Marissa shut the bathroom door, only to snatch it open again. “Call me, okay?”

“I intended to bring you breakfast tomorrow morning.”

“Oh.” Marissa nodded. “Okay. We’ll try for something a little more normal than you heap big strong, me weak fall down.”

Her mother firmly shut the door between Linda and Marissa again. “You didn’t say she was that beautiful.”

“Oh, Mom, I mean, what’s to say? Look in any magazine and they’re describing electric dog polishers as beautiful. I don’t have words to describe her adequately.”

“How does she make you feel?”

“Like a blithering fool. And I actually don’t like the feeling very much. I’ve worked really hard not to go to pieces just because she looks at me like she can’t wait to get me into bed, like I’m the one who’s beautiful. Oh hell, Mom. I can’t talk to you about sex and my ankle really hurts.”

“I asked how she made you feel and that’s talking about sex? Think that over, sweetie.” Her mother had turned on the shower.

“I’ll be back with some pills. Will you be okay?”

“Sure, yeah.”

Fifteen minutes later, already feeling a little better for some Advil and an ice pack, she listened to Linda and her mother leave. She didn’t really care what her mother thought of the place but Linda got the emergency tour to the world of someone who still lived like a student though college was ten years behind her.

She did not want to know what they talked about. She did not want to even speculate. She threw a pillow at the wall and didn’t feel much better.

Yes, Mom, I think about Linda and I think about sex. I have never wanted a woman this way. This was the zing that Eve had been talking about.

But instead of the cool and dignified conversation where Marissa allowed that perhaps they could carefully date and get to know one another in a more seemly fashion, she’d become Ginger. And she had a sneaking suspicion that Linda had enjoyed every minute. And she wasn’t sure that she had minded much either. And that couldn’t be a good thing. Could it?

A little voice of reason told her to be careful. Ankles mended— hearts possibly did not. Breakfast in the morning and nurturing were all fine and good but leaving without a word and not coming back for a year was not.

Oh, you’re a fool, Marissa Chabot. She knew she would give a million dollars to know what her mother and Linda were talking about.

Chapter 14

“So, what are your intentions toward my daughter?”

Linda put the key in the ignition and turned it before answering. “I’d like to date her for a while, see if she likes who I really am. Can I ask a question?”

“Yes, you may.” Well, Linda could clearly see where Marissa got her expressive face. It was plain as day that Linda was a slime bug two seconds away from being stepped on.