Chapter Twenty-Three. The sun was high and hot, and Sam shaded her eyes as she watched Casey climb on board

The sun was high and hot, and Sam shaded her eyes as she watched Casey climb on board. She smiled, shaking her head. Tori and Casey greeted each other with an arm bump. She walked over, wrapping her arms around Casey in a hug instead.

"Glad you could come." She kissed her cheek affectionately, pleased to see the slight blush that covered Casey's face.

"Thanks for including me." Casey pulled out a bottle of red wine from her bag. "For dinner."

"Excellent. Thanks. Now go put your cooler in the shade. Tori's anxious to get out on the water."

"I'm going to start her up. You guys ready?" Tori called from the control deck.

"See what I mean?" Sam looked at Tori and gave her the thumbs-up.

They sat in the anchored deck chairs while Tori sped across the lake. She accepted the beer Casey offered her, then slipped her sunglasses on her head. She wanted to talk to Casey and she wanted to do it now, in private. She was dying to know about Leslie.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Why do you ask?"

"You seem a little...well, quiet. Distracted."

"Do I?"

Sam smiled. "Want to talk about it?"

"Oh, I'm okay. It's nothing really."

Sam reached over and squeezed her knee. "You know, I don't tell Tori everything. And I'm a good listener."

Casey took a deep breath. "It's just...I'm an idiot," she finally said.

Sam laughed. "Okay. So I'm going to guess it involves a woman."

"Yeah." Casey nervously twisted her beer bottle in her hand. "Actually, it's Leslie," she said quietly.

"Your partner?"

"Yeah."

Sam nodded, wondering how many questions she could ask without Casey clamming up. "Want to elaborate?"

"I've committed the ultimate sin." Casey looked at her, meeting her eyes. "I've got a crush on my partner."

"Not to burst your bubble, but I can relate."

"No, you can't. Tori wasn't straight."

"No, but I was. Or I thought I was."

Casey sighed. "I don't know what it is. We just clicked. We can talk, you know? Stuck in a car every night, we can talk. We're comfortable together."

"Friends can talk too. Friends can be comfortable together."

Casey grinned. "Yeah. But I want to jump her bones."

Sam laughed. "Yes, that does cross that friendship line."

"And of course, she's engaged to be married. That kinda puts a damper on things."

"Does it?"

"It would, if she didn't touch me all the time. And God, Sam, sometimes she looks at me and...well, I feel something."

"Like what?"

"Like...well, like my heart does the pitter-patter thing. It's disgusting."

Sam bit back a smile, knowing how vulnerable Casey must feel at the moment. So she tried another approach. "You know, you've only known her a few weeks. Maybe--"

"I know," Casey said quickly. "That's why I'm telling you I'm an idiot."

This time Sam couldn't hold back her smile and she leaned over and hugged Casey. "You're not an idiot." You're just falling in love. But she couldn't say that without Casey jumping overboard. "Maybe it's just...I don't know--"

"A phase?" She rolled her eyes. "I'm attracted to my partner, who's engaged to be married. To a man. And instead of coming to my senses, I'm jealous. "

"Okay, let's change gears. What about Leslie?"

"I think she knows. I'm pretty sure she knows. I mean, like I said, I'm an idiot."

"I see. So do you think she feels anything too?"

"Christ, Sam, when I was holding her, I swear she felt something. And she said she--"

"Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean, when you were holding her?"

But Casey didn't answer. Her eyes were fixed on Tori as she made her way down the ladder to the deck. She turned to Sam. "I'll be fine. Thanks for letting me talk."

"But--"

"Isn't this great?" Tori asked, spreading her arms. "I love late summer weekends like this. Not many boats on the water, don't have to fight anyone for our favorite cove. It's perfect."

"More perfect if you had a beer, though, right?" Casey asked, going to their cooler.

"A beer and fishing pole." She walked to Sam. "And a kiss."

Sam's lips lingered, then moved to Tori's ear. "I love you," she whispered. She pulled away. "Now, go enjoy yourself. I'm going to sit here in the sun and read."

She pulled a lounge chair out and laid a towel on it, then relaxed, slipping her sunglasses back on. But the crime novel couldn't hold her attention as much as the two women within her sight. She loved times like this. It made her feel as if her world were perfect. Tori and Casey had stripped off their shirts. They both stood at the railing--clad in skimpy sports bras and shorts, their feet bare--holding a rod and reel in one hand and a beer in the other.

She was so happy Casey came into their life. Casey and Tori, while so different, were so much alike. They were good for each other. More importantly, they knew they were good for each other. Tori finally had that best buddy she needed, and Casey, well, Casey had the big sister--and the family--that had been missing in her life.

Now if we could only get her love life settled. Sam smiled and opened the book again. She liked Leslie. She didn't envy her having to go through what Sam suspected she was going through. Sam remembered how difficult if had been. The uncertainties, the fear. And the excitement of falling in love.

But falling in love with a woman for the first time could be shocking. Not only to yourself, but to those who knew you.

She should know.

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