9
JUGGLING GROCERIES, VERENA opened the door and made her way to the kitchen. “Hello, Mia. How about stir fry tonight?” She put the groceries on the counter.
“Sounds nice and healthy,” Mia said, sipping a cup of tea.
“Where are the girls?”
“With friends, shopping for shoes for the trip. They’ve grown another size.”
Verena pulled out vegetables she’d bought: snow peas, carrots, sprouts, mushrooms, and green onions. She began to wash them.
“I can slice those for you,” Mia said. “How was your ride today?”
“Wonderful, it felt good to get some exercise. I love the smell of the ocean.”
“It must have been quite a ride. You were gone a long time.”
Verena smiled now, remembering her impromptu breakfast with Lance, and the heat that had grown between them. “I ran into a friend. We had break
