week. But getting back to Mia. What do you think she’d like to do for her birthday?”
“If the weather is good, maybe we can go to the zoo and then have a little party for her at the house. We can invite Jill, Brian, and Olivia, and Rhys, Katya, and Vanessa. And I’m sure Sylvia would like to come. And Logan and Rafe, of course.”
“Sounds great. Okay, I’m off to bed,” Gabe said. “You coming?” he drawled, giving her a look that would melt an iceberg.
“I am,” Quinn replied softly, and wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her off the sofa and captured her lips in a kiss.
Later, once Gabe had fallen asleep, Quinn reached for the plastic bag on the nightstand. She usually fell asleep before her head hit the pillow, especially after making love, but tonight she felt strangely awake, her mind eager to learn more about Alice. She felt the familiar fog descend on her as an image of the Wilders’ farm replaced the shadows of the bedroom.
Chapter 10
“Hello. I’m Ben.”
He wasn’t classically handsome. His nose was a trifle too long and his eyes deep-set and slanted above sharp cheekbones. He was a big man, tall and broad, and his hands, which hung limply at his sides, were large and capable, the hands of a working man, the hands that had touched her and lifted her off the ground when she had been half dead. He grinned shyly, and Alice knew it to be a genuine smile, one that reached the eyes and made them glow with warmth.
“You were the one who found me,” Alice said. She hadn’t realized she was smiling, but the bewilderment she’d felt since waking receded, replaced by curiosity about this man who’d cared enough to bring her into his home and offer her shelter. “I’ve been christened Alice by Dr. Rosings,” she added, trying to make light of a situation that left her trembling with fear.
“I heard. It’s a lovely name,” he added. “How are you feeling?”
“Sick to my stomach,” she replied, focusing on the physical discomfort instead of the panic she was trying desperately to keep at bay. Hannah had offered to bring her some soup, but she couldn’t imagine eating anything. Not yet.
“I expect you’ll feel that way for a while. You probably swallowed a lot of seawater. Is there anything you need?”
Just someone to talk to, Alice thought, but she didn’t want to put him out. He probably had things to do. She couldn’t help noticing the calluses on his hands. A farmer, she guessed, or maybe a carpenter.
“I could bring you a book,” he offered. “Do you like to read?”
“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “I don’t know anything about myself,” she said in a small voice.
“Just think how exciting it will be to discover everything anew.”
“Will it? I suppose that’s one way of looking at it.”
He smiled again, a slow, warm smile that made her feel marginally less scared. “You survived. That’s all that matters.”
She tried to keep the tears at bay. Yes, she had survived, but what was she meant to do now? Where was she to go once she was strong enough to leave in a few days?
Ben shifted from foot to foot, watching her as if he could read her mind. “We’ll figure out who you are. I promise,” he said.
Alice nodded, unable to speak. How could he make such a promise? But it didn’t matter. Just knowing that he was willing to help her made her less afraid.
“Thank you,” she said, gazing into his dark-green eyes. “Thank you for helping me, Ben.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he said, his gaze warm on hers. “I’ll come back to check on you later.”
Alice watched him leave, her initial gratitude replaced by wariness. There had been obvious male interest in Ben’s gaze, but there had also been something else. If she had to put a name to it, she’d say he’d looked at her in a proprietary way.
Chapter 11
“Why did you bring her here?” Derek demanded, his eyes dark with anger. He’d finally returned in time for supper, having spent several hours making repairs to Widow Blanchette’s roof and helping her girls put the place back to rights after the storm, and then heading down to the beach to help the townspeople who were still hauling the dead out of the sea. Josh had told him about Alice as soon as Derek walked in, stopping him in his tracks. If Ben knew his brother, he