Page 109 of Rest In Pink

George was with Anemone when we got back to the Blue House, and Marianne had dinner ready for all of us—Anemone must have tipped her that there was going to be a guest because she made chicken marsala for twenty, rich with butter and fat mushrooms and caramelized shallots and marvelous wine. I think there was some chicken in there, too, but let’s face it, that was mushroom and shallot heaven—and then I made sure Peri had her bath and was in her pjs with George and Anemone in the media room before I said, “George, you’re spending the night. I will be back in the morning.”

Anemone started singing “Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling,” and George looked startled. Then he must have realized where I was going because he nodded and said, “Good.”

When I turned down the lane to the Big Chef, I almost panicked because there was light at the end of the drive and I thought it was the glow from a fire. Then I realized it was a different kind of light and pulled around to the front of the diner.

Vince was standing out in front, looking up at the big red Big Chef sign.

Which was lighted.

He’d fixed the Big Chef sign.

I got out of my Candy Apple Red car and went to stand beside him.

“What do you think?” he said.

“I think it’s magnificent,” I said. “I think it’s exactly perfect. I think it’s wonderful. I think you’re wonderful.”

“I did it to lure you down here.”

“Well, it worked. It’s like a bat signal for sex.” I hesitated for a moment, but talking to Molly had made me think, so I took his hand and pulled him inside. I pointed to a counter stool and said, “Sit. We have to talk.”

“Oh, boy,” he said and sat, looking wary.

I sat next to him. “Did you know Molly was gay?”

“Still is, I think.”

“You know what I mean.”

“The night we tried to get together, she wasn’t into it, and I kept stopping to let her go if she wanted, but she insisted. But we ended up just sitting at the counter and having Cokes. It happens. The only thing I could think of was that she was trying to convince Burney she was straight, but that was such a lousy guy thing to think—she’s not into me, must be a lesbian—so I just didn’t ask again and she didn’t offer.”

“Did you know Raina is gay?”

“Sure,” he said. “And that’s nobody’s business but hers.”

“It might be Molly’s business now,” I said, and he looked surprised, and then he laughed.

“I knew she was up to something. Fingernail polish. Lipstick. Good for them.” He stopped, thinking for a moment, smiling. “Really good for them. Molly needs somebody standing in front of her when the bad stuff hits, and Raina needs some joy.”

“That’s what I thought,” I said.

“Good. Now stop thinking about them and think about us.”

“I think we’re great,” I said.

“So do I,” he said. “You know how we could be greater?”

“Naked?”

“Exactly,” he said and reached for me, and then stopped when I didn’t reach back. “What?”

I am, basically, a coward. I shook my head. “Nothing. Let’s go.”

“Nope,” he said. “What else?”

Would you want me if I wasn’t sleeping with you?I thought. I know he wanted me, that’s pretty clear, but our relationship is ninety-five percent sex, and somehow, talking to Molly and then hearing him talk about how good Molly and Raina would be together, and then there was the get-out-of-town-free car he’d given me.

“Liz, if you don’t talk to me, I can’t fix it,” he said, serious now.

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