"That's it?"

"What else would you like me to say?"

"I don't know. I just...I guess I thought you'd argue a bit more. Kris always has."

"I'm not Krista," Laura said, picking up the empty cups. "I'm going to get another. Would you like one?"

Toni glanced at the book on the coffee table and then back at Laura. The idea of locking herself in her room to read all night long suddenly lost its appeal. "Yeah, that would be great."

"You can't be serious."

"Why not?"

"Because...because it just wouldn't work!"

"It's working now, isn't it?"

"Laura, there's no way I'm going to live with you."

"Give me one reason why you can't?"

"I can give you plenty!" Toni shouted. Instantly regretting that she had raised her voice when the noise level in the coffee shop plummeted drastically, Toni leaned in Laura's direction and said quietly, "First, I don't need a babysitter."

"When, over the past two weeks, have I babysat you?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't. You have your own key, and you come and go as you please. I haven't once tried to coddle you or protect you or...or even shop for you."

"That's because you make me go with you," Toni said with a playful pout.

"Exactly! Toni, you're not a child, and I haven't treated you like one. I'm just suggesting that since this is working, why change it?"

"You won't have any privacy."

"That's a bunch of crap, and you know it."

"Do I? Laura, what happens when Mr. Right comes along? What happens when you bring him home and cook him a meal and...and he stays."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be coy. You know exactly what I mean. What happens when you meet a man...when you meet a man who you want to sleep with?"

"I don't see that happening anytime soon, Toni, and when it does, I'll go to his place."

"Are you cancelling dates because of me?"

"What?"

"You heard me, Laura. Are you cancelling dates because of me?"

"No, I'm not. I did that once and have no intention of doing it again."

"I don't believe you."

"Why not?"

"Because you're gor-"

Toni stopped, retracting the last syllable before it escaped. Surprised that the word had even entered her mind, Toni regrouped, or at least she tried to regroup. "I...I mean you're an...an attractive woman, Laura, and I can't believe that men aren't...well, they aren't...they aren't knocking down your door to...uh...what I mean to say is, is that I...I find it hard to believe that-"

"Are you going to make a sentence anytime soon or should I order us some more coffee?" Laura said, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

Setting her jaw, Toni blurted, "Damn it, Laura, you're a beautiful woman, and I can't believe there isn't a man in this bloody city who wouldn't want to date you! What are they, blind?"

The fact that Toni found her attractive made Laura's heart skip a beat, but quickly shaking off the feeling, Laura said, "Thanks for the compliment, but since John's been out, I've been putting in some long hours, so I haven't really had a lot of time to socialize. Now have I?"

Thinking for a moment, Toni said, "No, I suppose not."

"If it makes you feel any better, I do have a date on Saturday."

"You do?"

"Yes. My ex called me the other day, and we're going to meet for drinks."

"Your ex?"

"His name's Duane. We were together for a couple of years, but when he asked me to marry him, and I said no, things started going downhill."

"Wait. He proposed?"

"Do you find that surprising?" Laura said, cocking her head to the side.

"No. No, of course not, it's just that you never mentioned it."

"That's because it wasn't worth mentioning."

"Oh."

"Anyway, we tried to make it work for a while, but then everything went to shit."

"Then why see him again?"

"Because I really like him, and we have two years of history together. The fight was as much my fault as it was his. I was working some really long hours, and I knew Duane was having problems at his job, but I wasn't giving him the time he needed. So, one night I came home a bit grumpy. He was there, also a bit grumpy, and we ended up having a grumpy explosion."

"Sounds messy."

"It was," Laura said with a laugh. "We both said things we didn't mean, and when he called on Monday, he apologized for everything and said he'd like to try again."

"And I'm assuming you do, too?"

Laura shrugged. "It depends on the day, but we were so good together once. I'd love to get that back."

"Well, I hope it works out then," Toni said, picking up her coffee. After drinking what remained, she placed the cup on the table. "So, you ready to go?"

"Not so fast, Miss Vaughn."

"Huh?"

"You never answered the question."

"What question?"

"Now who's being coy?"

"Laura-"

"Give me one reason, Toni. One reason and I'll shut up."

Toni took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. Whether she cared to admit it or not, Laura was right...it was working.

Finishing off her dinner, Toni pushed the plate away and turned back to her book. It was the second she had read that day. After spending a few hours of the morning helping to tidy up the house, while Laura ran errands and prepared for her date, Toni had spent the day in her room until her stomach made itself known.

"There you are," Laura said, walking into the kitchen.

Toni looked up, and her eyes widened. Gone was the normal business suit she was used to seeing Laura wear, and in its place was a pale blue summer dress. The skirt was loose and flowing, but the halter bodice fit Laura like a second skin, accentuating her upper half as it plunged low between her breasts. It had been years since Toni found herself admiring a woman, allowing her eyes to wander and her imagination to soar, and when she realized what she was doing, she became annoyed. She didn't have the right to look. She didn't have the right to even imagine. That part of her had died, and she wanted it to remain that way. Burying her head in her book, she said, "I assumed your date included supper, so I didn't make you anything."

"Yes, it does," Laura said, looking at the empty plate on the table. "Did you get enough to eat?"

"Two servings," Toni muttered as she turned the page of her book.

Deciding that Toni was just having a rough day, Laura tried to lighten the mood. Twirling around, she said, "Well, you could at least tell me if I look okay?"

"You look fine."

"I was going for something more than fine."

With a sigh, Toni closed her book and looked up. "I don't see why it matters what I think. It's him you're trying to impress."

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"No. It's none of my business."

"You're right, it's not, but I thought since Duane made the effort to apologize, I could at least make the effort to look nice. Do you have a problem with me going out tonight or have I done something that deserves your attitude?"

Realizing she was now directing her own annoyance toward Laura, Toni leaned back in her chair. "I'm sorry. You look great, and you haven't done anything wrong. I'm just having a bit of a bad spot today. I hope you have a great time."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. You and I are fine."

Grinning, Laura said, "Well, he's going to be here in a few minutes, but I don't know where we're going, so if you need anything, you have my mobile number. All right?"

Tilting her head to one side, Toni asked, "Is this the part where you don't treat me like a child?"

Chuckling, Laura's cheeks darkened. "Touche."

Toni smiled as she returned to her book, but when she heard a car horn beep, she jerked up her head. "What? He can't walk up to the door and knock?"

"It's a joke," Laura said, grabbing her handbag. "I always run late and he thinks if he keeps the car running, it'll make me move faster."

"Does it?"

"Do I look like I'm moving fast?" Laura said, casually sauntering to the door.

Chapter Fifteen.

Hearing the front door open, for a split-second Toni went rigid until Laura quickly called out, "It's me." Waiting until she walked into the room, Toni asked, "What are you doing home?"

"Last time I checked, I lived here."

"I know that, but for the past couple of weeks, you've been spending the weekends at Duane's."

"Well, not this weekend."

"Problems?"

"No, not really," Laura said. "I'm going to put on something comfortable and have some wine. Would you like a glass?"

Tossing her book onto the coffee table, Toni said, "You go change. I'll get the wine."

A few minutes later, Laura returned wearing track pants and a T-shirt, and flopped down on the sofa next to Toni. Opening the painkillers she had in her hand, she tapped out two, popped them in her mouth and washed them down with a full-bodied Merlot.

"I'm fairly certain that those aren't supposed to be taken with that," Toni said, pointing at the pills and then the wine.

"Ask me if I care."