Page 10 of Eclipse Bay

Pamela’s eyes clouded with disappointment. “That’s all? Honest truth?”

Hannah briefly considered the insignificant good-night kiss Rafe had given her. “Pretty much.”

Pamela flopped back in her chair. “Too bad.”

“Think so?”

“Sure. Intelligent, educated, clearheaded women like us know better than to marry guys like Rafe Madison. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be fun to fool around with one.”

“A little hard on the reputation, especially in a town like Eclipse Bay. Trust me, I know this now. After those infamous two hours on the beach with Rafe Madison, my image as a nice girl has plummeted to somewhere in the vicinity of zero.”

“The least you could have done for yourself was have a good time on the way down.”

Rafe phoned the day he left town. Hannah was alone in the house at the time. When she heard his voice on the other end of the line she had a feeling he knew that her parents had driven into Eclipse Bay together.

“I owe you,” he said without preamble.

“No, you do not owe me.” She clutched the instrument very tightly. His voice was as sexy on the phone as it was at midnight on a shadowed beach. “I just told the truth, that’s all.”

“Is everything that simple for you, Miss Voted Most Likely to Succeed? Black and white? True or false?”

“In this case it is, yes.”

“You don’t care that everyone in town thinks I did a lot more than hold your hand that night?”

She sought refuge in irrefutable fact. “You didn’t even hold my hand.”

There was a short beat of silence on the other end of the line. She wondered if he was thinking about that meaningless little kiss he had given her just before he sent her into the house. It was certainly on her mind.

“Whatever,” he said eventually. “But I still owe you.”

“Forget it. No big deal. Besides, to be honest, I owe you.”

“How’s that?”

“I am no longer known around town as Miss Boring Goody Two-Shoes.”

There was another beat of silence. “You’re definitely not boring.”

She was not sure what to say to that. She wrapped the cord around her hand and kept her mouth shut. It was an exercise in self-discipline.

“Hannah?”

“Yes?”

“I meant what I said last night. Good luck with that five-year plan of yours. I hope things work out the way you want. Hope you do okay with your own business.” He paused. “Hope you find a guy who meets all those requirements on that list, too.”

He sounded sincere, she thought.

“Rafe?”

“Yeah?”

“I meant what I said to you that night, too. Get a life.”

chapter 1

Portland, Oregon

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