"Will your mother welcome a whole houseful of people, Rigg?" Ruth asked on the practical side.

"As a matter of fact, she'll be fine."

"We don't want to put anyone out of his room," Ruth began to object, but Rigg brushed it aside.

The five of them spoke about the trip for a few more minutes and the time they would leave, but not long after, Lorri and Rigg were alone in the living room again.

"I might need to warn you about my brother," Rigg began. "He's still in high school."

"Is that a problem?"

"Not for me, but it might be for Max."

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Lorri looked confused.

"There's no way she's going to go unnoticed, Lorraine."

Lorri smiled, liking the fact that her sister was so lovely.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is" Rigg had to agree. "But then I've noticed that beauty runs in your family."

"That was a nice thing to say."

"It's no effort to be nice to you," Rigg told her, still watching her face and seeing a small blush cover her cheeks.

"I'll still be nervous " Lorri felt it only fair to tell him.

"That's all right. I'm nervous every time I stand at your front door."

Lorri was still amazed by this. He hid it so well. Having ideas and giving orders just seemed to come so easily Rigg said he had things to do, and Lorri did as well, but she gave him coffee, and they talked for two hours at the kitchen table. When Rigg finally took his leave, Lorri couldn't remember a thing she had on her list.

1.

Rigg's car was comfortable. Lorri had given her mother the front seat, and she and Max had taken over in the back.

"Where are the cookies?" Max asked almost as soon as they hit the road, bringing a laugh from her mother.

"Max, we just started."

"I'm hungry. Am I the only one?"

The rearview mirror was set in such a way that Rigg could see Lorri's eyes. He glanced up and caught her gaze, and Lorri smiled at him.

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"Okay," Max said, disgusted with the lot. "I can see that this is not going to be the least bit fair. Raine and Rigg are going to make eyes at each other the whole time, and Mother isn't going to feed me!"

Everyone in the car laughed until Lorri made a suggestion.

"Why don't you ask Rigg to tell you a little more about Mitch."

Max didn't mention cookies for the next two hours.

Max had skipped her afternoon cla.s.ses, but the late departure still made for a late arrival in Santa Rosa. Nevertheless, Rigg's family was waiting: his father, Del Riggs, his mother, Virginia, and his brother, Mitch.

Rigg hugged his parents before starting the introductions. From there Virginia took over.

"Come in and have something to eat,'' she invited graciously. "I won't even ask you to sit because that's what you've been doing for hours."

"Can we help with something?" Ruth offered.

"No, I have it all ready. Just come to the table and fill your plate/'

They were tired, but it felt good to no longer be moving, and Lorri wasn't as nervous as she expected. Rigg, however, had been right: His brother had not taken his eyes from Max.

"Will he stare like that all weekend?" Lorri asked quietly when he came close.

"He might."

Lorri looked tolerant. "I find it hard to believe that you don't have pretty girls in Santa Rosa."

j 276.

"Not that look like you two," he said, adding a wink.

It was happening again. He was looking at her, and she was having a hard time looking away.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, needing to be rescued as much as she.

"Maybe a little."

"Come into the kitchen and get something."

They found Virginia in the kitchen.

"How are you, Lorraine? That trip can be so long."

"I'm doing pretty well. It's very kind of you to have us, Mrs.

Riggs"

"Everyone calls me Virginia, and I hope you will too."

Lorri smiled at her, wanting them to be friends.

"Go ahead and eat."

"She'll try to feed you all weekend," Rigg teased his mother. "She isn't happy unless we're eating."

"Go on, Donovan. Don't you listen to him, Lorraine."

In the living room, Max and Ruth were getting to know Mr. Riggs.

"Donovan tells us your father-in-law is an admiral."

"Yes," Ruth answered. "Soon to be retired. He had duties at the base this weekend, or he would have joined us."

"We'll have to meet him another time. Tell me, Max, what subjects do you like in school?"

"Art and math."

Virginia came in at that point with coffee, and Ruth was glad to have it. The women took no time in hitting it off, and Mitch wasted not a second in capturing Max's attention. Lorri and Rigg were still in the kitchen, and Del was left somewhat on his own, something that didn't bother him in the least. He was very happy 277.

V7.

to sit and listen to the people he was sure would soon be a part of the family.

"Horses?" Lorri asked on Sat.u.r.day morning, looking at the animals they were approaching in the paddock, deep in the backyard. "Your family has horses?"

"Why so surprised?"

Lorri looked at him.

"I just never imagined you on a horse. PT boats don't really lend themselves to that pastoral theme."

Rigg smiled but still offered, "How about a ride?"

Lorri stopped in her tracks. "I think your mother wanted to show me some pictures in the photo alb.u.m."

Rigg laughed but didn't let her get away. He took her hand and led her to the railings. Clicks made somewhere in his mouth brought two horses running. Lorri almost did some running herself, but Rigg's arm gently brought her back.

"They're very tame, and I would never let you be hurt."

"They're huge!" she said, staying still only because his arm was keeping her in place.

"Hey, girl," Rigg said to the mare that came right to him. Rigg brought sugar from the pocket of his shirt, and Lorri watched in amazement as the horses enthusiastically went for it.

They stood for a little while at the fence, the horses eventually seeing that Rigg was out of sugar and going on their way.

"Was that Max?" Lorri turned and suddenly noticed her sister; she was headed into another building.

i 278.

"I think Mitch is showing her the car he's working on. Do you want to see it?"

"Sure."

They walked that way, and without permission Rigg took her hand again. Lorri didn't mind. Larger than her own, his hand was warm, his hold undemanding.

"Okay," Mitch was saying to Max, the car not part of the conversation at all. "Here's Donovan and Lorraine. I'll bet your sister is going horseback riding."

"Uh, Mitch," Rigg tried to cut in.

"Go ahead, Lorraine," Mitch didn't hear a thing. "Tell Max that you're not afraid to get on a horse."

Lorri could only stare at him, her mouth opening in surprise. It took a moment for Mitch to realize she wasn't speaking arid to see that his brother was calmly shaking his head no.

"You can't be serious!" Mitch said, thinking he had it all wrapped up.

That Max thought this hysterical was only too obvious. She covered her mouth and turned around, but her amus.e.m.e.nt was all too clear.

"Come on," Rigg invited. "Something tells me Mom will have breakfast ready. We'd better head to the house."

Mitch's eyes, so like Rigg's, told Max she was not forgiven. Max tried to look repentant but couldn't quite manage it. Lorri eventually joined her, and they laughed all the way back to the house.

"More toast, Mrs. Archer?" Virginia offered. "Thank you," Ruth said, taking one from the plate. "Your home is wonderful. It's so warm and inviting."

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Virginia looked around as though seeing it for the first time. "It's not new, but it has that homey feel."

Ruth looked around as well, but Virginia had something to say to Ruth, something personal.

"Donovan told us about your daughter. I'm so sorry to hear that, Mrs. Archer."

"I hope you'll call me Ruth, and thank you." She sighed a little. "I don't know if I'll ever get used to the idea."

"How long has it been?"

"That's a complicated question. Josie actually died on June 1 of last year, but we didn't know there was a problem until a few days later. The telegram telling me that Josie was gone and Lorri was alive arrived on August 2. Up until that moment, I chose to believe that both my daughters would come home to me."

"We never think it's going to happen to us, do we?" Virginia asked. "My mother suddenly dropped dead in her kitchen one day. My father died 48 hours later. I walked around in a fog for more than a year."