Gerri Hill - One Summer Night

"Again?"

"Always."

"I'm going to Hippie Hollow. Want to go?"

"No way," she said quickly. The last thing she wanted was to be swimming naked with Kelly in the lake. Lord, no!

Kelly shrugged. "Suit yourself.” She left without a good-bye and Jo listened to her footsteps fade down the hall.

But a swim did sound good. She picked up the phone, called Harry and invited herself over for dinner.

They swam together in the lake, then took the boat out, and before she knew it, Jo was cruising by Hippie Hollow, wishing she had her binoculars. She searched for Kelly among the rocks, then felt foolish and sped away, smiling at her grandfather. He always laughed at her, saying that when she was out there swimming, she didn't like boats cruising by her looking for a cheap thrill!

They ate on the deck in the twilight, watching the sun turn the water a rosy orange.

71

Chapter Nine

The first day of classes were madness, as always. Half of her students did not yet have their books and as she went over the syllabus, she saw several of them frown and check their schedules, making sure they were in the right class.

The routine was comforting to her. Every year it was the same and every year she gave an assignment the first day, eliciting groans from the students. She was not an easy teacher, never had been and she was proud of it.

At twelve-thirty, Kelly stuck her head in Jo's office.

"Have you had lunch?" she asked.

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"Yes," Jo lied, eyeing the unopened bag of chips on her desk.

"Okay. Just thought I'd ask.” Kelly shrugged and walked away. Jo wondered how her first day had gone and wished she had asked her.

Every day that week, at exactly twelve-thirty, Kelly walked in and asked Jo to lunch. Each day, Jo declined.

"You do eat, right?" Kelly finally asked on Friday.

Jo smiled at her. "Yes.” She put her pen down, pushing away the papers she had been grading.

"How's your first week been?" she asked.

Kelly seemed surprised at her question. "It's been great.

Terrific, actually. I've got some talented kids. Very inquisi-tive."

"Good."

They stared at each other in silence, then Kelly gave her a mocking smile. "I'm going out for Italian. Sure you don't want some?"

"No."

"Don't like Italian?" Kelly asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I love it," she said.

"Really?" Kelly asked softly, teasing.

"We are talking about food, right?"

"Of course," she said and left.

Jo stared after her, smiling.

When Jo returned to her office at three, there was a small box on her desk with a note. "Leftover lasagna. You must be starving for some Italian by now."

She grinned and blushed and quickly turned around, expecting to find dark eyes mocking her from the doorway.

There were none.

She ate the lasagna while she graded her papers, refusing to think of the woman who had left it.

Jo was the last one to leave, as it was Labor Day 73

weekend, and she was probably the only one without plans.

She spent the entire weekend with Harry at the lake, and he was thrilled to have her sleeping over. He made a huge breakfast on Saturday and they took their time over it, watching the lake crowd with boats and skiers. On Sunday, they got up before dawn and went down to the pier to fish.

Two unlucky bass volunteered to be their brunch, and they were back at the house while the morning was still cool.

They drank coffee on the deck, listening to the lake come alive.

The next week, Kelly again stopped to ask her to lunch, and Jo always refused, but she had begun looking forward to the asking. If twelve-thirty came and went, she found she couldn't work until she heard footsteps outside her door, and she quickly picked up a pen and pretended to work. She had half a mind to accept one day, but each day she refused. It would do her no good to be alone with Kelly Sambino.

The following Friday, Kelly stopped by. She didn't ask her to lunch. She asked Jo to dinner.

"No. I've got plans," Jo said. It was true. Susan and Arnie had asked her over for steaks.

"Oh. Someone special?"

"Yes, as a matter fact," Jo said. It wasn't a lie.

Kelly stared at her for a long moment, and Jo met her gaze.

"Who?" Kelly asked.

"That's none of your damn business," Jo said quickly.

Let her think what she wanted.

“Hot date?”

“Perhaps.” Jo was aware that her voice was shaky.

"Well, lucky you," Kelly said. "I guess I'll see you next week, then."

Jo nodded, and Kelly left, whistling down the hall.

Her last class was over at three, and she hurried home.

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She wanted to relax in the creek before the neighbors got home, and she quickly donned a swimsuit and took her beer down to the water.

Settling in her tube, toes skimming the cool water, she floated along lazily. The current in early September flowed at a snail's pace. It would soon be too cold for her to get in, but the temperature still climbed into the 90s these days.

Another few weeks and the first cold front would blow in, bringing a promise of autumn and more comfortable weather.

She wore jeans to Susan's and immediately wished she had worn shorts. She tugged at the blouse around her neck, feeling the sweat trickle under the collar. Turning into their drive, she slammed on her brakes and stared in disbelief at Kelly's Explorer. Damn her!

Several seconds passed as she sat with the engine running, overwhelmed by indecision. She could always leave and call them with some excuse, but Susan would never forgive her. She got out and slammed the door, resigning herself to face the consequences. It was her own fault. She was the one who had implied to Kelly that she had a date tonight. Damn it all!

She rang the doorbell and went inside. They were on the patio, and she could see the three of them sitting in lawn chairs, the charcoal already glowing. Susan waved to her through the glass, and Jo forced a smile, refusing to meet the amused eyes of Kelly Sambino.

"Jo, how are you?" Arnie asked, already handing her a beer.

"Good, Arnie. Thanks," she said, taking the bottle from him.

"Hi," Kelly said, good-naturedly, and Jo gave her a quick smile, not meeting her eyes.

"Hello."

"Jo, Kelly tells me that you two have yet to do anything 75

together. I'm surprised. You're both single and near the same age. Why haven't you taken Kelly out and shown her the town? You know, she doesn't know many people in Austin yet."

Jo stared at Susan in silence. Was this her way of telling Jo that she knew Kelly was a lesbian, too? No. Susan was clueless. Just as she had been about Jo. She then slowly slid her eyes to Kelly.

"I thought you knew quite a few people here, what with softball and all."

"No, not really. No one special.” Kelly had an amused glint in her eye.

Jo cursed under her breath. Damn her lies! Would she ever learn?

"I see. Well, I'm not sure that we would have the same interests," she said vaguely.

Susan seemed perplexed at the conversation and looked from one to the other.

"Maybe not," Kelly said. "Do you like softball?"

"Oh, sure she does. She has friends that play in the city league," Susan offered, and Jo glared at her.

"Really? Who? Maybe I know them," Kelly said innocently.

"I doubt it.” Jo drained her beer. Why did this woman cause her to drink so?

Kelly smiled, and Jo got up to take another beer from the cooler. How did she get herself into these messes?

Susan went inside to get a dip and some chips while Arnie left them to check the charcoal. Jo looked out into the yard, ignoring the woman sitting next to her.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Kelly asked.

"Immensely," Jo said dryly.

"Yes, it is a special evening," she grinned.