Nicole never really came out as a lesbian to her friends, family, and colleagues, and now her relationship with Katie is on the rocks. Katie is tired of being a "dirty secret" and moves out of their shared apartment on a hot Friday in August. Devastated, Nicole goes to her grandmother's farm on the shores of Lake Sunapee, a safe place where she spent happy summer holidays as a child. Nicole hopes for a quiet weekend to reflect, but between her gran's new lodger, the sexy redhead Melissa, and Sally and Bud, two of Nicole's childhood friends, she is quickly roped into an evening's entertainment at the Lodge Saturday evening. Her well-meaning friends try to fix her up with a guy, and in the heat of the moment she blurts out she is a lesbian. Havoc ensues. But in a conversation with her grandmother, Nicole begins to understand her secret hasn't been hidden as well as she thought, and she learns she isn’t the first lesbian in her family. With the new sense of freedom that comes from being true to herself, she has only one thing to wish for, and that is to reach Katy and make amends. But is it too late?

Heat Wave: Sunapee

Just opening the door of the café was a sock in the face. The air outside was still oppressing and there didn’t seem to be any air to breathe. It was a challenge to walk to the car. Opening the door, we were both assaulted by the blast of heat that had built up inside. Katie stood there waiting for me to start the car and get the AC running.


The ride home was uncomfortable. She didn’t say one word; just sat there, her arms folded in front of her, and stared ahead.


“Maybe we can go out with Anne and her honey on Sunday,” I suggested.


“I could leave the picnic early so we may still be able to go to a movie.”


I tried again but she remained impassive.


I pulled into my parking space and turned the car off.


Katie immediately got out of the car and got into hers. Before I could say another word, she had backed out of her space and driven away.


Chapter 13