involved with a woman since.”
“Ever.” Elizabeth took the plate Élise handed her. “He hasn’t been seriously involved with a woman ever. And of course that is why it has taken him so long to finally admit how he feels about you.”
“He hasn’t admitted it.”
“He finally shifted the nature of your relationship.” Elizabeth was tactful in her phraseology. “And that is a step closer to admitting it. You need to be patient. Don’t back off.”
“There’s nothing I can do. I saw his face.”
“It is an insanely handsome face,” Élise murmured, “but sometimes what goes on in the brain behind that face is screwed up. He is scared, freaked out as you say, so you must unfreak him.”
Brenna looked at the pancake without seeing it. “How?”
Élise eyed Elizabeth, who gave a half smile. “Don’t mind me, dear. If you have a suggestion, out with it.”
“My suggestion is that you walk into his room wearing very sexy underwear and nothing else.” Aware that they were all gaping at her, Élise shrugged. “You are not only a friend, you are a woman. Show him.”
“I could never do that!”
“You had sex with your clothes on?”
Brenna felt her cheeks heat. “No, but—I’m not like you.”
“Which is probably just as well or Tyler would be chopped to pieces by now,” Kayla muttered. “I’m not sure Elizabeth should be listening to this.”
Elizabeth stirred. “I happen to think it’s an excellent plan. I will keep Jess for another night. She can help me stock the freezer for Christmas. She’s turning out to be a natural chef. And talking of food—” Elizabeth leaned across, cut a slice of pancake and fed it to Brenna. “You need to keep your strength up, dear.”
“Wait a minute!” Brenna almost choked. “For a start, I don’t own any sexy underwear.”
“Vraiment?” Élise looked appalled. “Not a single piece of silk or lace? Please tell me this is a terrible joke.”
“No.” Her face was burning, and she saw Élise glance at Kayla and then back at her.
“So instead be naked.”
“He’ll turn me down.” The possibility of rejection made her shrink. “And then what?”
“You are no worse off.”
“I don’t think I can do that.” Brenna shook her head. Despite what had happened the night before, Janet’s words were still wedged in her brain. “If he doesn’t want me, that’s the end of it. I won’t push myself on him. That isn’t how I want our relationship to be. It’s finished, and now we somehow have to get our friendship back to where it was.” But what if they couldn’t do that? What if it wasn’t possible? “Can we talk about something else?”
“Of course. In fact, I have some news of my own,” Elizabeth said casually, putting the fork down on the plate. “Tom has asked me to dinner, and I’ve said yes.”
Kayla stopped with her fork poised in midair. “Tom? Tom who?”
Élise rolled her eyes. “You should try looking up from your phone occasionally. There is a whole world going on out here.” She beamed at Elizabeth. “Me, I like Tom very much, and he grows the best tomatoes. He has good hands, I think, and I love a man with good hands. Sean, he is the same.”
“Tomatoes?” Kayla’s face cleared. “Oh, that Tom.”
Brenna, relieved at the change of subject, sipped the tea Élise put in front of her. Given that her friend was holding a hot pan, she decided not to tell her it was disgusting. “I love Tom. I’ve known him forever.”
“He has been very patient.” Elizabeth took a sip of tea, paused, swallowed and pulled a face. “I confess I didn’t find it easy after Michael died. But Tom has been a good friend to me, and friendship is the best basis for any relationship, isn’t it?”
“This is true,” Élise said, “but you are never too old for good sex, as Alice is always telling us. And now you might as well pour away that tea because I can see you all exchanging looks and forcing it down. And next time ask me for coffee.”
“GUESS WHAT?” JESS BOUNCED into the kitchen the following morning. “School is shut again. Snow day! Can we ski powder? Dad? Are you listening? Why are you staring out the window?”
Tyler stirred. “What are you doing here? I thought Grandma was dropping you at school.”
“I just told you, snow day!” Jess frowned and dumped her bag on the floor. “What’s wrong?”
Guilt mingled with thoughts that threatened to set his brain on fire.
He’d texted Brenna twice, and she hadn’t answered.
He had no idea where she was.
“Nothing is wrong.” Restless, Tyler grabbed his jacket. Maybe it would help to be out in the mountains. “Get dressed, we’re going skiing.”
Jess tugged on her boots. “Are we inviting Brenna?”
“She’s teaching.”
“Dad, what’s going on?” Jess stepped in front of him, forcing him to look at her. “Something has happened, hasn’t it?”
“No. Get your coat.” He was out of the door before she could ask any more questions.
They skied a few runs together, then Tyler coached her, making her do the same run over and over again, repeating turns until he was satisfied. And she didn’t complain, not even when she caught an edge, fell and tumbled down the slope toward him.
She lay, winded, staring up at the sky. “I guess I messed that one up.”
He stooped and hauled her to her feet, rescuing her skis. “Your weight was wrong on the inside ski. You’re spraying snow, which means you’re sliding not carving, but aside from that little lapse, you’re doing good. Really good.”
And Brenna was right. He was enjoying teaching her. Far more than he’d ever anticipated he would.
Jess emptied snow out of her gloves and scraped it from the front of her ski. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
“Go on.”
“You’ll think I’m a wimp.”
“Tell me.”
Jess shrugged and shifted her gaze to the top of the slope. “When I’m up there looking down, before I start, I’m scared.”
“Of course you are.” Tyler reached out and brushed snow from her jacket. “We all are.”
Her eyes widened. “Even you?”
“Oh,
