Just The Way You Are(65)

Alli sighed. "I sure hope we can."

"We have to. She's not going to give up on it."

"I don't understand why she wants it now."

"She didn't tell me, but she seemed in a philosophical sort of mood. Maybe a brush with death does that to you."

"And with the Fourth approaching, she's got her anniversary on her mind. I don't know if William is too thrilled with the reminder of Grams's first love." She gave Sam an impulsive grin. "Those first loves are damned annoying, you know. They just won't stay in the past where they belong."

He smiled. "Most people don't stay where they belong."

"How was your trip with Tessa? You never said."

"You never asked."

"As much as I may regret it, I'm asking now."

"We caught up on what she's been doing. Talked about what happened among the three of us. That kind of thing."

"Did you kiss her?"

He didn't answer for a long moment. Finally, he said, "No matter what I say it will drive you crazy. If I kissed her, you'll be pissed. If I didn't kiss her, you'll wonder why. You'll imagine all sorts of wild scenarios that could have caused such a lapse on my part or Tessa's part. You'll wonder if there wasn't a kiss, then was there touching involved? And if I say yes, we'll have to discuss where people's hands were, and it will be midnight before we're done."

"You think you know me so well," she said, although inwardly she was giving him high points for insight.

"I do know you pretty well," he said smugly.

"I know you, too. And if you don't change your attitude, I'll have to tell Tessa some of your dirty little secrets."

"I don't have any secrets."

"Oh, yeah, like you don't check your head every day to see if you've lost any hair, because your father's bald spot grows wider by the minute?"

"Every man in the free world does that."

"And you know every bad knock-knock joke and insist on telling them to me."

"To entertain you."

"And you eat those really strong Altoid mints in the car after you drive through Burger World so Megan and I won't know you gave in to your craving for fast-food onion rings."

"Now, that's hitting below the belt," he said, taking a step forward. "I may have to retaliate."

Her heart skipped another beat. "What did you have in mind?"

"I thought you could read my mind."

"I can, and it's not going to happen, Sam." She put up a hand and drew in a breath. "We need to focus here. Do you want to call Megan for dinner while I set the table?"

Before he could do anything, the phone rang. Alli moved over to answer it. "Hello?"

"It's Mark Hayworth, Alli," the man said. Alli's body suddenly tensed. She didn't like phone calls from local policemen, especially on rainy nights.

Sam looked at her in concern. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head. "What can I do for you, Mark?"

"It's more what you can do for yourself. The storm is getting worse. The weather service is predicting twenty-five-foot waves by midnight. The harbor is already taking some big swells, lots of water running down the pier. I think you might want to throw some sandbags in front of your shop doors and make sure Sam's boats are tied down."#p#分页标题#e#

"Of course. Is it really going to be that bad of a storm?"

"I hope not, but it's better to be prepared. And I'd do it quickly if I were you; the wind is picking up."

"Thanks," she said, hanging up the phone.

"What did he want?"

"Big waves are hitting the coast. He thinks I should sandbag the shop, maybe board up the windows, and you should make sure your boats are secure."

Sam's eyes grew serious. "I'll go. I can do both our places."

"It will take too long by yourself."

He looked at her with compassion and an understanding that came from years of living together. "You don't want to go out in this storm."

She didn't. But she also didn't want to risk damage to her shop or Sam's business. "I can do it. But I don't want to take Megan."

"Can she go next door to Judy's?"

"I'll see."

"Alli, I can call Gary or someone to help me."

"By the time you do all that, we could be done."

"You hate the rain."

"I'm a grown-up now, Sam. I can do this."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Alli said decisively. Within minutes, she'd arranged for Megan to spend the evening with Judy, a middle-aged widow whose youngest child was away at college. "It's all set," she told Sam.

"I'll get Megan."

"Good. I told Judy I'd send the spaghetti and the brownies over with Megan. While you're doing that, I'll get my coat."