Page 26 of Rescue Me

I don't mention that he's a Hart because she knows who the Harts are; she was at Tasha and Chance's wedding, after all. Tasha's brother is a friend of hers from high school.

Jeez...it's easy to forget that everyone knows everyone in Fern Hollow.

"Okay, I need more than a name," Jenny says. "I want the juicy details."

"Ew," I cringe.

"Not like that," she says. "Maybe like that--but only if you want to share. Wait...does that mean you had sex?"

Kathleen comes around the corner right at that moment, and gives us a weird look. I wonder if she heard any of our conversation, but she's gone a second later, off to run dogs in the yards.

But when I look back at Jenny, I realize I reallyreallywant to tell someone about this.

So I spill.

"Yes," I whisper. "We had sex."

"And how was it?"

I let out a dreamy sigh and tilt my head back against the wall. "Incredible."

Jenny shoves my shoulder playfully. "And he's staying in town?"

That's the last question I want to think of, and it instantly sours my mood. I shrug. "For a little while. Not permanently though. His work takes him all over the place, like...it's an international non-profit. He'll probably be in Timbuktu next week."

Jenny snorts. "Timbuktu?"

"I don't know," I mutter. "The bottom line is that this is just a fling. A good way to get me in the saddle again."

"Sounds like he did," she says.

"Oh, yes," I confirm with a blush. "He did."

We walk outside where some of the dogs are running, and they swarm around us. I forget about Evan for a second as I'm surrounded by wagging tails and friendly licks, but then Jenny brings me back to earth.

"Do you want him to stay, though?" she asks.

I bite my lip.

"You know, Jenny," I sigh. "I don't think that what I want really matters."

Chapter fifteen

Sam

IpickupEvanand Alex at Teresa's house on my way home from work, Alex crashed after a long day of playing in the woods. Teresa is sitting on the porch with Evan when I pull up in the jeep, the puppy snoozing in Evan's lap, and he raises his hand to wave at me. It's quiet here for a change; I rarely see it like this, with no one around.

Teresa has been a quiet force in my life since I got to Fern Hollow, the closest thing I had to a mom. We spent a lot of time together when I wasn't at Tasha's parents' with Alex, and I even lived here for a while when I was looking for a place.

And I can tell as soon as I get out of the car that she knows something is up.

"Hey, darlin'," Evan says as I walk up, letting the term of endearment slip. I can see that he catches himself too late, his eyes widening and darting over to his mom, but she seems to ignore it completely. She takes a sip of coffee and glances up at her son.

"You should go wake up Alex," she says softly. "He's still napping on the couch."

Evan gives me a bit of a worried look, then he nods. "Sure."

He steps through the front door and Teresa looks up at me, her blue-grey eyes--the same as all her kids'--sparkling.

---