up right here in Destiny Bay. My father worked for your grandfather for years and I came here often on school breaks and during the summer.”
He frowned, searching her face. “Did we know each other?”
She shook her head. “Not really. You were a lot older. And I was practically locked away in the cottage whenever you and your cousins came to visit.”
He smiled, a sudden picture of those halcyon summer days flashing before his mind’s eye. He and his cousins had been golden boys back then. The world was their oyster. Or so it seemed. Why did it all have to turn out to be such a lie? Why couldn’t life just get better and better--the way it looked when you were young?
“Tell me about the men in your life,” he said suddenly.
She gave him a level look. “Like my father, you mean?”
He winced. “Not like your father,” he said. “Not like any stray friends or brothers either.”
She sighed. “Brothers I don’t have. And I’ve never been married.”
“I have. Don’t bother. It’s not worth it.”
“That’s not true!” she said, eyes flashing. “Look at your beautiful children.”
He gazed at her as though she’d started speaking Martian, just for kicks. But he understood what she was saying, and he backed off.
“Yes, I have beautiful children,” he agreed. “But we aren’t talking about me. We’re talking about the men you’ve loved.” He shrugged and gave her a lopsided smile. “And you’d better get started. We don’t have much time.”
She started to snap at him, but she stopped herself quickly. Something about this conversation was beginning to remind her of the Mad Hatter’s tea party. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down.
“All right. Shorthand version. I've just abandoned a relationship that lasted almost three years.” There. She’d finally admitted it to herself. She and Craig were probably over. Funny how that had been too painful to express until just now.
But she suddenly remembered what he’d said when she’d loaded up her car and prepared to leave.
“It would probably be best if we didn’t try to contact each other for awhile,” he’d told her, trying to look wise and above it all. “You’ve got your new job to fit into, and I’ve got this screenplay I’ve got to pour my heart and soul into. I guess we might as well take a break from all this.”
He’d swept the scene with his hand as though it encompassed all they’d meant to each other.
Thinking of it now, she felt her throat tighten. He’d been saying goodbye and she hadn’t let herself realize that at the time.
No doubt about it. Craig was no longer her guy. That relationship was over. She caught her breath and tried not to let it overwhelm her.
“And I'm not in the market to begin another one,” she added with firm emphasis, forcing herself to stay strong.
“Relationship?” He sat up a little straighter. “Who said anything about a relationship?” Despite his words, his grin was disarming. “I was thinking more along the lines of a nice, tidy little affair. Just you and me.”
She flashed him a cool, appraising look. She was pretty sure he was joking, but he didn’t seem the sort to turn down a snuggle if she offered.
“ 'Nice, tidy little affairs' are not my style,” she told him.
He shrugged, still totally at ease. “Does this mean we're incompatible?”
“Probably.”
His smile showed how little he believed that. “Tell me about him. The one who just broke your heart.”
She moved uncomfortably. “My heart is fine. His... his name is Craig Annison. He's in films. He's been a casting director for a number of years, but he's finally got a film of his own in production, which has been his dream for a long time.”
“A movie producer and a butler. The two don’t seem to go together somehow.”
“Here’s where they meet up. I spent the last eight years of my life beating on the entry doors to Hollywood. I’m an
He frowned, searching her face. “Did we know each other?”
She shook her head. “Not really. You were a lot older. And I was practically locked away in the cottage whenever you and your cousins came to visit.”
He smiled, a sudden picture of those halcyon summer days flashing before his mind’s eye. He and his cousins had been golden boys back then. The world was their oyster. Or so it seemed. Why did it all have to turn out to be such a lie? Why couldn’t life just get better and better--the way it looked when you were young?
“Tell me about the men in your life,” he said suddenly.
She gave him a level look. “Like my father, you mean?”
He winced. “Not like your father,” he said. “Not like any stray friends or brothers either.”
She sighed. “Brothers I don’t have. And I’ve never been married.”
“I have. Don’t bother. It’s not worth it.”
“That’s not true!” she said, eyes flashing. “Look at your beautiful children.”
He gazed at her as though she’d started speaking Martian, just for kicks. But he understood what she was saying, and he backed off.
“Yes, I have beautiful children,” he agreed. “But we aren’t talking about me. We’re talking about the men you’ve loved.” He shrugged and gave her a lopsided smile. “And you’d better get started. We don’t have much time.”
She started to snap at him, but she stopped herself quickly. Something about this conversation was beginning to remind her of the Mad Hatter’s tea party. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down.
“All right. Shorthand version. I've just abandoned a relationship that lasted almost three years.” There. She’d finally admitted it to herself. She and Craig were probably over. Funny how that had been too painful to express until just now.
But she suddenly remembered what he’d said when she’d loaded up her car and prepared to leave.
“It would probably be best if we didn’t try to contact each other for awhile,” he’d told her, trying to look wise and above it all. “You’ve got your new job to fit into, and I’ve got this screenplay I’ve got to pour my heart and soul into. I guess we might as well take a break from all this.”
He’d swept the scene with his hand as though it encompassed all they’d meant to each other.
Thinking of it now, she felt her throat tighten. He’d been saying goodbye and she hadn’t let herself realize that at the time.
No doubt about it. Craig was no longer her guy. That relationship was over. She caught her breath and tried not to let it overwhelm her.
“And I'm not in the market to begin another one,” she added with firm emphasis, forcing herself to stay strong.
“Relationship?” He sat up a little straighter. “Who said anything about a relationship?” Despite his words, his grin was disarming. “I was thinking more along the lines of a nice, tidy little affair. Just you and me.”
She flashed him a cool, appraising look. She was pretty sure he was joking, but he didn’t seem the sort to turn down a snuggle if she offered.
“ 'Nice, tidy little affairs' are not my style,” she told him.
He shrugged, still totally at ease. “Does this mean we're incompatible?”
“Probably.”
His smile showed how little he believed that. “Tell me about him. The one who just broke your heart.”
She moved uncomfortably. “My heart is fine. His... his name is Craig Annison. He's in films. He's been a casting director for a number of years, but he's finally got a film of his own in production, which has been his dream for a long time.”
“A movie producer and a butler. The two don’t seem to go together somehow.”
“Here’s where they meet up. I spent the last eight years of my life beating on the entry doors to Hollywood. I’m an
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