about it.”

“I’m glad you stayed,” Leslie said, reaching for the eggs.

“Why?” Dev said quietly, her back still turned. She wasn’t playing games. She

really didn’t understand what difference it would make to Leslie.

“You’re handy in the kitchen.” Leslie held her breath, and as the silence

lengthened, she started to feel queasy.

Dev turned, a small smile curling the corners of her mouth. “You should see

what I can do with a set of tools.”

Leslie tried not to laugh, but the relief was so great she couldn’t help herself. If

she hadn’t known better, she’d have thought that Dev was ß irting. As it was,

just this little bit of foolish conversation made her feel better than she had in

days. “Well, you might be good with a wrench, but your sausage is burning.”

“Shit!” Dev spun back to the grill and frantically began turning the small links.

Leslie took another second to enjoy watching Dev move, graceful even as she

struggled to keep errant links from sliding off the grill onto the counter and ß

oor, and then started cracking eggs into a bowl.

Dev dumped the sausages that were done onto a platter. When she’d Þ nally

gone to bed the night before, not expecting to sleep, she’d been ambushed by

emotional and physical exhaustion. She’d fallen into a heavy dreamless sleep

from which she’d awakened feeling fuzzyheaded and clumsy. When she thought

about what had happened with Leslie by the lake, she’d been nearly as stunned

as she had the Þ rst time they’d kissed. Except that back then, she’d known for

a long time—although she hadn’t been willing to admit it—that she’d wanted to

kiss Leslie. Last night came out of nowhere.

“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 Þ

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 Þ 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 Þ 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. “SatisÞ 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 Þ 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

me take your suitcase.”

Eileen smiled, her face drawn and tired. “With pleasure. Thank you.”

“How’s your husband?”

“Doing very well.” Eileen grasped Dev’s arm. “Leslie tells me you’ve been

helping out around here every day. I can’t thank you enough.”

Uncomfortable, Dev glanced at Leslie but got only a small shrug and a smile, as

if to say, “Sorry, you’re on your own.”

“I really didn’t do that much, Mrs. Harris.”

“Well, you’re not going to be paying any rent on that cabin this summer,” Eileen

said Þ rmly.

Dev stopped abruptly. “Mrs. Harris, the Institute pays for my lodging, and I

most certainly want you to charge. What I did, I did because… ” Because

Leslie has always been more than just a friend.

Dev sensed Leslie watching her intently. “Because you and Leslie needed some

help, and it was no imposition at all. Please.”

• 136 •

WHEN DREAMS TREMBLE

“I’m not going to make you feel uncomfortable about it.” Eileen squeezed Dev’s

arm and started across the lot toward the lodge. “Now, Leslie tells me you’re

going out to the islands today.”

“Yes.”

“We usually make just the two runs, delivery and pickup, but I’m sure we can

arrange more frequent—”

“No,” Dev said quickly, “that’s Þ ne. I won’t need anything special.”