Tasha looked at her for awhile then asked, “You are really in love with her aren’t you?”

“I am. I am very much in love with her. She’s an incredible woman. I just want to be with her and hope to make her happy.”

Tasha smiled. “I think that’s a tall order Dylan. From what I saw when we got here you definitely have her attention. You are going to have to work on the rest of it.”

Alice and Helena reentered the patio. Helena handed Tasha the invoices she was working on. “There is just a little for work to do on them then they are ready to go.” Then she looked at Dylan and Tasha and asked, “What will Dylan be working on?”

Part 16

Dylan smiled, walked over to Helena, took her hand and responded, “I already am. Is the rest of your afternoon free? I would like to take a walk on the beach. If that’s okay?”

Helena looked at her dreamily and gently ran her thumb over Dylan’s fingers, “I would love that.”

She turned to look at Tasha who shooed her away. “Don’t worry Helena. I’ll take of everything. Have a nice walk.”

Alice jumped in and added, “And talk. You know… walk and talk. You do that. Walking and talking.” She swung her arms at her side as she spoke.

Helena glared at her to silence her from further embarassing outbursts. Dylan looked at her as if she had lost her marbles. Helena pulled on Dylan arm before Alice could say anything more. “Let’s go.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon walking along the shore, talking about their past history together and what happened to each other after Dylan left town. Dylan shared about her current projects and plans to travel to Europe and Africa to film the hometowns of the refugee soccer team members she was following. Helena shared about her hopes for the restaurants and bar and update her on her children’s current activities. They discussed Helena’s childhood, although not as traumatic as Dylan’s, it still left Helena feeling cast off to boarding schools and unloved by a mother who was too busy running corporations and collecting artwork to spend time with her only daughter. They had the usual conversation that old friends who had not seen each other for years might have and of new friends who were learning about each other.