A red light where there shouldn’t be one attracted her attention. She had forgotten to turn off the stereo this morning on her way out the door. She was about to hit the off button but changed her mind. Her mind was all over the place, thoughts and memories skittering about like chafe on the wind. A bit of yoga might help calm her down enough to sleep. “That, or a hot bath,” she said, exhaling purposefully in an attempt to center herself. It was no use. Her thoughts kept running back to the quiet blonde she had spent the evening talking to.
Their conversation had been completely mundane, really nothing more than small talk, but she was caught up in all the little things. It was in the way Stacie would look away, suddenly shy after laughing too hard at her poorly worded jokes. Maria knew she wasn’t funny, and it was sweet that Stacie had humored her. The food from their shared plate disappeared without much notice, except for the time Stacie hadn’t thought she was looking and Maria caught her staring. For all that, she had forgotten to eat earlier in the day, the hunger she saw hidden in the depths of those otherwise self-possessed brown eyes had nothing to do with food.
“Or a cold shower.”
In the end she opted for the hot shower. She was too tired to change into something comfortable and naked yoga, although usually freeing, did not seem like a good idea tonight. She stood beneath the water and let it beat down on her until her long black hair hung heavy down her back. She shivered beneath the hot needles and turned the temperature up until her skin took on a ruddy glow. Only then did she escape from the steam, scrubbing herself dry with a thick towel until her skin tingled. She attacked her hair with equal enthusiasm, drying it sufficiently to weave it into a loose braid after running a quick brush through it.
It would have to do for the night.
*
A large splash followed by a high-pitched squeal sent Josie off to separate the twins, leaving Stacie and Maria to fend for themselves.
“They never stop, do they?” Maria asked, taking one handle of the cooler and helping Stacie haul it out of the back of the Jeep.
“No, they don’t. I think Rob came out of the womb with a black eye. Josie swears that the reason he was first was because he managed to push his sister out of the way. He still tries to lead every chance he gets. Rowan won’t stand for any of that though. She’s more stubborn than both her parents put together.”
“I can see that,” Maria said, unable to contain her amusement as the noise escalated, then abruptly stopped. Josie made short work of the argument then marched back up the hill to join them.
“I’m not sure if quieter is better,” she said, grabbing a bag stuffed with beach towels out of the back of the jeep. “If you don’t mind I’ll just take this and camp out next to the creek so I can keep an eye on them.”
“We’ll join you as soon as we finish unpacking.”
“It’s beautiful out today. I should have brought my sunglasses,” Josie said, squinting at them past the bright sunlight. “I’m glad you suggested this, Stacie. I just wish Dee could have come along, but he forgot about a feed delivery due in today and he won’t let anyone else handle the money.”
“Maybe he’ll still make it?” Stacie asked, patting the cooler affectionately. “Just get the grill stoked up and I bet the minute he smells food he’ll find his way here.”
They both laughed while Maria stood by and listened. Then Josie winked at Maria, including her in the conversation. A mischievous gleam in her eye should have been a warning but she didn’t seem to mind. Josie gave Stacie a hard look, directing her next comment straight at her. “Dee’s ruled by his stomach. I swear he’s lucky he ended up with me. If he’d ended up with someone that couldn’t cook he’d be skinny as a rail by now.”
Stacie snorted and backed away with her hands held up in front of her. “Don’t look at me. I was never in the running for that race.”
“Of course you weren’t.” Josie rolled her eyes dramatically and grinned at the obvious.
Maria chuckled. This was more like it. The years seemed to melt away and she felt like she was being given a glimpse into the lives of a much younger and carefree version of the two friends. She looked from one to the other. It was obvious that there was real love and affection between them, the kind that only came from years of familiarity and shared experiences.
She wanted to be jealous, she really did, but all she felt was a deep desire to have that sort of relationship with someone else. Well, not quite the same, she amended, returning Josie’s grin for an entirely different reason. There was something else she needed, a closeness that went far beyond simple friendship. Josie arched her eyebrow. Her eyes danced in barely restrained humor that gave her away. She was pushing them together. Josie knew it, Maria wasn’t about to fight it, and Stacie?
