Warming Trend (34 page)

The problem was, she’d promised Eve she would never leave her, and now she was. “I’m coming back,” she said again.

Tan was kissing Lisa as if she hadn’t just done so thirty seconds earlier. Ani wanted to cry too much to pucker up properly. Eve’s eyes, the exact color of today’s summer sky, were shimmering with unshed tears.

She wasn’t sure how she got into the driver’s seat. She dashed away her tears. Eve was all blues and greens in the rearview mirror.

She started the engine, pulled away from the curb. Slammed on the brakes.

Lisa clutched the dashboard. “Damn it, Ani! What was that for?”

Ani backed up, killed the engine, got out and marched around to where Tan was still standing next to Eve. “Okay, I don’t feel like being a brave little soldier right now. I’ve discovered if you don’t ask people for things, you won’t get anything, so I’m asking. How would you like a free trip to Key West? You have to leave now, and you have pack up a bunch of crap when you get there and ship it here.” There were a dozen bartenders who would jump at her job. Tan would love eighteen hours sitting next to Lisa. They’d probably join the Mile High Club or something. Regardless, neither of them would notice the airless, stuffy plane.

Lisa got out of the SUV, looking too scared of disappointment to say anything.

Ani continued, “I can close my bank accounts by phone or Internet or something, can’t I? Call my landlady and tell her to give you my deposit—like there’ll be anything back from her. Give stuff that’s too useless to ship to my neighbor Shiwan, she can use kitchen stuff, and—”

“Tell you what.” Tan put her hands on Ani’s shoulders. “Get yourself a goshdarned cell phone and we’ll talk it over when I get there.”

Lisa made a little noise and burst into tears.

“Honey.” Tan went to her, pulling her close. “I wasn’t lying. I was going to visit soon as I could. Apparently, that would be right now, because I was about to chase the car when Ani stopped.”

“So was I,” Eve said. She slipped her hand into Ani’s. There were still tears, but Eve’s brilliant smile was all that mattered to Ani.

“Can you drive this thing?” Tan pulled back to look into Lisa’s eyes. “I have to make some phone calls along the way.”

Lisa regained her composure. “Of course I can.” She held out a hand, palm up to Ani.

Ani gave her the keys. She had a feeling that Tan might not be alone when she came back. Alaska had as many bars as there were roads to lead to them, and Lisa would find work easily, one way or another. If that wasn’t how it worked out, then she was also willing to bet Tan might find a university in a warmer climate that wanted a highly skilled administrative miracle worker. Either way, they were going to be happy because neither believed obstacles could ever be insurmountable. They were the same, on the inside.

Lisa kissed Tan on the lips and said, “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

* * *

Ani stirred to find Eve snuggled in her arms. She blinked in the late evening light—not quite sunset. After eleven, maybe.

Eve stirred. “Hey, sleepyhead. I wondered when you’d wake up.”

“You wore me out.”

“Good.”

Ani felt a certain gnawing in her stomach. “Snack time?”

There was a clatter from Tonk’s collar.

“The both of you—I swear.” Eve swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “It’s a little chillier tonight. Put on something warm.” She disappeared into the bathroom.

“Okay.” Ani found a pair of sweats. Sitting on the porch might be nice, with hot cocoa. There had been no phone call, so she presumed Tan and Lisa were on their way to Seattle by now.

She and Eve traded places in the bathroom. She frowned at her reflection—her hair was having its own fun, which it often did after a nap. She fussed at it a little bit because Eve was worth the fuss.

By the time she got to the kitchen, Eve handed her the little picnic basket, Tonk’s gaze following its transfer. Ani grinned and got her boots.

After Eve parked the van, Tonk eagerly loped ahead of them, having forgotten, for now, that the contents of the basket could prove delicious for him as well. Ani had an insulated tarp slung over her shoulder.

They settled on the glacier with the two people on one half of the tarp, and Tonk happily splayed out on the other half. Snacks were produced, and Ani’s stomach was content.

“Thank you.” She pulled Eve into the circle of her arms. The lights were coming up green and gold and pink, with even a hint of orange—quite a show. “I love how romantic you are.”

“Good. I thought this was better than my other plan.”

“Which was?”

“Make you into a soup and mop you up with a slice of bread.”

“You are such a chef.” Ani was fairly certain she could live with food metaphors for the rest of her life.

Eve snuggled closer. The lights danced over them as Ani rested her chin on the top of Eve’s head. Midnight on a glacier with the woman she loved—it was magic. It was hers to keep. She was home to stay.

Sometime later, Eve said, “Okay, I’m getting cold and stiff.” She moved out of Ani’s arms, and opened the picnic basket. “Time to warm up.”

Ani expected another thermos with something hot to drink, but instead it was a little music player with a tiny speaker. Eve pressed a button, and the sound of Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” spilled over the ice, inviting them to go round and round.

Eve got to her feet, then looked down at Ani. Her face was glowing with pinks and yellows, her mouth curved in a loving smile. She held out a hand. “Dance with me?”

“Yes,” Ani said.

THE END