Page 29 of Lonesome Moon

“Some of them?”

“This is what I do, you know. Watch people. You’d be surprised what I can capture with my camera when people forget I’m there.”

I waited for her to continue.

“There’s one member of the band who does not think of you as a kid,” Blake said. “My camera doesn’t lie.”

My heart leapt. “What do you mean? I don’t understand.”

“You would if you saw what I saw. Grant. The way he watches you. The way he changes when you come in a room. Honestly, it makes me jealous. I’d give a lot to have someone look at me that way.”

“We’re just friends,” I said.

“Yeah, okay.” She smiled again. “Like I said, dynamics can change here in big sky country. Or maybe certain truths finally come out. Either way, my camera doesn’t lie.”

Did Grant have feelings for me he was fighting against? At times I thought it to be true. Other times, like the moment we walked into the bar this afternoon, I couldn’t imagine that his feelings were anything other than affection for Jack’s little sister.

“I’ve caught you on camera too, you know,” Blake said. “Have a little faith. As my second stepmother used to say, things have a way of working out as they should. Of course, she only believed that up to the point that my dad cheated on her with his assistant director. Who became wife number three. Not nearly as good as number two but not as heinous as number four.”

“Your mother was number one?”

“That’s right. She died when I was five. I don’t remember much about her.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“Thank you. That’s kind of you.” She thumped the table. “Let’s get another drink. I’m feeling festive.”

I liked this Blake Bennett. She was smart and funny and seemed genuinely interested in all of us. It was refreshing to be around someone without any guile. She reminded me of Beck, actually.

As if she read my mind, she asked me about Beck. “What’s his story? Has he been single for awhile now?”

“Monk-like single,” I said as we got up from the table.

“Interesting.”

“Like you said, we’re here a whole month.”

Blake grinned. “We sure are.”

7

GRANT

December 6

Cookie Making with Stella

Crisp, blue sky · Snow underfoot

Supper: Meatloaf · Mashed potatoes · Buttered corn

I’ve never met a cookie I didn’t fall in love with. Or any sweet thing. Probably because, when I was growing up, my father kept all sugar and white flour out of my diet. Only whole grains for this boy. Until I escaped and discovered there was an entire world of goodness waiting for me to enjoy. Not that it was without complications for me. I often felt conflicted about eating food I actually liked as opposed to what was good for me. To this day, I felt bad for eating a cookie or ice cream in equal measures to how much I enjoyed it.

I didn’t care to analyze how close that was to my situation with Luci. Denial was my friend.

On the sixth day of my time at the ranch, I did what I usually did first thing in the morning. Head to the gym. The ranch had a small but adequate set-up in the basement of the lodge, with free weights, a couple treadmills, and a rowing machine. There wasn’t a setting where I couldn’t figure out how to give myself a good workout. My father had taught me that there were always opportunities to work a body, no matter where you were. I hated him for a lot of reasons, but I suppose I could thank him for teaching me how to stay fit.

I had finished my workout and was headed back to my cabin to change when I ran into Stella Moon.