Summer in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz Page A

love you very much, Carson.”
    â€œYeah, and everyone says Dad loved her. But I don’t think that’s the reason he doesn’t want to get married again. He told me once that if you lose someone, it doesn’t mean you won’t fall in love with someone else someday.”
    This was dangerous territory, she thought. Time to change the subject.
    â€œCarson, maybe it would be better if we talked about something else.”
    He ignored that, intent on making his point. “I think Dad just hasn’t found a lady he really, really likes, you know?”
    â€œQuite possible.” She went behind the counter and pulled out a sheet of paper. “Now, then, I’m trying to decide how to hang the children’s pictures. I’ve made a little map of the gallery. Want to help me choose a good spot for Winston?”
    â€œOkay.” He scrambled up onto the stool. “What about you, Miss Brightwell?”
    That gave her pause. “Me?”
    â€œHave you ever found a man you really, really like and want to marry?”
    â€œNot yet.” She picked up a pencil.
    â€œThink you will someday?”
    â€œMaybe. I hope so. I’d love to have a son like you someday.”
    â€œYeah?” Carson looked pleased. “You could have a kid of your own if you get married.”
    â€œYes.” Way past time to change the subject. She pulled the gallery floor plan closer so that they could both view it. “Now, then, the first thing we have to keep in mind is that the pictures all have to be hung at the right height so that people your age can see them properly.”
    He studied the floor plan. “Not too high.”
    â€œRight.” She sketched some pictures on a display panel. “I was thinking of grouping them according to the age of the artists, but I’m wondering if it might be better to arrange them by subject, instead.”
    â€œYou mean like put all the animal pictures together?”
    â€œExactly.” She made some more notations on the piece of paper. “In addition to your picture of Winston, I received a lot of pictures of horses and one or two cow portraits.”
    â€œYou didn’t get any other dogs besides Winston, did you?” he asked quickly.
    â€œNot yet.”
    â€œGood. That means mine will be the best.”
    â€œI sense a certain streak of competitiveness here.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œEveryone knows that Hartes are very goal-oriented. They like to win.”
    â€œGreat-Granddad says winning is a lot better than losing.”
    â€œI’m not surprised to hear that. I suspect it’s a family motto. And there’s certainly some truth to it. But that viewpoint overlooks the fact that not all situations have to be viewed in terms of win-lose.”
    â€œHuh?”
    She smiled. “Never mind. I was just thinking out loud. The point is, the Children’s Art Show is not a competition. There won’t be any prize for the best picture.”
    â€œOh.” He shrugged and let it go. “Mind if I ask you a question?”
    â€œWhat is it?”
    Carson looked up from the floor plan. “Do you like my dad, Miss Brightwell?”
    She was amazed when she did not miss a beat in her response. “Yes, I do.”
    â€œA lot?”
    â€œI like him enough to go out with him,” she said cautiously.
    â€œHe likes you, too. A lot. That’s why he called you so many times. He didn’t mean to make you mad or anything.”
    â€œCarson, I really don’t think—”
    â€œHe never, ever asked a lady to go out so many times after she turned him down once or twice.”
    She wrinkled her nose, amused in spite of herself. “I suspect that I may have unwittingly aroused those Harte competitive instincts we were just talking about.” Aroused might not have been quite the right word under the circumstances, she thought. “Make that triggered.