breaking her conversation. Liddy said a general, “Nice to meet you all,” and then hurried in the direction Marian had gone.
She didn’t know why she was following Marian. Their contact had been, well, unusual. She just remembered that sound of sup-pressed pain from this morning.
When she saw Marian’s figure ahead of her she slowed, still unsure what motivated her. And now that she had pursued Marian, how would she get her attention?
When Marian turned to wave at a passing taxi, Liddy set aside feeling foolish and said just loud enough to be heard, “Need another lift?”
Marian wheeled around. Liddy saw the glitter of tears across her cheeks and something inside her melted.
“I can’t make a habit of this,” Marian croaked. She cleared her throat. “I forgot to ask anybody for a ride to my car.”
“And you didn’t want to cry in front of Amy and Hemma,” Liddy prompted softly.
“Damn, you’re way too observant.” Marian scrubbed her cheeks with one hand. “Good thing you’re not sticking around.”
“My car’s on the street. Linn? At least I think that was it.” They walked in silence until Marian said, “Thanks for my tampons. I actually need them.”
“Well, otherwise why buy them? Oh, damn it all!” Liddy had to jump twice to snatch the parking ticket off her windshield. “Second one!”
“You could park on the ramp,” Marian suggested.
“So I’ve been told, but what the heck is ‘the ramp’? I didn’t see a store like that on the map. There aren’t any signs.”
“The ramp,” Marian repeated. “Parking ramps. There are several.”
“Do you mean a parking garage? I saw the sign for one, but it’s attached to the hotel. I figured it’d cost an arm and a leg.” Marian shrugged. “I doubt by California standards it does. A couple of dollars for an evening.”
“Oh.”
“Otherwise, you can expect a lot of those.” She pointed at the ticket. “I.C. is notorious for the number of parking tickets it gives out. College town.”
“Okay.” Hell, who would have thought Iowa fucking City was so secretive about places to park, Liddy thought. “I didn’t think I needed a local guide to Iowa City, but obviously I do. You should put your services on eBay.”
“If you were a student you would have received the standard ori-entation.” Marian shrugged again.
Liddy watched as Marian tossed her backpack up into the car, then hauled herself into the passenger seat. For a moment she thought she might have to lend a hand, which made her look again at various parts of Marian where a push would help.
Marian was shapely, for a librarian. Hell, she was shapely for any profession.
Flustered, she forgot to trigger the steps on her side and had to haul herself up with less than her usual aplomb.
“Show-off,” Marian said.
They stared at each other by the dim illumination of the dash-board lights. Damn, Liddy thought. I am not lusting after Marian the Librarian, swear to freakin’ god. Why would I? I hardly know her. Why am I trembling?
“The idiot behind me has me blocked,” she muttered.
Marian glanced back and said, “Those big SUVs. How rude.” Liddy snorted, put the Hummer in drive, and went smoothly over the curb in front of her. “I like these kinds of parking places.” Was that a giggle? Had Marian the Librarian just giggled ? Her eyes were dark and glittering. Liddy realized she’d give a million bucks—and the Hummer—to know what went on inside Marian the Librarian’s head.
Marian fought back another uncharacteristic chortle. She was almost hysterical. She’d been crying all day, and it suddenly didn’t help that Liddy Peel seemed to have the ability to make her laugh.
“Do you know the way to Wal-Mart?” She hoped her car was still okay.
“Honey,” Liddy drawled, “I’m a Wal-Mart femme.”
“Femme?” Marian looked Liddy up and down. “The car sort of counteracts the femme energy.”
“No reason a femme can’t have butch
She didn’t know why she was following Marian. Their contact had been, well, unusual. She just remembered that sound of sup-pressed pain from this morning.
When she saw Marian’s figure ahead of her she slowed, still unsure what motivated her. And now that she had pursued Marian, how would she get her attention?
When Marian turned to wave at a passing taxi, Liddy set aside feeling foolish and said just loud enough to be heard, “Need another lift?”
Marian wheeled around. Liddy saw the glitter of tears across her cheeks and something inside her melted.
“I can’t make a habit of this,” Marian croaked. She cleared her throat. “I forgot to ask anybody for a ride to my car.”
“And you didn’t want to cry in front of Amy and Hemma,” Liddy prompted softly.
“Damn, you’re way too observant.” Marian scrubbed her cheeks with one hand. “Good thing you’re not sticking around.”
“My car’s on the street. Linn? At least I think that was it.” They walked in silence until Marian said, “Thanks for my tampons. I actually need them.”
“Well, otherwise why buy them? Oh, damn it all!” Liddy had to jump twice to snatch the parking ticket off her windshield. “Second one!”
“You could park on the ramp,” Marian suggested.
“So I’ve been told, but what the heck is ‘the ramp’? I didn’t see a store like that on the map. There aren’t any signs.”
“The ramp,” Marian repeated. “Parking ramps. There are several.”
“Do you mean a parking garage? I saw the sign for one, but it’s attached to the hotel. I figured it’d cost an arm and a leg.” Marian shrugged. “I doubt by California standards it does. A couple of dollars for an evening.”
“Oh.”
“Otherwise, you can expect a lot of those.” She pointed at the ticket. “I.C. is notorious for the number of parking tickets it gives out. College town.”
“Okay.” Hell, who would have thought Iowa fucking City was so secretive about places to park, Liddy thought. “I didn’t think I needed a local guide to Iowa City, but obviously I do. You should put your services on eBay.”
“If you were a student you would have received the standard ori-entation.” Marian shrugged again.
Liddy watched as Marian tossed her backpack up into the car, then hauled herself into the passenger seat. For a moment she thought she might have to lend a hand, which made her look again at various parts of Marian where a push would help.
Marian was shapely, for a librarian. Hell, she was shapely for any profession.
Flustered, she forgot to trigger the steps on her side and had to haul herself up with less than her usual aplomb.
“Show-off,” Marian said.
They stared at each other by the dim illumination of the dash-board lights. Damn, Liddy thought. I am not lusting after Marian the Librarian, swear to freakin’ god. Why would I? I hardly know her. Why am I trembling?
“The idiot behind me has me blocked,” she muttered.
Marian glanced back and said, “Those big SUVs. How rude.” Liddy snorted, put the Hummer in drive, and went smoothly over the curb in front of her. “I like these kinds of parking places.” Was that a giggle? Had Marian the Librarian just giggled ? Her eyes were dark and glittering. Liddy realized she’d give a million bucks—and the Hummer—to know what went on inside Marian the Librarian’s head.
Marian fought back another uncharacteristic chortle. She was almost hysterical. She’d been crying all day, and it suddenly didn’t help that Liddy Peel seemed to have the ability to make her laugh.
“Do you know the way to Wal-Mart?” She hoped her car was still okay.
“Honey,” Liddy drawled, “I’m a Wal-Mart femme.”
“Femme?” Marian looked Liddy up and down. “The car sort of counteracts the femme energy.”
“No reason a femme can’t have butch
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