No. She didn’t want to date. She’d spent a lifetime dating. She simply wanted…to love.

She was smiling as she picked up her phone. What was Laura doing? Was she making lunch for her mother? Was she out tending to flowers? Was she still passed out in bed? Or was she in the pool, recuperating?

The phone was answered on the third ring, and then Laura’s voice was in her ear.

“I can’t walk. You’ve ruined me.”

Cassidy burst out laughing. “Where are you?”

“I’m in the pool. Water therapy.”

“Maybe you should ask your mother for pointers.”

“Very funny.” A pause. “I miss you.”

Cassidy couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. You know, I may need help getting out of the pool later.”

Cassidy laughed quietly. “I wish I was there. Are you naked?”

“No. The pool boys were here. I didn’t want to shock them.”

Cassidy leaned back in her chair. “Do we…need to talk?”

“I don’t know. Do we?”

Cassidy smiled. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Laura laughed. “You’re so cute. You’d give up your beautiful, skinny models for me?”

“In a heartbeat.”

There were several seconds of silence, but when Laura spoke, her voice was no longer teasing. “When you come home, we’ll talk.”

Cassidy had a moment of panic. What did that mean? Her heart was pounding nervously in her ears and she couldn’t even offer a reply. But as usual, Laura seemed to be able to read her mind, even over the phone.

“Cassidy…you must know that I’m in love with you.”

Cassidy squeezed her eyes shut in relief. “Okay. So when I come home…we’ll talk.” She opened her eyes and smiled. “I’m in love with you too.”

“I know you are. See you Friday?”

“No. Thursday. I’ll sneak away early. Meet you out in the pool.”

“It’s a date.”

She put her phone down, still unable to get the silly smile off her face. And why should she? Laura was in love with her. Her heart felt like it flipped over in her chest at the thought. All these years…all these many, many years and finally, she’d found her love. And all she wanted to do was bask in it for a while. Maybe next week she’d ask Tanya to clear her calendar. She had that contractor’s meeting tomorrow, but other than that, there was nothing pressing. She could take a week off. And she could work from home some. She could set up her office for real.

She paused. Home? No, her apartment wasn’t home anymore, was it? Her home was an hour’s drive away…where Laura was. Laura was home.

* * *

“You want me to what?” Tanya asked with raised eyebrows.

“Clear my schedule,” she said again, this time more slowly. “All week.”