she had been sick, but fuzzy on the details.
It was almost noon before she sat down to Tucker’s offering
of toast and ice water at the umbrella-shielded table on the patio, only to
find she had no stomach for the toast. It was cooler than the day before, and
overcast. She wore crisp cotton—a sleeveless pink shirt and white shorts—and
her usual ponytail.
She pushed away her plate. “How did you know I was named
after a motorcycle?”
He reached across the table to pour some more water for her. “You
told me. At about 3:00 a.m. You don’t remember?”
She shook her head. “About 3:00 a.m.? Was I awake all night?”
“No, you were mostly pretty much out of it.”
“But you were
awake.”
“Yeah, up to a point. I remember the sun rising, so I guess
it was past dawn by the time I conked out. I do know you were down below a
hundred by that time.”
“I had a fever? Was I sick?”
“Heatstroke.”
She groaned and nodded. “Of course. I’m so stupid.”
“You did keep mumbling something to that effect.” He pointed
to the toast. “You’re not going to eat that?” She shook her head, and he picked
up a slice and took a bite.
She was pensive for a few moments. “You sat up all night with
me. You took care of me. Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he said with a full mouth.
“And I’m sorry for being so creepy when I first woke up.”
“That’s perfectly understandable.”
“Did you see me naked?”
He sighed, and this time he waited until he had swallowed
before speaking. “Yes.”
She felt heat flood her cheeks. “How can you just say yes
like that? You should lie to protect my feelings!”
His eyes widened and he laughed. “You want me to lie to you?”
“Of course! There’s such a thing as being too honest, you
know.”
“No, I don’t know anything of the kind. I don’t lie.” He took
another piece of toast.
“Ever?”
“Not if I can avoid it.”
“Well, try to avoid avoiding it with me sometimes.” she said. “Try giving me the answer I want to
hear, just to keep me happy.”
“I don’t want to
keep you happy.”
“You don’t—”
“You’re magnificent when you’re angry.”
“Good. This is your lucky morning, then, because there’s
something I’m really—” She reined herself in, not wanting to come off as
shrewish, especially after the scene at the pool the night before last. “ Angry may be too strong a word.
Something I’m curious about.”
“Shoot.” He popped the last of the toast in his mouth and
dusted his hands.
“How come you just sneaked away yesterday morning with no
word at all? I thought you’d left, that you’d gone for good.”
“Did you miss me?”
Yes. “No.”
“I didn’t want to wake you.”
“You could have left a note.”
“I don’t leave notes. I’m bad about things like that.”
“I’ll bet you’re not very good at saying goodbye, either. I
mean, I just get that feeling.”
He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and shook it. “You’re
right, I’m not.”
“Are you going to smoke?”
“We’re outside. I thought that wasn’t a problem.”
“It’s just that I feel a little woozy. It’s all right. Enjoy
your cigarette, I’ll go inside.” She started to rise.
He quickly replaced the pack and reached out an arm. “Stay.
Please.” She sat again, and he said, “I have a question for you, too. I don’t
understand why you went out in the heat yesterday and pushed yourself till you
dropped. I mean, you were out way too long, you drank way too little. You know
better—you’re a smart woman. What were you thinking of?”
You. “I don’t know.” He kind of
shrugged, as if to say, is that all? She found she couldn’t look at him. “I don’t
know. It was stupid. I have no explanation.”
His candid brown eyes seemed to search her, looking for a
better answer. Presently he said, “Fair enough.”
Of course, Harley knew it wasn’t fair. She made a practice of
smoothing out
It was almost noon before she sat down to Tucker’s offering
of toast and ice water at the umbrella-shielded table on the patio, only to
find she had no stomach for the toast. It was cooler than the day before, and
overcast. She wore crisp cotton—a sleeveless pink shirt and white shorts—and
her usual ponytail.
She pushed away her plate. “How did you know I was named
after a motorcycle?”
He reached across the table to pour some more water for her. “You
told me. At about 3:00 a.m. You don’t remember?”
She shook her head. “About 3:00 a.m.? Was I awake all night?”
“No, you were mostly pretty much out of it.”
“But you were
awake.”
“Yeah, up to a point. I remember the sun rising, so I guess
it was past dawn by the time I conked out. I do know you were down below a
hundred by that time.”
“I had a fever? Was I sick?”
“Heatstroke.”
She groaned and nodded. “Of course. I’m so stupid.”
“You did keep mumbling something to that effect.” He pointed
to the toast. “You’re not going to eat that?” She shook her head, and he picked
up a slice and took a bite.
She was pensive for a few moments. “You sat up all night with
me. You took care of me. Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he said with a full mouth.
“And I’m sorry for being so creepy when I first woke up.”
“That’s perfectly understandable.”
“Did you see me naked?”
He sighed, and this time he waited until he had swallowed
before speaking. “Yes.”
She felt heat flood her cheeks. “How can you just say yes
like that? You should lie to protect my feelings!”
His eyes widened and he laughed. “You want me to lie to you?”
“Of course! There’s such a thing as being too honest, you
know.”
“No, I don’t know anything of the kind. I don’t lie.” He took
another piece of toast.
“Ever?”
“Not if I can avoid it.”
“Well, try to avoid avoiding it with me sometimes.” she said. “Try giving me the answer I want to
hear, just to keep me happy.”
“I don’t want to
keep you happy.”
“You don’t—”
“You’re magnificent when you’re angry.”
“Good. This is your lucky morning, then, because there’s
something I’m really—” She reined herself in, not wanting to come off as
shrewish, especially after the scene at the pool the night before last. “ Angry may be too strong a word.
Something I’m curious about.”
“Shoot.” He popped the last of the toast in his mouth and
dusted his hands.
“How come you just sneaked away yesterday morning with no
word at all? I thought you’d left, that you’d gone for good.”
“Did you miss me?”
Yes. “No.”
“I didn’t want to wake you.”
“You could have left a note.”
“I don’t leave notes. I’m bad about things like that.”
“I’ll bet you’re not very good at saying goodbye, either. I
mean, I just get that feeling.”
He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and shook it. “You’re
right, I’m not.”
“Are you going to smoke?”
“We’re outside. I thought that wasn’t a problem.”
“It’s just that I feel a little woozy. It’s all right. Enjoy
your cigarette, I’ll go inside.” She started to rise.
He quickly replaced the pack and reached out an arm. “Stay.
Please.” She sat again, and he said, “I have a question for you, too. I don’t
understand why you went out in the heat yesterday and pushed yourself till you
dropped. I mean, you were out way too long, you drank way too little. You know
better—you’re a smart woman. What were you thinking of?”
You. “I don’t know.” He kind of
shrugged, as if to say, is that all? She found she couldn’t look at him. “I don’t
know. It was stupid. I have no explanation.”
His candid brown eyes seemed to search her, looking for a
better answer. Presently he said, “Fair enough.”
Of course, Harley knew it wasn’t fair. She made a practice of
smoothing out
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