“No, that wouldn’t make sense,” Dar’s low voice was saying. “They’d have to modularize it.” Then for just a second, those blue eyes wandered casually over and met hers, and a tiny glint appeared.

“I don’t know,” Susan replied. “They want to do it as one huge executable. I think they’re crazy.”

“We’re going to get more pizza. You want some?” Colleen asked as she and Ray got up. Her offer went to everyone, and she even shyly glanced at Dar. The executive gave her a smile. “No thanks, none for me.”

“I’ll go, too.” Susan got up and joined them. “Be right back.”

They trooped off, leaving Dar and Kerry alone under the tree. A soft 224 Melissa Good breeze came through, blowing the green grass around them and rustling the leaves overhead. Kerry finally gave in to her desires and reached over, rubbing the paint off Dar’s eyebrow. “Jesus, you look like a demented Dalmatian.”

Dar grinned sardonically. “I did it on purpose. I thought it might break the ice with your buddies. Y’know I’ve been in boardrooms during a hostile takeover that were friendlier.”

Kerry sighed. “Sorry.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Dar chuckled. “I’m used to it, believe me.”

She picked off a piece of sausage and nibbled it. “Besides, it’s a worthy cause.

This place is a mess.”

Kerry glanced over to where her friends were headed back. “Yeah, I know. It scares me, how filled with hate these kids are.” She smiled as Ray sat back down. “I see they’re switching to vegetables now.”

“Uh huh.” he agreed cheerfully as Colleen and Susan also sat down, giving both Dar and Kerry brief smiles.

Uh oh. Kerry sensed collusion.

“So, we were thinking of going over to the Pelican after this and grabbing some dinner,” Susan announced. “You guys want to join us?” Her eyes went to Dar first, then to Kerry, and she made it clear the invitation was to both of them.

Dar’s dark eyebrow crawled up into her hairline. She took a quick look at Kerry’s face, the blank startlement there confirming her suspicion that this was an unplanned event. Tactically, she had no idea what the group was up to, but she had every intention of spending the evening with Kerry regardless.

“Sure,” she replied casually, getting a quick side glance from the blonde woman.

“That sounds fun,” Kerry agreed hastily, wondering what in the world her friends were up to. She looked up as the work supervisor started calling out their names and realized the short lunch break was over. “Back to work, I guess.”

Dar got smoothly to her feet and balled up her napkin and cup. “Later.”

She strode off with a jaunty hitch of her jeans, leaving the rest of them to scramble up and follow her.

Kerry let the others move ahead, and then she was free to grab Colleen and pull her behind a tree. “What in the hell was that about?”

Colleen gave her a startled look. “What was what? It was a dinner invitation, Kerry. Jesus, would you relax?” She shook herself free from the blonde woman’s grasp. “We were just talking, saying how maybe you were right. Maybe we need to give the woman a chance. So, we decided that asking her to have dinner with us was at least a step in that direction. What did you think this was?”

Kerry dropped her gaze, and rubbed her temples. “I-I’m sorry, Col. I…”

“Hey.” The redhead stroked her arm, giving her a concerned look.

“Listen, if this is too much for you, we’ll forget it, okay? I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

Kerry got ahold of herself. “No, no, it’s okay. I just…I guess I feel so self-conscious around you guys because all I hear is Popsicle lady this, and Tropical Storm 225

Chupacabra that, and I just don’t…I just want to scream at you, because goddamn it, she’s not like that.”

“Whoa. Whoa.” Colleen glanced around, then took Kerry by the shoulders and gently pushed her back against the tree. “Take it easy. We didn’t know, okay? All we had to go on is what we hear at work, and what everyone else says. You obviously know more about her than we do. I’m sorry, I didn’t know that stuff was getting to you.”

Kerry took a deep breath. “I guess I didn’t know it either,” she admitted.

“I’m not sure what’s with me today. Maybe I’m PMS’ing or something.” She gave the redhead an apologetic look. “Sorry.”

Colleen dropped her hands, a relieved look on her face. “Okay, so we’re still on? I think it’ll be fun. At least if you can give me an idea of something to talk to the damn woman about. Jesus, Kerry, she’s so intense.”

“Yeah.” Kerry started walking towards the school building. “I know.

Um… Well, she likes the ocean, she scuba dives, and she’s been to most of the reefs and stuff around here. You could ask her about that.”

“She likes you,” Colleen said, unexpectedly. “But I don’t think we’ll be asking her about that tonight.”

Kerry stopped and glanced around, feeling the blood flush her face.

“C’mon, Col, lay off that, will you? We’re just friends,” she muttered. “She doesn’t…”

“Kerry.” Colleen put her hands on her friend’s shoulders. “I’ve got no clue if this is a good or a bad thing for you, girl, but don’t sell yourself short in those blue icicle eyes of hers, okay? There’s something cooking in there.”

Kerry shook her head. “Col, you’re wrong,” she stated decisively. “It’s not what you think. We just clicked as friends, and that’s it.”

“You really believe that?” Colleen asked with a quizzical expression.

Do I? Kerry was briefly silent, then she just shrugged.

The red-haired woman dropped her hands and smiled, shaking her head.

“Whatever you say, lassie.” She gestured for Kerry to precede her. “After you.”

Kerry sighed and shook her head as well, heading off over the grass towards where the work groups were reassembling. She peeked furtively over at the painting section, spotting Dar back up on her ladder. Her boss was just sitting there though, and she realized she was being watched as she walked across the open space.

“Hey, Kerry.”

Kerry turned her head to find the Marketing Admin, Mary Evers, catching up with her. “Oh, hi.”

“We’ve got a bet on,” the woman said. “Did you talk Dar into showing up?”Kerry was aware of Colleen’s cocked ears. “Me?” She didn’t have to dissemble. “No, why? She said it was her turn this year or something.”

Mary laughed. “Oh, Kerry, you have no clue. Dar’s been in the company for fifteen years, and she never does this stuff. She told someone last year she’d have to be drugged senseless to spend time with people she works with on the weekend,” she said. “So we figured, I’ve got money on it, that you talked her into it. Tell the truth, did you?”


226 Melissa Good Kerry looked past the woman’s shoulders and right into Dar’s watching eyes. She saw the smile form and felt her lips moving in response and her perceptions shifted subtly as she acknowledged the connection, whatever it was, between them. “Honestly, I didn’t talk her into this,” she repeated. “Why don’t you ask her why she’s here?”

Mary lifted both hands. “No thanks!” She backed away. “Oh well, thought I’d pick up a few easy bucks. Take care, Kerry. See you later.”

Kerry continued walking, keeping her eyes on the ground in front of her as she kicked thoughtfully at the grass.

THE RUSTY PELICAN sat on an outthrust bit of land, on the seaward side of one of the small Keys that led out to Key Biscayne. The twilight was just settling, lighting the western side of the wooden building in shades of burnished, deep red. The restaurant was a two-level wood building, with rustic decorations including fishing nets and old oars, and came complete with creaking floorboards which held a deep scent of the sea locked in their salt-encrusted pores.

Dar mounted the steps and took a breath of the air, then smiled as she held the door for Kerry. “They look pretty busy,” she noted. “Glad we carpooled.” She let her eyes briefly scan the interior, which held scattered clusters of waiting patrons.

“Me, too.” Kerry stifled a yawn. “Glad we got a chance to use those school showers, too. Boy, I was grungy.”

“Mmm.” Dar muffled a grin. “Next community project should get them new shower curtains.”

Kerry frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Never mind.” Dar indicated the interior. “After you?”

“It’s nice out here,” Kerry said softly as she passed in front of the taller woman. “I like the park on the other island.”

“So do I,” Dar agreed. “Maybe we can stop out there afterward.”

Kerry felt a quiet thrill at the words. “Sure, I’d like that.” She grinned, then entered the building, spotting her friends immediately. “Hey, guys.”

“Hey.” Colleen and the rest were standing near the seating station, looking at a tank full of fish. “Ready? I’m hungry enough to eat one of those little beauties raw.”

The hostess led them to a round table. Colleen, Ray and Susan took seats beside one another, and that left the two seats on the far side of the table.

Kerry took one, and Dar took the other. “I think I definitely need a beer.” She glanced at the waitress. “Got something amber on tap?”

“Make it two,” Susan agreed. “Ray?”

“Mojito, por favor.” Ray gave the waitress a charming smile. “Lots of mint, okay?”

“Vodka and cranberry for me,” Colleen added.

The waitress scribbled, then looked up at Dar with an inquiring expression.

Dar debated asking for milk, then conceded to the occasion. “Whatever she’s having.” She indicated Kerry. The woman nodded and disappeared, Tropical Storm 227