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me.”
    “You’re immune to the caprices of life?”
    “No. But I’m always prepared.”
    Janet laughed. She was going to have the time
of her life proving just how unprepared he was.
    “Well, Coach, since it seems you’re going to
deprive me of a good-night kiss, why don’t you open my car door
like an old-fashioned gentleman? I need to go home to bed.”
    “Is that an invitation, Doc?” He leaned down
to open the car door.
    She slid into the driver’s seat and put the
key into the ignition. The engine hummed to life. Smiling up at
him, she fired one last shot.
    “Do you need one, Coach?”
    She pulled her door shut before he had time
to reply. It was a grand exit, worthy of generals, kings, queens
and movie idols. She started chuckling as she backed out of the
parking space. Dan might have won the skirmish in the auditorium,
but she had vanquished him in the parking lot.
    As she eased her car out of the lot, she
spared one last glance at Dan in the rearview mirror. He was
standing with his feet planted wide and his head thrown back,
laughing. He didn’t look like a defeated man. On the contrary, he
looked like a man who was thoroughly enjoying himself.
    She tapped her fingernails on the steering
wheel and started whistling. Land, she hadn’t whistled since she
was twelve years old. Suddenly, she found herself thinking about
her mother’s homemade cookies and wondering whatever became of the
recipe.
    When she got home, she raced to her computer
and emailed her friends.

    From: Janet
    To: Belinda, Bea, Clemmie, Catherine, Joanna,
Molly
    Re: In a fix
    I can’t believe this! I’m always the first
one to caution about
diseases
and remembering
who we
are.
But Dan Albany has me so confused, I’m thinking about
baking
cookies,
for God’s sake. And since I’m confessing,
I might as well go all the way. At the ballet tonight I sat there
like a drooling teenager and let him run his
sock feet
up
my leg! What’s more
I liked it!
    Help! I’m coming undone!
    Janet

    From: Molly
    To: Janet, Belinda, Bea, Clemmie, Catherine,
Joanna
    Re: NOT in a fix
    You’re not coming undone! You’re falling in
LOVE!!! I’m so excited!
    Molly

    From: Joanna
    To: Janet, Belinda, Bea, Clemmie, Catherine,
Molly
    Re: LOVE
    OH MY!!! Molly’s right! YAY! If you’re
wondering how I would know, I get my best information from the
romance novels I read while the nuns aren’t looking.
    Joanna

    From: Belinda
    To: Janet, Molly, Joanna, Clemmie, Bea,
Catherine
    Re: Confirming
    Coming undone is the first symptom. Reeve and
I will be home next week. Janet, let’s get together and talk about
love and marriage. I’ll tell you everything except the best
part.
    Belinda

    From: Clemmie
    To: Janet, Belinda, Bea, Molly, Joanna,
Catherine
    Re: Cookies
    There’s nothing wrong with baking. I’ve
attached a good recipe for peanut butter cookies, a favorite among
my boarders. Janet, baking would be a great way for you to forget
about that hospital. You work too hard. Just kick off your shoes,
get in the kitchen and forget about everything except having a good
warm cookie with a glass of milk.
    Clemmie

    From: Catherine
    To: Janet, Clemmie, Belinda, Bea, Molly,
Joanna
    Re: Delicious
    Sounds DELICIOUS! Both the cookie recipe and
the man! Oh, Janet, honey, don’t let this one get away!
    Catherine

    From: Bea
    To: Janet, Clemmie, Belinda, Catherine,
Molly, Joanna
    Re: Having It All
    Now, you listen here, Janet. You are an
independent woman
through and through. And don’t you
forget it! But the thing that sets the Dixie Virgins apart is that
we
know
we’re good enough, smart enough and courageous
enough to
have it all!
Now, go save the world at the
hospital, then put some nice rose scented oil on Virginia and save
it for Dan Albany!
    Bea

    From: Janet
    To: Bea, Molly, Joanna, Clemmie, Joanna,
Catherine
    Re: Good lord!
    I don’t have any rose scented oil.
    Janet

    She was smiling when she closed her laptop.
Furthermore, she was wondering where she might