sipped. "You know, come to think of it, you're right. That was some
other time."
"You were with Grace."
"Was I?"
"Oh, Ethan." With clenched teeth she slammed the jar down. "You're
making me crazy! Where were you last night?"
"You know, I don't believe anyone's asked me that since my mother died."
"I'm not trying to pry--"
"You're not?"
"All right, all right, I am trying to pry and you make it impossible to
be subtle about it."
He leaned back in his chair, studying her. He'd liked her, almost from
the first--even when she made him uneasy. Wasn't it funny, he mused, to
realize that sometime over the last few weeks, he had come to love her.
Which mean that teasing her was, well, required.
"You're not asking me if I spent the night in Grace's bed, are you?"
"No. No, of course not." She snatched up the pasta, then set it down
again. "Not exactly."
"Were the candles her idea, or yours?"
Anna decided it was a good time to get out a skillet. She just might
need a weapon. "Did they work?"
"Yours, I imagine; probably the dress, too. Grace's mind doesn't work
that way. She's not what you'd calla sneaky."
Anna hummed and prepared to make her cheese sauce.
"And it was sneaky, underhanded, meddling, to send me over there that
way."
"I know it. But I'd do it again." More skillfully next time, she
promised herself. "You can be annoyed with me all you want, Ethan, but
I've never seen anyone more in need of some meddling."
"You're a pro at it. I mean, being a social worker, you make a living
meddling in people's lives."
"I help people who need it," she said, firing up the skillet. "God knows
you did." She yelped when his hand dropped on her shoulder. She half
expected him to give her a quick shake, so when he kissed her cheek she
could only blink at him.
"I appreciate it."
"You do?"
"Not that I'd care to have you do it again, but this once, I appreciate
it."
"She makes you happy." Everything inside Anna softened. "I can see it."
"We'll see how long I can make her happy."
"Ethan--"
"Let it stand." He kissed her again, as much in warning as affection.
"We'll take it a day at a time for a while."
"All right." But her smile bloomed. "Grace is working at the pub
tonight, isn't she?"
"Yeah. And just so you don't have to bite your tongue in half to keep
from asking, I'm thinking of going by for a while after dinner."
"Good." More than satisfied, Anna got to work. "Then we'll eat soon."