“No overlong partings, then?”

“I think he had good memories of his time here and wanted to return,” Adam said.

“Did he ask about me?”

“He did.”

“Well?”

“I told him that your hair had taken over your body so that you now shave like a man and—”

“You jerk.” She rolled toward him, ready to make love again, but the loud grumble of Adam’s stomach made them both laugh.

“Think Forey left us any food?” he asked.

“I’ll put money on it that she did.” There was a kitchenette along the wall, with a little table under a window.

Adam got out of bed and pulled on his jeans. He reached for his shirt but Vera grabbed it. “I’ll wear this. We mustn’t hide our best features.”

He got her meaning. His bare chest, her legs. Laughing, he bent and kissed her. “I missed you a lot.” He went to the fridge and opened it. “Ah, yes. The finest of Mexico-Kansas. And a pie. Bet that’s from your mom.”

Vera got out of bed and put on Adam’s shirt. It was very short on her. She twirled around. “How do I look? As good as Miranda Miller?”

Adam nearly choked on a bite of cold pinto beans. “Heard about that, did you?” He put the food on the table and his arms around Vera’s waist. “She said she’s been waiting for me.”

“Did she?”

He kissed Vera’s neck. “She asked if I thought she was as pretty as the girls in Africa.”

Vera leaned back to look at him. “And what did you say?”

“I told her to take off her top so I could make a comparison.”

“You didn’t!” Her eyes were wide.

“No, but I wanted to.” He released her and went to the table. For a moment he stood still, his back to her. “I wasn’t faithful to you.” He spoke so softly she could hardly hear him.

Vera took a few breaths. This was a turning point. Did she storm out in anger? Or cry? She didn’t feel either of those emotions. “Did you learn anything?”

She saw his shoulders drop down in relief and he turned to her. “I’m sorry. It was more time and place and need than anything else.”

She was starting to feel something and she didn’t like it. In the time he’d been away, there’d been opportunities for her with other men, but she hadn’t taken them. All she knew now was that she didn’t want to think about this. “Want me to heat this up?”

“That would be great.” He was still waiting for her judgment about what he’d confessed.

“Let’s not mention it again.” Her head came up. “Later, if we’re, you know, together, uh, forever, you wouldn’t—”

The look he gave her made her stop talking. No, he wouldn’t.