She closed the gate and went down the path, stopping at the coiled hose by the side of the house to rinse off her haul. Then she turned the spray on herself to get rid of the dirt and bits of leaves that clung to her bare legs and arms, gasping at the water’s coldness, but with pleasure.

The yellow clogs she slipped off by the back door to the kitchen, opening it just enough to set the dripping basket on the nearest counter, out of the heat. Then she headed for the pool. The radio was still playing but she couldn’t really hear it and it sure didn’t seem to bother the dogs. Both were still sacked out on the porch.

The close-cut grass beneath her bare feet was pleasantly warm and dry. The dark flagstones surrounding the pool area were another matter. They were really too hot to walk on, so Mary Beth ran.

She made a shallow dive into the deep end of the pool and came up swiftly, slicking her hair back over her neck with both hands. The water was as cold as the spray from the hose. The strong sun hadn’t had a chance to warm it up yet. She didn’t care. It felt great.

Once in the water, she saw a feature that had been invisible from the house: a mirror wall that reflected the entire pool and the artful landscaping around it. In front of the mirror were a pair of wooden sun chairs, long enough to stretch out on completely when their backs were lowered flat.

For awhile, she just floated on her back, gazing up at the trees rustling faintly overhead.

Then she swam. Back and forth. Over and over. As fast as she could. Working off the tension that had been part of her for weeks now, so embedded in her body and mind that she’d barely realized it was there until now. The cool, sparkling water seemed to dissolve it.

She should have done something like this during the incredibly stressful weeks at the hospital. Taking care of herself had been last on the list, a big mistake.

Mary Beth floated again, resting. Then she ducked underwater and swam there as long as she could. Breathless, she surfaced in a rush of bubbles, shaking her head to get the water out of her eyes as she reached for the tiled rim of the pool.

She blinked.

The scuffed toes of well-made work boots were directly in her line of sight.

“Parr?”

Mary Beth looked up at the tall column of man clad in blue jeans. Frayed white streaks defined his muscular thighs and a black leather belt did the same for his low, lean waist. Above that, a white T-shirt showed more of his incredible chest than she’d seen yet.