Part 15 (1/2)

MeadowValley. Lacey had called and thanked her sister.

Jenna had called twice since then. But Lacey had cut both calls short. Once, because Rosie had

demanded attention. And the second time, because Lacey had heardLogan's car pulling up in the driveway. She'd told her sister, ”Logan's home. Gotta go.” Jenna had said, ”Call me.” And Lacey had promised she'd do just that. They hadn't spoken since, though, and that had been over three weeks ago. ”Anybody in there?” It was Maud. Lacey laughed. ”Sorry. Just thinking.” Maud grunted. ”This is all pretty strange and unusual, if you ask me.” Mira muttered, ”Bizarre.”Then she shrugged. ”But then again, Dr. Do-Right is one good-lookin' dude.

And I gotta admit, I can relate to that fridge and the stove. Only the best, huh?”

”Right,” Lacey agreed easily. ”Only the best.”

They did admire her studio, which she had fixed up just as she'd planned, with bare floors and white

walls and rice-paper blinds. ”Now,this is you,” said Maud. Her full red lips turned down at the corners. ”It looks awfully ... perfect, though. No clutter, no globs of paint on the worktable, no brushes soaking in jars. Have you been using it?”

She hadn't. And it was starting to bother her just a little. ”I'm getting there.”

Maud and Mira exchanged a glance, but before they could start in on her, the baby monitor Lacey had

carried with her as she gave the twins the tour, began emitting fussy little cries.

”She's awake.” Mira's big dark eyes were gleaming. ”I can't wait to meet her.”

”And speaking of little darlings...” Lacey switched off the monitor and turned to Maud. ”...I thought

you'd bringDevon.”Devonwas Maud's two-year-old. ”I haven't seen him since last September. He was barely walking then.”

”He's into everything now,” Maud said. ”And talking? You can't shut that kid up.”

”Where is he?” ”Deke'sgot him.”Deke and Maud had married right out of high school. Everyone had predicted that itwould never last, but they were still going strong. ”Deke'sgot Fridays off now, and he actuallyvolunteered to baby-sit. I didn't argue. My mama didn't raiseno fool.”

”BringDevonnext time?”

Maud shrugged. ”Sure.”

Lacey led them to the baby's room, which now contained everything the discerning infant could desire,

including a crib with a music-playing mobile above it and a double bureau appliqued with balloons and teddy bears. The changing table had open shelves above it, so the diapers and receiving blankets were right within reach. The curtains and bedding sported clouds and rainbows on a sky-blue background.

”Wow,” said Mira. ”Thisis way cool.” She was looking up at the ceiling, which Lacey had painted deep blue and decorated with a whole universe of planets, bright stars and silvery moons. ”So youhave been painting,” Maud teased, as Lacey picked up the fussing baby. ”You bet.” Mira turned her attention to the baby. ”This girl is gorgeous. Let me hold her.”

”Me, too,” said Maud.

The twins pa.s.sed the baby between them, each cuddling and cooing to her and calling her adorable.

Then Lacey sat in the rocker to feed her. Finally, after a quick diaper change, they went downstairs. The twins took turns holding Rosie as Lacey got out the deli meats and breads.

Then they all made their own sandwiches. The twins had two each, roast beefand pastrami. They'd always loved to eat. Their lush, size-twelve figures attested to that fact.

”Umm,” groaned Mira, as she bit into a fat dill pickle. ”Heaven.” She frowned at Lacey. ”What? The nursing mother is only having one sandwich? Is this wise?”

Lacey patted her stomach, which had endured an endless number of crunches in the last few weeks. ”I've lost most of what I gained with Rosie. Five pounds to go and I'll be back to my starting weight.” Mira crunched her pickle. ”You only live onceis what I always say.” ”Exactly.” Lacey grinned to herself, thinking of the night to come. Friday the Thirteenth, her lucky night. ”Eeeuu,” cried Maud. ”I know that look.” Lacey widened her eyes. ”What look?”

”s.e.x look. So weird. You and Dr. Perfect really have a thing, huh?”

Lacey only smiled.

Mira bit into her pastrami on rye and chewed with l.u.s.ty enthusiasm. She swallowed. ”The world never changes. Opposites go on attracting.”

Maud waved her pickle. ”Just paint,” she commanded. ”Get up there in that big white room and paint.”

Lacey said, ”I will,” and told herself that she meant it.

Logancame home at a little after eight.

It was perfect timing, really. Lacey had dinner all ready: herbed roast chicken, bow-tie pasta with olive oil and basil, and a salad of romaine, watercress and radicchio. Rosie had been fed and changed and put to bed.

Lacey was just getting out of the shower, humming to herself, feeling schoolgirl giddy and a little bit foolish, sighing at the thought of what was going to happen in the next few hours-if Logan didn't get held up by some emergency, of course.

There was always that possibility. But oh, she did hope there'd be no emergencies tonight.

She finished drying herself and pulled on the white silk robe thatLoganhad bought her a few weeks before. She liked to think of him, stopping in at that lingerie shop over onCommercial Streetwith the idea of buying some little wisp of nothing for her. She liked to picture him consulting with the saleswoman, describing her ”She's blond, about this tall...” She liked to imagine him touching the satins and the laces with those fine big hands.

And she also liked the feel of the silk against her bare skin, that slinky, s.h.i.+very, flowing feeling as it clung to her body, caressing each curve. She tied the sash around her waist and turned to the mirror over the black marble sink.

A big tortoisesh.e.l.l clip held up her hair. She reached behind her and unsnapped it. Her hair spilled down her back. She shook her head, set the clip on the marble counter and reached up to comb her fingers through the heavy coiling strands.

That was when she caught sight of him.

He stood in the doorway to the bedroom, his tie hanging loose and the cuffs of his white dress s.h.i.+rt rolled to just below the elbows. He'd already gotten rid of his jacket, probably tossed it on the bed, or across a chair in the other room. He'd undone the top b.u.t.ton of his s.h.i.+rt. She saw the shadow of his evening beard on his square jaw, and a hit of dark chest hair, in the V of his collar.

She met his eyes. Her heart caught, stuttered beneath her breastbone, then began beating slow and very hard, as if her blood had thickened somehow and it took a stronger, deeper beat to push it through her veins.

He raised a dark brow. ”Well?”

She turned to face him, leaning back against the marble counter, gripping it with her hands, feeling that sweet loosening all through her, a warmth that pooled in her center and spread out from there. ”I love it when you come home. Did I ever tell you that?”