They should have come an hour ago, between the breakfast and lunch crowds. That was what she’d done last week, and they’d had the place to themselves. Slowly, she stood back up.
The Grimm sisters advanced, three abreast; Julia had a sudden thought about the horsemen of the Apocalypse. These days, apparently, Death rode in a battered urn in an old woman’s arms.
They stared at Julia, then at Alice.
Julia stared back.
Alice snorted nervously, tugged on Julia’s hand.
Violet reached into her purse and pulled out a bright purple plastic coin purse. “Here you go. My granddaughter loves these.”
Alice’s eyes lit up at the gift. She touched it reverently, took it in her small hand, and stroked her cheek with it. After a moment she blinked up at Violet and said, “Ank ’ou.”
The three old women gasped and looked at one another. Finally they looked at Julia. “You saved her,” Daisy said in a stiff voice, obviously bothered by the emotion behind the words.
“Your mom would be so proud,” Violet said, nodding to her sisters for confirmation. They bobbed their heads in unison.
Julia smiled. “Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without all of you. The town really protected us.”
“You’re one of us,” Daisy said simply.
As one, the trio turned and left the diner.
Tightening her hold on Alice’s hand, Julia led her to a booth in the corner. There, they ordered grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, and milk shakes from Rosie. The food hadn’t been served yet when the bell over the door tinkled again.
Alice glanced up and said, “Max,” matter-of-factly.
He didn’t see them until he’d picked up his lunch order and turned for the door.
When he looked at her, Julia’s heart did a little flip.
“Hey,” he said.
She smiled up at him. “No date for lunch, Doctor?”
“Not yet.”
“Then perhaps you should join us.”
He looked down at Alice. “May I sit next to you?”
Her little face scrunched in thought. “No hurt Jewlee?”
Max looked surprised by that. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” When he saw Alice’s confusion, he said softly, “No hurt Julia.”
Alice finally scooted sideways to make room for him.
Max sat down across from Julia. He’d barely made contact with the vinyl seat when Rosie swooped in beside him. She was grinning from ear to ear. “It’s like watching the moon landing. I knew it was true about you two.” She set out a place setting in front of him.
“Alice is my patient,” Max said evenly.
Rosie winked one heavily made-up, false-lashed eye. “ ’Course she is.”
When she was gone, Max said, “Before I finish my sandwich, everyone in town will know about this. Every patient I see for a week will ask about you.”
A few minutes later Rosie showed up with their lunches.
“Ank ’ou,” Alice said, grinning up at the waitress.
Rosie returned to the kitchen.
Julia was about to tell Alice to eat one french fry at a time when she realized that Max was staring at her.
She met his gaze and saw fear in his blue eyes. He was afraid of her, of them. It was a fear she understood; it had shaped much of her life. Passion was a dangerous thing, and love even more so. More often than not, it was love that had devastated her patients—either its excess or its lack. But Alice had taught her a thing or two about love … and courage.
“What?” he said, unsmiling.
Julia felt something new, a kind of opening wonder. She wasn’t afraid anymore.
“Come here.” She said it softly.
Frowning, he leaned toward her.
She kissed him. For a heartbeat of time, he resisted. Then he gave in.
Alice giggled. “Kisses.”
When Max drew back, he was pale.
Julia laughed. “Might as well give the gossips something to talk about.”
After that, they went back to their lunches as if it hadn’t happened. Later, as they stood at the front door putting their coats on, Julia dared to touch his arm. She’d already branded him publicly with her mouth; what was a touch on the arm after that?
“I’m taking Alice to the game farm in Sequim. Would you like to join us?”
He paused just long enough to look at his watch, then said, “I’ll follow you.”
Julia bustled Alice out of the restaurant and back into the car. By the time they reached the entrance to the Game Farm, it was snowing in earnest. Big, fluffy white flakes fell from the sky. A few had begun to stick; a thin layer of white had formed on the fence line and on the grass.
Julia pulled up to the small wooden house where the farm’s owner lived. A pair of black bear cubs sat on the porch, chewing on huge sticks of wood.
“You need to put on your boots, your gloves, and your coat,” Julia said.
“No.”
“Stay in the car, then.” Julia bundled up and got out of the car. She joined Max, who stood by his own car. Snow peppered them, landed like bits of fire on her nose and cheeks.
“What are we waiting for?” he asked.
“You’ll see.”