Love On Call

“I suppose I could hunt up Lila for instructions on how to make more,” Mari murmured as she checked out the remnants. She found an entire blueberry muffin hidden in a fold of linen and half a cinnamon scone surgically sliced in two. She was surprised to find that much.

Behind her, the sound of wood scraping on the rough stone floor and thudding footsteps signaled the rapid escape of the teenagers. The two of them made her heart hurt, happiness warring with loss. She missed her younger brothers, but the pleasure of being around two such young, vital, and enthusiastic teens warmed her. Smiling, she grabbed a couple of paper napkins, piled her trophies onto them, and carried them victoriously back outside. As she passed Carrie she leaned down. “I’m going to ride over to the barbecue with Glenn, if that’s okay with you.”

“Sure.” Carrie shot a glance at Glenn and grinned. “You’d better feed her. She looks…hungry.”

Mari glanced over and heat flashed up her throat. Glenn was staring at her, and her expression for once was anything but cool and remote. Her eyes burned, and not with any half-remembered hell, but something clear and present and very much now. Hungry was a mild word for her unmasked desire.

“I have Lila’s muffins,” Mari murmured, transfixed.

“That might not be enough.”

Not enough. Mari jolted. What was she doing, playing at a game she couldn’t fully join. Playing with a woman who deserved so much more than that. “I know.”

Mari pulled her tattered senses together, joined Glenn, and pretended she hadn’t noticed the gathering storm brewing between them for the past few minutes. She held out the napkin to Glenn. “All that remains of the spoils.”

Laughing, Glenn broke the muffin in half and held out a portion to Mari. “Want some?”

You have no idea. Lord, neither do I. Mari groaned and patted her stomach. “I do, but I’ve already had more than my quota. You go ahead. If you were up all night and you ran this morning, you can handle the carbs.”

“Do you moonlight as a personal trainer?” Glenn asked around a giant bite of blueberry muffin. She closed her eyes and gave a small moan of appreciation. “These can’t possibly be legal.”

“I know, that’s why I can’t eat another bite. And no, I’m far from a fitness nut, but I’ve always been interested in nutrition, and after last year…” Mari surprised herself at how easily she talked about her illness with Glenn. Just knowing that Glenn knew freed her in a way she hadn’t imagined would be possible.

Glenn stopped eating. “What? What about last year?”

“Nothing really. Just that nothing much tasted worth eating for a while,” Mari said lightly, determined not to cast another shadow in Glenn’s eyes. “I try to pay attention to what I’m eating, but there’s some things that you just can’t relegate to a calorie count. Lila’s cooking appears to be one of them.”

“I agree. If you can’t indulge in life’s pleasures every once in a while, what’s the point.”

“Indeed,” Mari said softly.

A minute later, Glenn wiped her hands on the napkin, balled it up, and shot it into a milk pail that doubled as a trash can next to the back door. She hopped down and brushed her fingers down Mari’s arm. “Okay? Ready to hit the fairgrounds?”

“Is that where the barbecue is?”

“Yep. The hospital sets up a tent city on part of the grounds.”

“Great. I’m looking forward to it.” Mari waved good-bye to Carrie as she walked with Glenn across the yard to the pickup.

“Whose truck is this, anyhow?” Mari asked.

“The Riverses’ farm truck—anybody who needs it just grabs i—”

“Hey, Glenn,” Margie called from the porch. “Can we ride with you? We’re ready to go.”

Glenn glanced at Mari, one eyebrow quirked. “I guess I was wrong about there being plenty of room. You good with it?”

Mari laughed and nodded.

“Yeah,” Glenn yelled back, “but you’re gonna have to squeeze in.”

“No problem,” Margie and Blake said in unison as they tore across the yard.

Glenn opened the passenger side, pointed to the running board, and cupped Mari’s elbow. “It’s a big step. Slide over to the middle. Those two will have to fit themselves in next to you.”

“All right.” Mari grabbed the handle just inside above the door with one hand. Glenn pressed close beside her, her hand strong and firm on Mari’s bare skin. As she climbed up, Mari pressed her other hand to Glenn’s shoulder to steady herself. Muscles bunched and tightened beneath her fingers. When she looked down, Glenn was looking up at her, the fierce intensity back in her gaze. Mari settled her hip onto the seat and slowly took her hand from Glenn’s shoulder. Glenn’s hand fell away from her arm. Mari’s throat was oddly tight. “Thank you.”

“Anytime.”