Chapter 17S
ince they were already in bed by the time she got home from the grange meeting last night, Rita never had the chance to wish Anna a happy birthday. She hopes Vincent doesn’t hang around until the weekend. She rushes to get out of the house before he wakes up. Puts on a ski jacket and pants, two pairs of socks under her boots, pulls a knit cap down over her ears, wraps a long woolen scarf around her neck, and slips out the front door. She trudges to the top of the driveway. The icy air feels scalpel-sharp against her eyelids, the bridge of her nose. She holds her gloved fingers over them, shivers and stomps. Finally, she hears Matt’s truck. Braking and skidding to a stop, he looks surprised to find her standing in the cold.
He rolls down the window. “Am I late?”
“Nope.”
He l
