Free Month of Sundays by Yolanda Wallace Page B

worthy cause instead of dropping a check in the mail and writing it off on my taxes, but I never do.”
    “No time like the present. I’m sure Piper would be ecstatic if I brought an extra set of hands.” Griffin fished her cell phone out of her pocket and thumbed through the screens. “If you give me your number, I’ll give you a call on Sunday and we can head over. It’s going to be a long day. Maybe we could meet for breakfast first.”
    Griffin’s voice sounded matter-of-fact, but when she lifted her eyes, they shone with what appeared to be excitement. Rachel bit her lip to keep from smiling. It’s breakfast, not a date, she reminded herself. As she and Griffin exchanged numbers, she felt herself getting lost in Griffin’s eyes. Not a date, but close enough.
    “Do you have any plans for the rest of the night?”
    “Not really.”
    “I know a really cool jazz club in the East Village called Avenue C. The house musicians are out of this world and recording artists often drop in for late-night jam sessions. Last year, Wynton Marsalis and Wendy Harrison got into a cutting contest that went on for hours.”
    “A cutting contest?”
    “Think of it as a musical game of H.O.R.S.E. The same rules apply—anything you can do, I can do better.”
    Rachel preferred classic rock to any other musical genre, but she couldn’t turn down the chance to see a woman take her licks in a profession dominated by men—and spend more time with her new friend. “Do you think Wendy might play tonight?”
    “If we ever get to the bottom of this pile of dirty dishes, maybe we can find out.”
    The pile seemed to be getting larger instead of smaller. Rachel made small talk to take her mind off how much work remained.
    “I think I read somewhere that you’re part of a large family. Is that true?”
    Griffin scrubbed the baked-on remains of an entrée off the bottom of a casserole dish. “I’m the youngest of six and the only girl. I grew up with five brothers who tortured me relentlessly but wouldn’t hesitate to kick the ass of anyone who even looked at me sideways. It was the perfect preparation for learning to deal with critics.”
    “What do your brothers do? Besides defend your honor, that is.”
    “Kieran’s the oldest. He’s a pediatrician. Ryan is a general contractor, Pearson is a bicycle cop, Duncan is a graphic designer, and Logan is a realtor.”
    She blew a stray lock of hair out of her face. When it didn’t stay, Rachel reached out and tucked it behind her ear. For a brief moment, Griffin pressed her cheek against Rachel’s palm. Rachel resisted the urge to grip the back of Griffin’s head and pull her closer. To bury her face in the side of Griffin’s neck and feel her pulse pounding against her lips. To slide her tongue across her skin.
    “Of course,” Griffin said, returning to the task at hand, “I’ve had the perfect revenge.”
    “How so?”
    “Between them, my brothers have nine kids.”
    “Enough to field a baseball team.”
    “A softball team, you mean.”
    “All your brothers’ children are girls?”
    “Every single pink-outfit-wearing, tiara-sporting, Hannah Montana -loving one of them.” She handed Rachel the casserole dish. “Jane tells me you’re an only child. What was that like? Was it lonely?”
    “Not at all. I have a ton of cousins, so I never lacked for kids my own age to play with. Because it was just the three of us, my parents and I had a close relationship when I was growing up. Coming out to them was the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I didn’t know how they’d react. I grew up in the burbs. As we all know, no one is gay in the burbs. Or at least that’s what it feels like when you’re a teenager trying to find your way in the world. Homosexuality was never a topic of conversation in my house. Politics? Yes. Sports? Yes. Traffic on the L.I.E.? Definitely. Gayness? No way. But when I fell in love for the first time and it was with a girl