linen napkin. The cookies were still warm, and the chocolate chunks still glistened under the light.
Parka on, she started across the slushy field toward John’s house. Jason must have gone inside, but she could see Gretel stop, lift her head and sniff the air, then race like the wind to greet her. Lily bent and stroked the shiny black fur, fending off the wet kisses and trying to keep her balance.
“Down, girl,” Ian said with a clap of his hands, “let the poor lady stand up.”
Lily looked up to see Ian’s tall, lanky frame shadowing her. Grasping the basket, she stood. “It’s okay, she’s a real sweetheart.”
“That she is,” he said, patting the dog’s head affectionately. “Can I give you a hand with that basket?”
She hesitated. “Sure. These are for Jason and your Grandpa John. A little snack for Gretel, too.”
Ian lifted the napkin and inhaled. “And for me too, I hope.”
His lopsided grin unnerved her. “Of course, sure, for you too.”
“Jason’s inside, would you like to come in?”
“That would be nice.”
Ian held the door open for her and she hurried through, followed by Gretel. “We have a visitor,” he announced. “And she’s bearing gifts.”
Jason was at his father’s side in a flash, his hand in the basket, snatching a cookie. “Cookies,” he mumbled, mouth full, “and they’re still hot!”
Ian grabbed some napkins, placing them on the table. “Should I get the milk? Make coffee?”
Everyone looked at Lily. “Well, I guess I could stay awhile.”
John rose from his easy chair. “It’s settled then,” he said, offering Lily a chair at the dining room table. “We can use some good company around here, especially such a lovely lady.”
John laid out some napkins and poured everyone a large glass of milk.
“These are great,” Jason said, wiping the oozing chocolate off his chin with his shirt sleeve.
“Use a napkin,” Ian said.
“Thanks, next time I’ll bring some of my scones for you all to try.”
John took a big drink of milk and picked up another cookie. “So, Lily, how are you getting along over there in that big house?”
Lily wiped the sides of her lips, hoping to remove any of the melted chocolate in a dignified way. “I’m finding my way around, doing some baking for the Island Café.”
“Starting a little business, it sounds like,” Ian said.
“I’m considering calling it Grandma Maggie’s Baking Company. And if I ever find my grandmother’s famous brownie recipe, I can go mail order as well.”
“Ambitious. Let me know if I can help you with designing a label or something.” Ian leaned over the basket and lifted up the last cookie. “Who wants it?” he said, looking right at Jason. He dropped it in his son’s outstretched hand. “See how much I love you?”
It was obvious to Lily just how much love there was; the way any kid would want to be loved…or any adult, for that matter.
Lily picked up the basket. “Pretty fast work, boys. Next time I’ll bring more.”
John stood to walk her to the door. “Happy to have you over any time. Where you off to?”
“I think I’ll take a little walk along the water before the sun is gone. See you all later.”
Ian followed her outside. “Mind if I join you?”
She didn’t want to lead him on. After all, she wasn’t even divorced yet. But his look was so sincere, and some company would be nice. “Sure, I’ll go drop off the basket and meet you down by the beach in a few.”
✦✦✦✦
She walked into her bedroom and threw on a warmer turtleneck. At the hall closet, she added a scarf, gloves, and her down coat, then threw open the front door and headed briskly toward the beach. The air was crisp, and it froze the end of her nose. She tucked her hands into her jacket pockets and moved carefully over the large pieces of driftwood.
She found Ian waiting for her at the water’s edge, staring out over the vast Sound. He waved for her to join him.
She
Parka on, she started across the slushy field toward John’s house. Jason must have gone inside, but she could see Gretel stop, lift her head and sniff the air, then race like the wind to greet her. Lily bent and stroked the shiny black fur, fending off the wet kisses and trying to keep her balance.
“Down, girl,” Ian said with a clap of his hands, “let the poor lady stand up.”
Lily looked up to see Ian’s tall, lanky frame shadowing her. Grasping the basket, she stood. “It’s okay, she’s a real sweetheart.”
“That she is,” he said, patting the dog’s head affectionately. “Can I give you a hand with that basket?”
She hesitated. “Sure. These are for Jason and your Grandpa John. A little snack for Gretel, too.”
Ian lifted the napkin and inhaled. “And for me too, I hope.”
His lopsided grin unnerved her. “Of course, sure, for you too.”
“Jason’s inside, would you like to come in?”
“That would be nice.”
Ian held the door open for her and she hurried through, followed by Gretel. “We have a visitor,” he announced. “And she’s bearing gifts.”
Jason was at his father’s side in a flash, his hand in the basket, snatching a cookie. “Cookies,” he mumbled, mouth full, “and they’re still hot!”
Ian grabbed some napkins, placing them on the table. “Should I get the milk? Make coffee?”
Everyone looked at Lily. “Well, I guess I could stay awhile.”
John rose from his easy chair. “It’s settled then,” he said, offering Lily a chair at the dining room table. “We can use some good company around here, especially such a lovely lady.”
John laid out some napkins and poured everyone a large glass of milk.
“These are great,” Jason said, wiping the oozing chocolate off his chin with his shirt sleeve.
“Use a napkin,” Ian said.
“Thanks, next time I’ll bring some of my scones for you all to try.”
John took a big drink of milk and picked up another cookie. “So, Lily, how are you getting along over there in that big house?”
Lily wiped the sides of her lips, hoping to remove any of the melted chocolate in a dignified way. “I’m finding my way around, doing some baking for the Island Café.”
“Starting a little business, it sounds like,” Ian said.
“I’m considering calling it Grandma Maggie’s Baking Company. And if I ever find my grandmother’s famous brownie recipe, I can go mail order as well.”
“Ambitious. Let me know if I can help you with designing a label or something.” Ian leaned over the basket and lifted up the last cookie. “Who wants it?” he said, looking right at Jason. He dropped it in his son’s outstretched hand. “See how much I love you?”
It was obvious to Lily just how much love there was; the way any kid would want to be loved…or any adult, for that matter.
Lily picked up the basket. “Pretty fast work, boys. Next time I’ll bring more.”
John stood to walk her to the door. “Happy to have you over any time. Where you off to?”
“I think I’ll take a little walk along the water before the sun is gone. See you all later.”
Ian followed her outside. “Mind if I join you?”
She didn’t want to lead him on. After all, she wasn’t even divorced yet. But his look was so sincere, and some company would be nice. “Sure, I’ll go drop off the basket and meet you down by the beach in a few.”
✦✦✦✦
She walked into her bedroom and threw on a warmer turtleneck. At the hall closet, she added a scarf, gloves, and her down coat, then threw open the front door and headed briskly toward the beach. The air was crisp, and it froze the end of her nose. She tucked her hands into her jacket pockets and moved carefully over the large pieces of driftwood.
She found Ian waiting for her at the water’s edge, staring out over the vast Sound. He waved for her to join him.
She
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