“I appreciate you putting the brakes on last night,” Dev said without turning
around.
“Do you?” Leslie asked quietly. Although she was actually happy that Dev
wasn’t angry about her abrupt retreat, she wasn’t entirely certain she was
pleased that Dev didn’t mind just a little.
“Seeing you has brought up a lot of old stuff for me,” Dev said.
“I’ve been a little off my game the last week or so.”
“I’m sorry.”
Dev shook her head and turned to meet Leslie’s gaze. “It’s okay.
• 133 •
RADCLY fFE
It’s probably all been a good thing.” She grinned a little grimly. “I’m sure I’ll
think that, when I look back on it ten or twenty years from now.”
Leslie smiled wryly.
“If I’d been thinking clearly, Les,” Dev said, “I wouldn’t have put you in a
position of needing to say no.”
“Oh, Dev.” Leslie closed her eyes and shook her head. Then she opened them
up on a long sigh. “At least at this point in our lives, let’s agree that no more
apologies are needed between us.”
“Okay,” Dev said softly. “Your eggs are done.”
v
Natalie followed the scent of breakfast through the dining room, where one early
riser sat sipping coffee and reading the newspaper.
She stopped just inside the kitchen door to take in the sight of Dev and Leslie ?
lling stainless steel warming pans with mountains of eggs, sausage, and biscuits.
Both women looked pale and tired, but also oddly at ease as they moved
around one another with ladles and skillets. Natalie couldn’t put her ? nger on
exactly what it was, but Dev and Leslie seemed in sync—connected. Now that
was a thought she didn’t want to dwell on.
“Boy, is my timing perfect,” Natalie said, shrugging off the discomforting
sensation.
Dev greeted her with a smile. “Hey! I thought you were tied up today.”
“Good morning,” Leslie said evenly.
“Hi, Leslie.” Natalie turned to Dev. “I am. Meetings all damn day.
I’ll be brain dead by two. But I brought your gear and the permits over in case
you decided to go out to the islands today on schedule.”
“Thanks. I…” Dev glanced at Leslie, who seemed to be busy sliding the trays
onto a cart. As much as she wanted to be available to help Leslie and her
mother, she needed some distance from Leslie.
She still felt shaky from the night before, and Leslie didn’t look like she’d had a
very good night either. Even thought they’d made a peace of sorts, Leslie had
enough to deal with without the constant stress of having Dev around.
“I probably will head over if you can ? nd someone to ferry me.”
• 134 •
WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE
“I think Jimmy can do it. I’ll call him,” Natalie said, referring to one of the park
rangers. “I know he’s out on patrol and then he has to check on the campers
who came in overnight, but—”
“I can take you over, Dev,” Leslie said. “As long as you can wait until ten. I told
my mother I’d pick her up around nine.”
“You don’t need to do that, Les,” Dev said.
“No, really,” Natalie interjected. “I’m sure I can—”
“You’re a guest here, Dev,” Leslie said, ignoring Natalie as she bumped the
swinging door open with the front end of the cart. “Part of our service is taking
campers to the islands. I’ll call you as soon as I’m back from the hospital.”
The door closed behind her with a resounding thump.
“Well,” Natalie said, grinning at Dev. “I guess that’s settled, then.”
Dev frowned at the door, then muttered, “She’s got enough to do without
playing ferry master.”
“How’s her dad?” Natalie inquired. Leslie wasn’t her type—a bit too polished
and a bit too lethally beautiful, but she admired her spine. Under slightly different
circumstances she could see them being friends.
“He’s apparently doing really well. He might be home in a few days.”
“That’s great.” Natalie liked both Eileen and Paul Harris, and she was pleased
by the news. She was also happy because a quicker recovery for Leslie’s father
would mean Leslie’s visit might be shorter.
Natalie was sure there was more to the history between Leslie and Dev than
Dev had told her, because Dev always looked a little unhappy when she was
around Leslie. A little unhappy and a little hurt, both of which bothered Natalie a
great deal. “Make sure you take one of the two-ways so you can contact the
Harrises if you need to. They can get a message to me if there’s anything you
need or if there’s a problem.”
“It’s pretty civilized out there,” Dev said with a smile. “I don’t expect I’ll need to
send an SOS.”
“Maybe so,” Natalie said seriously, “but you’ll be a mile out in the middle of a
whole hell of a lot of water on a little bitty piece of land. If there’s trouble, you
can’t swim back and there’s no phone.”
Dev nodded. “I know. I’ll make sure I’ve got everything.” She tilted her head
and grinned at Natalie. “Satis? ed?”
• 135 •
RADCLY fFE
Natalie slid a step closer and stroked Dev’s upper arm. “Not yet.
But I’m ever hopeful.”
The door swung inward, and Leslie hurried through. She glanced at Dev and
Natalie, honed in on the position of Natalie’s hand and the way Natalie leaned
into Dev, and quickly looked away. “I need more plates.”
Natalie didn’t move or take her gaze off Dev’s face, but Dev eased back and
lifted a stack of dishes.
“Got them right here.”
Leslie turned on her heel and marched out. Dev followed in her wake as Natalie
laughed softly.
v
Dev drove to the lab and made sure Arno had plenty of work to keep him busy
for the next week. Then she took care of some correspondence, backed up her
laptop to an external server, and ? nally loaded two plastic waterproof crates
with the equipment she’d need for her work on the island. After carrying
everything down to her truck, she made a stop for supplies, then drove back to
the lodge. She pulled in just behind Leslie and her mother.
“Good morning,” Dev said to Eileen as she climbed out of the truck. “Here, let
