LITMIR.BIZ

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formfitting dress down for what must have been the fiftieth time, flashing looks in the mirror and then at Joy for reassurance. Pam’s fortysomething curves were still holding up, and she didn’t look half-bad, but she hadn’t dressed up like this in such a long time. She just wasn’t sure.

      “Okay? You look amazing. I love your hair that way—that pretty little holly clip is a nice touch. That dress is to die for. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this dressed up—or this nervous.”

      Pam smoothed her dress yet again. “I have a date, but I’m thinking twice about it.”

      “Is this about your mystery man? You know, I promised not to push, but if he has you this nervous, he must be terrific, or is something wrong?” Joy prompted.

      Pam knew she wasn’t being fair, keeping her relationship a secret. Besides, tonight everything would be out in the open anyway, so she certainly should tell Joy, whom she considered her best friend. She was so afraid of recriminations, especially since Joy meant so much to her. What if when Pam told her, Joy thought she was a total skank? Still, she had to take that chance.

      “He is … terrific. This is our first dress-up date, and I don’t know. I had this event, a Christmas party with the local chamber of commerce, you know, because of all the business connections I have with the shelter, and so I go every year, and this time I thought, well, maybe I won’t go alone. So I asked him.”

      Joy nodded approvingly. “Sounds like a good plan. But. Who. Is. He?” Joy insisted playfully, and Pam bit her lip, drawing up the courage to answer her question.

      “It’s Ted.”

      “Ted?” Joy repeated, her brow furrowed. Then her eyes went wide with realization. “Our Ted? Ted Ramsey?”

      “Yeah, that’s the one,” Pam said, tensing as she mentally braced herself.

      “Wow. I can see that—I mean, I didn’t see it, but now it seems so obvious. You guys would be great together. How long have you two been, you know …?”

      Pam sagged against the desk. “We had an immediate attraction—I knew it shouldn’t happen, but we gave in after he’d been staying here about six months.”

      “You and Ted have been together for almost two years and no one knows? This is your first dress-up date?”

      “Well, we were on and off—some long off periods while he got his life back on track, and we both knew it was against the rules. Can you imagine how it would look if anyone knew I was sleeping with one of our residents?”

      “I guess I can see where you’d be concerned, but it’s not like he’s a child, or incapable of making his own decisions, Pam. You’re two adults who are attracted to each other. What’s wrong with that?”

      Pam’s eyes shone with tears and she tried to dab at them before she ruined her makeup, but she was losing the battle. “I was so worried you’d think I’d crossed the line,” Pam said, sighing with relief.

      “It sounds like you’ve been keeping it in for so long, you probably just let it build up in your mind—why would anyone care?”

      “I run this place, and I love it. It’s my life. The people who come here are adults, yes, and they have to take responsibility for their lives, but they’re also disadvantaged with the odds against them, and I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I took advantage or, you know, that anything … unsavory was going on here.”

      Pam tried to find words, but her face simply flamed hot. “I tried to stick to the rules, we both did. Flirtatious or sexual behavior here is very strictly prohibited for good reasons, as you know. But it was like every time we saw each other, or spoke to each other, we couldn’t think about the rules.”

      Joy smiled a little. “You want my honest opinion?”

      Pam nodded.

      “I think it’s really romantic. Ted’s a great guy—

      he was what? Around thirty-nine when he came here? He’d had a tough break that nearly ruined his life, but he didn’t let it, and you helped him make it the rest of the way—but look at him now. I’m surprised I never saw it before. It makes total sense, since you spend most of your time here anyway. It’s no different than meeting someone at work.”

      “I suppose,” Pam agreed tentatively.

      “He’s been so happy. I guess I figured it was natural for him to be so jovial. He’s gotten his life back together and he’s almost completed his college degree—but I think you’re the one who put the sparkle in his eyes.”

      Joy laughed and Pam blushed again, though she was also pleased that Joy hadn’t reacted badly.

      “Thanks. I can’t tell you what a load off it is to be able to tell you.”

      “I was wondering what was going on, I have to be honest. I thought maybe you didn’t trust me or something.”

      “How could you think that?” Pam was shocked. “I trust you completely. This was … Well, I don’t know. I didn’t know what to say. Ted and I swore we wouldn’t tell anyone until we were both ready.”

      “So how come it took you so long to go out on a real date? I mean, I can understand why you’d want to keep things under wraps, but you could have gone out long before this, couldn’t you?”

      “Oh, we do, we go out all the time, but just the two of us. But those were small, private dates, nothing fancy. Nothing with other people. You know, where people would know us.”

      “So that’s what you’re nervous about?”

      “I don’t know.” Pam looked in the small mirror she had hanging over her desk, grabbing a tissue to fix her slightly smudged makeup. “I guess I’m worried what people will say.”

      “Like your parents? Do they know?”

      Pam rolled her eyes. “No. Haven’t hit that hurdle yet, but they’re bound to have a coronary. After I rejected all the ‘eligible’ bachelors they wanted me to marry for all those years, I think they finally assumed I was probably gay, and were happy not to know if that was the case or not.”

      “I never understood why they don’t support this cause—their picture is in the paper often enough in connection to other charity events.”

      “It’s hard to explain. That’s when they can donate large checks, not get their hands dirty. They wouldn’t mind if I supported causes, they don’t approve of my level of … involvement.”

      “I’d think they’d be proud of you.”

      “Well, we’ve maintained a truce about it over the years, since they could see I wasn’t about to stop my work. My relationship with Ted will be the real test. I can’t allow anything to threaten this place—we’re already struggling enough. A harsh blow like someone saying I act inappropriately could be a disaster.”

      “I guess I can see that, though this is personal—it never interfered with the work you do, so it’s really no one’s business.”

      “Well, we’ll see. Tonight is our first public event together. Ted wanted to wait until he was out on his own, and he’s almost completely moved into the new place. We’re going to move in together after the New Year.”

      “How wonderful!” Joy crossed the room and gave her a congratulatory hug, and Pam smiled, her happiness at the prospect shining through her concerns.

      “Yeah, and he’s been really instrumental in coming up with some good business strategies for Second Chance. He’s as devoted to it as I am, you know, and I guess, I don’t know …”

      Pam was relieved when Joy seemed to read her mind.

      “You don’t know if you want that? This place is yours, and now you find you’re sharing your whole life, including the shelter?”

      “It’s

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