from the room. "A little anxious, aren't we?"

"Hey," Carey called from the other room. "I don't get up here much and I don't intend to waste a moment."

Grace shook her head and padded to the bathroom.

"How will I know when I get one?"

Carey grinned. "Don't worry, you'll know."

"But how?"

"When you feel a tug on the line, you've got one. Or when you see the bobber go under, you've got one." Carey handed Grace a pole. "When that happens you give a quick jerk to set the hook."

Grace nodded. "It doesn't sound so hard."

"It's not, once you get the hang of it." Carey glanced back at her boat and shook her head. She had wanted to take it out on the lake but one of her renters failed to tell her that they had damaged it. Shouldn't take too long to repair, she thought. We'll take it out tomorrow. Grace looked at the bucket of thawed-out shrimp that Carey had brought along for bait. "I thought you were supposed to use worms for bait?"

"You can use lots of things for bait. Worms, crickets, chicken liver, cheese. Any number of things, really."

"They all sound pretty disgusting to me. Well, all except the cheese."

Carey laughed. "If you're going to be a first-class fisherwoman, you'll try them all." She walked to the edge of the dock. "The water's pretty shallow around the dock, so you're going to have to cast your hook out to the deeper water. I want you to practice a few casts before you bait


your hook. Watch me."

Grace watched everything the older woman did and it looked pretty easy to her.

"Piece of cake," she said, taking her rod and flipping it back over her shoulder, then screaming out as the fishhook embedded itself in her backside. She dropped her pole and grabbed Carey's arm. "Get it out!"

"Turn around and let me see," Carey said, trying her best not to laugh


at the whimpering young woman.

Grace turned around, but she flinched every time Carey tried to touch her.

"You're going to have to be still, Grace."

"Okay, just get it out...please." Grace bent over and squeezed her eyes shut. She held her breath and tried to be as still as possible.

"Got it."

"Ouch!" Grace stood up, rubbing her backside.

"Come on," Carey said. "Let’s go back to the cottage and clean you up. We don't want that pretty little ass of yours getting infected." She couldn't hold back the laughter any longer, tears running down her cheeks as she watched Grace stomp back toward the house.

Carey retrieved her first aid kit from the truck and joined Grace in the cottage. The sight that greeted her when she opened the door caused her to stop dead in her tracks, her breath catching. Grace was standing with her jeans and panties down around her ankles, trying to look over her shoulder at her injured butt.

"Does it look bad?"

Carey didn't need an invitation to stare at the beautiful young woman. She couldn't help herself. "Not too bad," she finally answered, pulling herself out of her daze. "Go lie down on the couch and I’ll be right there."

Grace didn't miss the look of desire that flashed in Carey's eyes. Hmm, she thought. That hook hurt like hell, but it just might have been worth it. Grace kicked off her jeans and walked to the couch, aware that the older woman's eyes never left her.

Carey knelt down next to the couch and opened up her kit. She dabbed at the wound with a cotton ball that had been saturated with hydrogen peroxide. She felt the young woman tremble, heard a small gasp.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No, it feels wonderful."

"Behave," Carey said, sticking a bandage over the hook bite, then giving a small slap to the other cheek. "Now are we going to do some fishing or what?"

Grace put her suitcase on her bed and turned to say good-bye to Carey. The week at the cottage had gone too fast, and it seemed that every time they had to part it was harder to say good-bye. "I had a great time, even if I did rip a hole in my ass."

"I had fun too. I'm glad you came."

"Can I have a hug?"

Carey smiled and opened up her arms. "Come here."

Grace rushed over and wrapped her arms around her. "I wish you


could stay longer."

"I wish I could too, but I'll call you."

"Remember that I'm working until closing at the Waterhouse now, so I'm not sure when you should call."

"Are you sure you should be working that late? How are you getting home?”

"It's only five blocks."

"Grace, I don't like the idea of you walking home at that hour by yourself."

"It's a well-lit street. What else am I supposed to do? I can't waste the money on a cab and I certainly can't afford a car."

Carey's first thought was to offer to loan her truck but realized that would not be appropriate. "I still don't like it. Are you sure you'll be safe?"

"As sure as I can be. If I get worried, I'll see if someone can escort me home or give me a ride, okay?"

"It'll have to be," Carey said. "It's a nice restaurant, right? Not some cheap diner."

"People make reservations."

Carey still did not like it but there was little she could do. "Just promise me you'll be safe and not take chances."

"I promise."

"Good. If you do something stupid, I’ll—“

"You'll make me do twenty, right?"

"At least," Carey said.

"I'll miss you."

"But we talk every week."

"It's not the same."

"I know."

Grace undid the top two buttons, finding the juice bar to be abnormally hot. She ordered a tall soda instead of her usual coffee, then headed back to the pinball machines to use up the quarters weighing down her pocket. She no sooner put a quarter in the machine than she was bumped from the side.

"Hey, good looking, what's up?"

It took only a second to recognize her friend. "Jan!" She gave Jan a hug. "It's great to see you."

"You too. How've you been?"

"Great, how about you?" The pinball game forgotten, Grace leaned against the machine. "You still working up at the mall?"

"Yeah," Jan said. "But I might get a promotion to the new store they're building out at the strip mall near the airport."

"Wow, that's great, I hope you get it."

Jan smiled. "You really look great," she said as her eyes swept over Grace's body. "But then I always thought you were hot. You have no idea how many times I came close to kissing you when we were alone."

"Jan, that was a long time ago."

Jan shrugged. "I know. I've got a girlfriend now and she gets really pissed when I screw around on her, so I'll behave. You got someone?"

Grace reached for her drink. "I'm working on it," she said. "You up for a game?" she asked, gesturing at the pinball machine.

"Sure."

Grace tossed another quarter in and hit the start button. "You can go first." She stepped out of the way.

"So how come I haven't seen you in here before?" Jan asked, her eyes on the silver ball pinging off the bumpers.

"I don't come here much," Grace said. "I just needed to get out tonight."

"I try to get out two or three times a week," Jan said. "Sondra and I fight if we're around each other too much." She smacked the machine as the ball went down the side. "Damn."

As Grace moved to take her turn, she felt Jan brush firmly against her backside. "So are you going to school, or just working?" she asked, hoping Jan would get the hint if she ignored the touch.

"Just working," Jan said, standing just behind Grace's left shoulder. "I make enough money. I don't need school. How about you?"

"Still at ICC," Grace said. "Working at the Waterhouse right now."

She smiled as the lights began flashing. "Ha! Multi-ball."

"Lucky you," Jan said. "So you see anyone from the hill?"

Grace tapped the flippers repeatedly, fighting to keep all three balls in play. "No, not really," she said. "I talk to Carey a lot, but none of the other girls that were there. I heard Latisha was moving to New York City to live with one of her aunts."

"You still talk to Scary Carey?"

"Come on, Jan. She wasn't that bad. She's really a nice person once you get to know her."

"And how well did you get to know her?" Jan asked.

"Not like that," Grace said, though she did allow herself a smile at the thought. "But not for a lack of trying."

"You were interested in Scary? The same woman you told me you


wished would get run over by a bus?"

"That was when I first got there," Grace said. "You know we were getting along really well by graduation."

"Yeah, but Scary?"

"Don't call her that," Grace said. "I really care about her. She's the one for me."

"Grace, don't waste your time," Jan said. "She's not right for you."

"How do you know?"

"Oh come on, you mean you're gonna be able to light up a joint in front of her or have a few beers? So-Carey's so straight-laced she'd never allow that."

"Once I turn twenty-one she has no say in whether I drink or not, and I'd rather have her than pot."

Jan shook her head. "Don't say I didn't warn you. You're only asking for heartbreak going after that one."

"It's my heart to break," Grace said.

"So, did you hear about that bitch Grenner?"

One of the balls slipped past the flippers. "Shit. No, what'd she do?"

"Tried to knock off a convenience store over in Iroquois. She was still on probation and just turned eighteen so they threw the book at her. She's serving a nickel at Irwin."

In quick succession Grace lost the other two balls, ending her turn. "Guess Sapling Hill didn't help her at all, did it?" She moved out of the way, careful not to brush up against Jan.

"Not a damn bit," Jan said as she pulled back the plunger. "Look at your score. I'll never catch up."

"Good thing we didn't bet on it, hmm?"

Jan gave her a rakish look. "Depends on the bet."

Grace smiled and shook her head. "What would Sondra say?"