One Woman’s Treasure

by Jean Copeland

  “I’m surprised you didn’t meet anyone in the past year,” Nina said, trying to redirect the mood of the conversation.

  Lacey grew sullen. “I went on a few dates,” she said, “but nobody could compete with your memory. It was still so alive within me. That’s why I began dating so soon, trying to replace you…well, the pain of losing you.”

  Nina was growing annoyed that Lacey’s talent for making her swoon threatened to chip away at her guard. “You didn’t lose me, Lacey. You walked away from me.”

  What was happening? This was supposed to be a romantic, reconciliatory dinner, but Nina’s cynical musings about Lacey were spilling out all over the table, seemingly of their own volition.

  Suddenly, the glow of possibility faded from Lacey’s face. She remained patient. “Nina, I’ve already told you how sorry I was for hurting you, and I meant it with all my heart. How many more times will you need to hear it?”

  Nina sighed. “I’m not searching for an apology. I just want to understand how you could’ve trashed what we had without looking back. I mean, I know you couldn’t keep seeing me while I was married, but you never even texted to see how I was doing. You shut me out of your life like I hadn’t meant a thing to you.”

  Lacey’s pooling eyes sparkled in the candlelight. She looked as though she wanted to speak but couldn’t push the words past her emotions. Nina’s heart sank. Was that what she’d been looking for from Lacey? The petty victory that comes from drawing the first tear? She clutched Lacey’s forearm and faced the window to give her a moment.

  “It’s not what I wanted,” Lacey finally said. “My therapist recommended no contact whatsoever. She’d told me I’d never be able to grieve and then move on if I was still connected to you emotionally.”

  Nina shrugged. “I suppose if you’re paying that much for advice, it would be pretty dumb not to take it.”

  “Nina?” Lacey said gently. “What are we doing here?”

  Nina continued to stare absently at the names on the stern side of the leisure boats docked in the harbor.

  “Have I made a mistake contacting you after all this time?” Lacey said after a moment. “Do you not love me anymore?”

  She looked into Lacey’s eyes. Despite her reservations about Lacey returning to her life in what felt like a poof of magician’s smoke, the answer to that question was easy. “I still love you, Lacey. I learned to live without you, but I never stopped loving you.”

  “That’s exactly how I feel, baby. When I saw you on TV and realized my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me, I knew that if I didn’t at least try, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.”

  The warmth radiating from Nina’s heart started making its way to her face.

  “It’s so good to see you smile,” Lacey said. “I’ve missed that so much.”

  Nina suddenly felt shy. “I want to try, Lacey. If we don’t, we’ll both regret it.”

  Even though the restaurant they’d chosen was known for its array of house-made fruit and ricotta tarts, Nina and Lacey decided to pass on dessert. What was waiting for them at Nina’s house was far more enticing.

  * * *

  Arriving early to the café for happy hour, Daphne sat in her car fidgeting as she waited for Brynne’s Range Rover to pull in. Daphne’s lunchtime conversation with Nina about her dinner with Lacey last night still had her rattled, increasing her usual degree of nervous anticipation on a first date. Nina was so excited for this second chance with Lacey, and while Daphne expressed equal enthusiasm over the phone, she was disappointed in herself for not truly feeling that way.

  She hadn’t wanted Nina to get back with Lacey. How selfish. Nina would make time for her and continue to help her get her business up and running, even with a significant other. Unless Lacey was possessive and set so many boundaries that it eventually became too annoying to maintain the same level of friendship.

  Daphne sighed, chiding herself for her lack of faith in Nina. Now who wasn’t behaving like a true friend?

  Suddenly, a tap on her window startled her. Brynne stood outside her car waving.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Daphne said, getting out. “Have you been waiting long?”

  “No. I just got here. How are you?” Brynne wrapped her in a light hug, and they walked inside the café.

  As Brynne ate her gazpacho and regaled her about herself in the usual first-date fashion, Daphne studied her face and mannerisms, tuning in and out at times. She was quite attractive, petite with a cute button nose. She was also intelligent and didn’t go overboard selling herself. She seemed as self-assured and personable now as in the group setting the prior weekend. In those ways she was like Nina.

  Something had to be wrong with her, some glaring imperfection. Daphne had been out of the dating loop so long, she could have missed even the most vivid red flags. But if she kept studying her, she’d find what was lacking.

  “So, besides kayaking, what do you like to do for fun?” Brynne asked her.

  “Well…” Daphne said, then paused. How was she supposed to make TV binge-watching, getting drunk with an eighty-year-old woman, and picking through people’s trash sound as appealing as Brynne’s litany of pastime endeavors? She couldn’t possibly match Brynne’s extensive volunteer work with LGBTQ youth, the annual women’s film festival, and a recreation program for the elderly in her community.

  “I’m involved in antiques.” She sipped her cocktail with pride at the quality of her response.

  “How interesting. You’re a collector or dealer?”

  Daphne crossed her legs and feigned the air of a sophisticate. “Collector at present, but I’ll soon be branching out into dealing…or being a dealer…of antiques.”

  “That’s exciting. I don’t know much about antiques. I’ve always leaned toward a modern, art-deco mix, but I suppose it would be fun to learn about them, especially from a woman as attractive as you.”

  Suddenly, Brynne’s matter-of-fact engineer demeanor melted into sensuality as her gaze scaled down into the cleavage Daphne’s loose shirt inadvertently presented. She shifted forward in her seat and adjusted the back of the shirt she kicked herself for not ironing before going out.

  “Sure,” Daphne said. “I’ll let you know when my booth is up at the flea market next month.”

  Brynne arched an eyebrow at her. “Okay…”

  Daphne smiled as she picked at her nachos.

  “Actually, I was hoping I could see you again before next month.”

  “You were?”

  Brynne nodded and reached over to pull a string of cheddar cheese off Daphne’s chin.

  “Oh, God.” Mortified, Daphne grabbed her napkin and blotted her chin. “Thank you. I should’ve ordered something less messy for a first date. In case it isn’t obvious, I haven’t dated in like forever.”

  Brynne giggled. “I don’t know if dating gets easier with practice. But it’s good that you’re out there again after your breakup last year. Eighteen years with someone is a long time, so kudos to you.”

  “Thank you for jump-starting my return to the dating world,” Daphne said. “Aside from the cheese thing, I’m enjoying myself.”

  Brynne beamed and brushed her leg against Daphne’s. Was it intentional? Wasn’t the first date too soon for calculated leg rubsies? Whatever. Good thing she’d remembered to shave, or she would’ve notched up two strikes already.

  When their server came over and asked if they wanted anything else, they agreed on one more round of drinks. Thankfully, Brynne was talkative, which helped keep Daphne’s nerves in the neutral zone. At that point, Daphne wished so hard that Savannah and her doctor wife would stroll into the café and see her sitting there with an attractive woman who seemed enthralled with her. What a glorious vindication it would be for the wedding-crash debacle.

  She was excited about calling Nina the moment she got home to report on her date. Hopefully, she wasn’t out with Lacey. Or home doing it with her. She absently grimaced.

  “Are you okay?�
�� Brynne asked.

  “Oh, yes, just a leg cramp.” Daphne felt stupid again.

  Brynne nodded knowingly. “It’s hard to stay hydrated in this heat. Want me to get our server for more water?”

  “No. No, thank you. I’m fine.” Daphne smiled at her thoughtfulness. She still hadn’t detected any flaws in this woman. What the hell?

  Before Daphne knew it, Brynne had grabbed the check folder, placed her credit card in it, and signaled for the server. “I’d love to keep this date going since it’s still early, but I have to visit my mother at rehab.”

  “Jeez, I’m sorry. Well, one day at a time, as they say.” She added a thumbs-up in a show of support.

  “She had a double knee replacement.”

  “Oh. Oh!” Daphne said, wincing once she realized her miscue. “I wish her a speedy recovery. And please, let me give you half for the check.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of wrinkled bills.

  “Next time,” Brynne said with a smile as she stood. “Gives me an excuse to see you again…if you’d like.”

  “You don’t need an excuse, Brynne. You’re great,” Daphne said, basking in the glow of flattery. Then her feet tangled in the chair legs as she stood.

  “You’re pretty great yourself,” Brynne said as she extended an arm. Once Daphne was upright and steady, she gave her a tender kiss on the cheek before heading out of the restaurant.

  Daphne found herself smiling again as she watched Brynne leave. But where were the butterflies in her stomach? Where was the longing to see her again the second she was out of her sight? Had being emotionally dormant for so many years stunted that part of her heart?

  Evidently, she’d have to discuss those questions with Nina.

  Chapter Eleven

  After Daphne left the café, she had to make a tough decision. Should she go home and have manhattans with Sophie or see if Nina was around to split a bottle of wine? Both women would give her excellent feedback on her date with Brynne but from decidedly unique viewpoints.

  Since it was after eight o’clock, heading home and stopping in on Sophie was the more convenient option. So she asked Siri to call her first to let her know she was on her way home. No answer, so the call went to voice mail. Odd, but she’d probably settled into an old film on TCM, as she was wont to do, then fell asleep. So she sent off a text to her, saying she was thinking about her, and called Nina.

  Once she arrived at Nina’s they hadn’t wasted any time opening a bottle of rosé and plopping down at the angle of Nina’s sectional in her comfortably air-conditioned family room.

  “Are you sure it’s not too late?” Daphne asked. “It wouldn’t have offended me if you’d said don’t come over.”

  “It’s eight thirty. I run on five hours of sleep and can never get Noah to bed before eleven in the summer anyway.”

  Daphne smiled at Nina, who looked so cute and comfy curled up next to her in basketball shorts and a V-neck tee, her hair pulled back in a bun and headband. “Where is Noah, anyway?”

  “Upstairs in his room allegedly making slime. I told him to come down and say hi when you got here, but the mad scientist is probably wrapped up in his project.”

  “That’s okay. Don’t interrupt his research.”

  Nina consulted the clock on the TV stand. “He’ll be down for a snack soon anyway. The kid’s never gotten over his infant feeding schedule of every two hours.”

  As they shared a laugh, Daphne again noted the dimple in Nina’s left cheek that never failed to catch her eye. She also noted, while sipping her wine, the butterflies in her own stomach as she studied the nuances of Nina’s countenance. The butterflies. Where were they two hours ago when Brynne had been regaling her with witty banter and tasteful flirtation?

  And suddenly it hit her. Oh no…

  “Daph,” Nina said. “Are you drunk already? I asked you how it went with Brynne.”

  “Oh, sorry. I just spaced out.”

  “How did it go? And why was it over so soon?”

  “She had to visit her mother in the hospital.”

  “Oh…” Nina contorted her mouth in pity.

  “What? Her mother had a double knee replacement.” Despite her conviction, she wasn’t getting Nina to buy it. “Was that just an exit strategy?” She frowned, feeling like a fool. “How did I not see that? I’m such an idiot.”

  “No, no, no,” Nina said, patting Daphne’s knee. “Don’t listen to me. I’m jaded. It’s entirely possible that it’s true. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. It does have kind of a ‘my dog ate my homework’ ring to it.”

  “Stop it. I’m sorry I projected onto you.” Nina rubbed Daphne’s forearm. “Aside from that, how did it go otherwise? How was the conversation? The chemistry?”

  “The conversation was great, especially since she did most of the talking. But the timing of my ‘uh-huhs’ and ‘oh reallys’ was spot on.”

  “How about the physical part?”

  “What about it?”

  “Any incidental touching? Accidental caressing? Boob brushing?”

  “Boob brushing?”

  “My goodness, Daphne. You weren’t kidding when you said you were out of practice.”

  Daphne retreated into herself. “I’m going to be honest with you.” She hesitated, pushing through her embarrassment. “I’m not really out of it. You have to have had practice at some point to be out of it. Ann Marie, or Savannah, was my first and only girlfriend, and we met when we were eighteen.”

  Nina seemed to recoil, not as if Daphne had announced she had the stomach flu, but more like she’d just admitted she’d descended into Area 51 from an alien spacecraft.

  Daphne sighed. “I probably shouldn’t expect to hear from her again, huh?”

  Nina sipped her wine and scratched at her head through her bun. “Well, how did you leave it?”

  “She said she wants to see me again and sooner than a month.”

  “Okay. That’s good. We clearly let our speculation get away from us. I knew there was no way she wouldn’t like you.”

  “Really?”

  “Oh, my God, Daph.” Nina shook her head and sipped more wine. “Yes. Really. So how was it for you? Did you like her as much one-on-one as you did in the group?”

  “Yeah. She was great.” But she wasn’t you. The abrupt thought made her bobble her wineglass. Luckily, the small amount of rosé in it didn’t spill on Nina’s expensive-looking white sectional. Just on her leg.

  Nina smirked and poked her in the thigh with her naked foot. “What’s the matter with you? Talking about Brynne getting you all hot and bothered?”

  No, but your constant touching me is about to.

  “Aww, cut me some slack.” Daphne leaned back against the sofa cushions. “I had a few at happy hour earlier.”

  “Once we polish this off, you may have to sleep over.”

  Daphne grabbed the bottle from the bucket and refilled their glasses. “Come on. It’s your turn. What happened last night with Lacey?”

  Nina’s face lit up. “It was perfection, like a scene out of a Hallmark movie, if they made gay ones. She took me to Wave for dinner and drinks, and then we ended up back here for a very romantic night.”

  “On this couch?” Daphne jerked forward, pretending to be grossed out. However, the thought of Nina and Lacey having sex was making her feel some type of way…

  “No, you idiot,” Nina said, laughing. “We were able to control ourselves until we got up to my bedroom.”

  “So are you guys like officially back together?”

  Nina took a slow sip and seemed to ponder the question before swallowing her wine. “Yeah.” A blush began to bloom across her face. “I guess we are. I mean we didn’t say it in so many words, but given the reasons it ended, it just seems like the natural next step.”

  Daphne made sure her smile was long and sincere enough to mask the disappointment stirring inside. “You seem very happy, Nina. I’m happy for you.”

  Nina
clutched Daphne’s hand. “Thank you. After the year I’ve had, it’s pretty remarkable where I’ve ended up. And I actually owe it all to you.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes. You set off the chain of events by taking my lamp. Lacey found out I was single because of the news story. You’re stealing junk and changing lives, my friend.”

  Daphne leaned back and willed her face to exude joy. Only in her world would she single-handedly chart a course that would steer the most amazing woman she’d ever met into the arms of someone else.

  “We’re simpatico,” Daphne said. “I’m helping your love life, and you’re helping my career. It’s frickin’ awesome.”

  “It’s not just my love life. I want you to know how much your friendship means to me. You stormed into my world at a time when I needed a friend the most. I’ve so appreciated having you to talk and hang out with over the last several months. You didn’t just steal my lamp. You stole my heart, too.”

  Daphne offered her best deadpan. “That is the gayest thing you’ve ever said.”

  Nina guffawed and sprayed a modest sip of wine over Daphne’s arm. Then they laughed even harder at that.

  “I’m serious, Daph,” Nina said, wiping laughter tears from the corners of her eyes. “With all the changes and growth I’ve experienced over the last couple of years, I’ve come to understand the importance of true friendship with an honest, empathetic woman. And one who makes me laugh all the time, too? That’s the golden ticket.”

  “Did you have that with Lacey, too, before you fell in love?”

  “Pretty much. And then we had sex and everything changed. Beware the woman who tells you sex won’t screw up a friendship, especially if it’s the best you’ve ever had.”

  “She’s still your friend, though. Your best friend?”

  Nina nodded. “But it isn’t the same. The friendship is only as solid as the relationship, and if that falls apart, the friendship usually follows.”

  “Some couples stay friends after the relationship. I couldn’t.”

  “I couldn’t either, but Lacey and I were in a much different place than you and Savannah.” Nina shrugged. “When you think about it, you and I are in the best possible place. We have promising relationships with great women and friendship with each other, no matter what the future may hold with Lacey and Brynne.”