Leslie started making a list. “Because I’m supposed to get most of them
tomorrow afternoon, and that’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“You know, I don’t remember you being such a pain in the ass,”
Leslie muttered.
“Neither were you.”
Leslie gave her a sidelong glare, but she smiled. “My father’s going to be
operated on tomorrow and I’ll need to stay with my mother in the morning.
Then I have to deal with this place.”
“My schedule’s ? exible. I can keep an eye on things here.”
“You must have your own work to do.”
“I was going out to the islands the day after tomorrow, but I can postpone that a
few days. I’ve got plenty of work to do around here.”
Dev got up to ? nish slicing the leftover ham. “At least until things are more
settled with your dad. I don’t mind, really.”
Leslie sighed. “It would help a lot.”
“One stipulation.”
“I don’t usually make deals.” Leslie folded her arms and regarded Dev
appraisingly. “But I suppose you can try.”
Dev leaned against the counter and met Leslie’s gaze steadily.
Seeing the calculation and unmistakable power in Leslie’s eyes, Dev
appreciated for the ? rst time that this was not the woman of her memories.
Like Dev, Leslie had changed. Every now and then Dev caught a glimpse of the
girl she had known, when a little bit of humor broke through her steely control or
when compassion softened her unyielding reserve. When they’d been young,
Dev had been attracted to Leslie’s softness and her gentle innocence. Now she
found her strength every bit as appealing, if quite a bit more irritating.
“You get the tests tomorrow,” Dev said.
• 100 •
WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE
“Dev—” Leslie started to protest, exasperated, then considered how much help
Dev had been. And how much her concern touched her.
“Okay, look. If I can, I will.”
“Good enough.” Dev opened the refrigerator and slid the tray of sliced meat
onto the bottom shelf. “I was thinking of scrambled eggs and the rest of this ham
for breakfast. What do you think?”
Leslie laughed. “I think you’re crazy.”
Dev grinned. “See? Some things don’t change.”
v
As Leslie undressed for bed, too tired even to shower, she remembered the
conversation in the kitchen.
Some things don’t change.
She marveled at just how much everything had changed. How much Dev,
especially, had changed. Dev was so much less angry now, and sure of herself in
ways she’d never been as a teenager. Physically, she moved with con? dence,
and she clearly owned her sexuality. It didn’t take seeing her with Natalie to
know that. The image of Dev standing in the kitchen just hours ago with that
foolish apron slung around her muscular hips or sprawled in a chair on the porch
with a cup of coffee in her hand gave Leslie a hungry feeling in the pit of her
stomach. Dev was sexy without even trying.
But then, she’d always been sexy, although Leslie hadn’t consciously
acknowledged that. Looking back, she appreciated how intriguing Dev had
been as a teenager, with her dark moods and rebellious dress and refusal to
conform. She realized just how attracted she’d been to Dev and what she’d
done when awareness had crashed in upon her in one hot, wild instant. She ?
ushed with embarrassment.
Dev was far more forgiving of her actions back then than she was. There were
times like tonight when the burden of guilt felt as if it might crush her. As she lay
down, exhausted but too keyed up to close her eyes, she wondered who Dev
saw when she looked at her.
• 101 •
• 102 •
WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE
CHAPTER TWELVE
At ? ve thirty the next morning, Leslie made her way up the path to the lodge
just as the sun broke over the horizon.
She stopped before climbing the steps and turned to watch the morning dance
across the glassy surface of the lake. Orange and magenta streaked the sky and
re? ected off the blue water so brightly she shielded her eyes with one hand.
She’d seen it thousands of times growing up and hadn’t thought of the silent
beauty for years, but it hadn’t lost its power to enchant her.
“It never gets old, does it?” Dev said quietly from the shadows of the porch.
She walked forward to lean against the railing.
“I’m not sure why not,” Leslie said almost to herself. “Maybe because I’ve
never seen a painting or a photograph as beautiful.”
“No, it’s not something we can capture or re-create. I guess that makes it
special.” Dev watched as the emerging sun highlighted the angles and planes of
Leslie’s face that had not been there in the softness of youth. Her hair glinted
with gold; her eyes mirrored the crystal blue waters. She was beautiful now, as
she had been then, unique and familiar as the dawn.
Leslie hesitated on the top step, struck by the pensive note in Dev’s voice. The
expression on her face was hard to decipher. She looked a little sad, but her
eyes were warm as they caressed—that was how it felt, caressed—her. Leslie
shivered, unable to look away and not wanting Dev to, either. She hadn’t
expected to see Dev so early and wondered if Dev had gone back to her cabin
at all the night before.
Then she noticed that Dev had changed from her jeans and T-shirt into khaki
pants, a dark shirt, and work boots. She looked solid and steady and Leslie felt
oddly comforted.
• 103 •
RADCLY fFE
“You always did make me feel safe.”
When Dev jerked, Leslie realized she’d spoken aloud.
“Did I?” Dev asked quietly. “I always had the impression that everyone thought
I was kind of scary. Or maybe just a little crazy.”
“I never did. You know that.” Leslie wanted to tell her how she always felt
braver when she was with Dev. As if Dev’s differentness allowed Leslie to be
just a little bit different too. To be someone other than the girl all her friends and
even her parents expected her to be.
