Page 70 of Rainshadow Road

“Yes. I was watching Holly color a picture, and I was thinking about teaching an art class for children. Showing them how to make things out of glass. And the idea made me feel incredibly… hopeful. Happy.”

“Of course. When you have a passion for something, there’s nothing better than sharing it.”

Since that afternoon, something had altered between them. It was a good feeling, a safe feeling that Lucy wanted to savor. Letting it take hold, she looked at him. “Does emotion play a part in what you do? Your ability, I mean.”

“It feels more like energy. Very subtle. And it’s not there when I’m away from the island. When I was in California, I half convinced myself I’d imagined it. But then I came back here, and it was stronger than ever.”

“How long did you live in California?”

“For a couple of years. I had a job as a winemaker’s assistant.”

“Were you alone? I mean… were you going out with anyone?”

“For a while I went out with the daughter of the guy who owned the vineyard. She was beautiful, smart, and she loved viticulture as much as I did.” His thoughts had turned inward, his voice quietly reflective. “She wanted to get engaged. The idea of marrying her was almost tempting. I liked her family, loved the vineyard… it would have been easy.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I didn’t want to use her that way. And I knew it didn’t have a chance in hell of lasting.”

“How could you be sure? How can you know without trying?”

“I knew it the moment she and I started talking about making it permanent. She was certain that if we just went ahead and flew off to Vegas and did it, we would be fine. But to me it sounded like someone throwing a roll of paper towels and a can of frosting into an oven and saying, “You know, I think there’s a good chance this is going to turn into a chocolate cake.”

Lucy couldn’t help laughing. “But that just means she wasn’t the right woman. It doesn’t mean you couldn’t have a good marriage with someone else.”

“The risk-benefit ratio has never been worth it to me.”

“Because you saw the worst side of love while growing up.”

“Yeah.”

“But according to the principle of balance in the universe, someone out there has to have the best side of love.”

Considering that, Sam raised his jam jar in a negligent toast. “To the best side of it. Whatever that is.”

As they clinked glasses and drank, Lucy reflected that there were probably many women who would regard Sam’s views on marriage as a challenge, hoping to change his mind. She would never be that foolish. Even if she didn’t agree with Sam’s beliefs, she would respect his right to have them.

Past experience had taught her that when you loved a man, you had to take him “as is,” knowing that although you might be able to influence some of his habits or his taste in neckties, you would never be able to change who he really was deep down. And if you were lucky, you might find a man who felt the same way about you.

That, she thought, was the best side of love.

Seventeen

“Later this morning,” came Sam’s voice through the bathroom door, “you have a doctor’s appointment. If he gives the go-ahead, you’ll get the Aircast brace and crutches.”

“I would love to be mobile again,” Lucy said fervently, rinsing with the hot shower spray. “And I’m sure you would love not having to carry me everywhere.”

“You’re right. I can’t imagine why I thought wrapping a half-naked woman in plastic and carrying her around would be any fun at all.”

Lucy smiled and turned off the water. She removed the Hello Kitty shower cap that she’d borrowed from Holly, and wrapped a towel around herself. “You can come in now.”

Sam entered the humid bathroom and came to help her. His manner was casual and matter-of-fact… but so far that morning, he hadn’t quite been able to meet her gaze.

The previous night they had stayed out on the porch for a long time, eventually finishing the entire bottle of wine. Today, however, Sam was quiet and restrained. It was likely that he was getting tired of waiting on her hand and foot. Lucy decided that no matter what the doctor said later in the day, she would insist on getting crutches. Three days of putting Sam through so much trouble was enough.

Lucy stood, clutching the towel while balancing briefly on one foot. Carefully Sam hooked an arm beneath her knees, lifted her, and carried her into the bedroom. Setting her on the edge of the mattress with her legs dangling, he picked up a pair of small scissors and began to cut through the layers of plastic from her leg.

“You’ve done so much for me,” Lucy said quietly. “I hope someday I can—”

---