“Hey!” The surprised greeting was accompanied by shuffling steps.
Jess looked up. In the semidarkness she had almost barreled into the person standing there. And not any person. Lena. Why was that woman everywhere she went? Was she stalking her? Jess dismissed the thought as fast as it popped up. That was more her guilty conscience talking. She hadn’t gotten over the fact she had been caught snooping at the café.
By now, the other waitress had probably told Lena all about her questions. Heat flooded her cheeks, and she stifled a groan. Since when was she the blushing type?
“What are you doing here?” Frustration at her body’s betrayal colored her voice rougher than intended. Even as she said the words, she regretted them. Lena lived here, for fuck’s sake, and she had to get over asking that every time they met.
“Still living here.” Instead of snarling back, as Jess would have done, Lena spoke softly. Her tone might even convey a gentle teasing, but Jess couldn’t be sure without seeing her expression.
Her anger deflated like an air mattress with an open valve. She wasn’t used to teasing. Apart from Kayla and Diana, who had only started recently, no one had attempted that for a long time.
Lena bowed over the stroller, peeking inside. “And how is Ella doing? Sleeping already?” She hummed a few notes.
The memory of the lullaby rose with unexpected force. The warmth that had flooded Jess during the song enveloped her like a bubble bath. “Fine. She’s fine. But I needed to walk her, as she had problems falling asleep tonight. That’s unusual for her. Maybe the day out was too much excitement.” Shut up! Maybe you had too much excitement too, Jess. She straightened her shoulders and took a step back. She must be even more exhausted than she’d thought. Or hormonal. “I better get her to her own bed.”
“Sure. That’s where I’m heading too.” Lena yawned.
“Good night.” See? Jess could be polite if she wanted to. It was sad she needed to remind herself of that fact.
She started to push the stroller but nearly doubled over when a spasm ran through her back. “Ouch.” She let go to clutch her back but had to put a foot forward to stop the stroller from rolling down the drive. The unnatural position worsened her pain.
“What happened?” Lena hastened around and took the handle. She engaged the foot brake. “Did you hurt yourself?”
Jess clenched her teeth and massaged her back with both hands. It was an awkward position, but the pressure of her fingers lessened the stiffness enough that she could breathe and talk again. “Just a twinge in my back. Nothing serious.”
Lena extended a hand. “Do you want me—?”
“No.” Jess took a step backward. She barely knew the woman, hadn’t decided yet if she liked her, and definitely didn’t trust her to massage her back. Even with her few friends, she had never been a touchy-feely person. “It’s nothing unusual.”
“Okay.” Lena raised her hand in a consolatory manner. “Why don’t you join me for tai chi in the morning? It’s great for back pain because it trains every core muscle. Plus, it helps to replenish your energy levels and soothe your emotions. Sometimes when I need strength or calm, I close my eyes and do the form in my mind. I had back pain too. That’s one of the reasons I started years ago.” Her voice caught at the end.
What were the other reasons? Jess was more interested in Lena’s past than in the virtues of tai chi. And doing something mentally sounded downright weird. “Um…I don’t know.” She wasn’t good at doing anything in slow motion; she had spent most of her life in the fast lane for a reason.
“I try to get in a session most mornings at six before work. You can join me whenever you feel like it. Can I help with the stroller? Let me push it to the house.”
Jess might be exhausted and temporarily unfit, but she was still capable of caring for her child. “I can do that. Night.” She loosened the brake and pushed, this time more carefully, hoping her back would grant her a dignified exit.
It did. Barely. Maybe she should find a method to loosen her back muscles. A professional massage, a real bubble bath, anything but taking lessons from Lena.
Chapter Nine
Jess stretched her legs out along the window seat. With a couple of extra cushions, it was almost as comfortable as in her teenage years. She pulled off her socks, glad to see they hadn’t left an indentation on her skin. The swelling was under control with the right medication, and her tiredness was improving too. During the day, she didn’t notice her heart failure anymore if she didn’t attempt to work out or carry heavy loads. Yes, much better than two weeks ago.
She stared out at the garden. The warm evening light cast shadows from behind the house and enhanced the colors of the flowers. Her mom had outdone herself in building an oasis. No wonder Lena loved living here.
Someone walked down the path from the driveway to the garden. Not Lena. This woman was much shorter and curvier. She rubbed both hands on the sides of her slacks, shook them out, and then rubbed them again.
Lena met her halfway down the path. She was dressed much more informally in yoga pants and a short-sleeved wrap top in multiple shades of pink and purple. Her curls were up in a loose bun.
The two women shook hands, and from a distance it appeared businesslike, not like a greeting between friends or lovers. They talked for a minute, and the woman’s words were accompanied by gestures with both hands. She was nervous, but why?
After they came to some sort of agreement, Lena laid a hand on her arm and they disappeared into the garden house.
Something didn’t
