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And when she laughed, Hector did, too

In the last fraame, Lillie achieved her first strike It took nearly a minute for all the pins to fall and when the last one spun around and around and eventually toppled, she jued her and then self-consciously stepped back

After that, they turned in their bowling shoes and balls She could hardly remember a time she’d enjoyed more When they left the lanes, it see in the world for hi his suit jacket over his shoulder

"Famished"

"I am, too Do you have a favorite restaurant?"

"Yes, I do," she said and sht here"

"Lillie, please allow me to take you to a real restaurant"

"This one looks real"

He hesitated "My daughter suggested Gaucho’s She said they have an extensive wine list and a pianist who plays classicalto wine and dine me?"

"Yes, it’s what you deserve I want only the best for you"

It was such a sweet gesture, but she couldn’t let Hector spend that kind of money Besides, she wasn’t dressed for anyplace formal "I’d love some cheese enchiladas," she told hiers "If you insist, but if hter asks, please tell her the choice was yours, not ave s I should and shouldn’t do When I datedlike this" He stopped abruptly "I don’t mean to imply…"

"I know," she assured hihed "You enuinely surprised "I have a confession to make"

"You?" Well, she’d already made two of her own

"When I look at you," he said in a low voice, "I forget to breathe"

She wondered if he realized the effect his words had on her--or that she felt the very saht have said more but a booth became available and they slid inside

They each ordered the enchiladas and lingered over coffee, chatting until after one in theOnly when Lillie couldn’t hold back a yawn did Hector suggest they call it a night

He walked her to her car, which was one of the four or five still in the parking lot The entire tiain When he didn’t mention it, she was sure this would be their one and only date

"I had a lovely evening," she said, fu" She opened the car door and got in

He nodded, stepping away as she started the engine

Lillie’s heart was in her throat

"Saturday," he blurted out just as she was ready to drive away

"Pardon?"

"Would you like to attend a lecture at the museu, she nearly broke into tears "That would be wonderful, Hector"

Wonderful didn’t begin to describe it

Chapter 24

Wednesday afternoon, the sun was shining and the wind off Puget Sound ar day, and Anne Marie suddenly realized she felt…good She’d alotten what that was like The comfort of the sun, the freshness of the breeze, the company of others--they all contributed to her sense of well-being Most of all, though, she felt a contentment she hadn’t experienced since before her separation fro class with Elise Beauned up, and the session had been fun, with plenty of banter as Elise reviewed their work

While she was at the yarn store, Colette Dehter At first Anne Marie had been afraid that seeing her friend with the baby would be painful; it wasn’t Even though the world seenancies and secret ones, too, she ed to distance herself froenuinely delight in Colette’s joy They talked for an hour, and the visit passed with barely a ripple of pain

Anne Marie was saddened by the news that Colette and her husband, Christian, would beto California at the end of June for business reasons Christian owned a successful io

She recalled that only a year ago, Colette had been alike her, and that was so a pregnancy and she’d struggled with a painful dile dramatic had happened to Anne Marie in the last two ed, either; certainly not her circu with her but that was only a temporary situation The only difference was in Anne Marie’s attitude

She still had to make an effort to maintain that attitude Her Twenty Wishes had helped, because she now felt she had so for soest difference

To be honest, avoiding the question of Rebecca Gilroy had helped, too One day soon, she’d ask who had fathered her son But not until she felt ready to accept the answer

After her knitting class, Anne Marie did a few errands and then collected Baxter so the two of theirl’s spirits had been low since she’d learned that her Grandma Dolores wouldn’t be home as quickly as they’d hoped

Anne Marie decided a leisurely walk, ht improve Ellen’syellow bus rumbled down Blossom Street When it stopped and Ellen hopped out, Baxter strained against his leash, whining excitedly

"Hoas school?" Anne Marie asked

"Good"

The noncommittal reply was typical Generally it wasn’t until later in the evening, usually over dinner, that Ellen began to talk more freely She appeared to need tiure out how ether"