daughter. He shares custody. He has a three-year-old Portuguese water dog named Cisco. He likes jazz, skiing and travel.”
“You used HeartLine-dot-com.”
“I did, and I’m taking the ferry over and meeting him for drinks.”
“You don’t like jazz, or skiing.”
“No, but I like dogs, I like to travel when I can, and I like kids, so it balances out.” Stretching out her legs, Mai studied the toes of her shoes. “I like ski lodges, with roaring fires and Irish coffee, so that’s half a point. Besides, I have a date, which means I’m going to put on a nice outfit, fuss with my makeup and go have a conversation with someone I haven’t met. And if there’s no zing, I get on the ferry, come home and try again.”
“I’d be nervous. Are you nervous?”
“A little, but it’s a good nervous. I want a relationship, Fee, I really do. It’s not just the dry spell, because, hello, Stanley. I want someone I care enough about to want to spend time with, be with, fall in love with. I want a family.”
“I hope he’s wonderful. I hope Robert the psychologist is freaking amazing. I hope there’s zing and common ground and palpitations and laughs. I really do.”
“Thanks. The best part is, I’m doing something for myself. Taking a chance, which I haven’t done, not really, since the divorce. Even if there’s zing, I’m going to take it slow. I want to get a feel for how this whole thing works before I jump into the pool.”
Feeling the vibes of Mai’s good nerves and anticipation, Fiona sat silently a minute. “Well, speaking of zing, I guess I have to tell you I’ve lost the contest.”
“The—You had sex?” Mai scooted around in her chair, whipped off her sunglasses. “You had sex and didn’t tell me?”
“It was only a couple of days ago.”
“You had sex a couple of days ago and didn’t immediately call me? Who—Well, shit, why would I even ask? It has to be Simon Doyle.”
“It could’ve been a new client I was suddenly hot for.”
“No, it was Simon—who actually is a new client you’re hot for. Details. The nitty and the gritty.”
“He gave me the trees.”
“Oh.” Mai sighed, turned to look at them. “Oh,” she sighed again.
“I know. The first one was part of a deal, a trade for this stump he wanted.”
“The stump sink. I heard about it.”
“I said maybe I should get another, and he got it, planted it—when we were out on the search. I came home, and there it was—planted, mulched, watered. I got the other dogs and went over to thank him. And I guess I thanked him by having sex with him on his dining room table.”
“Sweet magnetic Jesus on the dashboard. On the table?”
“It just sort of happened.”
“How does it happen that trees lead to table sex?”
“One minute we’re outside talking, then he’s pulling me to the house. Then we’re all over each other and pulling and dragging each other toward the front door.”
“This is the flaw in the Stanley system—the lack of pulling and dragging. Then what?”
“And when we got there, I’m up against the wall, actually telling him to hurry. So he dumped me on the table, shoved things off and wow. Wow.”
“A moment to recover, please.” Sitting back, Mai waved a hand in front of her face. “Obviously this wasn’t crappy sex.”
“I almost hate to say it because it might make it more than it might be, but it was, it really was the best sex of my life. And I loved Greg, Mai, but this? It was outrageously stupendous sex.”
“Are you going to see him again that way?”
“Definitely.” Fiona laid a hand on her heart, did a pat-pat. “Plus or moreover or first and foremost, I like him. I like the way he is, the way he looks, the way he is with his dog. And you know, I like that I’m not his type—at least according to him—but he wants me. It makes me feel... powerful, I guess.”
“That much like could get serious.”
“It could. I guess, like you, I’m doing something for myself, and taking a chance.”
“Okay. Here’s to us.” Mai lifted what was left of her coffee. “Adventurous women.”
“It feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Seeing as you had sex on the dining room table, it probably feels better to you. But yeah, it feels good.”
They both glanced over as the dogs sounded the alert.
“Well, well, lookie here,” Mai murmured as Simon drove over the bridge. “Is your table cleared off ?”
“Ssh!” Fiona strangled a laugh. “Either way,” she muttered, “I’ve got the first of my Sunday sessions in about twenty minutes.”
“Just enough time to—”
“Cut it out.” She watched Simon get out and Jaws leap after him. Jaws raced for her dogs, then stopped to sniff and wag at and around Mai’s. “No aggression,” she commented, “no shyness. He’s a damn happy dog.”
Simon walked over, held out a collar. “The one I borrowed before. Dr. Funaki.”
“Mai. Nice to see you, Simon, and with such good timing as I have to go. But first. Jaws, come here. Here, Jaws.”
The pup reacted with joy, bulleting over and onto the porch. Mai held her hand out, palm first, as he bunched to leap. He shivered, so obviously dying for just one jump, but stayed down.
“What a good dog.” She stroked, rubbed, smiled up at Simon. “He reacts well to a group, is cheerfully friendly, and he’s learning his manners. You’ve got a winner here.”
“He’s stealing my shoes.”
“The chewing stage can be a problem.”
“No, he’s not chewing them—anymore. He just steals them and hides them. I found my boot in the bathtub this morning.”
“He’s found a new game.” Mai ruffled his ears while the other dogs came up to bump and squeeze in for attention. “Your shoes carry your scent, obviously. He’s attracted to and comforted by your scent. And he’s playing with you. Aren’t you clever?” She gave Jaws a kiss on the nose, then rose. “It’s time to think about neutering.”
“What are you two, a tag team?”
“Read the literature I gave you. We’ll talk soon,” she said to Fiona. “Oh, cleavage or legs?”
“Legs, save the girls for round two.”
“That’s what I thought. Bye, Simon. Come on, babies! Let’s go for a ride.”
“You won’t ask,” Fiona said as she waved Mai and her dogs off, “so I’ll just tell you. She has a date—a first date—and was asking which asset to highlight.”
“Okay.”
“Men don’t have to worry about that particular area of dating ritual.”
“Sure we do. If it’s cleavage we still have to look you in the face and pretend not to notice.”
“You’ve got a point.” Since he stood on the steps, she laid her hands on his shoulders, leaned in for an easy kiss. “So, I’ve got a class in a few minutes. Did you time this visit to check up on me?”
“I returned the collar.”
“So you did. If you want you can stay for the class. It might be good for Jaws to interact with another set of dogs. It’s a small group, and we’re going to work on some basic search skills. I’d like to see how he does.”
“We’ve got nothing else going on. Teach him something else.”
“Now?”
“I need a distraction. I’ve been thinking about getting you naked since I got you naked. So teach him something else.”
She slid her hands up, brushed them over his cheeks. “You know, that’s oddly romantic.”
“Romance? I’ll pick a couple wildflowers next time I think about getting you naked. And this isn’t distracting me, so... where the hell is he?”
Simon scanned the porch, turned. “Oh, shit.”
