For His Little Girl

you ready to go?' he asked gently.

She shook her head. 'I shall never be ready to leave here,' she said wistfully. 'We were so happy.'

'Because we found each other.'

'Yes, and because we managed to shut the world out. It's as unreal here as Disneyland. When we leave-'

'It won't vanish. We have our own reality, and it'll come with us. We don't need places, just us. From now on we'll always be happy.'

'Always,' she whispered. 'I wonder what always will mean for us.''

'It means growing old and gray together, and loving each other through everything that happens.'

'And forgiving each other?'

'If that means you've forgiven me, then yes. But you could never do anything I needed to forgive. I know that everything about you is good and true.'

'Luke, there's something I-'

'Hush,'' he said, kissing her. 'What do we need to say? I love you. I will always love you, until the end of time. Tell me that you feel the same.'

'You know I do.'

'I want to hear you say it. I want you to say it often, for all the times you might have said it in the past and didn't because you knew I wasn't ready to hear. Say it, my darling.'

'I love you, Luke-'

'Until the end of time?'

'Yes,' she said huskily. 'Until the end of time-whenever that is.'

He brushed a stray lock of hair back with tender fingers. 'What a strange thing to say. Time will never end, just as we will never end.'

Suddenly she was clinging to him. 'Oh, Luke-Luke-'

'Darling, what is it?'

'Hold me. Don't let me go.'

She wanted to cry out, 'Don't let me go into that dark place that might take me away from you. I'm not ready-''

'I'll never let you go,' he promised.

She searched his face. 'Luke, you really do love me, don't you? You'll love me whatever happens?'

'Nothing could happen to make me stop loving you. Nothing at all.'

They drove back to Manhattan Beach in the late afternoon. At Pippa's suggestion they left collecting Josie until the following morning. She planned to use this final evening to explain things to Luke. All the way home she was working out how to tell him gently that in a few days she must have an operation that would either save her or not. And if not-she wouldn't think about that. They would come through this and have a future together. For a moment the wall of black ice was there again, barring her path. She covered her eyes with her hand, refusing to see it. In her newfound love and strength she would not admit that it could all be taken away.

The sun was setting as they reached home. 'Just time for a dip in the sea,' Luke said.

'All right.' She would tell him over supper.

Just as everything had been silver the night they'd swum in the pool, now everything was deep gold. The beach was emptying fast, the tide was out, and if they turned their backs to the land there was only the empty sea and the sky.

'It's like having the world to ourselves,' Luke said.

'If we could only keep it like this.' She sighed. 'With just Josie. Nobody else.'

'We will. We'll create our own place. We're lucky. I'll make it up to you, Pippa. You'll be the happiest woman alive. What is it?''

'Nothing,' she said quickly.

'You flinched. What did I say?'

'You imagined it. Let's go back.'

They began to walk slowly up the beach, hand in hand. At the last moment he stopped and turned, his arms around her waist, leaning back to look at her, golden in the light of the setting sun.

'You're beautiful,' he said. 'You've always been beautiful, but never so much as at this moment, my love.'

'My love,' she echoed softly. 'My love, oh, my love.'

'My love, as you've always been.' He drew her against him.

'Darling, people will see.'

'Let them. Everyone's crazy on this beach, anyway. Kiss me, Pippa. We have so much to make up for.'

Keeping his mouth on hers he took her hand and began to tread carefully up the rest of the beach. The few drifters who were out at that time of the evening parted, laughing, to let them pass. The sun was growing richer in color as it dipped to the horizon, and for a moment it seemed as though the whole world wanted to stop and gaze on this golden couple who walked in a golden light to a golden future. Whatever the secret was, it seemed as though they had cracked it.

Across the Strand, then up the walk to the doorway, still with his lips on hers, his body warm against her skin.

'Quickly,' he murmured. 'Let's get inside so that I can have my wicked way with you.'

'Mmm!'

Entranced by him, she failed to notice the two figures standing by Luke's door. And she was almost on top of them before she realized that it was Frank and Elly, their faces set in masks of frozen disapproval.

Chapter Eleven

'Frank, Elly,' Pippa whispered the words, 'how…how lovely to see you.'

'We were worried about you,' Elly said, putting her arms around Pippa. 'Darling, we have to talk-'

'Later,' Pippa said quickly. 'Let's get inside first.'

Luke opened the door, and when they were all inside he turned to Frank and Elly, smiling. It wasn't the moment he would have chosen to be interrupted, and they weren't his favorite people, but he was, as he said afterward in some bitterness, happy enough to greet the devil himself.

'We met before,' he said, taking Frank's unresponsive hand. 'I was at your wedding. Elly-' he embraced her '-good to see you looking so well.'

'We're all well,' Pippa said quickly. 'I've never felt better in my life. Now admit it, you two. Aren't I a big improvement on that pallid creature who left London?' She was talking too fast and in an unnatural voice, but she had to warn them off the dangerous subject.

'You've got a good color,' Frank conceded grudgingly.

'Good color!' Luke exclaimed indignantly. 'She looks great.' He planted another quick kiss on her cheek. 'Honey, put some coffee on while I-while I put something on.' He vanished hastily.

'Darling, are you mad?' Elly asked as soon as he'd gone. 'Staying here when your operation-'

'I'll be home for that. It's not until the end of this week.'

'You should be resting to be ready for it,' Frank almost shouted.

'Frank-please-you know why I came.'

'Yes, I do,' he said bitterly, 'some foolishness about Josie meeting her father-who's taken no interest in her since she was born.'

'That's not true. He's supported her.'

'But he's never bothered to meet her, or you wouldn't have needed to take this crazy trip, risking your life-'

'What was that?'

They all turned to see Luke standing in the door. He was wearing jeans, but his chest was still bare, and it was rising and falling as though he'd just received a shock and was finding it hard to breathe.

Oh, God! Pippa thought. Not like this. I never meant him to find out like this.