placidly headed away。 〃You find the substitute；〃 he called over his
shoulder。 〃I'll be staying here。〃
She trailed him。 〃You can't！〃
At the bathroom door he turned so suddenly that she nearly bumped into
him。 She took a defensive step back。
He raised his right arm to rest high on the door。 His left； with an
angry red scar glaring from its upper half； hung by his hip。 His body
was a solid wall of stunning man。
〃Are you going to stop me？〃 he drawled with an insolent silver gleam in
his eye。
Anne tried to think up a sensible reply。 When none came she turned on
her heel and retraced her steps。 She was hungry； she told herself。 She
needed breakfast。 But she didn't do more than nibble on the scrambled
eggs and toast that she made。
What to do。 If she wasn't so far away from home and so badly in need of
that distance； she might have simply packed up and left。 But she wasn't
staying out of pride。 She did need the distance。
〃Aren't you eating？〃 Again his voice startled her。 This time； though； he
was fully dressed。 His jaw was clean…shaven and smelling of a lime
aftershave。 His hair was neatly bed and reached back collar of his
wool plaid shirt。 A wide leather belt hugged his hips； dark blue jeans
his legs。 Tan desert boots color…coordinated with his hair。 His eyes
were light green and calm。
He repeated the question。 〃You're not hungry？〃 The way he looked at her
plate said that if she wasn't； he was。
With a sigh of defeat she pushed the dish across the table。 〃Help
yourself〃
With an exaggerated； 〃Thank you；〃 he lowered himself into a chair and
took her up on her offer。 She was starting to think that he might
actually have manners； when he said； 〃Geez； no wonder you're so thin。
You've scrambled these eggs so dry they're impossible to swallow。 If
this is the way you always cook； it's a miracle you haven't wasted away
to nothing。〃
Anne's jaw dropped。 Jeff had never plained about anything； least of
all her cooking。
Sitting straighter； she said； 〃If you don't like my cooking； then don't
eat it！ As a matter of fact； I don't like you very much； so why don't we
dispense with breakfast and get to work finding a solution to this
mess。〃 Only when she stopped； did she realize she'd been shouting。 There
were also tears in her eyes again。 Again。 Jamming her knuckles against
her mouth； she looked away。
More softly； Mitch asked； 〃How did you get into this mess； as you call
it； Anne？ Why aren't you with your husband？〃
〃That's none of your business。〃
〃Are you divorced？〃
〃No。〃
〃Are you working on the separate…vacation concept？〃
〃No。〃
〃He doesn't know you're here？〃
She gave a bitter laugh。 〃No。〃
〃You've run away？〃
Her posure cracked。 〃Will you leave me alone？ Just go！ Get out！
Let me be！〃
He didn't move。 〃Why did you leave your husband？〃
〃That's none of your business！〃
〃No？ In my book； marriage is a precious thing。 Some people treasure it
and then lose it through no fault of their own。 Others throw it away。 If
we're going to spend the week together； I want to know which it is。 So
tell me why you left him。 If it was just your lousy cooking or your
selfishness in the shower； he'd have left you。〃 He paused。 〃Is that what
happened？〃
She looked him in the eye。 〃He didn't leave me。 I didn't leave him。 We
loved each other。 He was in an accident； and now he's dead。 Dead！〃 Her
chair scraped across the floor as she stood abruptly； reached angrily
for his plate； and stormed to the sink。 She slammed the food facedown in
it。 Then emotion overwhelmed her。 Bracing shaky arms against the
counter； she hung her head。 Helplessly she gave in to quiet sobs。
She didn't hear him e up； but there was a genuine softness in his
voice。 〃I'm sorry。 I wouldn't have pushed if I'd known。 It was
thoughtless of me。〃
She brushed at the tears。 〃It doesn't matter。〃 But it did。 It had been
months since she had cried； but she couldn't seem to stop。 When she
brushed them away； more tears came。 To her horror； they came faster；
until she was a sniffling bundle of misery。
Had she been thinking clearly； she would have shied from him the instant
his hands touched her shoulders。 But clear thought was beyond her。 She
needed fort； and he offered it。 Turning her； he pressed her head to
his chest and held her while her whole body shook。
〃Better？〃 he murmured when she finally quieted。 He stroked her hair；
smoothing loose strands from her damp cheeks as she nodded。 It was only
when he framed her face with his hands to inspect it that she realized
she was hugging his waist。
Awkward； she blushed； stepped back； and turned to leave。
〃Wait；〃 he ordered； but gently now。 〃Why don't you sit down。 I'll make
breakfast for both of us。 You can even water down the coffee if you'd
like。〃
He hesitated。 In the silence； she saw a glint of humor in his eyes。
〃Funny。 I've taken my coffee strong and black since I was sixteen。
Someone told me it would put hair on my chest。 I guess you don't want
that； do you？〃
Anne smiled sadly。 〃Not quite。〃 Her voice still quivered； but her eyes
were drying fast。 She felt more calm now； purged。
〃You sit down；〃 he repeated； 〃while I cook。 Then we'll decide what's to
be done about this 。。。 mess。〃
Anne helped herself to a fresh cup of coffee； adding hot water from the
tap； then returned to her chair。 He worked in silence； cracking eggs
into the heavy iron skillet； toasting a fresh batch of bread； pouring
two glasses of orange juice； toting it all to the table。
She ate everything on her plate； matching him egg for egg； toast for
toast； juice for juice。 Then he poured her a second cup of coffee；
filled the creamer with water and put that too before her。
Back in his chair； he said； 〃I spent a lot of time last night thinking
about this。 I planned to do some fishing； some hiking； some reading； and
a lot of sleeping。 What had you wanted to do？〃
She tipped up her chin。 〃Read。 Work。 Take walks； explore the
neighborhood； enjoy the solitude。〃
He looked out the window。 Bright sun lit the yard。 〃Look； this may sound
crazy； but I think we can both stay here。 We both seem to want quiet and
solitude。 We can each just go our own way。〃 He looked at her。 〃I know
this area； and； trust me； there won't be another place to stay on such
short notice。〃
She tucked a handful of hair behind her ear。 This wasn't quite the
vacation she had imagined； but he had a point。 He didn't seem willing to
leave。 Barring her own return to New York； there wasn't any alternative。
Her thumb moved on the ceramic mug。 〃This isn't what I wanted。〃
〃Me； neither。 But it's the only fair thing。 If I have to put up with
your hot showers； you can put up with my black coffee。〃
〃What about the beds？ Every move you make rattles on the ceiling。 I
wanted to sleep。〃
〃Yeah； I wanted that； too； but the bed up there is too damned small and
unfortable。 Why don't you try sleeping there？〃
〃Because you're there。〃
〃Then why don't I sleep downstairs？〃
〃Because I'm there。〃
〃Damn it；〃 he sighed； 〃I don't want to share your bed。 Why don't we just
switch？〃
She wasn't a fool。 〃After you've told me how small and unfortable the
attic one is？ No way！〃
〃Then don't plain about the noise。〃 In one swift move he was up；
stacking the dishes； dumping them in the sink。 When he turned back to
her； a silver wave had fallen across his brow。 〃You clean up。 I cooked。〃
He left the room so quickly that Anne's protest met thin air。
〃But…it was…my food…〃 Slowly she faced the dishes。 If this was a preview
of the week； things looked grim。
But Anne was tired of grim； so she took a positive approach。 Starting
with a long walk through the woods； she followed the line of a low stone
wall across the hilltop and down a gently graded slope until the road
intersected her path。 The view was spectacular from several points where
the forest door opened to the village below； its tall white church
steeple catching the afternoon sun。
As she followed the dirt road back to the house； the climb steepened。
She stopped to rest a time or two。 All was peaceful。 The murmur of the
breeze was a wele switch from the grating sounds of the city； the
lush ferns on the forest floor were a far cry from stone sidewalks； the
chipmunk skuttling through the brush was far better than a guard dog on
a leash by the curb。
Accustomed to the gray of the pigeon； she smiled at the chickadee's
black cap and white bib and the red breast of the robin。 She watched the
play of the sun through the boughs of thick； healthy trees。 The
crispness of the air； sharp without chill； invigorated her。
When she finally returned to the house； Mitch was nowhere about。 No car；
no man； no note。 Exhausted from fresh air and lack of sleep； she
stretched out on her quilt and fell into a deep and restful sleep。
The tension of the past weeks took its due。 When she awakened； it was
dusk。 After freshening up in the bathroom； she fixed a supper of soup
and crackers； then settled before the fire to finish the mystery she'd
started。 But the story's momentum had been broken。 She never quite got
back into the terror of it。
When she finished the last page； she sat back to watch the flames。 Their
play entranced her； calmed her； lulled her into a peaceful daze； and for
the very first time； and at long last； she felt removed from Jeff's
death。
It had been a nightmare…first news of the plane crash； then the limbo
when rescue teams set to work； hope when survivors appeared； total and
utter despair when the worst became reality。 But her heart felt lighter
now than it had at any time since then。 She didn't know if it was the
change of scenery； or the start of true healing。 But it felt good。
Of course； Mitch was still gone。 Though it was after nine； he hadn't
returned。 Just as well。 They were like fire and water。
She had to give him points； though。 He hadn't gone on and on about what
a shame it was； how young a widow she made； how tragic that Jeff had
been taken from life in his prime。 She'd had enough pity to last a
lifetime。
So he can't be all bad； she mused； even if he does make bitter coffee。
The evening passed quietly。 Anne left her chair only to feed the fire。
After a time； her lids grew h