“Yes,” she said.

He laughed gently. “Then we’ll just have to do something about that, won’t we?” He kissed her softly on the neck and then turned her to face him. “Dinner, tomorrow?” he asked.

She swallowed hard and nodded.

“Good,” he said, and slipped his hand in hers, squeezed gently, and led her back across the stream, through the park, and home again.

CHAPTER TWO

THE NEXT MORNING, JOSIE SCRAMBLED EGGS AND THOUGHT ABOUT the night before. What was she doing, and what about Mary? Mary who had bought Josie her first sweet tea, showed Josie her first firefly, made Josie her first bowl of grits. Mary who absent-mindedly stroked her hair, and called her Jojo like her father, and was brave enough to cuddle up with her on the couch. Part of her wished Mary had just looked out the window last night, seen Josie sitting there, and ordered her back inside.

“Hung over?” Mary entered the kitchen and Josie stiffened. She should do it now, admit her mistake and beg forgiveness.

“Not much,” Josie said, and spooned some egg onto Madeline’s high-chair tray. “You?”

“I’m pretending I’m not,” she said, and poured some coffee. She was dressed unusually nicely for a Saturday morning—a blue summer dress that Josie had picked out for her on a recent shopping trip. “I have to go to the lab this morning, but this afternoon I’m going out,” she said. She smiled, and Josie felt a wave of panic.

“With who?”

“Dr. Khanna.”

Josie’s heart seized.

“Devesh,” Mary continued. “The surgeon from last night?”

Josie stared blankly.

“Hello? Earth to Josie.” She laughed and put a piece of bread in the toaster.

“When,” Josie stammered. “When did you arrange that?”

“Last night. I would have told you if you hadn’t been in such a hurry to rush off to bed.”

Josie still had the spatula in her hand. She turned, dropped it in the sink, and gripped the counter.

“He’s great, isn’t he?” Mary asked

“Uh-huh.” Josie heard the toast pop, the refrigerator open.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just tired.”

“Well, Jenna, next door, owes me a babysitting exchange, so the kids are going there for the night. You’ll have the house to yourself for a change.” She walked over to Josie and handed her a glass of orange juice. “Drink plenty of fluids and I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” she paused. “Hopefully.” She winked.

Josie felt the color drain from her face.

“Go for a walk,” Mary said. “Get some fresh air, get the alcohol out of your system.”

“Okay,” Josie said. She put the juice down, made her way to the front hallway, shoved her feet into her flip-flops.

“Take deep breaths!” Mary called after her.

“Okay,” Josie said, and walked out the front door without her keys and without any idea where she was going or what she was going to do.