After five minutes of letting me fumble around with my chopsticks while she and Tessa used theirs with annoying dexterity, Lien-hua finally leaned toward me. “Here, like this.”
She gently took my right hand in hers and slid the chopsticks into position between my fingers. Her touch was both cool and full of fire.
“This is very helpful,” I said as she glided her fingers across mine, maneuvered the chopsticks for me. “I might never go back to using a fork.”
“Hush.”
Tessa just shook her head.
Lien-hua took her time teaching my fingers what to do. I didn’t mind. “See?” she said.
No. Let’s keep the lesson going for a while.
“Reminds me of that night in San Diego,” I said. “When you taught me the sign language alphabet.”
“I remember that,” she replied softly. She patted my hand and then went back to her food.
I’d only managed to take three bites when I heard a car pull into the driveway. I gave Tessa a questioning look, and she said, “That would be our other guest. Why don’t you go get the door?”
Lien-hua looked at me. Blinked. “Other guest?”
Knowing Tessa as well as I did, I had a feeling who might be arriving outside. On my way to the door I flicked on the porch lights.
And in the fading evening light I saw Cheyenne getting out of her car.
Oh, Tessa…
Cheyenne jogged up the steps.
I opened the door for her. “Hey,” I said. “You’re here.”
“Yup.” She was carrying a supermarket brand apple pie. “Dessert has arrived.”