Chapter 79. The Whole Man

On Sunday, Gabriel asked whether Diana wanted to walk before lunch.

She had brought boots and a coat that was warmer than it was attractive. He looked at her anyway with enough interest to make her glad she had left the red dress in the closet rather than trying to recreate an evening that had already happened.

Juliet was going out to see a friend. She left food in the kitchen and told them where to find the spare key.

“Stay as long as you like,” she said.

Then she kissed Diana's cheek, kissed Gabriel's, and made no comment about either of their faces.

Diana liked her for that.

⁂

They walked toward the enclosed woods, their hands linked inside the space between their coats.

Gabriel matched her pace without making a performance of it. Diana noticed because she had begun noticing everything that might be care or caution, and she was tired of having to tell the difference.

At the bench, she stopped.

“Will you run?”