princess。〃 〃Flattery will get you nowhere。〃 She hoped； prayed it was so。 By way of diversion； she eyed the stove。 〃Bacon； eggs； home fries？ You"re going to eat all that？〃 〃With your help。〃 〃Ohhhh； no。 After a breakfast like that I"d barely be able to keep my eyes open。 I have too many things to do…〃 〃…for which you need energy。 And； anyway；〃 he called over his shoulder as he turned the bacon； 〃if you don"t eat breakfasts like this； why such a full stock of goodies？ Lee"s refrigerator was bare。〃 〃So that"s it； huh？〃 she asked； eyes narrowing。 〃You"re starved and my old buddy Lee couldn"t help you out？〃 She chuckled。 〃Lee eats out。 A lot。〃 〃Here？〃 〃Do you see him here now？〃 she shot back。 〃haven"t seen him today； period。 He"s not upstairs； is he？〃 Shaking her head； she turned toward the large bay window； whose broad seat was her favorite perch。 〃That doesn"t deserve an answer。〃 Sipping her coffee； she spoke absently。 〃As for the state of my ice box； I eat in。 A lot。 Eggs make terrific dinner omelets； bacon a great BLT； and potatoes are most definitely to be baked； then scooped； mashed with a little Parmesan cheese and cream； restuffed； dotted with butter； and broiled until delicately browned on top。〃 The silence that followed her recitation was enough to get her to look back。 Ross"s expression was one of amused astonishment。 〃You must have memorized the cookbook。〃 〃No。 I just happen to like my potatoes that way； and I do it a lot。〃 Ross leaned back against the counter； arms folded across his chest。 〃Would you make them like that for me some time…maybe with a few lamb chops； some fresh broccoli； a little wine？〃 He looked dangerous； newly showered and wearing jeans and a black turtleneck sweater。 But Chloe had taken a vow of indifference。 He"s just a friend； she told herself； no different from Lee。 Calmly enough； she said； 〃I make a meal of the potatoes。 If you"d like to do up the rest； be my guest。〃 She settled on the window seat and looked out at the beach。 〃It"s another beautiful day。〃 〃Uh…huh。〃 His voice was muffled。 He had turned back to his cooking。 Chlo soon he was addressing her again。 〃Sleep well？〃 〃Not bad。〃 Once she had fallen asleep。 〃How about you？〃 He had turned to reach for plates from the cupboard。 〃About the same。〃 It was an odd choice of words； she mused； unless she was so transparent that he could see her thoughts。 If there was smugness on his face； though； she couldn"t see it。 He was cooking。 All she saw was his back。 There was a full head of thick and vibrant dark hair； a torso whose firmness was shown off by the snug fit of his sweater； a pair of lean denim hips and long； sturdy legs； not to mention well…worn leather boots。 She took a deep； steadying breath。 If he had dressed to kill on purpose； she could resist。 She wasn"t buying what he had to offer。 She wasn"t。 〃All set？〃 Grinning； he placed two brimming plates on the table。 When she gaped at hers in dismay； he added a gentle； 〃Don"t worry。 Whatever you can"t finish； I will。〃 She pushed away from the window seat with a grimace。 〃You"d better get started then。 I"m nearly finished。〃 She held up her drained coffee cup。 〃This is all I usually have； with a slice of toast or a muffin。〃 Still； she took a seat opposite him。 She stared at the plate； decided that the eggs looked pretty good； and took a bite。 〃Do the people you work with know about your past？〃 Her eyes flew to his； warning； then haunted。 She gave him a wan smile。 〃You make it sound lurid。〃 She pushed home fries around her plate。 〃They know where I e from…some even know that I had a sister。 Lee knows most of the story。 But the lovely thing about my life here is that the people I know see me for what I am today。 It"s easier not having to constantly contend with the past。〃 Ross seemed puzzled。 〃Why do you assume you"d have to do that anywhere？ It"s been eleven years； Chloe。 The world goes on。 People accept change。 You seem to be the only one who can"t move on。〃 Chloe set down her fork。 She took an angry breath。 〃I look in the mirror。〃 rooted in the present。 There were reports to read； studies to review； proposals to consider。 The more she worked； the better she felt。 For the first time since having done the lab work earlier that week； she studied the sediment analysis of samples taken along an increasingly unstable portion of the Cape Cod National Seashore。 〃Problems？〃 This from Debbie Walker； who popped her head in shortly after eleven。 〃Hi； Deb。 e on in。〃 She smiled at her petite； sandy…haired associate。 〃It"s the Cape analysis。 I was just studying the results of the work I did last week。 I have the grain sizes of the sand pretty much divided by sections。 Boy； they really botched it。〃 〃〃They" being the people who put that parking lot so close to the cliff。？〃 Chloe sighed。 〃It"s begun to erode already； and the locals want to sue。 According to my calculations； they have a case。〃 〃Will you be called in to testify？〃 〃I"m not sure。 I have to work this report up into some kind of written form。 Depending on what happens when they read it； whether or not the matter can be settled first； it may not make it to court。〃 She sat back。 〃It"s a shame that we seem to learn things after the fact。 If only those developers had gotten a geologist to advise them at the start。〃 Debbie smiled。 〃You make a good crusader。 I wish I could present my case as well as you do。〃 〃I wish I could handle those puters as well as you do；〃 Chloe returned。 〃e on。 Let"s take a look at your statistics。〃 They spent the next half hour reviewing the work Debbie had done。 Between them； they came up with a plan of attack on both the sinkhole in question and the people in a position to do something about it。 Suitably buoyed； and with her work cut out for her； Debbie left。 She was replaced moments later by a slightly groggy…looking Josh Anderson。 Chloe grinned。 〃Late night last night？〃 〃Don"t you know it；〃 Josh murmured。 〃But I have to discuss this curriculum guide with you。 If the preliminaries are all right； I"d like to work out more of the details。〃 Chloe"s arched brow