page20 (2/2)

“Aren’t you going to sit down?” Her voice jarred hihts

“No I have to check a new valve we installed at the winery earlier today And if I sit do, I ain”

“I understand I have days like that”

They turned back to the beautiful scenery They ate their cake in silence The cake was so delicate that it practicallyhipped to perfection And the berry filling gave the cake a pop of flavor Heclown but his sisters had outdone themselves with this cake

All too soon the cake was gone And thehad arrived How did he say this to her without ruining this easiness that they’d regained? Maybe that was it Maybe he should let her kno much all of this meant to him

“I should get o overthis weekend” She took his e it with her own and then turned toward the house

“Wait,” he said, still trying to figure out hoord this

She turned back to hi in her eyes “What do you need?”

“I need to talk to you” He rubbed his daize to you about Paris”

“We’ve been over this I really don’t want to talk about it”

“I know I’ to tell you in my own jumbled way is that I don’t want it to ruin our friendship”

“It hasn’t” She sent hi smile “You and I, we’ll always be friends”

He stepped toward her His gaze met hers “Do you really mean that?”

“I do” There had been no hesitation in her words

“Thank you”