"Mom, you're looking better than ever," Simon said, lifting his mother high in the air and swinging her around. He turned till he was facing Fanny and said, "I could do this to you with one hand. You're skinny as a rail. Mom, make her eat."

"She eats like a truck driver. It's all in the genes," Sallie said happily as she linked her arm with Simon's.

"You didn't tell me she was so gorgeous," Simon said in a loud stage whisper.

Fanny felt her entire body grow warm as she followed Sallie and Simon into the house. "Devin, would you like something to drink? Simon?"

"A cold beer would be nice. A sandwich would go real good with the beer," Simon said.

"Don't forget the pickles," Devin said.

In the kitchen Fanny leaned against the counter to take deep breaths. Something was happening to her, something she hadn't felt for a very long time. In a few brief seconds she found herself attracted to a man she'd never met before. She should run upstairs to the bath- room to comb her hair and put on lipstick. No, too obvious. She pulled a turkey and a ham from the refrigerator. She sliced and sliced, and when she was finished she had two sandwiches that were five inches high. She added potato chips and pickles along with the beer to the tray.

He was so tall he dwarfed her when he reached out to take the tray. He smiled when he said, "Now that's what I call a sandwich. Mom used to make them like that." His voice was deliciously husky. Fanny shivered in the oversize shirt.

"I know," Fanny said. In her life she'd never seen a more handsome man. She sat down next to Sallie and immediately got up. "I imagine you have lots to talk about. I'll say good night."

"No, no, stay," Simon said.

"Darling, Devin and I are going to take a walk in the garden. Keep Simon company."

"Devin, your sandwich . . ."

"I'm taking it with me. I love eating in the garden and listening to the night sounds."

"Oh, let them go. It will give us a chance to get acquainted. Where's Ash?"

Fanny stared into cobalt blue eyes. "I have no idea," she said.

"Oh. Is that one of those questions I shouldn't have asked?"

"You can ask anything you want. Ash doesn't live here anymore. On occasion, he visits. Is there anything else you want to know?" Her voice was colder than chilled milk. Why was that?

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. It's been a while since Ash and I have spoken."

"Are you saying you haven't spoken to your brother in five years?" Fanny asked.

"No, not at all," Simon said warily.

"Well, that's how long this has been going on."

"Ash isn't exactly the confiding type. He plays everything pretty close to his chest. I didn't mean to stir something up here. I apologize, this is none of my business."

"Don't apologize. Everyone knows, now you know. We work around it."

Simon finished his sandwich. "Would I be out of line to ask why you don't do something about it?"

"I was going to do something, but Ash said he had a list of men as long as his arm who would swear they had an affair with me. In case you're wondering why I'm telling you all this when we just met.

342 Fern Michaels it's because . . . I'm sick of the lies, sick of covering up, sick of the whole damn thing. Tomorrow ... he could . . . what he could do is ... is show up, maxe a scene, and ruin everything. I panic just thinking about it. I worked hard on this party, to give the boys a nice send-off."

"I don't know what to say," Simon said, leaning over the coffee table to stare at her.

"That's pretty much what everyone says. But, I can top that. I don't know what to say, either."

"What does Mom say?"

"I do my best not to involve your mother. She has her own problems with Ash. She's going through a very bad time right now. I'm glad you came, she needs you. More than you'll ever know. I also think it's pretty shabby of you not to visit more often. Your business can't be that time-consuming. Everyone gets a vacation. Are you a selfish person?"

"Jesus. You are outspoken, aren't you?"

"Pretty much so. I didn't used to be, but I am these days. When you say it right up front there's no room for doubt. I had to learn the hard way. If you don't feel like answering my questions, don't."

"I didn't say I didn't want to answer your questions. My business is very time-consuming. I do take an occasional vacation. No one has ever accused me of being selfish, at least not to my knowledge. It's possible that I am, and I'm too dumb to know it. I call my mother twice a week. I'm not much of a letter writer, but I do write. It works for us."

"It works for you, you mean. It doesn't work for Sallie. I know this. She would never say anything to you, but that doesn't mean I can't say it for her. You should have come here right away when . . . when things started to go bad for her. That's my opinion of course."

"Wait just one damn minute. I offered to come, she said no. She said she was coming up here to Sunrise to get herself together."

"Those were just woras. She wanted you to care enough to come on your own. She watched the road for days. Sometimes people say things and mean something else. Sallie is your mother-you should be able to figure ner out."

"This is one of those women things, right?"

"Sunny always says, and this is a direct quote, 'Oh, that's one of those penis things, right?' If it helps you to believe that, it's okay with "I'll be damned," Simon said, throwing his head back and laughing until tears gathered on his lashes. "I think you made the right decision to send her to that academy for young ladies. She might have to repeat a term or two if she doesn't conform."

"I know. She's what she is, and she isn't changing." Fanny laughed.

"I was trying to make a good impression," Simon said.

"Me too. Guess I didn't. How come you haven't married?" Fanny asked, propping her feet up on the coffee table. She lit a cigarette. Suddenly she was very comfortable with this man with the salt-and-pepper hair and the wonderful voice that sent chills up and down her spine.

"Why do you want to know? I didn't know you smoked."

"I was making conversation. It seemed like a good question. You know, get it out of the way early on. Should someone have told you I smoked? Does it even matter? You smoke. I do a lot of things these days that I never did before. I chew gum when I'm designing, and I gobble peanuts by the bag."

Simon laughed. "I'm glad you told me that. I almost got married twice. I'm the one who broke it ofTboth times."

"Oh. Do you miss having children?"

"I do. I want to thank you for sharing your children with me. I'm very fond of all of them."

"I don't think it's any secret that they adore you. Ash has a hard time with those feelings."

"I didn't know that. He does know I'm driving the boys to Pennsylvania, doesn't he?"

"I don't know. I hate to keep saying that, but we don't communicate. I'm sure the boys told him."

"I hope so, I don't want to step on toes here and cause a problem. Where are the kids?"

"Down at Chue's. They like to shoot baskets in his driveway in the evening. It's a nice evening, would you like to walk down?"

"Sure. Should we tell someone where we're going?" Simon asked, a devilish glint in his eye.

"You can if you think it's necessary. I'm of the opinion we're both old enough to go out at night as long as we're home before midnight. When I was growing up my father always made us be home when the streetlights went on. It was to teach us responsibility. We didn't have watches in those days."

"And did it?"

344 Fern Michaels "Oh yes. I've tried to bring my own kids up the same way. Sunny is the rebel. She absolutely refuses to conform as you put it. No amount of punishment can make her change her mind. Next year she'll be going off to college and then it will be just Billie and me. I don't know how I'm going to handle that."

"One day at a time in the beginning. I imagine you'll do what I did when I left. You throw yourself into whatever it is that makes you happy. Happiness is very important."

"You sound like you aren't too happy, Simon."

"I'm not sure I know what happiness really is. Since I don't know, I guess I'm not."

"I think happiness is kind of nebulous. People, myself included, tend to think it should be this euphoric feeling that cloaks you and makes you immune to all other emotions. In my opinion, happiness is litde bits of things. For me, for example, it was the birth of all my children, then it would be something they did or said, a small gift that made me smile. Sage used to bring me dandelions. One year Sunny gave me a handmade gift certificate that said she would rub my neck and shoulders every night for a month. She did too-she never missed a night. She guaranteed me a smile every night for a month. I feel happy each time I see Billie sitting at the drafting table. One of Chue's flower arrangements for the dining room table gives me happiness. There's a litde brown bird that nests in one of the cottonwoods in the cemetery. It trusts me and wall perch on my fmger. That gives me happiness. I believe each person is responsible for their own happiness. To depend on other people to make you happy is a mistake. That's just my opinion of course. Your mother and I talked about this a while ago. I think she agrees with me. What's your view?"

"I don't think I have a view. I can't say I ever gave it much thought. That's not to .say I'm miserable. I don't think about it. I try to stay busy. My life is quite full."

"You sound defensive," Fanny said.

"You're pretty brash for just meeting me for the first time," Simon said with a chuckle. "Actually, I kind of hke it, it's refreshing to meet someone who doesn't say five different things when they don't mean any of them. I'm almost an expert at interpreting people's conversations these days. The key word is almost." The chuckle stayed in his voice.

"Would you listen to those kids!"

Simon charged ahead, apologizing over his shoulder as he leaped for a basketball that Birch threw to Sunny. He intercepted the ball, loped up the driveway to sink the ball with his first shot!

"For an old guy that was pretty good," Sunny yelled. "How'ya doing. Uncle Simon?"

"Who are you calling old? I can beat you with one hand tied behind my back wearing weights on my ankles."

The twins hooted with laugPiter. "Put up or shut up. Sunny. My money is on Uncle Simon. Let's make it interesting and make a pot here. All bets for Uncle Simon go on this side, Sunny's stack goes on this side. We'll take lOUs."

"Can we bet on ourselves?" Sunny asked.

"Why not. I'm going to beat you," Simon grinned.

"Not on your best day!" Sunny shot back. "You're bettin' on me, right, Mom?"

"Fifty bucks," Fanny said generously.

"Put me down for fifty too," BilHe said.

"Does she have fifty bucks. Mom?" Birch demanded.

"Yes, she does. I don't approve of gambling."

"A Thornton who doesn't believe in gambling. Shame on you!" Simon yelled.

"Birch and I are each betting fifty bucks on Uncle Simon," Sage said.

"I'm betting a hundred on myself," Simon said.

"Ah, this is getting real sweet," Birch said. "Chue, what are you in for?"

"One hundred dollars on Miss Sunny," Chue said smartly. "How does this work. Miss Fanny? Do they have enough to pay off'if Miss Sunny wins?"

"I'm covering all bets," Simon said.

"In that case, Chue, let's decide what we're going to spend our money on," Fanny said.

"Spoilsport," Simon said as he took his place in the middle of the driveway to face Sunny. Sage held the ball aloft. "On the count of three. Ten shots. Okay, ready, one, two, THREE!"

"Is she really good, Chue?" Fanny whispered.

"She's hot stuff:"

"Really," Fanny said. The pride in her voice was unmistakable.

They were whirlwinds racing up and down the driveway. Sunny laughed as she forced her uncle to use muscles he'd forgotten he had.

"C'mon, c'mon. Uncle Simon, you can do it!" the twins shouted as Simon lagged behind.

346 Fern Michaels "You got him, Sunny, he's huffing and puffing," Billie shouted. "Dribble, dribble, he's no match for you. Go! Go! Wow! Did you see that! Yeah, Sunny!"

Fanny clapped her hands. "Ooohhh, I can't wait to spend my money! Good girl. Sunny, you're wearing him down. It's seven-four. You're in the lead, honey!"

"She's gaining, Uncle Simon, c'mon, make her work for her money. She can't last forever. She's a girl! Get that ball! Oh, no," Birch groaned as Sunny sank two baskets one right after the other.

"Nine-four," Fanny screamed. "You won. Sunny! Pay up," she said, holding out her hand. She turned to Chue. "Did you see that, we won!"

"You are the marvel in marvelous," Simon said, hugging his niece. "I don't think I ever saw such fancy footwork. Congratulations!"

"You kept up with me. That's good for a guy your age. I don't mean that disrespectfully," Sunny added hastily. "It's a compliment."

"And a sincere one too," Simon gasped. "God, I feel old."

"Come along, it's almost midnight. Chue needs his sleep."

"Cocoa and fried egg sandwiches. I'll make it," Sunny said.

"Don't look at me like that, Simon. She has this thing about fried egg sandwiches and cocoa at midnight. It wasn't bad enough that she wanted it, she got the others hooked right along with her. As early as seven I had to sleep with one eye open because she'd try and do it herself"

"I don't think I ever had a fried egg sandwich at midnight," Simon said, laughing.

"With ketchup and crispy bacon. You have to spread butter on the bread first, then ketchup, then you put the bacon on and the egg goes on top of it. The yolk has to be semisoft so it dribbles down your chin. The cocoa has to have marshmallows and be hot enough to melt the marshmallows. Trust me, you'll love it!" Fanny laughed.

"In the kitchen everyone! Billie, see if Grandma and Devin are in the garden. They love my fried egg sandwiches."