SINGLE WHITE VAMPIRE Page 0,39

hadn't been either of these. Had it been Kate crying out in pain? he wondered, feeling himself tense. Was she being attacked by some madman who was even now destroying his kitchen?

"Rahhhh-cksanne!"

Lucern's eyes dilated in horror as the screechy voice sounded again, dragging along his nerves like nails on a chalkboard. Dear God, it was Kate attempting to sing.

He fell back with a grunt of disgust, exhaustion overwhelming him. He hadn't got to sleep until dawn. He was not ready to wake up yet.

"Roxanne!" the screech persisted.

It seemed Kate was ready for him to wake up, however.

Muttering under his breath, Lucern rose and stumbled into the shower. There he attempted to wake himself up and wash his bad mood away. He kept telling himself that he was getting rid of her today; he could sleep after that. It didn't help much. He was feeling incredibly grumpy as he staggered downstairs.

Kate heard Lucern on the steps and stopped singing. Whirling toward the stove, she grabbed pot holders, whipped the door open and quickly began retrieving breakfast. She was just setting the plate of hash browns on the table when he came into the kitchen.

"Good morning!" she sang cheerfully.

Lucern winced and groaned; then his gaze settled on the table, and some of the grouchiness left his expression, replaced by surprise. "Did you make all this?"

"Yes," Kate breathed. She gave a sigh of relief. He wasn't going to be too terribly difficult about her waking him up. Just a little difficult. "Sit down and eat before it gets cold."

He sat and surveyed the offerings, then finally dug in. Kate poured coffee for them both, then joined him to eat. She allowed Lucern to eat in peace, deciding that she would broach the subject of doing an interview after he was full and happy.

Much to her surprise, however, she didn't end up having to.

When Lucern had finished his meal and pushed his plate away, Kate stood and grabbed the coffee pot to refill both their cups. She was working out what she would say as she set the pot back when Lucern suddenly said: "One event."

Kate turned back to the table in confusion. "One event?"

Lucern nodded. "If it's the only way to get rid of you, Kate C. Leever, I'll agree to one publicity thing."

"Really?" She tried to still the hope that leapt inside her. She waited for the catch.

"Yes. But this is the deal. I do the one event. One only. After that you have to let me alone."

"Okay," she agreed.

Lucern eyed her suspiciously. "You won't call and harass me anymore? No express letters? No camping on my doorstep?"

"No. I promise," Kate said solemnly.

"Very well." He sighed. "One eventpreferably the R.T. thing my mother mentioned."

Kate's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "The R.T. thing?"

"Yes. Would my doing that keep your bosses happy?"

"Oh, yes," Kate breathed, hardly able to believe her luck. She'd mentioned the conference to Marguerite at the wedding, and admitted that she wished she could convince Lucern to attend, but she'd never guessed he would agree. It seemed the woman had taken up the cause. Kate decided she loved Marguerite Argeneau. Marguerite was a wonderful woman.

"Good. Then arrange it. I'll do the R.T. interview. Now, when are you going to leave me in peace?"

Kate glanced at the kitchen clock. It was almost noon. She had called earlier and found out there was a one-o'clock flight, a three-o'clock and a five-o'clock. She had thought she would have to take one of the later flights, and she still could if she wanted to spend more time with him. But then his words clicked. "Good. Then I'll do the R. T. interview." R.T. hadn't asked to do an interview yet. The only R.T. event was the conference. Had Lucern's mother led him astray? Deliberately?

"Er Luc, what exactly did your mother say about the R.T. thing?"

Her author shrugged. "She said, 'I suggest you tell her you'll do R.T.' She thought it was probably the best option for both of us."

"And that's all she said?" Kate asked carefully.

Lucern nodded, then added, "Oh, and she said it was a magazine."

Kate had to consider this. Marguerite had led her son astray all right, and the only reason she could imagine the other woman would do that was to try to help her. Kate felt a twinge of guilt.

A moment later, she let it go. Marguerite wouldn't do anything to harm her son. She must think he would go, too. And that it would be good for him.