beach。 〃It's another beautiful day。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃 His voice was muffled。 He had turned back to his cooking。 Chlo
soon he was addressing her again。 〃Sleep well？〃
〃Not bad。〃 Once she had fallen asleep。 〃How about you？〃
He had turned to reach for plates from the cupboard。 〃About the same。〃
It was an odd choice of words； she mused； unless she was so transparent
that he could see her thoughts。 If there was smugness on his face；
though； she couldn't see it。 He was cooking。 All she saw was his back。
There was a full head of thick and vibrant dark hair； a torso whose
firmness was shown off by the snug fit of his sweater； a pair of lean
denim hips and long； sturdy legs； not to mention well…worn leather
boots。
She took a deep； steadying breath。 If he had dressed to kill on purpose；
she could resist。 She wasn't buying what he had to offer。 She wasn't。
〃All set？〃 Grinning； he placed two brimming plates on the table。 When
she gaped at hers in dismay； he added a gentle； 〃Don't worry。 Whatever
you can't finish； I will。〃
She pushed away from the window seat with a grimace。 〃You'd better get
started then。 I'm nearly finished。〃 She held up her drained coffee cup。
〃This is all I usually have； with a slice of toast or a muffin。〃 Still；
she took a seat opposite him。 She stared at the plate； decided that the
eggs looked pretty good； and took a bite。
〃Do the people you work with know about your past？〃
Her eyes flew to his； warning； then haunted。 She gave him a wan smile。
〃You make it sound lurid。〃 She pushed home fries around her plate。 〃They
know where I e from…some even know that I had a sister。 Lee knows
most of the story。 But the lovely thing about my life here is that the
people I know see me for what I am today。 It's easier not having to
constantly contend with the past。〃
Ross seemed puzzled。 〃Why do you assume you'd have to do that anywhere？
It's been eleven years； Chloe。 The world goes on。 People accept change。
You seem to be the only one who can't move on。〃
Chloe set down her fork。 She took an angry breath。 〃I look in the
mirror。〃
rooted in the present。 There were reports to read； studies to review；
proposals to consider。 The more she worked； the better she felt。 For the
first time since having done the lab work earlier that week； she studied
the sediment analysis of samples taken along an increasingly unstable
portion of the Cape Cod National Seashore。
〃Problems？〃 This from Debbie Walker； who popped her head in shortly
after eleven。
〃Hi； Deb。 e on in。〃 She smiled at her petite； sandy…haired associate。
〃It's the Cape analysis。 I was just studying the results of the work I
did last week。 I have the grain sizes of the sand pretty much divided by
sections。 Boy； they really botched it。〃
〃〃They' being the people who put that parking lot so close to the
cliff。？〃
Chloe sighed。 〃It's begun to erode already； and the locals want to sue。
According to my calculations； they have a case。〃
〃Will you be called in to testify？〃
〃I'm not sure。 I have to work this report up into some kind of written
form。 Depending on what happens when they read it； whether or not the
matter can be settled first； it may not make it to court。〃 She sat back。
〃It's a shame that we seem to learn things after the fact。 If only those
developers had gotten a geologist to advise them at the start。〃
Debbie smiled。 〃You make a good crusader。 I wish I could present my case
as well as you do。〃
〃I wish I could handle those puters as well as you do；〃 Chloe
returned。 〃e on。 Let's take a look at your statistics。〃
They spent the next half hour reviewing the work Debbie had done。
Between them； they came up with a plan of attack on both the sinkhole in
question and the people in a position to do something about it。 Suitably
buoyed； and with her work cut out for her； Debbie left。 She was replaced
moments later by a slightly groggy…looking Josh Anderson。
Chloe grinned。 〃Late night last night？〃
〃Don't you know it；〃 Josh murmured。 〃But I have to discuss this
curriculum guide with you。 If the preliminaries are all right； I'd like
to work out more of the details。〃
Chloe's arched brow spoke volumes； as did the slow perusal she gave the
casually disheveled graduate student。 〃You're up to it？〃 With great
effort she stifled a broader grin。 Josh was a favorite of hers。 Several
years her junior； he was working toward his degree at Brown。 This was
his second year working part…time at ESE。
His proposed high…school geology curriculum was as fine as any she could
have hoped ESE would produce。
Now he lowered his voice。 〃I'd really be up to it if I could take a swig
of the coffee that smells so good in the kitchen。〃
〃Why don't you？〃
He kept his voice low。 〃There's a watchdog out there。〃
〃In the kitchen？〃
〃In the living room。 Tall guy； dark hair； dark eyes。 He doesn't look
happy with the traffic in here。 Who is he？ And what's he doing in our
house？〃
For the better part of the morning Chloe had pushed Ross from mind。 Now；
revived by the work that she loved； she was able to chuckle at Josh's
reference。
〃He's a friend；〃 she answered simply。
〃You're sure about that？〃
〃I'm sure。 Go on out and get your coffee。 If he starts to snarl； you can
send him in here。〃
Josh's face took on a dubious I…hope…you…know …what…you're…doing look。
Noheless； he drew up to his full sixty…seven inches； squared his
shoulders； and made as grand an exit as was possible for someone going
to face the proverbial giant。 With a helpless grin； Chloe sat back in
her chair； elbows on its arms； fingers fortably laced。
So Ross had decided to spend the morning in her living room。 She
wondered if he was bored； maybe annoyed that she was carrying on as
usual； perhaps growing impatient。 Her grin turned smug。
〃You wanted to see me？〃 His deep voice rumbled in from the door。
Her grin remained。 〃Who； me？〃
He searched the room。 〃I don't see anyone else in here； for a change。
They may not technically live here； but they run in and out all day；
don't they？〃
〃It's an open office； you might say。〃
〃I do say。 Say； when will you be done？〃
〃Done？〃 she echoed innocently； then gestured toward the desktop。 〃Lord
knows。 I have two reports to look through yet。 And Josh will be back。
Here he is。〃 His timing was perfect。 〃Josh； meet Ross。〃 As the two shook
hands； Chloe stared at the appalling discrepancy in their heights。 No
wonder Josh had been intimidated； not only did Ross tower over him； but
their respective physiques were about as alike as night and day。
Instinctively protective of Josh； she pointed him to a chair。 Then she
said； 〃Ross； would you excuse us？ We'll be a little while。〃
〃I'll be waiting。〃 He smiled as though he had caught onto the game and
was playing。 Then he turned and left。
Josh wasn't thick。 〃Listen； Chloe； are you sure you wouldn't rather go
over this another time？〃
〃What？〃 she ribbed him gently。 〃And waste the effort it took for you to
pull yourself out of bed？ Carry on！〃
It was a full hour later when Josh finally left。 Chloe walked him to the
door and had only enough time to note that Ross was occupied with a
briefcase of his own； before Lee bounded through the living room。 He
delivered a wave in passing to Ross； looped an arm about Chloe's waist；
and corralled her back into her office。
〃It's about time you're free；〃 he scolded good…naturedly。 〃You're a busy
lady。〃
Chloe smiled。 〃I'm all yours now。 I want to show you…〃 The look on his
face cut her off。 〃There's something we have to discuss first。 I think；〃
he said； giving care to each word； 〃that we have a problem。〃
〃A problem？〃 She frowned。 〃What problem？〃
Eying her warily； he said； 〃I had two cancellations yesterday。〃
〃Cancellations？〃
〃That's right。 The schools。 They don't have the money to finance us for
the next semester。〃
She sat straighter。 〃Are you serious？〃
；〃Very。〃
〃But I thought…〃
〃So did I。〃
〃I just sent Josh out of here with a great proposal。 You mean to say
that he won't be able to apply it？〃
〃Not in Hingham or Westerly he won't。 There are still the wealthier
munities。。 。〃 His voice trailed off； his implication clear。
〃But not for long。 That's it； isn't it？ You think we're headed down a
dead…end street？〃
〃Unless the powers that dole out money for education loosen up。 They're
thinking A； B； Cs。 We're talking H； I； Js。 We're strictly elective； they
say。 A luxury they can't afford。〃
Chloe's mind raced ahead。 〃A good third of our work is through the
public schools。 Oh； boy。 We'd better rethink that。〃
〃Smart girl。〃
〃Private enterprise；〃 she announced without hesitation。
〃e again？ Business isn't our field。〃
Chloe laughed at the confusion on Lee's bearded face。 〃No。 But I said it
to Debbie earlier this morning and I meant it。 What we need is to
affiliate ourselves with corporations as resident geologists； be the
geologistson…call for several of these large development corporations。
You know； like…〃
〃…the Hansen Corporation？〃
The thought took her off…guard。 〃No；〃 she said with deliberate care。 〃I
was thinking more of firms like Cabot and Walker； or Fennimen East。〃
But Lee was grinning。 〃What's wrong with the Hansen Corporation？〃
〃Nothing；〃 she said； but rethought her answer when Lee was clearly
disbelieving。 She lowered her voice。 〃What's wrong with the Hansen
Corporation is that Ross Stephenson is its president。〃
So？〃
〃Lee；〃 she pleaded； 〃Ross is a friend。 I would no more ask him to hire
ESE than 。。。 than。。 。〃 She went silent； at a loss for words。 She was
hoping to survive a single weekend with Ross。 She couldn't begin to
imagine working with him on an ongoing basis。
Lee grew serious。 〃What is he to you； Chloe？〃
She sighed； giving up the struggle to find excuses。 〃We knew each other
before Crystal died。〃
〃He's the one； isn't he？〃 There was only kindness in Lee's voice； yet
his words jolted her。
〃What？〃 she whispered。
〃He's the one…the man in your life。〃
〃There is no man in my life。 You know that。〃
Lee grew gentler。 〃Over the years； I've learned a lot about you。 You've
told me about your sister； that she died； that you rarely visit your
family back in New Orleans。 But you never talk about men。 You're a
beautiful person； Chloe。 I know it； and he knows it。〃 He tilted his head
toward the living room。 〃I dare you to look me in the eye and deny that
there was ever anything between the two of you。〃
She couldn't lie。 Not to Lee。 〃I can't do that。 But； whatever it was；
it's over。〃
〃You think so？〃
〃Yes。〃 She said it firmly； and held her head the same way。
Lee studied her for a long minute； before making a show of wiping his
hands together。 〃Well； then； I guess that settles that。〃 He graciously
redirected the conversation to safer ground。 〃I do agree with you that
the private business sector could be a promising outlet。 I'll be in
Washington next week to work with the Coast Guard on the Gulf project。
Let me see what nosing around I can do while I'm there。〃
〃How much longer will the training project take？〃
〃With the government； that's a good question。 And when it es to oil
spill cleanups； no amount of training is ever enough。 I would guess the
present phase will take anoth