thought, and it would ease. It was only because she wasnât busy, as she should be. Certainly she hadnât practiced enough that day, or the day before. Even if she decided to cut back professionally, she had no business neglecting her practice.
Tomorrow, she thought, closing her eyes. Tomorrow was soon enough to start a routine. Lulled by the motion of the glider, she gathered her jacket closer. Sheâd forgotten how quickly the temperature could dip once the sun had fallen behind the mountains.
She heard the whoosh of a car as it cruised by on the road in front of the house. Then the sound of a door closing. From somewhere nearby, a mother called her child in from play. Another light blinked on in a window. A baby cried. Vanessa smiled, wishing she could dig out the old tent she and Joanie had used and pitch it in the backyard. She could sleep there, just listening to the town.
She turned at the sound of a dog barking, then saw thebright fur of a huge golden retriever. It dashed across the neighboring lawn, over the bed where her mother had already planted her pansies and marigolds. Tongue lolling, it lunged at the glider. Before Vanessa could decide whether to be alarmed or amused, it plopped both front paws in her lap and grinned a dogâs grin.
âWell, hello there.â She ruffled his ears. âWhere did you come from?â
âFrom two blocks down, at a dead run.â Panting, Brady walked out of the shadows. âI made the mistake of taking him to the office today. When I went to put him in the car, he decided to take a hike.â He paused in front of the glider. âAre you going to punch me again, or can I sit down?â
Vanessa continued to pet the dog. âI probably wonât hit you again.â
âThatâll have to do.â He dropped down on the glider and stretched out his legs. The dog immediately tried to climb in his lap. âDonât try to make up,â Brady said, pushing the dog off again.
âHeâs a pretty dog.â
âDonât flatter him. Heâs already got an inflated ego.â
âThey say people and their pets develop similarities,â she commented. âWhatâs his name?â
âKong. He was the biggest in his litter.â Hearing his name, Kong barked twice, then raced off to chase the shadows. âI spoiled him when he was a puppy, and now Iâm paying the price.â Spreading his arms over the back of the glider, he let his fingers toy with the ends of her hair. âJoanie tells me you drove out to the farm today.â
âYes.â Vanessa knocked his hand away. âShe looks wonderful. And so happy.â
âShe is happy.â Undaunted, he picked up her hand to playwith her fingers. It was an old, familiar gesture. âYou got to meet our godchild.â
âYes.â Vanessa tugged her hand free. âLaraâs gorgeous.â
âYeah.â He went back to her hair. âShe looks like me.â
The laugh came too quickly to stop. âYouâre still conceited. And will you keep your hands off me?â
âI never was able to.â He sighed, but shifted away an inch. âWe used to sit here a lot, remember?â
âI remember.â
âI think the first time I kissed you, we were sitting here, just like this.â
âNo.â She folded her arms across her chest.
âYouâre right.â As he knew very well. âThe first time was up at the park. You came to watch me shoot baskets.â
She brushed casually at the knee of her slacks. âI just happened to be walking through.â
âYou came because I used to shoot without a shirt and you wanted to see my sweaty chest.â
She laughed again, because it was absolutely true. She turned to look at him in the shadowy light. He was smiling, relaxed. Heâd always been able to relax, she remembered. And heâd always been able to make her