42097609460

“Okay,” she said. She held up the coloring book. “What do you
think of my picture?”
“It’s pretty. You’re doing a great job.”
“Thanks,” she said. “I’ll give it to you when I’m finished.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know,” she said with charming self-assurance. “But I want to.
You can hang it on your refrigerator.”
Katie smiled and stood up. “That’s just what I was thinking.”
“Do you need help shopping?”
“I think I can handle it today. And that way, you can finish
coloring.”
“Okay,” she agreed.
Retrieving a basket, she saw Alex approaching. He waved at her,
and though it made no sense she had the feeling that she was
really seeing him for the first time. Though his hair was gray,
there were only a few lines around the corners of his eyes, but
they added to, rather than detracted from, an overall sense of
vitality. His shoulders tapered to a trim waist, and she had the
impression that he was a man who neither ate nor drank to excess.
“Hey, Katie. How are you?”
“I’m fine. And yourself?”
“Can’t complain.” He grinned. “I’m glad you came in. I wanted to
show you something.” He pointed toward the monitor and she
saw Josh sitting on the dock holding his fishing pole.
“You let him go back out there?” she asked.
“See the vest he’s wearing?”