"Please do."
He kissed her again. "Tonight was..." He paused, laughed briefly and shook his shaggy blond head. "I don't know what tonight was. I have nothing to compare it to. Let's just say that it was the most exciting, miraculous, wonderful night of my life."
"Mine, too. I'll never forget it, Clay." She kissed his chin. "You've given me a lovely memory to take home with me."
He felt as if a fist had just slammed into his gut. He just managed not to grunt with the pain. How could she talk about leaving him after all they'd shared so recently? She couldn't, he decided, not if she loved him. He was suddenly glad that he hadn't voiced his own feelings. He'd dealt with enough rejection in his life. He didn't need to go looking for it.
"Yeah, well..." He inhaled deeply and forced himself to step back from her. "I'll call you tomorrow."
He drove home, walked straight to the rarely touched bar and poured himself a drink, hoping it would help him forget that the woman he loved was leaving him in four days.
Spring climbed wearily into her bed, grateful that her sister hadn't waited up for her this time, buried her face in her pillow and fell asleep. She woke the next morning with traces of tears on her cheeks, though she couldn't remember crying in her sleep.
* * *
"Are you going to tell me about it or not?" Summer demanded, her voice carrying clearly. "Did you go to bed with Clay?"
"Summer!" Spring flushed and hastily looked up and down the supermarket produce aisle, hoping that no one had overheard her outspoken sister. "Honestly."
Summer sighed but lowered her voice. "Well? Want to explain that dreamy look that's been in your eyes all day?"
"You know that this is absolutely none of your business."
"Yes, I know."
"And that it's rude and insensitive for you to even ask."
"I know that, too." Summer waited expectantly, her hand hovering over the kiwifruit.
Spring exhaled in a gust of exasperation and shook her head. The truth was, she found herself wanting to talk about Clay, about her feelings for him. She thought it just might help her clarify those feelings for herself if she could discuss them with someone laving and sympathetic. Like her sister. "All right, we'll talk about it," she said. "But not in a supermarket! Over lunch."
"Fine."
"So let's talk about you and Clay," Summer demanded as soon as they'd seated themselves at the cozy kitchen table for lunch. Derek was playing golf that afternoon with Joel, giving the sisters a chance to spend time with each other. "Something's going on, I can tell."
With little evidence of success Spring fought the wave of color that flooded her fair cheeks. "Well, we, uh—"
Summer nodded solemnly. "And?"
"And...it was, um—"
"I see. So now what?"
"I wish I knew." Spring sighed, shaking her head.
"This is such an enlightening conversation." Summer grinned as she absently stabbed at her fruit salad. "Are you in love with Clay?"
"I strongly suspect that I am."
"Want to try saying that with a smile?"
"I don't think I can. And stop looking so happy, Summer! This is dreadful!"
"Spring, if you're in love with Clay, which you are, and he's in love with you, which I'm sure he is, there's nothing dreadful about it! People in love find ways to work out the obstacles and be together. Derek and I did, Joel and Connie did, and you and Clay will. Be happy, Sis. Falling in love is wonderful, especially when it's the happily-ever-after kind. Believe me, I'm speaking from experience."
"I hope you're right." Spring pushed aside her barely touched plate, knowing how much longing must be written on her face. "I don't know if this is the happily-ever-after kind, but I do know it's permanent. It's not something that's going to go away when I get home."
"Good. Now you know why your other relationships never lasted. You weren't in love."