Moonlight in the Morning (Edilean 6)

“Oh no!” Jecca said. “I forgot to send him the photos.”

“You were probably too busy thinking about Reede.”

“I talked to Roan today,” he said.

“Did he have to climb a tree to get cell phone reception?”

“Probably went to the ranger station. He sure did want to talk. I don’t think he’s cut out for the isolated life of a writer.”

“He couldn’t be doing worse than I am at being an artist. Tomorrow Kim will be back, and I’m going to have to tell her I haven’t done even one painting for her ads.”

“Can you hang some jewelry off the chimney of the playhouse?”

“There is no chimney.”

“I guess Bill will have to add one,” Tris said.

“Along with a stable for a pony?” Jecca said, and they laughed together.

She remembered his arm and what Lucy had told her about the hours Tristan worked. “It’s getting late and I think you should go to bed.”

“Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear you say that?”

“Since I met you a week ago?”

“Every minute from the moment I met you,” Tris said.

They were silent, with both of them feeling their desire to see each other.

“Sunday,” Jecca said at last.

“I’m counting the minutes,” he said. “Good night, Psyche.”

“Good night, Cupid,” she said, and they hung up.

Jecca immediately e-mailed her father with the photos she’d taken of the playhouse, and she wrote what she hoped was an entertaining letter about what she was doing. Lucy’s observation that Sheila wanted to push her father-in-law out to make room for her children haunted Jecca.

She wrote quite a bit about Lucy. “She makes me remember things you’ve told me about Mom,” Jecca wrote. “Lucy is quiet and caring. You should hear her talk about her sewing! She can ‘stitch in the ditch’ so fast I can hardly see what she’s doing. And it is perfect! You’d love her craftsmanship.”

Jecca sent the e-mail then got ready for bed. Guilt ate at her. Here she was in Edilean enjoying her summer off while her father was dealing with a woman who wanted him to leave the earth.

Jecca fell asleep before she could come up with a solution.

Twelve

“You don’t look happy,” Lucy said at breakfast on Saturday morning.

“I did a very dumb thing,” Jecca said, then told them of her remark to Tristan about wearing something special to Reede’s party.

“Do you want to impress Reede?” Mrs. Wingate asked, frowning.

“Not really. I just don’t want Tristan to think I’m a liar. And . . . and it would be nice if people told him I looked good at the party.”

Mrs. Wingate’s frown changed to a smile. It was obvious that she was on Team Tristan. “What would you like to wear?”

“I don’t know,” Jecca said, then grinned. “Something Audrey Hepburn would have worn would be my first choice.” She was making a joke, but the women didn’t laugh.

“That white strapless gown with the black print,” Lucy said, her voice dreamy.