Page 15 (2/2)

Sent: June 21

From:

[email protected]

To:

[email protected]

Subject: Commander, you say?

Dear Ali,

No, you didn’t ives? Is he all right? I assu at all tells me you’re interested in hi I know, I know, all shipboard romances are strictly taboo But tell me more!

I’m afraid ITrust ht have felt toward ht, all right, I’ll tell you what I did, but you’ve got to proain I decided he should be aware of Jazmine’s little scheme That seems only fair, don’t you think?

In retrospect, I still feel it needed to be said but maybe I didn’t handle it in the best possible way When I assured hi like…I don’t knohat I keep saying it, but this isn’t the right tiet involved It really isn’t, not with just starting this business

And guess what? Another guy, as recently divorced, came in later this afternoon and askedthe same excuse and felt terrible (By the way, it’s thanks to the little le)

Oh, and did I mention Brad phoned? Let me tell you that was a short conversation If I needed confir up with hi from you is wonderful Both Jazmine and I miss you terribly I never realized how , Jazz is one fabulous kid and I’m crazy about her, but I didn’t have any idea how e when she caht, Ali, I’m absolutely certain now that I want to be a h With everything that’s happened in the last few hts of another relationship out of my ical clock I hear ticking? Not to worry, I have plenty of time Lots of women have children when they’re in their mid or even late thirties these days

Nevertheless, I need a while to clear ht be interested in Ti up on his ex-wife (Tim’s the divorced father I mentioned earlier)

Write back soon and tell uy He sounds like one of those ood or bad?

Love ya,

Shana

Ali read the e- when she finished She wasn’t going to give up on Shana and Adam just yet

Chapter Eleven

"It’s summer," Jazmine announced the first Monday after the end of school "Uncle Ada special to celebrate"

Shana hated to discourage Jazmine’s enthusiasm, but she couldn’t leave her restaurant on a whi?" she repeated "Like what?"

That was all the invitation Jazmine needed She hopped onto the barstool and rested her arms on the counter "When ht after school was out We had so elo’s David It’s really cool, you know?"

"We have soested, but her heart wasn’t in it Given her druthers, of which she had few, she would opt to visit Victoria, British Colulish in style

Jazhed and shook her head "I’ve been to dozens ofThis should be special"

"What about an amusement park?" Perhaps on Sunday Shana could stuff herself into a swimsuit, make Jazmine promise not to take her picture, and they could head for the local water park

Again Jaz for sooes to parks This is a celebration I survived a new school, led as she said this, and Shana laughed, too

"We had a bit of a rough start," Shana acknowledged

"It took me a while to adjust," Jazmine admitted in turn "Uncle Adam helped me"

"With what, exactly?" She recalled the backpack advice, and the fact that he’d apparently told her to stop --hadn’t he?--but she didn’t knohat else he’d said

"Never mind" Jazmine slid off the barstool "That’s an idea--I’ll call Uncle Adam"

"To do what?" Shana asked, but her question went unanswered as Jazmine hurried toward the phone

"You should take a day just for the two of you," Catherine suggested, apparently listening in on their conversation "You’ve been here nearly every day for weeks"

"New business-owners don’t take days off," Shana said It was true that she’d spent every day at the restaurant, although she’d taken brief breaks and nearly one whole Sunday the week before She’d felt like a neoht of one entire twenty-four hour period when she didn’t have her hands in pizza dough or her face in a three-gallon container of ice crea aas just the respite she needed

"It isn’t for you as much as your niece," Catherine continued "Kind of a reward for doing so well"