The Touch of a Woman by K.G. MacGregor Page B

that her first new friend was a single lesbian. Besides Roxanne, her closest friends in the City had been women she met through school activities, particularly the mothers of her children’s friends. One had been a stay-at-home lesbian mom, a distinction that was easy to forget, since she was otherwise like all the other mothers.
    On a whim, she scrolled through her contacts and hovered her thumb over Summer’s number. She had nothing pressing to say. The plate of cookies had been her invitation for friendship, something more than their casual interactions in the fitness center. Summer had responded that evening by talking in personal terms about her relationship with her ex. While Ellis hadn’t yet reciprocated that openness, she’d begun to feel that she could. But that was three days ago, and Summer had made no move to follow up.
    “Hello! I was just thinking about you,” Summer said when she answered, her breath coming in short gasps.
    “You sound like you’re out of breath.”
    “I was doing sit-ups. I always feel guilty when I miss my workout. How are you doing? Did you have a good weekend?”
    Ellis was glad to get such an enthusiastic response. “I dropped in on two of my kids. It’s amazing how excited they are to see you when you’re holding a plate of cookies.”
    “Tell me about it. It was all Nate and Bree could talk about when their mom came to pick them up.” She went on to describe her weekend, which consisted of house cleaning, laundry and last-minute Christmas shopping for the office gift exchange.
    “I got my Christmas shopping done before I left the City. But I had to pack everything in boxes labeled ‘lingerie’ so my kids wouldn’t open them when they helped me move. They must think I bought out Victoria’s Secret.”
    They chatted for half an hour before Summer got around to the reason she’d missed her workout. “One of my friends has a bunch of people over for potluck every other Monday. After dinner we shoot pool, play cards…and sometimes the games can get kind of wild. That’s how I broke my toe—playing Twister with these crazy people.”
    “Sounds like my family playing Spoons. You should come over sometime when they’re all here.”
    “Careful what you ask for. I can dish it out too.”
    Ellis let out her best evil laugh. “We aren’t scared of you.”
    “In that case, I’m dragging you along next time I go to Courtney’s.”
    “Oh, I don’t know about that.” It was one thing to have a lesbian as a friend, and quite another to immerse herself into a whole network. “Not so sure I’d fit in.”
    “Hmm, you might be right. Someone as pretty as you would draw too much attention at a lesbian party.” Her compliment had come without a second’s hesitation.
    “Aw, thank you.”
    “Just telling it like it is. Do you like sushi? I know a great place we could go tomorrow after our workout. Cheap too.”
    The quick transition to the subject of dinner meant Ellis didn’t have to take her compliment too seriously. “I’d love that.”
    As she readied for bed, she considered Summer’s flattering remark. It was a sweet thing to say, and at the same time, lighthearted. She’d found it delightful. So different from her wolfish impression of Rex Brenneman as he’d examined her hand for a wedding ring.
    The biggest difference though—Rex was serious. Summer wasn’t.

Chapter Five
    Nothing beat the turkey gumbo at Muntean’s on a rainy winter day. Wednesday’s special—tender white meat, okra and tomatoes, all cooked together in Cajun spices. Worth the walk, even in the rain.
    Most days, Summer picked up lunch to go and ate in the break room but a prime table by the window made her rethink her habit. Gumbo was best when it was piping hot.
    She was engrossed in a second-hand copy of USA Today when a familiar voice greeted her.
    “Is it all right if I sit here?” Lunch tray already in hand, Rita waited for permission to pull out the other chair. Tall and