Chapter 11

The handset rang loudly in her ear, once, twice…

“Come on,” Wendy muttered. “Pick up, Ryan.” She twisted the curly cord around her finger, biting thoughtfully on her lower lip.

“You are go for Crowe.”

“Hey, babe, it’s me.”

“Wen? Where are you? I almost didn’t answer when I saw the number. I thought it might have been the Red Cross. Again.”

“I’m at my aunt’s,” Wendy said. “She and her girlfriend went to Rome for two weeks and I’m house-sitting. You know, feeding her canary and stuff.”

“Well, that kinda blows,” Ryan answered. “I take it we’re not getting together this weekend?”

“Not unless you want to drive to Rochester,” she suggested. “I’ll have the place to myself for two weeks, and you can close your eyes and think of England when you see the decor.”

“I could probably do that. It’ll give me another thumbtack in my map of where I’ve had sex.”

“You’ve never had sex in Rochester? You went to college here for four years! Are you kidding me? A virgin Yellowjacket?”