rekindled(英文版)-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


shirt　of　Indian　cotton。　Eleven　years　had　passed。　He　might　have　changed。
How　could　she　know？

His　eyes。　They　were　the　same　memorable　amber。　Eleven　years　ago　they　had
cut　through　all　pretense　and　snagged　her　in　the　space　of　a　breath。　They
were　just　as　striking　now…and　they　were　looking　at　her。　He　knew。

As　all　else　faded；　she　felt　shock；　remembrance；　pain。　Then　she　tore　her
eyes　from　his　and　lowered　them　to　her　paper。　Ross　Stephenson。
Unbelievable。

〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Howard　whispered；　seeming　to　sense　her　distress。

She　contemplated　lying。　The　society　belle　of　New　Orleans　would　have　done
that。　But　today's　Chloe　was　too　honest。　She　whispered　back；　〃I　knew
him…Ross…a　long　time　ago。　I　never　expected　to　see　him　here。〃　Or　again；
for　that　matter；　she　added　silently；　struggling　to　keep　her　thoughts
from　racing　back　in　time。

〃He　shakes　you　up？〃

She　smiled　ruefully。　〃He　shakes　me　up。〃

〃Will　you　be　able　to　go　on　and　speak？〃

She　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I'll　be　fine　once　we　get　going。〃　Unfortunately；
Felix　Hart　continued　to　talk；　gesticulating　more　emphatically　than　ever。
〃He's　been　sidetracked　on　the　background　of　your　pal。　Listen。〃

Chloe　had　no　choice。

〃As　many　of　you　know；〃　Felix　drawled　with　an　air　of　self…importance；
〃Mr。　Stephenson　has　been　behind　the　building　of　two　successful　mall
plexes　here　in　the　Granite　State。　His　pany　has　left　its　mark　from
coast　to　coast　in　factories；　libraries；　educational　facilities；　and
office　buildings。　The　reputation　of　the　Hansen　Corporation　precedes　him
here。　It　is　with　great　honor　that　I　present　to　you；　for　an　explanation
of　his　plans　and　hopes　for　the　Rye　Beach　plex；　Mr。　Ross　Stephenson。〃

Chloe's　heart　was　hammering　again。　When　it　was　momentarily　drowned　out
by　the　applause　of　the　crowd；　she　dared　another　glance　at　Ross。　Again；
he　was　looking　at　her。　She　held　her　breath；　barraged　by　memories　that
gathered　and　surged。　A　slow　pallor　spread　beneath　her　ivory　skin。　She
was　thinking　that　she　had　to　get　out　of　there　fast；　when　he　finally
faced　forward；　pushed　himself　from　his　chair；　and　approached　the　dais。

〃Whew；〃　came　a　whisper　by　her　ear。　〃That　was　some　greeting。〃

Chloe　felt　the　color　rush　back　to　her　face。　She　realized　her
misunderstanding　when　Howard　went　on。　〃Felix　introduced　him　like　he　was
a　visiting　dignitary　instead　of　the　man　whose　blueprints　we　plan　to　tear
apart。〃

〃Please　keep　reminding　me；〃　Chloe　murmured；　to　which　the　senator
chuckled。　Then　they　both　settled　back　to　listen　to　Ross　Stephenson's
presentation。

For　Chloe；　listening　was　an　awesome　challenge。　The　sight　of　him　standing
straight　and　tall　before　the　microphone　was　a　distraction　in　and　of　it
self。　She　couldn't　help　but　admire　the　breadth　of　his　shoulders　and　the
slow　tapering　of　his　frame　toward　narrow　hips　and　long；　lean　legs。　To
her　chagrin；　she　couldn't　help　but　remember　the　skin　beneath；　firm　and
drawn　taut　over　the　muscles　of　shoulder；　chest；　and　arms；　its　dark
matting　of　hair　a　cushion　for　her　head；　a　playground　for　her　fingers。

She　forced　those　fingers　to　work　now；　making　notes　of　words　that　she
barely　heard；　that　her　mind　could　barely　assimilate。　Still　she　made
herself　concentrate；　jotting　down　thoughts　with　increasing　rapidity　in
an　attempt　to　keep　her　mind　on　the　present　and　off　the　past。

But　was　it　the　past　that　brought　her　head　up　again　and　her　gaze　back　to
Ross？　Was　she　intrigued　for　old　times'　sake　alone？　His　dark　hair　was
thick　but　well…trimmed　and　bed　into　as　much　submission　as　she　guessed
it　would　go。　Eleven　years　ago　it　had　been　longer　and　even　thicker。　With
the　beard；　he　was　like　a　bear…large；　overpowering；　dominant；　but　cuddly。
Now　there　was　a　refinement　to　him；　a　control　in　his　stance；　a
purposefulness。　Addressing　his　audience；　he　conveyed　petence　and
intelligence。

And　that　audience　was　enrapt；　some　nodding；　others　shaking　their　heads；
all　measuring　his　words　with　the　keen　interest　that　had　brought　them　out
on　this　mild　September　night。

His　voice　was　deep　and　resonant　as　it　flowed　through　the　mike　and　filled
the　room。　〃The　benefit　to　your　munity　would　be　multifold。　We're
proposing　to　use　a　parcel　of　land　that　is　presently　underused。　The
resort　will　attract　guests　who　will　patronize　local　businesses。　Food
outlets；　entertainment　houses；　restaurants；　real　estate
establishments…all　stand　to　gain　from　the　Rye　Beach　plex。　The
condominium　plex　will　bring　untold　tax　revenue　both　to　state　and
local　purses。　Given　the　easy　access　to　this　area　by　the　federal　highway
system；　the　condominium　units　will　be　in　high　demand　year　round。〃

Chloe　found　herself　listening　closely；　wondering　how　this　could　be　the
same　man　who　had　once　chosen　to　live　on　a　munal　farm　in　Kentucky。
That　free…spirited　Ross　was　a　far　cry　from　this　entrepreneurial　one。
Trying　to　reconcile　the　two　was　impossible。

Howard　leaned　close。　〃He's　a　powerful　speaker。　What　do　you　think？

Will　he　have　them　sold　before　we　even　present　our　side？〃

She　answered　without　taking　her　eyes　from　Ross。　〃Lord；　I　hope　not。　I
often　work　with　groups　of　shoreline　residents。　They　feel　strongly　about
the　land；　which　is　their　finest　resource。　I'll　be　appealing　for　the
preservation　of　that　resource。〃

〃You're　a　powerful　speaker　yourself；　Chloe。　I　heard　you　address　that
group　on　Martha's　Vineyard　on　the　subject　of　natural　erosion　patterns。
You　had　them　eating　out　of　the　palm　of　your　hand。〃

Chloe　gave　a　crooked　smile。　〃Many　of　the　issues　are　the　same　here。

Let's　hope　they　buy　it；　too。〃

Ross　finished　his　formal　presentation　and　opened　the　floor　for
questions。　A　podium　and　microphone　had　been　set　up　in　the　center　aisle
of　the　auditorium。　One　by　one；　those　residents　e
forward。　Most　asked　about　specifics；　all　of　which　Chloe　noted　on　her
pad：　the　price　range　of　the　condominiums　and　the　subsequent　tax　revenue；
the　time　projection　for　the　erection　of　the　units；　the　capacity　of　the
resort　plex；　and　a　listing　of　its　self…contained　facilities。　At
length；　Felix　Hart　stood　and　joined　Ross　at　center　stage。

〃I'm　afraid　we　have　to　move　on　now；〃　he　apologized；　eyeing　the　large
clock　on　the　front　face　of　the　balcony。　〃There's　still　another　side　to
consider。　Thank　you；　Mr。　Stephenson。　You've　been　very　direct　and　a　great
help。　Perhaps　we'll　have　time　for　more　questions　later。〃

Chloe　watched　with　growing　excitement　as　Ross　returned　to　his　seat　and
that　excitement；　for　the　moment；　had　nothing　to　do　with　him。　She　liked
talking　to　groups　like　this；　and　did　it　often。　Though　she　loved　the
scientific　end　of　her　job…the　sample…taking　and　analysis；　the　puter
work；　the　intricate　calculations　of　ground　position；　weather…related
ponents；　time　predictions…she　found　the　presentation　of　her　findings
to　be　heady。

Felix　Hart　made　the　introduction。　〃I　have　the　delightful　task　now　of
giving　you　Ms。　Chloe　Macdaniel。　Ms。　Macdaniel　has　been　retained　by　the
county　to　study　our　coast　with　an　eye　toward　the　environmental　impact　of
the　Rye　Beach　Resort　and　Condominium　plex　as　proposed　by　the　Hansen
Corporation。　She　has　already　spent　a　good　deal　of　time　on　the　project。
Ms。　Macdaniel？〃

After　lifting　a　neat　folder　from　the　floor　beneath　her　chair；　Chloe　rose
to　her　full　five…foot