all shocked when he suddenly died just as I graduated from college.”
“Ah.” Nate seemed to be searching her eyes. “What plans of your own did his death force you to give up?”
Terri shook her head in wonder at his keen perception. “All of it. Everything. I was going to go through Europe with some girlfriends. Europe on two cents a day, that sort of thing. We were going to have wild affairs and...” She shrugged. “Dad needed me, so I returned. What about you? How’d you get involved with Kit?”
Nate ignored her subject-changing question. “How’s the sheriff connected to your dad’s partner?”
“Frank Cannon was Uncle Jake’s bad boy little brother. He was always getting into trouble. When I was a kid I thought Uncle Frank was wonderfully exciting. But Dad and Uncle Jake were always threatening to murder him if he didn’t straighten up. Finally, Uncle Jake said that since Frank knew so much about criminals, he should try to catch them. For once Uncle Frank listened and now he’s the sheriff of Summer Hill.”
“How did he—”
“Oh no, you don’t. It’s your turn. Tell me about your years with Kit Montgomery.”
Nate started to speak but the timer went off for the pizzas and he got up. “Shall we go to the dining room?”
“They have a rug in there that costs more than I made last year.”
They looked at each other and when a flash of lightning lit the room, they smiled. “I’ll get the towels,” Terri said and ran down the hall.
By silent agreement, they had decided to eat while sitting by the windows and looking out. They’d have to move some furniture and they’d have to cover the white upholstery in case food was dropped, but they could enjoy the storm.
When Terri returned with an armload of towels, Nate had moved two chairs in front of the big window. Terri covered the pristine surfaces while he sliced the first pizza.
Minutes later, they were seated in front of the window. The lights were off so there was only the hazy gray of the rain. They set their wineglasses on the sill, their plates on their laps.
“So tell me all,” Terri said. “Start when you went back to Dartmouth and majored in something besides beer. What I want to know is why you chose business. From what I’ve seen, you’re not a person who sits still.”
“Was that a compliment? I’m the guy you have to babysit. Remember? I squeal at live bait. I only eat off fine china. Never been on a boat that didn’t have a crew. I—”
“But I was right on most of it. Are you going to tell me about Kit or just whine that I misjudged little ol’ you? And by the way, I got the rugby smack on.”
Nate grinned. “You got a lot of it right. I majored in business because I have a natural aptitude for it. Ask me to add, subtract, multiply something.”
“Okay—2,782 times 671.”
“Mmm, 1,866,722.”
“I’m impressed. I guess. If you’re right.”
“I am,” he said, his mouth full. “How many houses do you look after and do they all leave food for you?”
“I look after many of them, but only about eighteen or twenty at a time. A lot of people leave things for me. It’s an enticement. A bribe to get me to spend time in their house. Empty houses get into trouble. A couple of years ago some of the kids who work here during the summer got hold of the keys and began using the cabins for...uh, parties.”
“That ol’ sex thing again, huh?”
“That’s right. If you’re so good at math, what made you run away with Kit?”
He looked out the window for a moment. “I think it was my mother introducing me to a very pretty girl.” He looked at her. “You ever have one of those moments when you can see the world with crystal clarity?”
“Yeah. At Uncle Jake’s funeral. When I saw my father crying and saying he couldn’t run this place alone, I knew what I had to do.”
Nodding, Nate looked back out the window. “That’s exactly how I felt. I could see my future. I looked into that girl’s eyes and I saw everything. I would go into business with my uncles, and in a couple of years I’d marry the girl standing in front of me. I could see three kids—it was like I even knew their names.” He took a breath. “I panicked. I don’t know why. It wasn’t as though what I envisioned was