Blue moon - By Lori Handeland Page 0,60

a contented sigh. She and I hadn't had a good talk in a long time. Considering our age difference, you wouldn't think we could. But Zee was young at heart, despite the probable black tar therein. She was the best friend I'd ever had, and I loved her.

"You gonna tell Mom about the guy?"

"What guy?"

"Don't screw with me, girl. Cadotte. Is he as good as he looks?"

"When did you see him? And how do you know... " I fumbled for a word. "Anything?"

"I have my sources."

She no doubt did. Sources she'd never reveal to me. The woman knew everything that went on in Miniwa. It was downright terrifying. And often quite handy. Unless it was me she knew everything about.

I narrowed my eyes. "You didn't tell Clyde, did you?"

Zee shook her head. "Clyde's got enough problems right now. He thinks of you as his daughter - or near enough. He'd kill Cadotte if he found out you were banging him."

"Nice," I murmured. Though banging was probably a pretty good word, considering what we'd been doing.

But I was more interested in Zee's observation of Clyde's feelings for me. "Clyde thinks of me like a daughter?" heard the hope in my voice and cursed myself. I'd never had a father. I didn't need one now.

Zee contemplated me a moment. "Sure. Just like I think of you as the granddaughter I'll never have."

"No gramma worth her salt would ever use the word banging."

Zee cackled. "Aren't you glad?"

"Damn straight."

Zee and I had talked about many things over the years, but mostly present tense. What we'd done today, what we'd like to do tomorrow, whose butt was better than Jimmy Smits's.

She'd told me once that her family was dead. She'd come to Miniwa because she had nowhere else to go and stayed because she liked the trees. Her expression had been so sad at the time, I never had the heart to ask her anything about her past again.

"So what are you gonna tell Mummy Dearest about the guy?"

"Uh, nothing?"

"That would be my advice. She'd have a conniption."

"You got that right."

Zee had met my mother once. It had been hate at first sight - on both their parts. My mother said I clung to Zee like moss to a tree just to annoy her, and maybe she was right. But Zee had given me more affection and support in the years I had worked with her than my mother had given me all of my life.

Pathetic but true.

"Although I might have to agree with Mummy on this one."

I gaped. "What?"

Zee shrugged. "Unless you're just doing him."

He'd actually been doing me - quite often - but that was my business.

"There's nothing serious starting up with you and him, is there?" Zee was staring at me too closely. I began to sweat. "You haven't mistaken sex for love or anything, have you?"

"Of course not. Do I look stupid?"

"Never said that you did. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"And that would happen because... ?"

"Mixed relationships never work out."

I knew Zee didn't much care for the Indians, but I'd never expected her to be so blatant in her prejudice.

"What are you trying to say, Zee?"

"I went out with a beautiful man once." Her eyes went dreamy. "It was nice at first. But not for long. He actually thought I should be grateful." She snorted. "Women propositioned him right in front of me like I wasn't even there."

I blinked. "By mixed, you mean - "

"Cadotte's hot, Jessie. You're... " She lifted one shoulder, then lowered it.

"Not. I know. Big deal."

"Now, now. No need to get testy. Face the facts. You aren't Marilyn Monroe. A guy like him, pretty soon he'll start listening to all those people who are asking him what he sees in you."

I'd thought the same thing. But the more I got to know Cadotte, the less I could see him caring what people thought.

Second Shift appeared in the doorway. She glanced at Zee, flinched, then focused on me. "Jessie, we got trouble in the woods."

"No shit," Zee muttered.

"If you can't be constructive... " I began.

"Shut the fuck up," Zee finished.

It was, after all, her favorite saying.

"What's the matter?" I asked the youngster, who appeared to have swallowed a frog.

"The um... uh... " She waved her hand back toward the command center.

"Two words?" I held up two fingers, then tugged on my ear. "Sounds like?"

She tilted her head and stared.

"Don't confuse her, Jessie." Zee slurped what must be, by now, ice-cold