The air was crisp and scented with woodsmoke, the sky blue. The leaves had changed and now were falling everywhere. No one could keep up with the piles of crunchy leaves, so they collected in colorful piles.
Cat paused by a booth selling scarves and studied the color. “I’m glad knitting is popular again. Traditional crafts provide a creative outlet for women. As our society increases our connection with technology, we risk losing the simple pleasures that bring beauty to our lives.”
Nevada felt her mouth drop open. She consciously closed it and told herself it would be rude to ask if Cat had had any recent alien encounters. Besides, it was unlikely she’d been possessed by pod people, which meant there had to be another explanation for all the discerning statements made this morning.
Cat picked out a delicately knit scarf in shades of green and put it around Nevada’s neck.
“This color will suit you,” she said. “I know you believe your eyes are brown, but they’re actually made up of dozens of colors. Wearing green close to your face will make your eyes look more hazel.”
“Thank you,” Nevada said, both touched and confused. “I didn’t know that.”
Cat shrugged. “I’m an artist.”
She chose a deep red scarf for herself, then paid the owner.
When they walked away, Cat reached for her hand. “Stop resisting me.”
All the warm fuzzies from the morning fled, leaving behind a vague sense of panic.
Nevada waited until she led them around the carts and booths to the relative quiet of a tidy alley behind the stores on the main street. Then she pulled her hand free and faced Cat.
“I can’t,” she began. “Be with you in that way. I like us being friends, but nothing more.”
Light touched Cat’s face, as if the sun itself wanted to be closer. She was simply that kind of person.
“You don’t know that,” Cat told her, apparently not the least bit hurt by the rejection. “You haven’t tried. One kiss isn’t enough to judge by. Come back to my hotel room. We’ll make love and then you can decide.”
Oh, there was an invitation, Nevada thought, taking a step back. “No. I can’t. I don’t want to. Cat, I’m not that kind of girl.”
“You might be.”
“No, I’m not.”
Cat looked at her for a second, then leaned in to kiss her. Nevada took another step back.
Cat drew in a deep breath. “You know this is me, right?”
Despite everything, Nevada laughed. “Yes, I know that.”
“Fine.” Cat linked arms with her. “I don’t understand your decision, but I’ll accept it. Reluctantly.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. I don’t have to be told twice.”
True, Nevada thought humorously. She had to be told many more times than that.
“You’re making this all so much more difficult than it has to be,” Cat grumbled as they walked back to the festival and strolled by booths. “Have I mentioned I’m entering my feminine phase?”
“More than once.”
“Then you can see how being with a woman is important to me.”
“I can. Want me to ask around for you?”
Now it was Cat’s turn to laugh. “I don’t need help to find lovers.” She paused. “It’s your loss.”
“I have no doubt.”
They stopped by a display of earrings, then moved on.
“At least I have my work,” Cat said with a sigh. “I’m so happy with how the piece is turning out. The vagina is so beautiful. The curves, the contrast of the stark metal with the feminine form. I’d thought of going more stylized, but why try to disguise what it is? Reality trumps illusion. I should be done in less than a week.”
Nevada thought of Mayor Marsha’s instruction that she and Tucker fix “the vagina problem.” This wasn’t going to be good news.
“You’re still giving the sculpture to the town?”
“Of course.” Cat squeezed her arm. “There’s going to be an unveiling and everything. I want you to be there.”
“Oh, goodie.”
A WEEK AFTER SPILLING her guts and getting her heart stomped on, Jo still felt unsettled and sad. She wasn’t sleeping very well, she couldn’t eat and if she kept crying as much as she had been, she would turn into a mummy. A body simply couldn’t continue to lose that much water on a daily basis.
She forced herself to go through her daily routine, mostly because she’d put too much into her business to lose it all now, especially because of a man. But pretending to laugh with people, holding conversations, wasn’t easy. She wanted to curl up somewhere and be unconscious until she’d healed enough not to hurt so bad.