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"Yes, Sam, I did love you…oh so dearly," she whispered But you didn’t love ly hollow, a grave that hadn’t been filled in The first tear dropped onto the slick face of her guitar with a tapping sound Another followed

When Linda walked into the coffee shop, the three customers in the rooainst raw skin SueAnn, a woman from church who always acted as if Linda had cooties, sat with Patsy, a clerk froed woman

Linda’s body stiffened as if chilled in the freezer Patsy was just a gossip, but SueAnn could be hateful Ignoring thelanced at the pastries, then shrugged No appetite today Again Heck of a way to diet

"How are you doing, Linda?" SueAnn asked, her voice even sweeter than her overly sugared desserts at potlucks

"I’m fine" Her lips felt stiff as if reluctant to form the words Hadn’t Sam said just that to her? "I’m fine" Hadn’t his face looked as frozen as hers was now as he spoke the saood But didn’t I hear that you and Lee broke up?" SueAnn’s face was alight with vindictive interest, and Linda remembered Lee had said SueAnn made a pass at his…you learned when you were…away?"

I am not in the mood for this Linda planted her feet As she’d come to acceptance with herself, she realized almost everyone in town had been supportive There’d only been a few--like Dwayne--who behaved like gossipy, spiteful teenage girls She’d tried to ignore the

She wished she could flatten the woman the way Sam had stomped on Dwayne But no Besides, SueAnn’s weapons ords So be it Linda gave the woman a toothy smile "Oh, most men like variety" Her voice came out even and pleasant "Bless your heart, SueAnn Maybe if you’d expanded your repertoire to so besides the missionary position, your ex wouldn’t have tried to fuck every fe-eyed, Lindaher coffee was ready But Betty had disappeared, and whoops of laughter came from the back room Linda bit the inside of her cheek, half-appalled at what she’d said Mostly okay with it

She heard chairs scrape and the door open as SueAnn and crew fled frolanced over her shoulder and blinked

The stylish woman remained at the table "I’m Meredith Blake, the nener of the swimsuit store" She rose and shook hands with Linda "That was the prettiest sh?" Flushed with laughter, Betty stood in the door of the back roo back to normal"

Linda’s mouth dropped open "I’m not--"

"Oh, you’re a polite woman, never said you weren’t The look in your eye told people not to push you But you’ve been slinking around here since you returned" Betty’s grin widened as she handed Linda her coffee "On the house Welcome home, child"

A few minutes later, Linda settled onto her favorite beachside picnic table and toed off her high heels It was a cheerful day with a bright sun and a breeze strong enough to fling tiny grains of sand at Linda’s ankles and bare feet

Along the boardwalk, tourists -shopping Down on the beach, a toddler charged straight into the water, screaht when a wave splashed up and over his stomach His brother, a year or so older, held his et close at all

An elderly couple--probably snowbirds fro the water roll over their ankles Others stayed out of reach of the waves

Linda always chose to get her feet wet Which would Sarowl at her for having to take off his boots Her lips quirked Actually, he’d probably throw her in, then follow--just to be contrary

And he’d undoubtedly sit out here with her, drinking coffee Sam always took the time to look at the world How often had they sat on his porch to watch a sunset or a dawn?

Darn it, every other thought was about the stubborn man With her elbows on the table, she rested her chin on her hands I love hih, the way he’d changed Her brows drew together When she’d left hi after the disastrous scene, he’d not been cold In fact, he’d teased her that she owed hirurumbled at him in bed, he’d rolled her over, spanked her botto quickie Then he hadn’t wanted her to go to work Had wanted her to spend the day with him He hadn’t acted as if he wanted to pull away To rethink their relationship

Hours later, he’d been as warm as an ice cube