LJ Maas - Rebecca’s Cove

Never in a million years would Baylor have thought that one quick peck on the cheek could affect her so. There she stood in the middle of the street long after Hobie had driven away. She found it hard to believe that her cheek could still tingle with warmth so long after a kiss.

“You kissed her? Oh, my God! What happened? What did she do?” Laura asked in disbelief.

Hobie and Laura were having coffee and doughnuts in the office kitchenette, something they did on Fridays, when they enjoyed their breakfast, then opened the office extra early. That way, they closed at noon.

Laura was astounded at the news. “Details, woman, details.” “Oh, please. There are no details to tell. It was a friendly

‘thanks and good night’ sort of kiss on the cheek,” Hobie said. “Oh, yeah. You kiss me good night all the time. I can see how that would happen.”

“Very funny. Look—” The bell interrupted their conversation.

“Don’t think I’ll let this drop,” Laura said before going back to prepare the examination room for their next patient. “This conversation will be continued.”

“Hey, goombah!” Juliana Ross stood in the doorway, her arms filled with paper bags.

“You rat bastard!” Baylor pulled the woman in and hugged her.

Juliana, at five-foot-ten, was nearly as tall as Baylor, but leaner and not quite as muscular. She was an attractive woman with short blond hair, blue eyes, and a smile that easily charmed. Baylor had once told her friend if Brad Pitt had been a woman, he would have been Juliana.

“Hey, mate, you’re crushing my cookies.”

Baylor laughed and released her. She took one of the bags and showed her into the kitchen where they deposited the bags on the table.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Baylor asked. “Considering that every evening I’ve called in the last few weeks, I’ve received no answer and that I’ve written about twenty e-mails and left eight hundred voice messages on your mobile, I thought I’d fly down, catch some sun, and find out if you were dead or alive.”

“Oh, sorry about that, mate.” Baylor at least had the good manners to look repentant. “I’ve been kind of preoccupied the last couple of weeks.”

Juliana went to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of beer. She held it up in invitation.

“Absolutely,” Baylor said. “Preoccupied, eh? What’s her name?”

“Very funny. What makes you think it’s a girl?”

“Because I’ve known you for over thirty-five years. It’s always a girl with you. What’s her name?”

“Hobie Lynn Allen.”

“The nutter who ran you over?”

“That’s the one. I think I may have been a little, I don’t know, angry at the time. She’s not as much of a lunatic as I initially thought. She’s a nice girl and we’re just friends.”

Baylor wasn’t sure why she felt the need to add the part about being friends. What was it about Juliana that made her feel she had to downplay her feelings for Hobie? She supposed it was because her friend had been along for the ride while she had slept her way through the greater Chicago area. Would she laugh?

Juliana smiled. She had a look on her face that said whenever anyone stressed the fact that they were “just friends,” it usually meant exactly the opposite.

“It ought to be fun meeting her then.”

“Meeting her?” Baylor suddenly looked pale. “Oh, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

“Relax, mate. It’s not like I’m going to try to steal your girlfriend. I just want to meet her.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. I told you—”

“I know, I know. Just friends,” Juliana interrupted Baylor’s objection. “Whatever you say. Hey, don’t you want to open the presents I brought? I figure you must be going through culinary withdrawal by now. You should have seen the looks I got carrying all this on the plane.”

“I wondered what was in there. I thought you were just getting cheap when it came to luggage.”

“Hardy-har-har! How’s that leg?”

“Great.” Baylor pulled open the first bag. “Matter of fact, I may get the cast off this week. Oh, my God!” she exclaimed when she saw the contents. “Cipriani’s angel hair pasta, roasted sweet peppers...Ooh, Cipriani’s sauce, too. Oh, God, Marconi bread, manna from heaven! You are wonderful!”

“Yeah, yeah, like I’ve never heard that before. Make sure you put the last bag in the freezer.”

Upon opening the item in question, Baylor found dry ice packs surrounding the food. “This is it. I can die a happy woman now. Geno’s deep-dish pizza! Wait, which location, Geno’s East?”

“Of course,” Juliana said with a smug smile. “You are a godsend.” Baylor hugged her friend. “Yeah, women tell me that a lot. It’s a curse.” “You’re also an egomaniac.”

“I learned from the best.”

“So what did you do last night?”

Hobie said nothing, just stared at the remnants of her lunch. “Hello?” Laura waved her hand in front of Hobie’s face.

“Anybody home?”

“Huh? Stop that.” Hobie slapped at her friend’s hand. “I heard you.”

“Uh-huh. What did I say?” “Um...shit.”

Laura laughed across from her. Hobie hated getting caught doing something goofy. “You were thinking about her again, weren’t you?”

“What makes you say that?” Hobie tried to sound nonchalant.

“First of all, you didn’t ask who I meant when I just said ‘her.’ Second of all, you had those dreamy bedroom eyes going that you always wear when I catch you thinking of Baylor.”

“You are such a bitch.” Hobie laughed. “Besides, how in the world would you know what my bedroom eyes look like?”

“I don’t, but if I had to imagine what they would look like, those are it. What I asked, originally, was what were you up to last night.”

“Oh. Not much. Saw a movie with Noah.” “And Baylor?” Laura grinned.

“Yes, smart ass, with Baylor. Noah happens to like her.”

“Uh-huh. And the fact that she is over six feet of dark-haired, well-built sexy lady just happens to be a coincidence.”

“Exactly. But it’s a coincidence I am ever so thankful for.” Hobie grinned back. “Hey, we better get going. We do have at least a little work to finish up before calling it a day.”

“You got it, boss. Here, I got it.” Laura reached for the check. “I’ll gladly pay if it keeps food in your belly and your body off the floor.”

The two women laughed and were about to get up when Baylor and Juliana walked into the restaurant. Baylor stopped in front of their booth and, as usual in Hobie’s presence, found her tongue uncooperative. She smiled, and it would have taken a fool not to see what was in each woman’s heart.

“Hey,” Baylor said. “Hey,” Hobie replied.

Juliana cleared her throat loudly.

“Oh.” Baylor turned to her friend. “This is my friend and agent, Juliana Ross. Hobie, you’ve heard me talk about Jules. Uh, Jules this is Hobie Allen and her friend Laura.”

“How nice to finally meet you.” Hobie held out her hand. Laura gave a little wave from her side of the table.

“The old girl told me that there was a beautiful vet and her lovely assistant living on the island, but I wasn’t prepared for this.”

Baylor blushed slightly and she didn’t know if it was due to her friend’s flirtation or having Hobie know that Baylor had called her beautiful.

Hobie had to pull her hand back, as Juliana still held on to it. “We were just getting ready to leave, but we can stay for a few minutes if you two want to sit. Right, Lor?”

“You’re the boss, boss,” Laura said with a smile. “Oh, I don’t think—” Baylor began.

“That would be great,” Juliana said.

Baylor had an odd feeling. She was getting used to odd feelings. It seemed that Ana Lia put her more in tune with her emotions, and what she was feeling right now felt a lot like jealousy. All of a sudden, she didn’t want Juliana to get to know Hobie. She knew in her heart that if she said something to her, Juliana would not think about flirting with Hobie. She had a great deal of integrity that way, but would she laugh at Baylor? Mock her?

Baylor gave in to the peer pressure and said nothing. Without so much as a glance at Hobie, she slipped into the side of the booth where Laura sat. Juliana looked about as surprised as Hobie.

“So what brings you to Ana Lia?” Hobie asked.

Baylor was sure that Hobie wondered why she looked so uncomfortable and why she was acting as if Hobie were a stranger.

“I had an incredible urge to see what was keeping my best mate so far from the big city.” Juliana offered that charming grin once again. “I see now what kept her,” she added, never taking her eyes from Hobie’s face.

“So, Jules—do you mind me calling you that?” Hobie asked. “Not at all, love.”

“Where are you from originally?”

“My family moved from London when I was a kid.”

“How exciting. I was there for a conference about eight years ago. I loved it. Where in London are you from?”

Juliana’s smile faltered and she threw a quick glance at Baylor, who already showed the beginnings of a smile.

“Essex.”

Hobie smiled. “Blond hair, blue eyes...so, you’re an Essex girl, are you?”

Baylor snorted, trying to contain her laughter.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Hobie said with a sympathetic smile.

“Don’t be.” Juliana indicated Baylor with a nod. “She just loves it.”