Gerri Hill - The Cottage

known.

"Craig, you have a class at one. You can't take me to lunch."

"I've got a student teacher with me this term. He's cool if I slip out."

She shook her head, then moved to the door when she saw Harriet drive in. "Craig, there's

no need to take me to lunch. I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Babe, our football team went to State. My basketball team is in first place. I'm not going

to get into trouble," he said with a laugh.

"Well, I don't need you to take me to lunch," she said quietly. "As a matter of fact, I'd

just as soon you not."

"I knew you were mad, you said you weren't but I knew you were."

"I'm not mad. Really, I'm not. But my lunch is my time," she said evenly. "It's my time to

relax and get away," she said, smiling as she met Harriet in the doorway. "So don't feel like

you owe me.

"But I thought we could meet somewhere, maybe get a burger or something," he said.

She paused outside her car, glancing up into the overcast sky. "How about you take me and

Angie out to dinner tonight? That'd be nice," she said.

"Oh, babe, I have practice after school. It'd be late."

She nodded. "Well, then how about the next night you have free? Maybe treat us to pizza

or something."

"You sure?"

She unlocked her door and slipped inside, the phone tucked against her shoulder as she

turned the key.

"I'm sure. Now go back to class."

She was five minutes late when she turned onto the park road and as her luck would have

it, the rain that had been threatening all morning turned into a downpour in a matter of

seconds.

"Unbelievable," she murmured as she slowed her speed, her wipers struggling to keep pace

against the onslaught. She pulled into her normal parking place, wondering what she was

going to do if she didn't see Carrie today. But she didn't have to wonder long. The other

woman tapped on the passenger door and Jill unlocked it quickly.

They sat there, both smiling as Carrie brushed at the raindrops on her face.

"I think perhaps you bring the rain, my dear," Carrie said lightly.

Jill nodded. "It seems that's true."

"I love the rain."

Jill grinned. "I aim to please."

They were quiet, their eyes meeting, then moving away. Carrie finally cleared her throat.

"I... well, I missed you this weekend," she said.

Jill turned in her seat, looking into the pale blue eyes of her companion. She nodded slowly.

"I missed you too."

Carrie cleared her throat again. "If you don't think it's too forward of me, may I suggest

an alternative meeting place?"

Jill nodded, not caring in the least whether it sounded forward or not. Any alternative to

sitting in her tiny Subaru in the rain was fine with her, as long as she got to see Carrie.

"I have a place on the lake, a small cottage," Carrie said. "Seems kinda odd for us to meet

here, especially when it's foul weather, when we could be there," she finished with a shrug.

"You have a cottage? Here? No wonder you're familiar with the lake," Jill said.

Carrie flashed a grin. "Follow me. It's on the north side."

She was out before Jill could protest and Jill watched her through the foggy window as

she got into a blue van. She backed up carefully and followed the van through the winding

park road and back to the main highway. Instead of turning left, which would take her back

to town, they turned right on a road that led them through the new subdivisions that had

been creeping closer to the park. A few miles down the road, Carrie turned right again and

Jill followed close behind. The tiny residential road was bumpy and Jill slowed, finally

stopping as Carrie waited for an electric gate to open.

She followed Carrie through the gate, her Subaru bouncing nosily on the gravel road which

curved dramatically through the trees. She saw the lake before she saw the cottage, her

eyes widening as an inviting pier came into view. But she turned her attention back to the

road, slowing again as the bumpy gravel road turned into a smooth paved driveway. She

parked beside Carrie's van, pausing to grab her umbrella before getting out.

"This way," Carrie called, motioning for Jill to follow.

Through the white picket fence, a path led them to the back of the cottage and a sun

porch. Jill paused to wipe her shoes on the mat before following Carrie inside.

"Just leave your umbrella there by the door," Carrie said. "I'll turn the heat on."

Jill nodded, shivering as the damp cold penetrated. She turned in a circle in the sunroom, a

smile forming as she looked at the lake. The sunroom had a perfect view of the lake and

pier.

"You like?"

She turned at the sound of Carrie's voice, nodding. "Beautiful."

"Not so much now. Everything is gray, dull. Even the water. But springtime is beautifully

green, it almost hurts your eyes," she said.

Jill spread her arms. "If you have this, why bother with the park?"

Carrie shrugged. "Can't sketch the same old stuff every day, now can I?"

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have to put up with—" Jill stopped, smiling. "Maybe I really don't

like people after all."

Carrie laughed. "I enjoy the privacy of this place too. Especially in the summer, when kids

run amuck at the park." She pointed to the door she'd just come through. "Want a tour?"

"Of course."

"Won't take long though. I didn't build this for a family home. It's just a place I can

escape to."

Jill followed her into the cottage, the bright walls a contrast to the dark, dreary day

outside. A long bar separated the kitchen from the den and Carrie scooted a barstool

closer to the bar as they passed.

"A nice-sized kitchen but I don't really use it much," Carrie said. She pointed to the sitting

area, which was sparsely furnished. "Or this. I mostly use the sun porch."

"I love the kitchen. It looks inviting." Jill turned to face her. "How long have you had it?"

"I built it four years ago." She laughed. "As you can see, I don't come here all that much."

"I'd be here every day. Do you guys spend weekends here?"

Carrie shook her head. "James and the boys have no idea it exists."

Jill stared. "Why not?"

Carrie smiled. "Because I haven't told them."

"How in world can your husband not know?"

"We keep our finances separate." She laughed. "Well, not really. I mean, he's made a small

fortune with his business—okay, a large fortune—so my real estate profits were my play

money, as he called it. And as an agent, I didn't sell all that much, so it really was play

money. But I never told him how much I made on the property I bought on a whim all those

years ago."

"What property?"

"Here at the lake." She pointed to a closed door. "Bedroom's through there. And I've

never used it." She opened another door. "Large bathroom. It's got a connecting door to

the bedroom."

"Nice. I like the red."

"It'll wake you up, that's for sure." She sat on one corner of the tiny loveseat, motioning

for Jill to join her. "Years ago, the park was just an afterthought, really. There were a

handful of homes on the south side, closer to town, and that was it. The county owned most

of the rest but the lake was built as a water reservoir and for fishing. They weren't really

pushing development then.

"But anyway, I was pregnant with Josh, so nearly eighteen years ago I was fishing out in a

canoe on the north side of the lake. There was this old man fishing on a pier, little bitty

pier and I waved to him. He took one look at me and stood up. 'What in tarnation do you

think you're doing?'" Carrie laughed as she mimicked him. "Honest to God, that's what he