Free When Next We Love by Heather Graham

of his manner. “It’s rough to try and take the place of a man like Richard Tremayne. Having your approval means a lot.”
    “Don’t take anyone’s place, John,” Leigh said, touched by the eager and personable young man. “Be yourself.”
    “Well,” Derek said, “now that this is all settled, let’s eat. I’m starving.”
    Leigh watched Derek with more curiosity than ever as he rose and began to serve them all from the various chafing dishes on the table. What was he up to? It was, she realized, possible that her elongated stay was simple happenstance, and that Derek would have invited his friends and associates over anyway. But for some reason she didn’t think so. It all had to do with a plan of his, and not knowing his motives made her very nervous.
    “Shouldn’t we all really be off the Island altogether?” she asked sweetly. “I understand these small islands can be very dangerous.”
    “This house has been here since ’thirty-eight,” Derek replied, equally amiable as he served her a portion of eggs Benedict. “She was built to withstand the weather—rain, wind, even flooding. We’re quite safe. You should know, Leigh. You never left Key West because of a storm.”
    She smiled vaguely and crunched into a strip of bacon. A point that had been bothering her suddenly came into sharp focus in her mind. Roger had said that Derek called him. When she had asked Derek to call her a cab, he had told her that the phones were dead. He was definitely up to something, and in all probability he had done the damage to her car!
    She never had to do anything on purpose to retaliate. He spoke her name, and she had become so engrossed in her thoughts that she started violently, consequently carrying out her earlier plan. She knocked Derek’s cup accidentally and the scalding brew indeed emptied into his lap.
    He yelped and jumped to his feet as the burning liquid drenched through material and hit flesh. Leigh rose too, horrified. She had never truly meant to hurt him.
    “Lord, Derek, I am so sorry!” she cried, chewing a knuckle with uncertainty. Should she try to help him mop up? She couldn’t! Not where the coffee had landed!
    “Accidents happen,” he replied dryly, but the tone of his voice told her two things. He didn’t think it was an accident at all, and he certainly didn’t intend to let it pass as one when he got hold of her alone. “Excuse me,” he said with clenched teeth, and she knew too that he really was in pain.
    She watched him helplessly as he strode from the room, miserable at the turn of events.
    “Hey, Leigh, sit!” Roger said sympathetically. He tossed his napkin on the table and stood himself. “I don’t think it’s all that bad. Don’t look so petrified!” He squeezed her shoulder as he passed her and left the room.
    Leigh sank back into her chair. She had lost all taste for breakfast.
    “I hear you’re an honest-to-God Conch,” John Haley said, tactfully changing the subject and attempting to dispel the gloom that had settled. “I didn’t know anyone was really born in Key West.”
    “Sure.” Leigh smiled in spite of herself. “Key West is an old settlement. There have been Conches for several hundred years. Where are you from?”
    “Midwest. A little town in the Nebraska corn country. I enjoy trips back home, but I like the South.” He grinned engagingly and Leigh decided he was a very attractive man. Site would enjoy spending time in his company. Thank goodness he and Roger had arrived.
    “I have a home in Atlanta, too, but you know that. I sent you an invitation to a party I had,” John continued.
    “Umm, I remember,” Leigh replied, surprised she could sound so cool and remote. “I really haven’t gone too far since … in the last year or so,” she corrected herself. “It was nice of you to have thought of me.”
    “It was a good party!” John chuckled. “Some of the costumes were terrific. We had one real beauty, a gorgeous creature, and I never