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Linnette saw Grace right away She stood behind the counter, chatting with a wo up, she waved at Linnette
Linnette moved toward the counter and waited until Grace had finished checking out the other woman’s books
"Hello, Linnette," Grace said with a friendly smile "Good to see you"
"You, too" Her throat started to close up and for half a second she was afraid she ht cry, which would have mortified her This just proved how despondent she was over Cal
"What can I do for you?" Grace asked
Linnette had always liked Cliff’s wife Her hly of Grace, too From a brief remark her father had once dropped, Linnette was fairly sure Grace had been a client at one time
"I don’t have a library card yet," shemore than a little ill at ease
"Then it’s past time you did," Grace said cheerfully She handed Linnette a clipboard "If you’ll fill out the application, I’ll take care of this personally"
"Thank you" Her hand trembled as she took it, but if Grace noticed, she didn’t co her throat She held the clipboard against her, as if it offered so in for a library card is an excuse so I could talk to you"
"To me?" Grace asked, obviously surprised "You’re welcome to talk to me anytime you want, Linnette, library card or not"
"About Cal?" she asked in uneven tones
"Oh" Grace’s face betrayed her Apparently Cal was a subject she’d rather avoid
Linnette was afraid of exactly this
"Perhaps we should talk soested She excused herself and conferred briefly with one of the other employees Then she retrieved her purse "I’ll take an early lunch this afternoon," she told Linnette, leading the way out of the library
"Thank you," Linnette whispered as she followed obediently She left the clipboard on the counter
The waterfront area was decorated by flowering baskets that hung fro by theside by side, holding hands and talking Okay, she did , but that hat Cal preferred Even when his speech therapy was completed, she suspected he’d never be ht, Grace didn’t say anything as they walked Her pace was slow
"Have you heard from Cal recently?" Linnette asked when she couldn’t bear the silence anyh she normally walked much faster
"He phoned Cliff the other day"
He hadn’t called Linnette, though "Everything’s all right, isn’t it?"
Grace nodded She began to say soht better of it
Linnette could tell there was much more to Cal’s conversation with Cliff, but whatever it was, Grace seemed reluctant to tell her
"Cal hasn’t been hurt, has he?" she asked anxiously
"No, no, it’s nothing like that" She walked over to the espresso stand and ordered a latte with sugar-free vanilla flavoring After she’d ordered, she turned to Linnette "Would you like anything?"
"No, thanks Is that all you’re having for lunch?" Linnette asked She hadn’t eaten herself and doubted she would Getting anything past the luenerally have a sandith a latte or soup for lunch," Grace explained as she paid for her drink "I should probably be watching rumbled "I seem to have a s yourlater"
As soon as the latte was ready, Grace and Linnette walked to the gazebo near the waterfront park Grace took a seat on a bench that faced the water and Linnette sat down beside her
"I’d appreciate it if you just told ," Linnette said
Grace sipped her latte, then sighed "You know that Cal’s in Wyoht?"
"She joined him there later, didn’t she?"
Grace nodded "Vicki’s a very good vet"
"I’m sure she is"
"The probles have medical problems"
"I’m sure that’s true," Linnette whispered She already knehat Grace was trying to tell her Cal had fallen for Vicki It didn’t seem possible, but she felt intuitively that rew quiet, as if considering her words
"Cal’s involved with Vicki, isn’t he?" Linnette said bluntly
"I…didn’t speak to him personally, you understand," Grace murmured "But fros for her"
"I see" A cold sensation cas for her, too Apparently she was an out-of-sight, out-of-irl
Grace shook her head "I know Vicki, and I don’t want you to think she’d go after someone else’s man Because she just wouldn’t"
This wasn’t exactly reassuring, in light of the fact that Cal was obviously interested in her