by Gerri Hill
Kate took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She would never admit this to Brenda, but she missed Lee. Missed her a lot. So, she nodded. “Okay. I’ll go.”
“Wonderful, darling.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Kate, so good to see you again.” Sunshine drew them inside, immediately pulling Kate into a dark corner of the living room. “Simone, why don’t you get Kate a glass of sangria.”
“Of course, darling.”
Kate watched Brenda walk away, then nervously looked at Sunshine. Of the three of them, she hated to admit that Harmony had turned out to be the most normal. Sunshine was too mysterious, too deep for Kate’s liking. And of course, Starlight was just beyond odd. But it was Sunshine who had her hands gripped now, her blue eyes appearing as cold as ice.
“You have a heavy heart,” Sunshine said quietly. “So does she.”
Kate frowned. “Who?”
There was only a slight smile from Sunshine. “The Fates can be very stubborn. When they have a plan, it is always carried out, no matter how much of a fight we put up.”
Kate smiled. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, destiny is a frightful thing, isn’t it? Especially when we feel like we have no control.”
Kate stiffened. “I happen to believe we are all in complete control of our destinies. Decisions and choices we make along our journey shape our destiny, not some silly mythology that the Fates are in control.”
Sunshine’s eyes widened, as if Kate had just spoken blasphemy. She quickly placed a crystal into her palm. “Squeeze tight. You shall need it, I fear. The Fates don’t like to be challenged.” They both looked up as Brenda approached. Then Sunshine lowered her voice. “The jade Harmony gave you. You need to keep it with you. It will protect you.”
Kate stared. “Protect me from what?”
“Here you go, darling.” Brenda handed Kate a glass of wine, then looked from Kate to Sunshine as they stared at each other. Then Sunshine turned without another word, leaving them with only a slight nod of her head.
“What in the world, darling?”
Kate slowly shook her head. “I have no clue. They get stranger every time I see them.”
“Well, come inside. You can’t hide here in the corner all night,” Brenda said as she pulled Kate into the living room.
As always, the lights were low, the music just loud enough to be heard. Kate scanned the room, surprised that only four other women were there, two of whom were Sunshine and Harmony.
“Where’s Lee,” she asked quietly.
Brenda shook her head. “She’s not here. Harmony’s not seen her all week.”
Great. Stuck in the loony bin all alone. She glanced at Brenda. Well, it wasn’t really fair to lump Brenda in with them.
“Brenda, it just occurred to me. You’re straight.”
Brenda laughed. “Yes, darling. Had you forgotten?”
Kate shook her head. “I mean, you’re straight. Yet you’ve been with lesbians all summer. You hang with these people.” Kate lowered her voice. “Do they know you’re straight?”
Brenda tilted her head. “Come to think of it, I don’t believe anyone’s ever asked, darling.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
“Why on earth should that bother me? We’re all just people. I find this group positively fascinating, darling.” She moved closer. “And if I were a writer, I’d be taking notes. Can you imagine the stories you could tell? I mean, Starlight alone could fill a small book.”
“Yes. And I’m not entirely convinced she’s real,” Kate whispered.
Brenda laughed. “Oh, darling, of course she’s real.”
They both turned when the door opened. Lee walked in, pausing at the opened door. Kate met her eyes, then slid them to the door, waiting for Lee’s date to appear. None did. Lee shut the door behind her, a hesitant smile on her face as she walked over.
“Ladies,” she greeted, but her eyes were on Kate. “How are you?”
Kate nodded. “Fine.” Then she glanced at Lee’s arm. “All healed?”
Lee lifted up her short sleeve, showing off her upper arm. Just a tiny scab remained. “Thank you, doctor. I survived.”
“Wine, Lee? I hear they have the best sangria,” Brenda teased.
“Thanks. I’ll have just a small glass, if you don’t mind.”
When Brenda moved away, Kate turned to her. “Are you ever going to tell me why you supply these women with sangria?”
“It’s my job.”
“Your job?” Kate frowned. “Comes with being sheriff?”
Lee laughed. “Not that job. It’s a long story. Goes back to my first summer here. I got lost in the backcountry and was rescued by a Pueblo chief. I stayed two weeks with him.”
Kate raised her eyebrows, waiting.
“I stayed with him until he died,” Lee said quietly.
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s a long story,” Lee said again. She moved closer. “Maybe I’ll tell you one day.”
Kate took a nervous step back. “Well, I’m glad you’re all recovered from the fire. I thought you were going to sleep two days straight.”
Lee lifted an eyebrow. “By the way, did I properly thank you for your bed?”
“I believe you did,” Kate nodded.
“The pillow smelled like you,” Lee said quietly. “And I couldn’t help but wonder, when you’re in that same bed, do you sleep naked?”
Kate caught her breath the instant Lee caught her eyes.
And as their eyes held, Kate felt the familiar tug of this woman. Nervously, she tucked the blond hair behind her ears, wishing she could move, wishing she could pull her eyes away. But Lee held her and as ridiculous as it sounded, time actually did stand still. The sounds from the dinner party muted, the lights dimmed even more, the music faded away. It was just the two of them, just the pounding of their hearts and heat of their eyes.
Kate swallowed. She slowly shook her head.
“Don’t you dare,” she whispered quietly.
“No.” Lee swallowed too. “But I really, really want to kiss you.”
Kate closed her eyes. You can’t want this woman like you do. You just can’t. When she opened them again, Lee had taken a step away.
The party came back, then Brenda was there, handing Lee a glass of her own wine.
“Lee, why have you been such a stranger?” Brenda asked. “We hardly see you anymore.”
Lee looked at Kate and again their eyes collided. “I’ve just been really busy.”
“Well, you need to come over for steaks one night, darling. I know Kate’s missed visiting with you.”
Kate rolled her eyes as Lee laughed.
“She has, huh? Well, maybe I can come by some night.”
“That would be lovely, darling. And of course, if you desire, you may bring a date.”
Again, Lee looked at Kate.
“Or not, of course,” Brenda said lightly as she witnessed the look between them.
Kate forced a smile to her face. “No little Barbie with you tonight?”
Lee laughed. “Would you believe me if I said I couldn’t find a soul who wanted to come with me tonight?”
“No.”
“No? You think all I have to do is ask, they automatically say yes?”
“Don’t they?”
Lee gave her a lazy smile. “You don’t, Kate.”
Kate cleared her throat, then glanced at Brenda. “I’m not exactly single,” she said.
“Not exactly, no.”
Kate bristled. “What does that mean?”
“I think I’ll leave you two alone,” Brenda said. “I swear, you can’t go two minutes without bickering,” she murmured as she walked away.
As soon as Brenda was out of earshot, Kate turned back to Lee. “Look, what happened that night, was just a . . . an aberration. I don’t do that, Lee. For God’s sake, I’m living with someone,” she hissed.
“Someone who is completely wrong for you and you know it,” Lee shot back.
Kate sighed. “Are we going to start all that again?” Kate shook her head. “And it doesn’t matter, anyway. Lee, I’m too old to be one of your groupies. And I so wish that night had never happened,” she said quietly.
“But it did happen,” Lee whispered. She took a step back. “And you know what? I wish it hadn’t happened too. And I wish I wouldn’t constantly think of how it felt to touch you.”
She walked off, leaving Kate staring after her. Then, with just a brief word to Harmony, Lee closed the door behind her without so much as a look Kate’s way.
*
Lee drove aimlessly along the county road, considering going to the lodge to find Trudy or even Brandy but dismissing the thought quickly. It wasn’t Trudy or Brandy she wanted. It wasn’t some young, nameless tourist with flawless, tanned skin. And it wasn’t a college-age river rat in a skimpy bikini who would take her top off to tease Lee.
It was Kate. A woman who braved a hike down, then up the canyon oasis just so she could frolic in the waterfall. Naked in the waterfall, Lee reminded herself. A woman who made Lee laugh without even trying. A woman who chastised her constantly about her choice of dates. A woman who nursed her when she was about to collapse from exhaustion after the fire. A woman whose eyes made Lee quiver, whose innocent touches made Lee’s knees weak.
A woman who took her breath away.
“A woman who’s in a relationship,” Lee murmured.
What an idiot you are!
With the cool night air blowing the hair around Lee’s face, she downshifted as she rounded a corner, then turned quickly on the gravel road, heading to the cliffs. She drove without thinking, speeding along the road at breakneck speed, trying to chase Kate from her mind.
But when she ended up at the cliffs, the crescent moon not bright enough to dull the twinkling stars, there was nothing on her mind but Kate.
She slammed the door, walking slowly to the table rock. She paused, listening to the faraway call of the coyotes. It wasn’t a coyote sky tonight. They were all down near the river, no doubt.
Lee leaned against the rock, crossing her arms and tucking her hands against her side. The air was cool. The daytime temperatures were still warm and pleasant, but she was surprised that September was upon them already. The summer had flown by, and October was fast approaching.
Kate would be leaving in October.
Probably just as well, she thought. Her life had been completely disrupted and Kate was the cause. When she was gone, hopefully, Lee’s life would get back to normal. And normal meant if she saw a pretty girl on the river or in town, she was fair game. And if Lee chose to go out with her, sleep with her, then it was nobody’s business but her own. There would be no one here to chastise her, no one here to look down on her, to pass her actions off as a childish attempt to regain—and maintain—her college exploits.
Lee tilted her head back and looked to the sky. Is that what she wanted? More young women parading through her life and her bed, whose names she couldn’t remember the next day? No.
I want Kate.
The reality of it all hit her like a ton of bricks. Her eyes widened and she sat down heavily on the rock.
“Oh my God,” she whispered.
But she shook her head. No. It couldn’t be. She didn’t do things like that. She didn’t . . . she didn’t fall in love. Not her. Not ever.
She rubbed lightly against her chest, above her breasts.
In love? Are you insane? What idiot goes and falls in love with a woman who doesn’t want you? A woman who can’t want you because she’s involved with someone? Who does something stupid like that?
“Apparently this idiot,” she murmured.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Are you finished, darling?”
Kate shook her head, but continued to stare out toward the cliffs.
“Can I help?”
“I’m stuck,” Kate said.
“Stuck on what? You told Paul about Jordan and he reacted like a typical man. I loved that scene, by the way,” she said with a laugh. “And you said you caught the bad guy. What else is there?”
Kate shrugged. “I don’t know how to end it. I don’t know what’s the right way.”
“Well, darling, only you know what’s right.” Brenda pulled a chair closer. “What are our choices?”
Kate rested her head on the back of the chaise lounge, staring at the blue sky. “Well, Jenn and Jordan could continue to date, see where that goes. Or Jenn could end things with Jordan, because, you know, Jordan is not exactly a safe catch. Or, Jordan could end things with Jenn because Jordan likes playing the field. Or Jennifer could decide that yeah, she likes Jordan, but she wants to see what else is out there.” Kate paused. “Or . . .” she said, her voice trialing off.
“Or what?”
Kate closed her eyes. “Or they live happily ever after.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“That’s how all romance books end. It’s a load of crap! That rarely happens in real life.”
“Well, darling, first of all, I thought you said this wasn’t a romance book. And secondly, I think romance books are here to make us feel good. How depressing would it be if books ended, not when the romance is fresh and new, but years down the road, when things are old and they’re breaking up? If that’s what you think real life is about, darling, why in the world would people want to read about it too?”
“How do you want it to end, Brenda?”
Brenda laughed. “Well, as a Midwest housewife, I, of course, want Jennifer and Jordan to live happily ever after.”
Kate nodded. “Okay, then speaking from the book side of it, you’d like to see Jordan in more books?”
“Well, darling, perhaps Jordan could replace the pansy-assed Paul.”
“Do not call him that! He’s been jilted. Have some sympathy,” Kate said.
“I know you’re not serious and I pray that you’ve not written it that way. Trust me, darling, few are going to be sympathetic toward Paul. They’ll want him to move along and get a life.”
Kate rubbed her face with both hands. “I think I’ve just killed this series, Brenda. The Masters. It’s about Jennifer and Paul. They’re the investigators, they run the show. I can’t just ditch Paul now.”
“Oh, pooh. The last two books have been all about Jennifer, and you know it. Unfortunately, it was all about Jennifer going nowhere, and Paul was still in the picture. This will be like a breath of fresh air, darling.”
“I don’t know why I’m listening to you anyway,” Kate said with a laugh. “It’s not like you’re a real Midwest housewife.”
They were both quiet, laying in their chaise lounges, enjoying the sunshine. September brought colder nights, but the days were still warm and sunny.
“Does it ever rain here?” Kate finally asked.
Brenda chuckled. “It rained in March and April some, I remember. Harmony says October is the rainiest month.”
“And it snows in the winter?”
“Oh, yes. And speaking of that, Starlight showed me her paintings of the snow at nighttime. They are absolutely beautiful, darling. She’s going to move them to Harmony’s gallery soon for winter showing.”
“When did you see them?”
“At the dinner party Tuesday night. She brought them over for Harmony to see.”
Kate nodded. “You never said. Was Lee there?”
“Yes. She was there, darling.”
Kate looked away. “Was she . . . was she alone?”
“No. She had a young woman with her.”
“Figures.”
“Now, darling . . .”
“I know, Lee is Lee.”
“That’s not what I was going to say. You’re upset that Lee is dating, yet you have no right to be. It’s not a secret that Lee fancies you,” Brenda said with a dramatic wave of her hand.
“Fancies me?”
“And it’s al
so no secret that you’ve rebuffed her advances because of Robin.”
Kate sat up. “First of all, I’m not sure Lee knows how to fancy someone, as you say. And secondly, even if there was no Robin, I’d be crazy to get involved with Lee! She goes through women like most people . . . well, like people go through disposable hand towels!”
Brenda frowned. “What kind of an analogy is that?”
Kate cut her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
Brenda waved her hand again. “Well, regardless, back to the issue of Lee’s dating. As I was saying, you have no right to be jealous.”
Kate stood, pointing at Brenda. “Jealous? Jealous? Is that what you think I am?” Kate paced along the deck. “Well, that’s just silly. I’m certainly not jealous of these teenagers she chooses to spend time with. They probably can barely complete a sentence properly.” Then she laughed sarcastically. “Oh, I almost forgot, Lee’s not interested in that! She’s only concerned with what goes on between the sheets!”
Brenda smiled sweetly. “Well, darling, I’m glad to see that you’re not jealous. No, not in the least.”
Kate stubbornly raised her chin. “Well, I’m not. I want nothing from Lee Foxx. I’m in a . . . a relationship with a . . . a wonderful woman.”
Brenda rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, spare me.”
Chapter Thirty
“How exciting, darling! Our own gallery showing right here at their house.”
“I’d have rather made the trip down to Santa Fe,” Kate said, looking nervously at all the cars.
“If it’s Lee you’re worried about, don’t be. I doubt she’s going to show. It’s a come and go party. And even if you did run into each other, would that be so bad?”
“I could care less if Lee’s here.”
“Right. That’s why you haven’t been to the last two Tuesday dinners.”
“It had nothing to do with Lee. I was working.”
“Of course, darling.”
And of course Kate knew it had everything to do with Lee. She just couldn’t bear to see her with a date. As much as Kate told herself that Lee was bad news, that Lee used women for playthings, she still could not get her out of her mind. She still could not forget that night up on the cliffs. All she had to do was close her eyes and she could see them together, she could recall exactly how it felt when Lee touched her, when Lee went inside her . . . and when she came.