“I’ll miss you, too, Mom,” he said sweetly.

“I bet you won’t think of me twice,” she said.

“Sure I will.”

He endured a hug and kiss on the cheek, then he couldn’t get on the road fast enough. She just stood there, watching them drive away. She pulled her jacket more tightly around her and the car had long been out of sight when she saw a cyclist come up the road.

Blake rode up to her and stopped. He balanced without putting a foot down, just moving his feet back and forth on the pedals, showing off. He was all sweaty; he’d probably been riding for at least a couple of hours. God, he was gorgeous. She looked at those rock-hard thighs and fought a sigh. His shorts and shirt fit like skin and revealed every muscle; his riding gloves on the handlebars accentuated his strong, sexy forearms.

He finally put his foot on the ground and removed his helmet. “Did you let him go?”

“I told you I said yes.”

“I wondered if you’d chicken out at the last minute, come up with a reason he couldn’t go.”

“Hah. You’ve obviously never had a teenage boy. I’d never have heard the end of it.”

“I’ve had about a hundred of ’em at one time or another. They’re relentless. We have a date tonight, then?”

“Sure. What do you want to do?”

“Well, since I’m devious and just want to be alone with you, I thought I’d cook you a very nice dinner. While I’m finishing that, you can search through the movie guide and pick one. Anything you want.”

“Any preferences?” she asked.

“Something that you’ll need to be held through, that would be my preference.”

“I’ll be over after I settle Winnie for the night. Full disclosure—I’m going to tell her we’re staying in for dinner and a movie and she should call me for any reason.”

“Of course. They’re a little shorthanded right now. But you know she won’t bother you unless there’s an epic disaster.”

“I’m going to tell her not to wait that long.”

“Everything’s going to be fine, you know,” he said. “For them. For us.” He leaned toward her. “Kiss me.”

“Outside? Where anyone can see?”

“Anyone with a telescope, maybe. It’s okay, Lin Su. We have permission from the most important guy.”

True enough. Charlie had endorsed the idea. “I’m sure he didn’t realize all he was agreeing to,” she said.

“Oh, trust me, Charlie knows. Charlie is counting the days till he can get it on with a girl.”

“Oh, God, please don’t even say that.”

“Kiss me,” he said.

She leaned toward him. She tried giving him a little peck on the lips but he slipped his arm around her and pulled her close for a much deeper kiss. Deep and filled with the promise of greater things to come.

“You’re very sneaky,” she said. “And you’re sweaty.”

“It’s going to be a very long day,” he said. “Get to work. Let me know approximately when you’ll be over. Text me.”

* * *

Time did indeed crawl through the day.

There were a few new routines for Winnie caused by the progression of her disease. First of all, now that using the walker alone was out of the question, she had to use the wheelchair to move around. Lin Su would have preferred if Winnie would settle for the bedpan for those middle of the night bathroom breaks, but she wouldn’t have it. Lin Su really couldn’t blame her; that would come soon enough. But she hoped she had fully convinced Mikhail not to try to just walk her to the bathroom. Although he was a mighty strong little guy and Winnie was quite small, it was risky.

She still had some strength in one leg, but it was not dependable. Lin Su taught them how to transfer her in and out of the chair, over to the commode, back again. A lap robe helped with modesty, but she assumed that after several months of spending the night in the same room, Mikhail had taken on some more personal tasks for Winnie. He had become a very competent nurse.

Before this was over, there would be many personal duties. Right now Winnie had difficulty with daily living—she couldn’t button her own clothes, couldn’t comb her hair, even brushing her teeth was a challenge. Her hands were trembling and uncertain and she dropped things easily, so they chose meals carefully. And the hospital bed was due to be delivered on Monday—that would allow her to lower the bed so the transfer to the wheelchair would be safer and it would be easier for her to sit up in bed.

But from this point on, it was only going to be a greater challenge every day. And although Winnie hated it, she needed more assistance every day. Soon, even though Mikhail resisted, she was going to have to consider help for the night. A skilled nurse’s aide would be perfect.

Though it seemed like the day lasted forever, Lin Su was actually excused from her duties a little early. She took the time to go back to her loft to freshen up and then knocked on Blake’s door.

And walked right into his arms.

She had wondered and worried all day long about what this evening would be like, alone for so many hours. But once in his arms, once his lips touched hers, nothing mattered anymore. Why would she ever be tense or concerned about being with him? He made her feel completely secure.

“This is more than I hoped for,” he said. “I was telling myself to be patient, that your day might be extra-long with everyone away.”

“It was the opposite. Though she denies it, Winnie put all her energy into getting me out of there early—I think she’s matchmaking. I even had time to go home and change. But my car is in your drive. Winnie knows I’m here, of course, but to the rest of the world who passes by your house, well...” She shrugged. “The secret is out.”

He took her hand and pulled her inside. “I wasn’t keeping it a secret. I don’t want to be a secret. I want everyone to know we’re together.” He pulled out a chair and sat her at the table. It was already appointed with place mats, plates, even a couple of candles, though they weren’t lit yet. “I’m going to get you a glass of wine. Then I want you to tell me about your day.”

“It’s as I knew it would be—the days get a little busier. I’ve done this before, remember. Winnie isn’t my first patient with slowly deteriorating health and mobility. It seems cruelly fast to her, but it’s a little bit every day.”