rekindled(英文版)-第20章

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trip；　then　climbed　behind　him　onto　the　bike　to　return　to　the　house。　Not
one　wrong　turn　later　she　was　on　her　own　front　steps。

The　moment　of　reckoning　was　at　hand。　〃Will　you　be　returning　to　New　York
now？〃　she　asked。

He　had　finished　stowing　the　bike　in　its　proper　spot　and　advanced　on　her
with　a　grin。　Relieving　her　of　the　large　brown　bag　she'd　been　carrying；
he　took　her　elbow　and　guided　her　toward　the　house。　〃Not　yet。〃

〃You're　going　back　to　Lee's？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

〃Then　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃

He　held　the　door　open　for　her　to　pass；　and　followed　her　into　the
kitchen；　where　he　began　to　unload　and　store　the　groceries　as　though　the
place　were　his。　〃I　want　to　make　a　few　phone　calls。〃　He　glanced　at　his
watch。　〃Then　wash　the　car；　catch　the　end　of　the　Giants　game；　shower　and
shave；　and　take　you　out　to　dinner。〃

His　recitation　was　so　nonchalant　that　Chloe　would　have　guessed　he　spent
every　October　Saturday　this　way；　at　least　as　far　as　the　first　part　went。
As　for　taking　her　out　to　dinner；　it　had　certainly　never　happened　before。

〃It's　unnecessary；〃　she　said。

〃Which　part…the　calls；　the　car；　the　game；　or　the　shower？〃

〃The　dinner！　Lunch　was　enough　to　even　us　up。　There's　no　need　for
anything　more。〃

A　muscle　worked　in　Ross's　jaw。　〃It's　not　tit…foretat；　Chloe。　I'd　like　to
take　you　out　to　dinner。〃

〃I　appreciate　the　thought；　but…〃

〃No　buts。　We're　going　out　for　dinner。　Period。〃

〃What　if　I　have　other　plans？〃

He　arched　a　dark　brow。　〃Do　you？〃

〃I　could　just　as　well；〃　she　hedged；　〃for　the　way　you　just　assume　I'm
free。〃

〃Well；　are　you？〃

It　wasn't　that　she　didn't　want　to　go　to　dinner　with　Ross。　On　the
contrary。　She　liked　being　with　him。　She　just　didn't　want　to　get　used　to
it。

〃Chloe？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　sighing。　〃I'm　free。〃

：〃Good。　Say；　about　eight？〃

；：But…〃

Eight　it　is。　And　Chloe？〃

She　felt　totally　helpless。　〃What？〃

〃How　about　if　we　dress　up？〃

〃Dress　up？　I　haven't　'dressed　up'　in　months。　Things　here　are　very
casual。　There's　nowhere…〃

〃There　is；〃　he　argued　gently。　〃Leave　that　to　me。〃

Chloe　lowered　her　eyes　and　studied　the　floor；　then　slowly　shook　her
head。　〃Ross；　I'd　really　rather…〃

〃For　old　times'　sake？〃　he　dared　ask。　〃Today　we　played　'far　out。'
Tonight；　let's　play　in。'　e　on。　How　about　it？　Just　this　once？〃

The　odd　note　of　pleading　in　his　voice　brought　Chloe's　head　slowly　up。　He
looked　so　innocent；　so　hopeful；　that　she　couldn't　turn　him　down。　〃Just
this　once；〃　she　gave　in　softly；　forcing　the　semblance　of　a　smile　to
；Minerable　lips。

There　was　no　semblance　of　anything　in　Ross's　smile。　It　was　blatantly
broad　and　open；　relieved　and　pleased。　It　warmed　her；　reassured　her；
amused　her。　And　it　most　definitely　excited　her。

That　terrified　her。

Before　she　could　back　out；　though；　he　said；　〃It's　a　date。　See　you　at
eight。〃

He　turned　and　made　for　the　phone；　leaving　Chloe　to　gather　the　pieces　of
her　fast…splintering　resolve　and　struggle　with　makeshift　repairs　before
evening　rolled　around。

It　wasn't　an　easy　task。　Ross　seemed　to　be　everywhere　she　turned。　He　used
her　office　to　make　his　calls；　lounging　back　in　her　chair；　legs　long　and
straight；　crossed　lazily　at　the　ankles；　propped　on　the　corner　of　her
desk。

His　presence　filled　the　room　so　that　it　took　a　conscious　effort　on
Chloe's　part　to　quietly　creep　in　and　steal　her　own　work。　He　followed　her
every　move　with　interest；　though　he　was　at　the　same　time　maddeningly
capable　of　carrying　on　his　end　of　what　was　obviously　a　business
discussion。

After　retreating　to　the　back　porch　to　bask　in　the　rays　of　the　westward
sun；　she　put　her　best　effort　into　organizing　the　papers　on　her　lap。　But
her　best　effort　was　sadly　lacking。　Her　mind　wandered。　Then　Ross　appeared
in　the　flesh　to　ask　about　a　bucket；　a　sponge；　and　some　old　towels。　He
was　right　on　schedule；　his　self…satisfied　air　announced。　He　vanished；
then　reappeared　and　deposited　the　car…wash　gear　on　the　sandy　grass
beside　the　very　same　porch　on　which　she　sat。

Would　he　do　it　here？　she　wondered。　The　smooth　hum　of　his　car's　engine　as
he　pulled　the　vehicle　close　by　the　side　of　the　house　was　her　answer。

He　wanted　an　audience；　the　rat。

She　should　have　gotten　up　and　left；　but　she　sat　right　there　in　the　large
wood…slatted　porch　chair；　watching　while　he　put　his　best　effort　into
washing；　drying；　and　polishing　his　sporty　brown　BMW　As　he　stretched　to
soap　the　roof；　the　muscles　of　his　shoulders　bunched。　When　he　squatted　to
scrub　the　whitewalls；　the　muscles　of　his　thighs　swelled。　When　he　reached
across　the　front　windshield；　his　shirt　separated　from　his　jeans；　giving
fleeting；　devastating　glimpses　of　a　flat；　hard　belly。　And　through　it　all
was　the　sight　of　hands　and　forearms　at　work；　lightly　tanned；　softly
haired。

When　Chloe　had　taken　as　much　as　she　could；　she　stacked　her　papers　into　a
pie；　left　the　chair；　and；　without　a　word　to　explain　her　sudden
departure；　went　into　the　house。　To　clean？　She　hated　to　clean！　How　else；
though；　to　expend　some　of　the　nervous　energy　that　had　gathered　inside？

She　swept　the　floors　and　vacuumed　the　carpets；　all　at　doublespeed；　all
with　every　bit　of　elbow　grease　she　could　muster。　Tables；　chairs；
countertops；　and　shelves　met　similar　fates　beneath　her　dustcloth。
Perspiration　beaded　on　her　upper　lip。　She　barely　noticed。

The　football　game　offered　a　different　torment；　but　one　that　was　no　less
agonizing。　She　was　polishing　the　aged　oak　banister　halfway　to　the　second
floor　when　the　familiar　sound　waited　up；　and　she　sank　down　on　the　homey
wool　runner　in　defeat。　The　football　game…what　memories　it　brought。　That
sound…the　excited　roar　of　the　crowd；　the　babble　of　color　mentators；
the　endless　streams　of　kickoffs　and　passes；　punts　and　first　downs；
fumbles；　tumbles；　and　pileups…brought　back　the　days　in　New　Orleans　when
the　men　of　the　family　gathered　for　their　weekly　fix。　Her　brother　sit　had
been　so　long　since　she'd　seen　them。　Were　they　watching　this　same　game？
And　how　was　her　father　feeling？　He　wasn't　young　anymore。　Should　she　make
the　effort　to　go　back　before　。。。　？

〃Chloe？　Are　you　all　right？〃

It　wasn't　until　Ross　spoke　that　she　realized　he'd　even　approached。　Nor
had　she　been　aware　of　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　With　a　hard　swallow　and　a
feeble　smile；　she　willed　the　sadness　away。　〃I'm　fine。　I　think　I'll　go
for　a　run。〃

Leaving　Ross　where　he　stood；　she　pensively　covered　the　last　of　the　steps
to　the　top　landing；　disappeared　into　her　room　to　change　into　running
wear；　then　went　back　down　the　stairs　and　outside。　Her　sneakers　beat
rhythmically　down　the　beach　toward　the　far　end　of　the　bay；　much　as　they
had　done　at　roughly　the　same　time　the　day　before。　Had　it　only　been
twenty…four　hours　since　Ross　had　shown　up？　Already　he　seemed　so　at　home
here。　Worse；　at　odd　times　it　seemed　natural　to　have　him　here。

The　questions　kept　pace　with　her　jog。　Was　it　only　that　Ross　was　a　face
from　her　past？　Was　he　a　link　to　those　people　who　had　once　meant　so　much
to　her？　Did　she　crave　the　warmth　of　her　family？　Was　Ross；　by
association；　an　extension　of　them？

Without　answers；　she　paced　herself　for　another　ten　minutes　before
turning　around。　When　she　reached　the　house　she　didn't　bother　to　stop　at
the　door。　An　easy　lope　carried　h