and pulled out a bottle of water, absently wondering what she'd fix for dinner tonight.

"Grandma always has to take me places. Why can't you take me?"

"I work until five every day, Angie, you know that. If you need to be somewhere before

then, ask your grandmother. You're at her house after school anyway."

"She shouldn't have to take me all the time. She's not my mother."

Jill closed her eyes for a moment. Apparently her mother-in-law was in one of her moods.

It was on those occasions she preached to Angie how terrible it was that Jill didn't teach

school anymore, how horrible it was that she had to work until five, well past the time her

only child was home from school.

But Jill would not argue with her fourteen-year-old daughter.

"Okay, let's go," she said.

"Go where?"

"To your study group."

"It's too late now, Mom."

"Then why are we having this conversation?"

"You just don't get it, do you?"

"Apparently not," she murmured. "Where's your father?"

"He's got a game tonight."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. Do you know when he'll be home?"

"He's your husband, not mine."

Jill stared as her daughter walked out of the kitchen in the same huff she'd walked in.

Four more years of high school. Wonder if I can rent her out until she graduates?

"Probably not."

She'd been in this kind of mood for the last six months, since she'd started high school. It

was like someone flipped a switch. Her happy-go-lucky daughter had turned into the bitch

from hell. And she knew her mother-in-law just egged her on, pointing out all of Jill's

failings as a mother. One being the fact that she quit the teaching job all those years ago,

a job which would have afforded her the opportunity to spend quality time with her

daughter each summer. The truth was, Jill quit teaching because she couldn't stand being

around teenagers when their hormones played havoc with their personalities. She was

afraid she'd never want to have children of her own after spending her days with them. So,

after only four years, she quit. She found a job as office manager for Tutt Construction

shortly thereafter and she'd been with them ever since. When old Mr. Tutt handed the

business over to his son eight years ago, Jill suddenly found herself with a nice raise and a

new assistant. Seems Johnny knew her worth and all she did, even though his father had

treated her—and paid her—as an entry level secretary. Jill kept the accounts organized,

kept everyone on schedule and handled all the advertising.

And now that she had an assistant, it was a relatively stress-free job that she left at five

each day and rarely thought of again until she arrived at eight the next morning. No, her

only stress now was a teenage daughter whose hormones had attacked her from within and

who got immense pleasure out of driving her mother insane.

It'll pass. Words Craig had used just the other night. The problem was, Craig was hardly

home so he didn't notice the change in Angie. Unlike Jill, Craig loved teaching high school.

It kept him young, he said. It also kept him away from the house. Football in the fall,

basketball in the winter, baseball in spring, Craig coached them all. And in the summers, he

played on no less than three softball teams. On his off nights, he volunteered his time at

the little league fields.

It was no wonder they'd only had one child.

She took a package of ground beef from the freezer, wishing she could remember where

his game was tonight and if he'd be home at a reasonable hour. Out-of-town games would

get him home at eleven or later. If the game was at the gym, he'd be home by nine thirty.

She'd make up a casserole. If he was hungry when he got home, at least she'd have

something. If not, then tomorrow's dinner was already prepared.

She sighed, wondering when her marriage had evolved into this, wondering if all marriages

got this way after nearly twenty years. They rarely talked. Hell, they rarely saw each

other. Their sex life had become the obligatory once-a-week whether they wanted to or

not. That was once a week on a good week. More often than not, Jill was in bed and asleep

when Craig made it home. And that was another issue with her mother-in-law—Jill should

be out supporting Craig, going to his games. After all, that's what the other wives did.

Which was bullshit, of course. And Craig didn't expect her to travel to games, just to

watch him coach. It was ridiculous. However, he did want her to attend his summer softball

games. And she did on occasion. She knew most of the other wives and got on well with

them. But it got old, sitting for hours, watching a bunch of grown men acting like

teenagers, each trying to outdo the other and show off their softball prowess.

Changing out of her business clothes, she slipped on a comfortable pair of sweats and an

old baggy shirt of Craig's. As she robotically began preparing dinner, she poured a glass of

wine, something she'd been indulging in for the last year or so. Neither she nor Craig were

big drinkers, although he did enjoy an occasional beer with his softball buddies. But she'd

bought a bottle of red wine on a whim one day and enjoyed having a glass with dinner.

Dinner that she most often ate alone or with Angie. Lately, she'd begun enjoying a glass

during the preparation of dinner too.

As she systematically added onions to the beef, she thought of the woman she'd met that

day. Again, that nagging feeling of familiarity crept over her. She leaned a hip against the

counter as she added more wine to her glass, wondering if she'd see her again tomorrow.

CHAPTER FOUR

Jill waved to her assistant at noon as the younger woman left for lunch. Jill always enjoyed

the quiet in the office from noon until one. The phone rarely rang, giving her time to

concentrate on the books. Accounting was a skill she had to forcibly learn when she took

this job. Surprisingly, she found she was very good at it, intuitively so. But she hated

interruptions. And now that she had an assistant to take care of the mundane chores

around the small office, she could afford to close her door, shutting herself off while she

balanced the accounts.

But now during lunch, her door was wide open on the off chance a customer might come in

while Harriet was gone. Their business was still relatively small but had grown considerably

since Johnny had taken over. He was more hands-on than his father had been, beating them

to the office each morning, then leaving at nine to check on the various construction crews

he had out in the field. Whereas his father ran the office and relied on his crews to run

the construction end of things, Johnny allowed Jill to run the office while he managed the

crews. It had been a profitable change for the business. A change that kept them all busy

from eight to five.

But now Jill found herself watching the clock, wishing for one p.m. to arrive. She was

anxious for her own lunch hour, anxious to go to the park. For some reason, she couldn't

get Carrie Howell out of her mind. Even this morning, after Angie had thrown a fit about

Jill not being able to take her to band practice at four, she longed for the quiet hour when

she could escape to the park. God forbid Angie should hang around school for forty-five

minutes until practice started.

"Mom, that's for losers. Those without a ride."

"Well, it looks like you'll be a loser today. Unless your grandmother can take you."

"Of course, push your motherly duties off on Grandma," she said sarcastically.

"My motherly duties right now include working from eight to five. I don't have the luxury

of being home all day like your grandmother."

"I can't wait until I'm old enough to drive. Then I won't have to rely on you anymore," she

spat.

"Your grandmother's going to buy you a car, is she?"

"Dad promised I could have a car," she yelled.

"Yes. I think he promised you my old Subaru."

Tears welled up immediately. "I'm not driving that piece of crap! I'll be laughed out of high

school."

She ran screaming from the room and Jill rubbed her temples, wishing once again that

Craig was here to witness one of her little fits.

And after a completely silent trip to school, one that ended with Angie slamming the door

on the Subaru, Jill escaped to the quiet and calm of her eight-to-five job.

She looked again at the clock, watching the hands move to twelve thirty, knowing she was

getting absolutely no work done as she listened to the ticking of the clock.

Finally, with only five minutes to go, she began getting ready, saving the little work she'd

done, closing down her computer. She walked to the tiny break room and retrieved her

sandwich from the refrigerator, then grabbed a plastic bottle of water and waited

patiently at her desk. As soon as she saw Harriet drive up, she rushed to the door, meeting

her on the sidewalk.

"You're in a hurry today," Harriet said. "Got a date?"

Jill laughed. "A date with a park bench, yes."

"Well have fun. See you at two."

Yes, she was in a hurry today and the morning had been endless. And the anticipation she'd

been feeling all day manifested itself tenfold as she approached the park. She didn't pause

to wonder why she was in such a hurry to get to the park, in such a hurry to see if Carrie

Howell was there today. Again, that feeling that she was being controlled in some way,

being guided to the park, settled over her and she knew it would be futile to try to

challenge it. She didn't want to challenge it.

She wanted to see Carrie Howell.

And as she eased onto her park bench, letting the sun warm her, she looked around, her

eyes searching for the other woman. A moment of panic hit when she didn't see her on

first glance, then through the trees, near the lake, she stood. Easel again today.

Jill felt a wave of relief wash over her at the sight of the other woman. She couldn't

explain the comfort she felt, knowing Carrie was here. Without thought, she unwrapped

her sandwich, eating and chewing methodically as she watched Carrie.

Then, as if sensing her eyes on her, Carrie turned and stared right at her. Jill stopped

chewing, her throat tight as she imagined those pale blue eyes looking at her. Carrie lifted

a hand in greeting and Jill did the same. It wasn't until Carrie turned back around that Jill

was able to swallow again.

What is wrong with you?

But she had no answer. She simply had an overwhelming urge to be near the woman. And

before long, she would get her wish as Carrie walked toward her. Jill hastily wiped her

mouth with her napkin and took a swallow of water.

"Hi, Jill. Good to see you again," Carrie greeted.

"Yes. I see you have your easel today. Watercolors?"

"No. Colored chalk. I usually just use my sketch pad but I had an inspiration for a larger

picture. I wanted to capture the trees and lake, maybe add a duck or two in the

foreground. If it turns out good with the colored chalk, then I'll do the scene with

watercolors." Then she opened her notebook and handed Jill a paper. "Here. Thought you

might want to have this."

Jill took the paper, noting the sketch she'd seen yesterday, the sketch of her on the park

bench. Carrie had added features to her face, making it obvious it was her, not just a

faceless woman in the park. It was beautiful.

"Thank you. It's lovely."

"Well, I had a lovely subject."

Jill smiled, not knowing what to say.

Out of her bag, Carrie pulled a half a loaf of bread. "I was about to go feed the ducks. Feel

like walking along?"

"Sure." Jill stood, motioning to the easel. "Will that be okay?"