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with him no more than anyone else. But it had bothered her that he hadn't tried to take it further.
    Initially she'd presumed he didn't want to date anyone with whom he worked, even though many residents had no such qualms and behaved like free-range rutters whenever they had the chance. Then his rotations took him to other departments- some even out of the city, to rural rotations in the Finger Lakes district, a winemaking area east of Buffalo- and she hardly saw him at all. Occasionally they ran into each other in the cafeteria and would have a coffee together. But he would never initiate anything more, not so much as a dinner invitation. She'd even begun to think he might be gay, then decided probably not. She could usually tell that about a man. It had to do with the carnality of her attraction to him, and Thomas's pull on her definitely rated a ten.
    Still, frustrated at his lack of boldness and wondering about the reason, she'd finally asked him outright. "Do you prefer men, or is it me as a woman you got problems with?"
    His swarthy complexion had flushed behind the closely cropped beard. "Want to go to my apartment and find out?" His tone carried more dare than invitation.
    "Yeah," she'd said, double-daring him right back.
    And they'd become lovers.
    "Why'd you wait so long?" she'd asked him afterward.
    "Because I didn't want us to be the latest gossip morsel for the hospital to chew over. I hate that."
    "Me too."
    "So what do we do?" He'd seemed genuinely lost for ideas.
    "Continue to act like friends in public," she'd told him, surprised at how easily he'd let her take charge. "Can you keep a secret? I mean really keep it. Not a peep about us to anyone?"
    He'd shrugged. "Watch me."
    So they'd sealed the bond.
    That had been eight months ago, just before last Christmas.
    They'd been lovers ever since, except when he'd had to go off to the Finger Lakes district again, at the beginning of the year.
    The music ended, and she opened her eyes. The summer dusk promised a long, languid sunset. "I want to be more than just your chum tonight," she whispered.
    "You mean in the hospital? We might blow our cover."
    "There's tomorrow morning. After sign-out, come on over, and I'll make you breakfast."
    His dark good looks lit up with that infectious grin of his that she loved to see.
    "You mean ol" hillbilly me finally is considered housebroken enough to be allowed into that new apartment of yours?" he teased. "What happened? Someone cover it all in plastic?"
    She'd just moved into a new place. For reasons of her own, she'd hesitated at inviting him over. "Something like that. How about it?"
    "Love to," he said, and walked away, rejoining the residents he'd been talking with earlier.
    Feeling miserable, she wandered over to the end of the table, away from her nursing friends. Did he want her as much as she did him? At times she suspected his aversion to gossip simply gave him the excuse he needed to keep her at a distance- handy when he needed her, but out of sight when it suited him.
    "You look as if you've lost your best friend," said a voice behind her.
    She turned to see Father Jimmy, beer in hand. He gave her a lopsided grin that lifted her spirits despite her foul mood. "Hi, Father. No, it isn't anything like that."
    He glanced across the room and nodded toward Thomas. "You're sure?"
    She felt her face grow warm. He couldn't possibly know about Thomas and her. They'd been so careful. "What are you talking about?"
    "You seem unhappy. Tis a shame, a woman of your talent and beauty."
    The burn in her face increased. "I'm fine."
    "Are you? I'd say that the usual J.S. spark is missing tonight."
    "Just tired, is all."
    "Ah, well, if that's the problem, I'm not surprised. You work hard."
    "No more than the next person."
    "Oh, I disagree. I can tell the good ones, and you're right up there, J.S. You pour heart and soul into what you do, and haven't backed off it since the day you arrived. I like that in you."
    His candid praise