a lot younger. Blondish hair, a little darker than yours, big brown eyes. One thing I liked about her was that she had a genuine look…you know, she didn’t go overboard with the makeup or frilly clothes. Reminded me a lot of you.”
Summer took that as a compliment. She liked thinking of herself as genuine, even though her fair complexion and light hair left her looking washed out unless she wore a touch of foundation and a little eyeliner. “Sounds like Tracie made an impression.”
“Not like that,” Courtney reiterated, this time with a backhanded swat.
“That’s too bad. She sounds like a catch.” All of their friends would be thrilled to see someone work her way into Courtney’s heart.
They stopped to watch Vicki drawing a hideous rendering of what turned out to be a pastry chef, which made her think of Ellis showing up at her apartment with cookies for the children. Truth be told, lots of things made her think of Ellis—the copy of Vista at her hair salon, the AAA renewal notice, and even the woman buying Lean Cuisine dinners at the supermarket, with her pink fingernails and designer workout gear.
“That’s why I’m telling you about her. I talked with Norma and Vicki, and we all thought you two might like each other.”
The suggestion took her completely by surprise, especially coming from Courtney. It wasn’t like her to get involved in other people’s personal affairs. “Wow, I didn’t see that coming. All I’ve heard since Rita and I split up was how everybody wanted us back together.”
“That’s because you were good for Rita and everybody knew it. But she’s not so good for you, and you shouldn’t have to be responsible for somebody that way. It’s been what, a year?”
“A year and a half since I moved out. It’s my own fault people keep expecting us to get back together. I move out—she stops drinking—I move back. Rinse and repeat.”
Courtney tossed a peanut and caught it in her mouth. “Plus the fact that Rita tells everybody things are going great and she thinks you’re going to work it out any day now.”
“Oh, for Christ’s sake. Is she still doing that? She’s delusional.”
“Forget her. You want to meet Tracie?”
Summer could honestly say she hadn’t given a thought to starting a new relationship. It was ironic in light of their conversation that she continued to feel she wasn’t free of Rita. “I don’t know. I almost hate to subject somebody to Rita. She’ll probably start stalking her. Do you know she still shows up at my house when she gets drunk?”
“I heard about that from Queenie and Sam.”
On the other hand, there was no better way to demonstrate once and for all that she was finished with Rita than to start seeing someone else. And there was no one among her lesbian friends she’d consider dating. Why not meet someone new?
“You know…maybe I should meet her. Yeah, let’s go for it.”
With that settled, they turned their attention back to watching the game. Norma had drawn a crescent moon with stars, a plus sign and a four-legged creature that, from its crude saddle, appeared to be a horse. Her teammates shouted possible answers to the puzzle. Star horse. Moon ride.
Summer recognized it immediately…and hoped it wasn’t an omen about meeting Tracie.
“Nightmare!”
* * *
Ellis tucked the phone under her chin as she wriggled into her pajama pants. “Mom, don’t you dread having to drive that monstrosity all the way home?”
“The only thing your father dreads is being back in Modesto. It wouldn’t surprise me if he decided to stay right here in Scottsdale.”
Oliver and Susan Keene, now in their late seventies, had been married fifty-six years. It wasn’t what Ellis would call a love story for the ages, but they were undeniably companionable.
“What will he say when the thermometer hits one-fifteen?”
“I honestly don’t think he’d care. They have a clubhouse here with a pool, and I swear, he knows everybody in
Summer took that as a compliment. She liked thinking of herself as genuine, even though her fair complexion and light hair left her looking washed out unless she wore a touch of foundation and a little eyeliner. “Sounds like Tracie made an impression.”
“Not like that,” Courtney reiterated, this time with a backhanded swat.
“That’s too bad. She sounds like a catch.” All of their friends would be thrilled to see someone work her way into Courtney’s heart.
They stopped to watch Vicki drawing a hideous rendering of what turned out to be a pastry chef, which made her think of Ellis showing up at her apartment with cookies for the children. Truth be told, lots of things made her think of Ellis—the copy of Vista at her hair salon, the AAA renewal notice, and even the woman buying Lean Cuisine dinners at the supermarket, with her pink fingernails and designer workout gear.
“That’s why I’m telling you about her. I talked with Norma and Vicki, and we all thought you two might like each other.”
The suggestion took her completely by surprise, especially coming from Courtney. It wasn’t like her to get involved in other people’s personal affairs. “Wow, I didn’t see that coming. All I’ve heard since Rita and I split up was how everybody wanted us back together.”
“That’s because you were good for Rita and everybody knew it. But she’s not so good for you, and you shouldn’t have to be responsible for somebody that way. It’s been what, a year?”
“A year and a half since I moved out. It’s my own fault people keep expecting us to get back together. I move out—she stops drinking—I move back. Rinse and repeat.”
Courtney tossed a peanut and caught it in her mouth. “Plus the fact that Rita tells everybody things are going great and she thinks you’re going to work it out any day now.”
“Oh, for Christ’s sake. Is she still doing that? She’s delusional.”
“Forget her. You want to meet Tracie?”
Summer could honestly say she hadn’t given a thought to starting a new relationship. It was ironic in light of their conversation that she continued to feel she wasn’t free of Rita. “I don’t know. I almost hate to subject somebody to Rita. She’ll probably start stalking her. Do you know she still shows up at my house when she gets drunk?”
“I heard about that from Queenie and Sam.”
On the other hand, there was no better way to demonstrate once and for all that she was finished with Rita than to start seeing someone else. And there was no one among her lesbian friends she’d consider dating. Why not meet someone new?
“You know…maybe I should meet her. Yeah, let’s go for it.”
With that settled, they turned their attention back to watching the game. Norma had drawn a crescent moon with stars, a plus sign and a four-legged creature that, from its crude saddle, appeared to be a horse. Her teammates shouted possible answers to the puzzle. Star horse. Moon ride.
Summer recognized it immediately…and hoped it wasn’t an omen about meeting Tracie.
“Nightmare!”
* * *
Ellis tucked the phone under her chin as she wriggled into her pajama pants. “Mom, don’t you dread having to drive that monstrosity all the way home?”
“The only thing your father dreads is being back in Modesto. It wouldn’t surprise me if he decided to stay right here in Scottsdale.”
Oliver and Susan Keene, now in their late seventies, had been married fifty-six years. It wasn’t what Ellis would call a love story for the ages, but they were undeniably companionable.
“What will he say when the thermometer hits one-fifteen?”
“I honestly don’t think he’d care. They have a clubhouse here with a pool, and I swear, he knows everybody in
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