He just had the nerve to ask me out.’ ‘When?’ ‘Tonight.’ ‘And . . . the problem with that is . . .?’ Maggie left that hanging. Just that...morning Sharon had asked her if she knew a guy named Roger Bailey and had proceeded to say he was real cute. ‘He had the nerve to tell me he’d just gotten into town and an old friend of mine I’d gone to Atlantic City beach with had told him he should look me up when he got here.’ ‘And I still don’t see what the problem with that is.’ ‘He said he didn’t. When the season grows cold here, I can sail tae France wi’ Therese and live in Trecesson. She’s told me of beautiful places we can go riding and sailing to. When it gets too cold fer ye’s here, ye’ll ha’e tae join us and enjoy some time wi’ us. I know Therese is fond of ye already, Grayson. She talks of ye like the brother she ne’er had. Ye know the bond Arabella and her ha’e already and she’s told me how fond of Heather she is. They’re together planning all this now and I’m just as happy they. Business came first; Artsy led her friends directly to the three-piece grouping of a new artist she thought they should get to know. “LF is here, she is in back right now. I will ask her to come out and talk to you about this work. I would like to set aside some time next week for all three of you to meet the artist. He is a very interesting young man.” She gave kisses to each of her friends, she surprised Dan with a meaningful kiss on lips of the sort he and Artsy had not shared in years but. Doug and I knew what we were about: we were about to head back to quarters, log out, and beat feet to Someplace Else, particularly someplace that did not smell like diesel fuel, or looming death. I caught the pay phone on my way out of the firehouse, and Else picked up on the third ring. “On the way! Still want that ice cream?”“Oh, hell yeah! After tonight, I need to put my feet up, and not move for a while! You up to serving me?”“I think I could be convinced. I’ll be there in a half an hour,.