Megan's mate

I'm not that sensitive, Meg. Everybody knew what my old man was like.

He could

remember, too well, the pitying looks, the glances that slid uneasily away.

It

bothered me back then, but not anymore.

She struggled to find the right words.

Did Coco-did it do any good?

He was silent a moment, staring out at the lowering sun and the bloodred light it poured into the water.

He was afraid of her, so he beat the hell out of me when she left.

Oh, God.

I'd just as soon she didn't know that.

No.

Megan had to swallow the hot tears lodged in her throat.

I won't tell her.

That's why you ran away to sea, isn't it? To get away from him.

That's one of the reasons.

He reached over, ran a fingertip down her cheek.

You

know, if I'd figured out the way to get to you was to tell you I'd taken a strap a few times, I'd have brought it up sooner.

It's nothing to joke about.

Megan's voice was low and furious.

There's no excuse

for treating a child that way.

Hey, I lived through it.

Did you?

She shifted back to him, eyes steady.

Did you ever stop hating him?

No.

He said it quietly.

No, I didn't. But I stopped letting it be important, and maybe that's healthier.

He stopped the car in front of The Towers, turned to her.

Someone hurts you, in a permanent way, you don't forget it. But the best revenge is seeing that it doesn't matter.

You're talking about Kevin's father, and it's not at all the same. I wasn't a helpless child.

Depends on where you draw the line between helpless and innocent.

Nathaniel

opened the car door.

I'll carry Kevin in for you.

You don't have to.

She hurried out herself, but Nathaniel already had the boy in his arms.

They stood there for a moment, in the last glow of the day, the boy between them, his head resting securely on Nathaniel's shoulder, dark hair to dark hair, honed muscle to young limbs.

Something locked deep inside her swelled, tried to burst free. She sighed it away, stroked a hand over her son's back and felt the steady rhythm of his breathing.

He's had a long day.

So have you, Meg. There are shadows under your eyes. Since that means you didn't sleep any better than I did last night, I can't say I mind seeing them there.

It was hard, she thought, so very hard, to keep pulling away from the current that drew her to him.

I'm not ready for this, Nathaniel.

Sometimes a wind comes up, blows you off course. You're not ready for it, but if you're lucky, you end up in a more interesting place than you'd planned.

I don't like to depend on luck.

Thaf s okay. I do.

He shifted the boy more comfortably, and carried him to the house.

Chapter 6

I don't see what all the damn to-do's about, Dutch grumbled as he whipped a

delicate eg. froth for his angel food cake surprise.

Trenton St. James II is a member of the family.

Running on nerves, Coco checked

the temperature on her prime rib. She had a dozen things to deal with since the cucumber facial she'd indulged in had thrown off her timetable.

And the president

of the St. James hotels.

Satisfied that the beef was coming along nicely, she basted her roast duck.

As this is his first visit to The Retreat, it's important that everything run smoothly.

Some rich bastard coming around to freeload.

Mr. Van Horne!

Coco's heart lurched. After six months, she knew she shouldn't be shocked by the man. But,

really.

I've known Mr. St. James for... well, a great number of years. I can assure you he is a successful businessman, an entrepreneur.

Not

a freeloader.

Dutch sniffed, gave Coco the once-over. She'd done herself up good and proper, he noted. The fancy-shmancy dress glittered and flowed down, stopping plenty short to show off her legs. Her cheeks were all pink, too. And he didn't think it was from kitchen heat. His lips curled back in a sneer.

So what's he, your boyfriend?

The pink deepened to rose.

Certainly not. A woman of my...experience doesn't have boyfriends.

Surreptitiously she checked her face in the stainless-steel exhaust hood on the stove.

Beaux, perhaps.

Beaux. Ha!

I hear he's been married four times and pays enough alimony to balance the national debt. You looking to be number five?

Speechless, Coco pressed a hand to her heart.

You are

She stumbled, stuttered,

over the words.

Impossibly rude. Impossibly crude.

Hey, ain't none of my never-mind if you want to land yourself a rich fish.

She squeaked. Though the rolling temper that caused red dots to swim in front of her eyes appalled her she. was, after all, a civilized woman she surged forward to ram a coral-tipped nail into his massive chest.

I will not tolerate any more of your insults.

Yeah?

He poked her right back.

Whatcha gonna do about it?

She leaned forward until they were nose-to-nose.

I will fire you.

Now that'll break my heart. Go ahead, fancy face, give me the boot. See how you get by with tonight's dinner rush.

I assure you, I will 'get by' delightfully.

Her heart was beating too fast. Coco wondered it didn't soar right out of her breast.