Belle sat on a stool at Ethel’s lunch counter as she checked her email app. It had been days since she’d emailed Craig’s sister about Judy, but she still hadn’t responded. Her knees bounced to the Roy Clark song twanging out of Ethel’s old-school antenna radio as her Denver omelet sat in the plate getting cold. Maybe it was time to switch to decaf.
“What’s the matter with that?” Ethel eyed her and the untouched omelet with a scowl.
“Oh, nothing,” Belle said, jolted back to the present. She cut a huge triangle of it and shoved it into her mouth.
“It’s those damn things,” she said, indicating Belle’s phone. “I’d like to toss them all in the river behind the restaurant and let ’em float down to New York City.”
“You’re absolutely right.” Belle placed her phone face down and out of reach. “I’ve been waiting for an important email.”
Ethel scratched at her graying bun. “Hmm. Now how have I ever lived without being able to check my email every five seconds?”
Belle laughed and wondered how long that pencil had been stuck in Ethel’s bun. She never wrote down anyone’s order. Maybe she’d forgotten it was there.
She also wondered if she should shoot Charlene another email, asking if she’d received the first one, or call Craig to see if he would intervene. After shoving a forkful of home fries into her mouth, she grabbed her phone when Ethel wasn’t looking, sent another email politely inquiring of the sister once more, then shoved it into her back pocket.
“Say, Ethel, do you recall any of the boarders that stayed in my aunt’s house?”
Ethel bent over the counter, hovering over Belle’s breakfast, as she appeared to search her memory.
After a moment, Belle prompted her. “A guy named Phil with three fingers? Or a young schoolteacher?”
Ethel’s eyes flashed with familiarity. “Come to think of it, I do remember them, the fella more than the teacher. Marjory was her name, I think. She was only around a month or two.”
Hmm. Long enough for Marjory to deliver a secret love child and bury it in the Ashfords’ yard.
“Did you know her last name? Or what school she worked at?”
“Afraid not,” Ethel said. “I only knew of her because she came in and had dinner by herself once or twice a week.”
“What about Phil? Did you know his last name maybe?”
“Nope, don’t recall that, but I do remember he was a handsome man, around forty. When the kids were outside here protesting the Vietnam war, he’d get real mad and show everyone his hand and say how he couldn’t serve in Korea on account of his accident when he was a boy.”
“How long did he live at Marion’s?”
Ethel shrugged. “I’d say about a year or two. He worked in the factory over in Putnam and would do all kinds of jobs for Marion around the house. That house looked shipshape when he was there. I always said she should’ve moved to a smaller place after Wes died. It’s really too big for a woman with a young daughter to manage alone. You don’t have a husband yet, right?”
“Right, but I’m also not planning to live there after it’s finished.”
“You’re not? I can’t imagine an Ashford not owning that place. I remember when my husband was alive, he used to say—”
“So getting back to Phil. Did any of the guys around here hang out with him?”
“I think he may have been kinda friendly with Bob and John Olsen, God rest his soul. John used to run Danville Hardware.”
“Bob as in Sheriff Morgan?”
“That’s right. He might be able to tell you something about Phil. I’d like to help, but I’ve never been one to gossip.”
“Thanks.” Belle smiled and continued eating.
Ethel moved down the line to refill coffee cups, then ended up in front of Belle again. “I will say this though.” Her eyes darted left, then right. “After a while people started saying that Phil was helping Mrs. Ashford with more than just the house, if you catch my drift.”
“Really?”
“As in having an affair,” Ethel added quietly, as if to avoid scandal.
“Yeah, I got that.” Belle tried not to smirk. “Do you think the rumors were true?”
“I tend to believe them. You started to see Marion come out of the house on other occasions besides work. She’d smile at ya at the grocery store and come in for breakfast on Sundays with Phil once in a while after church.”
“She never told anyone they were dating?”
“Not to my knowledge. We all assumed it, even though they never held hands or kissed in public. Marion wasn’t the type to do that.”
“What happened to him?”
Ethel shrugged. “He up and disappeared one day as unexpectedly as he arrived.”
“Was Judy still alive when he was there?”
“Oh, yeah. Judy was dating that Wheeler boy at the time. That poor kid was always landing in trouble. Nobody knew the back of Bob’s cruiser better than him.”
“That’s what I heard. But wasn’t he from a dysfunctional family?”
“Yeah, but he was always polite to me,” Ethel said. “They’d come in for cheeseburgers and shakes, and he was always respectful. He and Judy seemed so in love. I was sure they’d get married when he came home from Vietnam.” Ethel’s gray eyes grew melancholy. “Who woulda believed she’d be the one who didn’t survive the war—shame she got so sick.”
Belle remembered how Aunt Marion had told everyone Judy had been sick. Apparently, nobody knew she was into drugs.
“Thanks, Ethel. If you can remember anything more about them, please let me know.”
“You writing a book about them or something? You’re a professor, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but I’m not writing a book. Being in the house, fixing it up, changing things around has made me nostalgic.”
Ethel seemed to agree, but Belle felt compelled to further explain her probing. “Plus, Judy’s my father’s cousin, so he’s kind of curious about that side of the family.”
“I understand. Well, good luck to you. I’ll try rattling my old brain to see if I can’t shake loose some more memories.”
“That’d be great.”
She left the café knowing she’d have to confer with Ally on this. Although the sheriff wasn’t doing well, it was time to give Ally a gentle reminder to pick his brain.
***
All day Belle had endured the unnerving ritual of tingling skin and a flip-flopping stomach in anticipation of a date night with Ally. After a dinner of Ally’s grilled chicken and a quinoa-and-kale Southwestern salad, they curled up on her sofa under a light quilt for a binge-watch session of Transparent.
After they’d settled into the third episode, Belle could no longer keep her focus on the show. She was still simmering over her conversation that morning with Ethel and how easily the right word or two from Sheriff Bob could possibly have solved her Ashford-house mystery.
She drilled Ally with a lingering side glance, hoping to ease her attention away from the TV, but she was too engrossed for subtleties. When Belle resorted to tickling Ally’s forearm lightly, Ally turned to her, dotted her lips with a few kisses, and returned her eyes to the TV.
“Ally.” She whispered her name like a child attempting to sneak into her parents’ bed in the middle of the night.
“What?” she replied, her eyes still trained on the screen.
“Can you pause that for a second?”
Ally complied and faced her with a patient smile.
“I know you said Bob’s had a few bad days, but can’t we run over there quick, take him a pie, and ask him a few questions about the boarders?”
“Belle, I already told you I’d talk to him as soon as he was over this rough patch. If I start discussing a case with him, he’s gonna get all riled up and want to jump out of his pee-jays and into his uniform. Shirley would kill me.”
“But he may have some valuable memories that will break the case wide open.”
“If he has any info, I’ll get it from him. Trust me. The case isn’t going anywhere.”
“Well, no, but he might be,” Belle mumbled.
Ally shot her a scalding look. “You’re terrible. He’s not on his deathbed ready to kick off at any moment.”
“I know, but…”
“Anyway, I haven’t heard from the ME’s office yet about whether there’s enough genetic material to go on. Without that, it’s destined to remain cold.”
When Ally resumed the episode, Belle fell back against the cushion in a pout. After a moment, she rebounded with, “Unless your friend, Bob, knows something or someone that can lead us directly to the baby daddy.”
“Yes, Belle, that’s the plan.” She put her arm around her and tugged her close. “Now c’mon. Let’s finish this episode, and then we’ll see if we can find something better to do.” She pulled Belle’s chin toward her and kissed her sensually on the mouth.
Belle responded with a light moan and some fervent kisses of her own. Soon Ally slowly pushed her down onto the sofa and climbed on top of her.
“Will you go tomorrow?” Belle said, coming up for air.
“What?”
“Will you go talk to Bob tomorrow?”
Ally sprang up. “I can’t tomorrow, Belle. I’m driving up to the Berkshires to pick up Chloe. Don’t you want to enjoy this last night we’ll have alone together before she’s home?”
“I do, I do,” she said, pulling Ally back down on top of her. “I forgot you weren’t working tomorrow.”
“You know, I’m starting to think it’s not really me you’re into.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Maybe you’re drawn to the intrigue surrounding this investigation and are attracted to me because I’m investigating it.”
“Ally, you can’t be serious.”
“It’s all you want to talk about when we’re alone together.”
It hurt Belle’s heart that Ally might’ve thought that and hadn’t realized how truly into her she was. Hell, it was practically love at first sight, and that was before any of this mess had clawed its way to the surface.
“That’s not true,” she said as she kissed Ally’s neck. “Most times I’d rather be doing other things with you besides talking.”
Ally gently pushed her back. “Then can we give the case a rest for the moment and enjoy each other?”
Ally’s dreamy eyes seduced her into submission. Those eyes could get Belle to do anything. It was a good thing Ally didn’t know that.
“Do you want me to come along for the ride with you tomorrow to get Chloe?”
“That’s so sweet of you to offer.” She stroked Belle’s cheek. “But I think I’d like the time alone in the car to catch up with her, see how her mood is, and tell her about you.”
Belle smiled shyly. “Oh? What are you going to tell her?”
“The truth: that I met a really special lady…”
“Yeah…”
“That I’ve been spending a lot of time with her…”
“And…”
“And what? Some things aren’t appropriate to share with a twelve-year-old,” Ally said with a naughty giggle.
“Well, I’m honored that you think I’m special enough to share anything about me with her.”
“I’m happy that you didn’t run for the hills when you heard I’m raising a kid. To some women, that’s a deal breaker…not that we’ve made any kind of deal or anything.”
“If those women can’t handle you having someone else important in your life, then they don’t deserve you…not that I’m saying I’m the one who deserves you or anything.”
They broke out in laughter as they wrestled each other, poking and tickling, kissing and groping.
“God, I love you.” The words tumbled out before Belle could catch them. She stared at Ally for a moment, frozen in fear of her response.
For her part, Ally seemed struck by the same concern. Then, “I love you, too” floated out like dandelions in the wind.
Belle was never more relieved or more insanely in love. She felt Ally’s words fall on her skin like rain, each syllable a single drop that heightened her awareness of everything Ally stirred in her.
She smiled, and then Ally smiled with every feature of her face. Then they kissed, wrapped up in the country quilt and their passion for each other.
So much for keeping her stay in Danville quick and easy.
***
Almost two weeks had passed since Belle sent out the original and follow-up emails to Craig’s sister, and she had run out of patience. With so few people still alive from that era to speak with, she hadn’t had much to spare. She mustered up the audacity to call Craig and see if he’d give her his sister’s telephone number, but he was willing to do her one better.
“She’s here in Connecticut right now,” he said. “Our youngest nephew got married on Saturday, so she’s here through this weekend.”
“You don’t suppose she’d have a few minutes to talk about her old friend Judy Ashford over coffee?” Belle’s demeanor bordered on groveling. “I’d be happy to meet her anywhere she wants.”
He sighed into the phone. “I can ask her. Give me your number, and either I’ll call you back or she will.”
“Please tell her it won’t take long, but it would mean so much to our family.”
“I understand. I’ll let her know.”
She ended the call feeling sleazy for laying it on so thick with Craig, but in the end, if it got her what she wanted, she’d learn to live with herself.
How did politicians do it for a living, she wondered, then tackled the next item on her to-do list.
***
Belle spent the morning clearing out and sorting the furniture, knickknacks, and various belongings of Aunt Marion’s that remained in the house after her death. Some things needed dusting or light cleaning, and they’d be ready for repurposing, while others were ready for a dumpster. She’d called a service that picked up large items to donate for various veterans’ programs and was unloading them from the back of her SUV at the curb when Ally rolled up in her squad car.
“This is a nice surprise.” Belle ran to the car and poked her head in for a kiss before Ally could unbuckle her seat belt. “Sorry. I’m a sweaty mess.”
“It totally works on you,” Ally said, bobbing her eyebrows as she got out of the car. “If I wasn’t on duty right now…”
“What do you mean? Aren’t you sworn to serve the women under your jurisdiction?”
“Not in this context, but for you, I’d definitely make an exception.” Ally glanced around and gave her a kiss that left Belle’s lips smoldering in the summer heat. “Listen. You’re gonna be even more excited when I tell you why I’m here.”
“What?”
Ally unlinked Belle’s hands from around her neck as she assumed her authoritative stance. “They got DNA out of the blanket.”
“No way! That’s amazing. Now what?”
“The lab will run it through CODIS to see if they can link it to anyone who’s already in the system.”
“Is that a database for Connecticut?”
“It’s nationwide, so even if the guy or woman took off from Connecticut, theoretically, we could still get a match.”
“What do you mean theoretically?”
“One of the parents would’ve had to have been convicted of a felony sometime after the late nineties, when the database was implemented.”
“Oh.” Belle frowned as her rush of optimism evaporated in the sun. “So you’re telling me this is another one of those ‘it’s possible but not likely’ scenarios.”
“Right, but on the plus side, I can ask Craig Wheeler for a DNA sample. Maybe we can at least establish paternity, even if it doesn’t lead us to Judy’s molester.”
“You’re going to contact him, right? I think if I call him or show up at his garage one more time, he’ll get a restraining order against me.”
“Yes. Please let me contact him. It’s an official part of the investigation now. Besides, I thought you promised me you’d leave him alone until the case was closed.”
“I asked him to help me contact his sister, who was Judy’s childhood best friend. She lives in California, so it’s not like I could’ve knocked on her door myself. And then when she didn’t answer my emails, I called him again to ask for her phone number.”
“Emails with an S?” Ally’s sexy-girlfriend demeanor suddenly turned into that of an impatient cop lecturing a group of loitering teenagers. “Belle, I don’t blame her for not answering you. Some random woman contacts her out of nowhere to talk about her past? That’s not too sketchy. In this day of internet scams against old people, she was smart to ignore you.”
Duly chastised, Belle mumbled a barely audible response. “She could have vital information that Craig doesn’t.”
Ally was showing no mercy. “That may be, but unless she agrees to talk to you, you can’t keep harassing her or Craig.”
“I’m not harassing anyone,” Belle said with a coy smile. “I’m a scintillating conversationalist. Who wouldn’t want to have a chat with me?”
Ally swirled a hand around her own face. “You see this? I’m not smiling at how adorable you are because I don’t want to encourage you.”
Belle grinned mischievously.
“Let Detective Gallagher worry about running down leads,” Ally said. “If it turns out Craig is the father, then he’ll have more leverage in getting the sister to cooperate if need be.” She grabbed her hand with a soft smile. “Please, Belle. You need to stay out of this, okay?”
“Okay. But what if his sister calls me back? Can I talk to her then?”
“Yes, but only as a family member of Judy’s who’d like to know more about her. You can’t grill her about anything relating to this investigation or give her any information I’ve told you in confidence.” Ally’s expression grew stern. “Or I won’t be able to share anything further with you.”
“Okay, babe. I understand. I’m sure she won’t even call me anyway. Craig said she’s going home this weekend, and I haven’t heard from her yet.”
“Thank you. Speaking of the weekend, dinner is at six sharp tonight. Are you ready for this?”
“Sure I am. I’m great with twelve-year-olds. I bought her a lip-gloss gift set from Sephora. Nothing too mature or whorish. It’s meant for tweenies. I asked the salesgirl.”
Ally’s sweet smile was what Belle was angling for. “You don’t have to bribe her with gifts to get her to like you. Your eccentric charm is enough to win anyone over.”
“Thank you…I think.”
“It sure worked on me.” Ally gave her a soft peck. “You’re bringing the sangria?”
“It’s macerating as we speak.”
“Perfect. See you at six.” Ally glanced around again before giving her a longer, sensual kiss and hopping into her car. “Hey, did you call me ‘babe’?”
A blush warmed Belle’s cheeks. “Too soon?”
“Just right,” Ally said with a grin.
Belle waved at her car until it disappeared down the tree-shaded road. She sat on an old parlor end table and exhaled, waiting for the gossamer feeling Ally filled her with to lift so she could resume the rigorous task at hand.
***
Later, as Belle pulled into Ally’s driveway, her confidence in making a winning impression on Chloe wasn’t as robust as it had been earlier in the day. She made her way past the girls’ mountain bike on its side on the small patch of lawn and hit the doorbell with her elbow as she balanced a pitcher of sangria, a gift bag for Chloe, and a covered dish of homemade chocolate-covered strawberries.
“Look at all this,” Ally said as she held the door open for her. “It’s like Christmas in July. How did you manage to transport that sangria without spilling it?”
“Don’t ask,” she said as she headed up the stairs. “I’m sure I committed at least three traffic violations to do it.”
“I’m off duty so I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.” Ally slapped her butt playfully and called out, “Chloe, come here. Isabelle’s here.”
“Be right there,” Chloe said from her room.
“I’m kinda nervous,” Belle said. “It feels like I’m a dude meeting my girlfriend’s father for the first time.”
“You’re funny. She’s not that tough. However, she hasn’t met any women of interest before either, so we’ll see.”
“What?” Belle’s throat constricted. “I’m the first girl you’ve brought home to meet her?”
“That she’d remember.”
Belle’s mind suddenly flooded with images of some dysfunctional kid throwing a tantrum because now she’d have to share her mother figure with a stranger. “Well, in the event I don’t make it through the vetting process, it was swell knowing you.”
Ally laughed. “She’s going to approve. I’m completely sure of it. Chloe,” she called out again.
“Sorry,” Chloe sang as she flounced down the hall toward them. “I wanted to change to look presentable.”
Belle and Ally laughed.
“Chloe, this is Isabelle Ashford. Belle, this is Chloe.”
Belle held out her hand to shake, and much to her relief, Chloe offered her a pleasant smile as she took it.
“It’s nice to meet you, Chloe,” Belle said. “I’m not sure if you’re into lip glosses, but I thought you might like these.”
“I am. These are awesome,” Chloe said, studying the package. “Thank you.” She surprised Belle with a quick hug and darted off down the hall.
“We’re eating now, Chloe,” Ally said. “Don’t get involved in anything.”
“I’m putting these away,” she said from her room.
“Good call on the gloss,” Ally said as they walked into the kitchen. “I should’ve known the minute she got her period, the makeup hormones would develop, too.”
“Makeup hormones?” Belle held the wineglasses while Ally poured. “Now I know being gay is biological. I’ve never craved makeup before. I wear it as a public service.”
Ally seemed to survey her facial features as though they were brushstrokes on a museum painting. “You’re a natural beauty, Belle. The makeup is purely the cherry on the sundae.”
“You know just what a lady likes to hear.” Belle kissed her, then suddenly pulled back. “Oh, sorry.”
“For what?” Ally carried a small charcuterie plate to the table. “Chloe knows I’m gay, and she knows you’re my girlfriend.”
Belle twirled her wineglass, savoring the sound of that sentence. “I’m your girlfriend, huh?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Yeah. I just like hearing you say it.”
“You really are a true romantic.” Ally kissed her, then instantly switched into harried-mom mode. “Chloe, let’s go! And leave the phone in your room.”
“I’m coming,” she called out. “I was letting Red in.”
Chloe and Red scurried down the hall and joined them in the dining room. He ran over to Belle, tail wagging like a windshield wiper on max, and she scratched him behind his ears.
“There you are, you little traitor.” She covered his head and whiskers in kisses. “How dare you leave me for a younger woman?”
Chloe laughed. “He can stay over with you. I don’t mind.”
“Thank you, Chloe,” she said. “But if there’s one thing you should learn about boys now it’s that they’re gonna go where their heart is. You can’t force them. And this boy’s all about you.”
“Man advice from a gold-star lesbian,” Ally said to Chloe in a deadpan. “You should write this down.”
Chloe giggled, half getting it.
“I don’t need to have been in a relationship with a man to understand them,” Belle said good-naturedly. “I have lots of male friends who’ve enlightened me over the years.”
Ally and Belle shared a laugh and clinked wineglasses.
“Now that I’m a woman,” Chloe said, “when am I gonna start being attracted to boys?”
Belle almost spewed out her wine. One thing she’d never expected was to be a dinner guest at a twelve-year-old’s coming-out party.
She and Ally exchanged looks.
“What do you mean?” Ally asked. “You have pictures of boy musicians all over your walls.”
“I mean like when am I gonna want to date them? I get my period now, so that’s puberty, right? But I still find them kind of gross.”
Belle snorted into her plate of prosciutto and table cheese.
Ally glared at her but kept her composure as she addressed Chloe’s question. “Well, you’re only twelve, honey. Getting your period isn’t some magic threshold you step through and then suddenly you’re ready to start dating.”
“And twelve-year-old boys are kind of gross anyway,” Belle added.
Chloe shrugged as she picked through the charcuterie plate. “I thought since my friends were getting all crazy over boys that I should be, too.”
“Are you going all crazy over girls?” Belle asked at the risk of another searing glare from Ally.
Chloe giggled. “No.”
“You know you can tell me if you are,” Ally added.
“I know,” Chloe said. “Sometimes I just feel weird that I’m not as into boys as Emma and Francesca are. I have more fun playing Minecraft and talking to the kids playing with me online.”
“Yeah. Kids who are probably fifty-year-old guys living in their moms’ basements,” Belle mumbled.
That one warranted a kick under the table from Ally.
“I wouldn’t worry, Chloe,” Ally said. “You’re perfectly normal the way you are. When you’re ready, you’ll become interested in dating like your friends, who, by the way, are too young to be so fixated on boys. That’s high school stuff. Until then, enjoy Minecraft.”
Chloe smiled. “Can I have a spritzer?”
Ally returned a smitten smile to her niece. “Sure.” She got up and made Chloe a fruit juice and seltzer concoction in a wineglass like theirs.
By the time they were done eating, Chloe had given Belle a thorough education in the rudiments of competitive equestrianism, ranging from when equestrian events first appeared in the Olympics to the difference between English and Western riding.
“Wow,” Belle said. “You are amazingly well-versed in your subject matter. You put me to shame as an English professor. I’ve never even heard of the words ‘dressage’ and ‘equitation.’”
Chloe giggled. “Equitation means judging the rider on form, style, and ability. And dressage is basically how good the horse’s training is.”
“As you can see, she’s quite enthusiastic about her sport.” Ally radiated a level of exuberant pride any mother would, and it made her even more attractive. “Her first competition is next month.”
“That’s so exciting,” Belle said.
“Do you want to come?” Chloe asked.
“Uh, I think that would be very cool. I’ve never been to an equestrian competition before.” She winked at Ally. “A bucket-list item for sure.”
Chloe beamed. “If I win, maybe I can finally convince my aunt to get me my own horse.”
Belle turned to Ally. “Really?”
“I told you I’d consider it, Chloe,” Ally said firmly. “Getting a horse isn’t like dropping by a shelter and adopting a cat—which by the way, did you clean Bieber’s litter?”
Belle stifled a laugh. “Bieber?”
Ally nodded with resignation, then turned back to Chloe. “Did you?”
“Ye-ess,” Chloe said with a sibilant hiss. “You said you’d check with animal-rescue groups.”
“I have been, honey. But it’s a really big expense to board a horse, so I still have some research to do to see if I can manage it.”
Chloe scowled into her dish of fresh berries and ice cream. Belle could see how much it hurt Ally to disappoint her.
“So,” Belle said, too loudly for dinner conversation. “I think I’m going to really enjoy watching you compete, Chloe. Make sure you let me know when it is.”
That returned the smile to her face—Ally’s, too.
After they’d finished dessert, Chloe was excused, and Belle insisted on helping Ally clean up while Ally insisted they leave the dishes in the sink.
“I’ll take care of them later,” Ally said. “Let’s sit on the deck with some chilled Moscato.”
Belle shrugged. “I really don’t mind helping you. We can have it done in no time.”
“Why stand around my kitchen cleaning up when there’s a breathtaking sunset out there calling our names?”
“Can’t argue with that logic,” Belle said.
Chloe reappeared in the kitchen carrying a backpack. “I’m going to Emma’s now,” she announced.
“Text me the minute you get there.” Ally walked over to her and hugged her tightly.
“I will.”
“The minute you get there,” Ally repeated. “Or I’ll call her mother.”
“I will,” Chloe said in a whine as she headed out the door.
“Emma’s mother and I always text each other when the girls arrive anyway,” Ally said confidentially.
She then led Belle out onto the deck with the Moscato chilling in a bucket. They sat on an outdoor loveseat on the small patio as the setting sun burned orange over distant treetops. After Ally filled their glasses, they kicked back and relaxed on the loveseat shoulder to shoulder.
“She’s an awesome kid,” Belle said. “I can see why you’re so in love.”
“I don’t know how she’s such an awesome kid after all she’s been through.”
“Ally, after two hours in your company, I see how. You’re a great mother to her—loving, supportive, protective, and not overly indulgent. If she doesn’t grow up normal, then none of us ever had any hope.”
“You think so?”
“Absolutely. You’re a testament to the power of a dedicated single parent. And your admiration for each other is enviable. For real.”
Ally kissed her. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being you. For getting me and understanding what I’m trying to do.”
Belle shrugged, earnestly not knowing why Ally was making such a fuss. Maybe she was buzzed. Lord knows she would be if she had to raise someone else’s kid.
“It’s amazing what you’re trying to do,” Belle said.
Ally kissed her again, and the warm sweetness of her wine-glazed lips whetted her appetite for more than dessert.
“So…Chloe’s sleeping over at her friend’s, tonight,” Ally said.
“I gathered that. Does this mean we can have a sleepover of our own?”
“Did you bring your peejays?”
“Nope,” Belle said with a devilish grin.
“Good.”
She gently nibbled Ally’s lobe, adding a whisper of warm breath in her ear.
Ally shivered and let out a soft moan. “How about we have our next glass inside? My bathtub seats two.”
Belle smiled and drained her glass.
Ally watched, her eyes radiating with urgency.