Jake stared at her through the black mesh. After a long moment, he reached forward and unlocked the security gate. “This is a surprise.”

“Pleasant or unpleasant?”

He flicked her a quick look. If it had been anyone else, she’d have thought he was uncertain. “I guess that depends.”

She followed him inside, looking around. She’d been to his house a few times and everything looked unchanged. What was she expecting? Telltale signs of gingham curtains and antimacassars on the chair arms?

“So how’s Chess?” she asked as Jake led the way to the kitchen. He was apparently having his supper. A newspaper lay folded beside a half-finished plate of frozen pizza. He didn’t take his seat at the table, however. He leaned against the sink.

Jake wasn’t looking at her as he answered. “She’s requested the WPP to move her again. She told them she’s been recognized, which is true.”

A.J.’s stomach was churning as she asked, “Are you going with her?”

Jake shook his head. “My life is here.”

She had to get the nerve up before she could ask, “But is there anything here that you couldn’t find somewhere else?”

In the silence between them she could hear the rattle and hum of his aged refrigerator. “You,” he said at last.

Relief washed through her. “Then if you feel that way,” A.J. said, “why haven’t you called or been to see me?”

Jake winced, shaking his head. “I wasn’t sure what to say to you. I feel like a complete jackass. I couldn’t imagine you being anything but totally finished with me.”

“Me either.” His expression told her now was not the time to joke-not about this. “But, well, at least you had a really good excuse for being a… a…”

“Jackass.”

She bit her lip. “You were honest with me. That helped. It still hurt, but it helped. It is-was-kind of an unusual situation, you have to admit.”

“Yeah, I freely admit that.”

“So,” A.J. said tentatively, “it’s over between you?”

Jake nodded. “I admit I was confused when Chess showed up. I thought I’d never see her again and you know how you build something up when you don’t have a say in losing it-even if it’s something you weren’t sure you really wanted.”

“You weren’t sure you really wanted Chess?”

“The engagement was broken off twice before that last time. I loved her, but I don’t think it would have lasted with us. In fact I know for sure it wouldn’t have lasted. We don’t actually have anything in common. To tell you the truth-” He stopped.

“What?”

“I don’t like her all that much.”

A.J. relaxed. She couldn’t have stopped herself from smiling if her life had depended on it. “Oh? Do you like me?”

His mouth quirked reluctantly. “Yeah. You make me laugh. You make me think.”

“I make you mad.”

“Sometimes. Yep.” He was grinning. “Somehow it doesn’t matter. You make me happy.”

A.J.’s throat closed with unexpected emotion. “You make me happy, too.”

“Yeah?” He stretched his hand out and A.J. placed hers in it. His fingers closed warmly, gently around hers. “Where do we go from here, A.J. Alexander?” His smile was uncharacteristically tender.

“I don’t know yet,” A.J. admitted. “But one thing I’ve learned. It’s as much about the journey as the destination.”

Exercises

These two exercises are good for back trouble-however, always consult your physician before beginning any new exercise routine, especially if you do have health issues.

Happy Baby Pose (nighttime)

Step One: Lie on your back. Breathe deeply and evenly. Relax.

Step Two: Exhale, bend your knees into your chest.

Step Three: Inhale, grip the outsides of your feet with your hands, widen your knees and draw them toward your armpits.

Step Four: Your shins should be perpendicular to the floor as you balance your ankles over your knees. Flex through the heels. Gently push your feet up into your hands as you pull down to create resistance.

Step Five: Ease your thighs in toward your torso and then tug your knees gently toward the floor to lengthen your spine and release your tailbone toward the floor.

Step Six: Don’t stop breathing as you hold the pose for the count of thirty.

Step Seven: Exhale and release your feet back to the floor.

Cat Stretch (morning)

Step One: Begin by sitting on your heels, relaxed and focused, breathing evenly.

Step Two: Move onto your hands and knees. Knees comfortably apart, hands with palms on floor (don’t bend elbows).

Step Three: Mouth closed, look straight forward.

Step Four: Inhale, lift head and neck, curving spine (back becomes concave).

Step Five: Hold for count of five.

Step Six: Exhale and lower head.

Step Seven: Arch your back like a frightened cat, tucking head to collarbone.

Step Eight: Hold for count of five.

Step Nine: Exhale and relax.

Recipes

Barley Soup with Porcini Mushrooms

(Serves 6)

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms (2 cups)

2 cups warm milk

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for

serving

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion or 2 shallots finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

1½ quarts chicken stock or canned low-sodium

chicken or mushroom broth

1 bay leaf and/or 1 teaspoon minced sage (both

are optional)

½ pound pearl barley (1¼ cups), soaked

overnight and drained

¾ pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut

into ½-inch dice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Cover the porcini in a bowl with the warm milk and let stand until softened (20 minutes). Rub the porcini in the milk to rinse off any grit, then coarsely chop them. Reserve the milk.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the onion and celery, cook over moderate heat until browned (15 minutes). Add the porcini and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the stock, bay leaf, sage, and barley and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, cover and simmer until the barley and potatoes are tender (30 minutes). Stir in the reserved milk, stopping when you reach the grit at the bottom. Simmer for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve, passing olive oil and Parmesan cheese at the table.

Chicken Walnut Salad

(Serves 6)

3 pound roasted chicken

1½ teaspoons salt

1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

4 garlic cloves sliced thin lengthwise

½ cup chicken stock

WALNUT SALAD

¾ cup walnuts coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons walnut oil

1½ teaspoons champagne vinegar

1 shallot minced

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 cups green leaf, red leaf, or other leaf lettuce or

a mixture

Much of the success of this recipe depends on how you choose to roast the chicken. I prefer an herb-roasted or garlic-roasted chicken, but a light lemon roast can be lovely as well.

After the chicken is roasted, transfer to a carving board.