There are odds—most people don’t live many years after they’re diagnosed and Winnie was diagnosed a few years ago. On the other hand, there are cases of people who live many years.”
“How is she feeling?” Ginger asked.
“She feels pretty good. If it weren’t for weakness, trembling and fatigue, you’d never know. Her mind—sharp as a tack.” She chuckled. “They sure can throw the gibes back and forth, Winnie and Mikhail. They bicker like an old married couple.”
“You have so much to deal with,” Ginger said. “You’re very strong.”
“We all have so much to deal with,” Grace said. “Haven’t you figured this out yet? No one has it easy. I always thought the pressure I had on the circuit was the most extraordinary pressure in the world and no one would ever understand. Then I met others who had challenges entirely different from mine and even more difficult. Then I met you. You’re one of the most amazing women I’ve ever known. And the most loving and giving.”
“Aw,” she said, blushing. Maybe a little too loving and giving sometimes, she thought.
“I’ve been meaning to ask—I heard a rumor that Matt Lacoumette showed up Saturday night.”
“True,” she said, busying herself with some receipts on the counter. “I ran into him on my way home from the wedding.”
“And?” Grace asked, a twinkle in her eye.
“And what?” Ginger asked.
“Did you spend any time with him?”
“A little bit,” she said. “In fact, we drove up the coast a few miles to a lookout where a lot of people enjoyed the sunset. It was beautiful. I have a picture,” she said, taking out her cell phone and flipping through some pictures. There were lots of pictures of floral arrangements she’d created and then—two pictures of the sunset, texted from Matt’s phone. And one selfie—Matt’s arm around her, both of them smiling into the camera.
“Well now,” Grace said. “There’s a happy couple.”
“Just friends,” she said.
“But you’ve spent a lot of time on the phone, right? And you went to see him at the farm?”
“I was on my way back from Portland and it was on the way,” Ginger said. “It’s a wonderful farm.”
“So, maybe this will turn into something a little more than friendship?” Grace suggested by way of a question.
Ginger only shrugged, looking back at her receipts.
“What does Matt say about that? After all, he drove all the way to Thunder Point to see you.”
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard from Matt.”
“Really? But you gave him your new cell number, right?”
Ginger gave Grace her full attention. “I didn’t,” she said.
“You don’t like Matt?” Grace asked, looking a little surprised and confused.
“Sure, I like him. Ever been in love with the wrong guy, Grace?”
“Matt’s the wrong guy?” Grace asked.
“I don’t know, but I know what it’s like to love the wrong guy. To stalk him, follow him, call him, wait for his calls and even when they’re long overdue, melting into one big puddle because he finally deigned to go to the trouble of making a phone call. I did that already and I put that far behind me—I don’t want to ever be that lonely, desperate girl again—it’s just too painful and shameful. So, Matt and I talked almost every night. Then we went to see the sunset, talked and laughed and kissed. Truthfully, we made out like crazy—it was so nice. I haven’t had that in my life for well over a year, over two years, maybe. It’s been so long since I had strong feelings for a guy that weren’t all gnarled up with regret. You know those feelings, right? Think about him all day, can’t wait to talk to him at night...”
“Or in my case, can’t wait for him to sneak up the back stairs...” Grace admitted, smiling devilishly.
“Oh, that must have been so romantic,” Ginger said.
“It was so romantic. So, you had those feelings?”
She nodded. “And then I realized that once again, I was having those feelings all by myself.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“You tell me. We told each other deeply personal things, kissed like romantic fools, he said he’d call and he didn’t.”
“Well, maybe—”
“Maybe he was in a car accident?” Ginger asked. “Worried, I texted, asking if he made it home safely. And he texted back three words. Safe and sound. There was nothing more. I waited for days.”
Grace got a very naughty smile on her face. “And you changed your number.”
“Well, that was really overdue. I told you my ex called, right? He shouldn’t have my number...”
“You did this for