she adjusted the volume, being subjected to yet another cool rap song. How the girls could

tell one tune from the other, she had no clue. They all sounded alike to her. Then she

smiled, wondering if her own mother had thought the same thing way back then, when

Prince came on the radio and Jill and her friends all sang along.

Glancing at her watch, she tried to calculate when Craig would get home on the team's bus.

For the use of his new truck, Jill had agreed to pick him up at school so he wouldn't have to

drive her car. She suspected he was as embarrassed by the old Subaru as Angie was. A ride

from school and steaks on the grill for dinner. That was the agreement. Steaks on the grill

for the two of them. Angie was staying overnight at her friend's house.

Steaks and wine. Quiet. Romantic. Just the two of them.

Jill flicked her eyes to the rearview mirror, meeting her own for a brief moment before

turning her attention back to the road. For some reason, the thought of having sex with

Craig sent her into a panic. She had no idea what was wrong with her but she feared she

would run from his touch.

Without warning, thoughts of Carrie crept into her mind. They'd been threatening all day

but she shoved them aside, not understanding why she thought of the woman as much as

she did. And not understanding why there was a terrible void on the weekends when she

didn't see her. She saw her eyes again in the mirror, confused by her feelings, confused by

her attraction to Carrie. Perhaps it was just her lack of a close female friendship that

drew her to Carrie. Perhaps something was missing in her life and Carrie filled that need,

whatever it was.

Again, she pushed thoughts of Carrie aside, concentrating on her driving instead.

"It's almost too cold to cook outside," Jill commented as she stood by dutifully while Craig

got the grill going.

"One of these years, I'm going to build an outdoor fireplace," he said.

Jill laughed. "You say that every winter. I don't know why you won't just buy one."

He shrugged. "Why buy one when I can build one?"

Jill nodded, knowing as well as he did that he would never build one. "You want some more

wine?" she asked.

"No. I'm not really crazy about this red wine. Not sweet enough for me."

"I love it."

"You must. You have a glass nearly every night."

Jill bristled. "Does that bother you?"

"No, babe. Hell, I know I'm hardly ever here at dinnertime. If you want to have a glass of

wine, that's no problem."

"You're right. You're not here much. I've gotten fairly good at entertaining myself."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that time of year. Say, do we have any beer left in the fridge?

I think I'll have that instead of this wine."

Jill silently watched him hurry into the house then turned, her eyes scanning the backyard,

the trees still bare. She longed for spring, for warmer weather, for green. And she longed

for companionship, for friendship, for conversation. She realized she and Craig no longer

knew how to spend time together, no longer knew how to have a normal conversation. Yes, it

was that time of year but every day was that time of year for him. Even in the summer, he

could always find something, some game, to keep him away from home. As if anything would

be better than Jill's company.

But that couldn't be true. It wasn't like they had a bad marriage. It wasn't like they

argued and bickered. In fact, they seldom had a disagreement. No, she knew the truth for

what it was. Her husband lived his life as he had in college. Everything revolved around

sports. She knew it back then. But she'd assumed he would grow out of it.

She turned back to the house, seeing him through the windows as he talked on his cell

phone, his hands moving animatedly, as if describing a shot. And no doubt he was. They'd

won the tournament.

She was chilled from the night air but she had no desire to go back inside. So she filled her

wineglass again then lifted the lid on the grill and robotically brushed the rack before

putting on the two steaks. She turned the flame down low then moved to the porch swing,

letting the motion relax her. She knew Craig had forgotten all about their steaks, had

forgotten about her. He was in his element, talking to one of his buddies about the game.

And later, when he remembered, he would rush out, apologizing for being on the phone so

long. And she would tell him it was okay, she understood.

So she sat in the cold, quietly sipping her wine. She let visions of Carrie come to her

without trying to stop them this time. They warmed her. She smiled slightly, remembering

their parting conversation on Friday.

"Think of me Saturday night. I'll be suffering through a surprise birthday party."

"And think of me. I will have just suffered through two hours in the car with three

teenagers!"

Carrie's eyes softened. "I always think about you."

Jill didn't know what to say. "I... I think about you too."

It was the truth. She just had no idea Carrie gave her a thought when they weren't

together. She pushed off with her foot again, setting the swing in motion, wondering how

the surprise party was going, wondering if Carrie was thinking of her.

And wondering if Carrie missed her today.

CHAPTER TEN

Jill watched the clock, the hands moving ever closer to one. The morning had been nearly

insufferable and she urged the clock to hurry.

"You're being ridiculous," she murmured quietly. Yes, she knew she was. But she stood

nonetheless, logging out of her computer before moving into the main office, waiting for

Harriet to return so she could make her escape.

The sudden ringing of her cell phone startled her and she fished it out from inside her

purse, frowning when she saw Craig's name displayed. He rarely called her.

"What's up?" she answered.

"Hey babe, glad I caught you."

She glanced quickly at the clock, then out through the windows to the street. "Is

something wrong?"

"No, no, of course not. I thought maybe I'd take you to lunch today," he said.

She stopped short, panicked. "What? Lunch?"

"Yeah. I mean, I owe you 'cause of Saturday night."

She closed her eyes, letting her breath out slowly. The make-up lunch. She should have

known.

"Craig, you have a class at one. You can't take me to lunch."

"I've got a student teacher with me this term. He's cool if I slip out."

She shook her head, then moved to the door when she saw Harriet drive in. "Craig, there's

no need to take me to lunch. I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Babe, our football team went to State. My basketball team is in first place. I'm not going

to get into trouble," he said with a laugh.

"Well, I don't need you to take me to lunch," she said quietly. "As a matter of fact, I'd

just as soon you not."

"I knew you were mad, you said you weren't but I knew you were."

"I'm not mad. Really, I'm not. But my lunch is my time," she said evenly. "It's my time to

relax and get away," she said, smiling as she met Harriet in the doorway. "So don't feel like

you owe me.

"But I thought we could meet somewhere, maybe get a burger or something," he said.

She paused outside her car, glancing up into the overcast sky. "How about you take me and

Angie out to dinner tonight? That'd be nice," she said.

"Oh, babe, I have practice after school. It'd be late."

She nodded. "Well, then how about the next night you have free? Maybe treat us to pizza

or something."

"You sure?"

She unlocked her door and slipped inside, the phone tucked against her shoulder as she

turned the key.

"I'm sure. Now go back to class."

She was five minutes late when she turned onto the park road and as her luck would have

it, the rain that had been threatening all morning turned into a downpour in a matter of

seconds.

"Unbelievable," she murmured as she slowed her speed, her wipers struggling to keep pace

against the onslaught. She pulled into her normal parking place, wondering what she was

going to do if she didn't see Carrie today. But she didn't have to wonder long. The other

woman tapped on the passenger door and Jill unlocked it quickly.

They sat there, both smiling as Carrie brushed at the raindrops on her face.

"I think perhaps you bring the rain, my dear," Carrie said lightly.

Jill nodded. "It seems that's true."

"I love the rain."

Jill grinned. "I aim to please."

They were quiet, their eyes meeting, then moving away. Carrie finally cleared her throat.

"I... well, I missed you this weekend," she said.

Jill turned in her seat, looking into the pale blue eyes of her companion. She nodded slowly.

"I missed you too."

Carrie cleared her throat again. "If you don't think it's too forward of me, may I suggest

an alternative meeting place?"

Jill nodded, not caring in the least whether it sounded forward or not. Any alternative to

sitting in her tiny Subaru in the rain was fine with her, as long as she got to see Carrie.

"I have a place on the lake, a small cottage," Carrie said. "Seems kinda odd for us to meet

here, especially when it's foul weather, when we could be there," she finished with a shrug.

"You have a cottage? Here? No wonder you're familiar with the lake," Jill said.

Carrie flashed a grin. "Follow me. It's on the north side."

She was out before Jill could protest and Jill watched her through the foggy window as

she got into a blue van. She backed up carefully and followed the van through the winding

park road and back to the main highway. Instead of turning left, which would take her back

to town, they turned right on a road that led them through the new subdivisions that had

been creeping closer to the park. A few miles down the road, Carrie turned right again and

Jill followed close behind. The tiny residential road was bumpy and Jill slowed, finally

stopping as Carrie waited for an electric gate to open.

She followed Carrie through the gate, her Subaru bouncing nosily on the gravel road which

curved dramatically through the trees. She saw the lake before she saw the cottage, her

eyes widening as an inviting pier came into view. But she turned her attention back to the

road, slowing again as the bumpy gravel road turned into a smooth paved driveway. She

parked beside Carrie's van, pausing to grab her umbrella before getting out.

"This way," Carrie called, motioning for Jill to follow.

Through the white picket fence, a path led them to the back of the cottage and a sun

porch. Jill paused to wipe her shoes on the mat before following Carrie inside.

"Just leave your umbrella there by the door," Carrie said. "I'll turn the heat on."

Jill nodded, shivering as the damp cold penetrated. She turned in a circle in the sunroom, a

smile forming as she looked at the lake. The sunroom had a perfect view of the lake and

pier.

"You like?"

She turned at the sound of Carrie's voice, nodding. "Beautiful."

"Not so much now. Everything is gray, dull. Even the water. But springtime is beautifully

green, it almost hurts your eyes," she said.

Jill spread her arms. "If you have this, why bother with the park?"

Carrie shrugged. "Can't sketch the same old stuff every day, now can I?"

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have to put up with—" Jill stopped, smiling. "Maybe I really don't

like people after all."

Carrie laughed. "I enjoy the privacy of this place too. Especially in the summer, when kids

run amuck at the park." She pointed to the door she'd just come through. "Want a tour?"

"Of course."

"Won't take long though. I didn't build this for a family home. It's just a place I can