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."What did he do?"Nicole struggled to control her tears."Why would you think Max hasanything to do with it?""Only a woman deeply in love cries like that when a man walks out onher.""He's nothing to me.""Sure, and you're nothing to him.That's why he looked like someonehad just ripped out his heart and stomped on it."Nicole accepted a tissue from Helen and attempted 'to wipe away thetears, but they kept dripping like a leaky faucet."I thought.Oh,never mind.""You thought he might be in love with you, too?" "No." Nicole sighed."Yes.""Now we're getting somewhere." Helen began to pace the small area Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlbeside the bed."He does love you.Maybe he just doesn't know it yet.Like most men he needs a kick in the butt to make him think." Helensmiled."My late husband used to tell me a little story.Do you wantto hear it?"She didn't wait for Nicole to answer."Well, you see there were thesetwo bulls standing on top of a mountain looking down at a herd of cows.The young bull says, "Why don't we run down there and mount one?" Theold bull says, "Why don't we walk down and mount them all?"" Helenstarted to pace again."What do bulls have to do with me and Max?""Oh, nothing.Just that timing is important, and you can get more bytaking things slowly than rushing." She smiled at Nicole."Maybe Maxneeds to be forced down the mountain."She had no idea what Helen was talking about, but the smile and theglint in the older woman's eyes made her uneasy."I want to get up.Iwant my boots and jeans, and I want to go home.""Of course you do.I think the authorities are through questioningyou, but I'll find out.Then I'll call my pilot and have him fly youback to Montana today."HOME.HER HAVEN, her comfort zone.Home.The mere word gave her awarm fuzzy feeling, a sense of oneness with what was familiar.Home offered peace and shelter, and if her heart hadn't heeled Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlcompletely, the love freely offered by her father and friends helpedmake her days bearable.But even her father had finally become sick ofher long face, heavy sighs, seesawing moods and ill temper.He kickedher out of the house and told her to go stay on the mountain, and notcome back until she could behave like a normally functioning adult.Hiswords stung, but she knew he was right.She had to find some emotionalmiddle ground to deal with what she'd done and the vivid memories.Nights were the hardest.That was when she allowed herself to think ofwhat had happenedmand, of course, Max.He'd let her leave the islandwithout a word just a brotherly peck on the cheek and some inanecomment about taking care of herself.By the time she reached Montana,she was furious with him and herself.Despite her vow, she'd been afool once more.Parking the Jeep under the overhang of tree limbs, she climbed out andheaded down the trail to her private spot--the warm spring.It hadbeen almost two weeks since she'd left St.Thomas, and no matter howmuch she worked at forgetting Max, he would pop into her head when sheleast expected it.The memories had the power to wipe her out andleave her an emotional wreck.Her boot slipped on the pebble-strewn ledge, and she grabbed the sideof the cliff and pressed her face against cool rock, then closed hereyes and waited until her heart stopped hammering against her ribs, Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlShe'd never been careless before, no matter how distracted,"Her anger made her careful as she edged along.But she was puzzledby something and stopped to inspect the ledge.She noticed thesmattering of small rocks that had been pulled free from the cliff.Thewind usually swept the ledge clean of any rubble.She moved on,watching where she stepped and keeping her mind on what she wasdoing.More than anything she needed the serenity of her own little paradise.She jumped from the ledge to firm ground, then came to a halt, cockedher head and listened.For a moment she could have sworn she heardsounds of movement, but whatever it was it was gone now.She scrambleddown the slope, rounded the outcropping of boulders wedged into thecliff, then stopped in shock."Did you think I was going to let you just walk out of my life?""Max*." She couldn't believe it.He was standing no more than a fewfeet away.She noticed the blanket spread beside the pool, the picnicbasket, the bottle of wine and two glasses.But her gaze was only forhim."How? Why?""The how.well, I called your father a couple of days ago and toldhim I was coming, but didn't want you to know until I was here.He'sgood at keeping secrets." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlShe smiled."And lying his head off.""Yes.But so are JD, Penny and Reed.JD met me at the airport, Pennytook care of me at the lodge and packed the picnic, then Reed led me tothis place."Nicole bit her lip to keep from smiling."How did you know I'd comehere? How did you know my father would kick me out of the house?" Shewanted to touch him, to be held in his arms, but she was afraid tomove, afraid that this was just a figment of her imagination."I didn't.All Charlie was supposed to do was send you to themountain.It was JD and Penny who told me you'd head for your secretplace." He studied her carefully as he talked, happy to see that shelooked better than the last time he'd seen her.The strain and sadnesswere gone from her eyes, and there was color in her cheeksShe couldn't stand it any longer and asked, "Why are you here, Max?""Why? Fd think it was obvious." She scowled at him and he grinned."I must be getting dense.The last time I saw you, you were sending meaway without a backward glance.You let me leave thinking you didn'tcare." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html"Never that, Montana.I let you leave because I cared too damn much
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