Eclipse Bay

hit in the head with a ball peen hammer. It took him several seconds to recover. He spent the intervening time with his mouth open.
    “Married?” he finally managed. “Are you out of your mind? I tried it once, remember? It didn’t work.”
    “You’re going to have to bite that bullet again, sooner or later. You’ve put it off long enough. If you wait too much longer you’ll be so set in your ways you won’t be able to adjust to marriage.”
    “Since when did you become an expert on marriage?”
    “I’ve had some experience.”
    “You can say that again,” Rafe muttered. “For your information, I’m already set in my ways.”
    “Bullshit. You’re still young enough to be flexible.”
    The door on the back porch opened. Both men spun around so quickly that Rafe was sure they looked guilty of something.
    An ethereal-looking woman with a mane of fiery red curls stood in the opening.
    “Coffee’s ready,” Octavia Brightwell called cheerfully.
    Rafe did not hesitate. He noticed that Mitchell didn’t pause either. He figured his grandfather was just as relieved by the timely interruption as he was.
    Side by side, they went swiftly back along the path toward the house.

    Hannah slid her key into the front-door lock. “Not that you’ve got any reason to consider my opinion on the subject, but I liked Octavia.”
    Beside her Rafe shrugged. “So did I. So what? She’s still way too young for him. Gabe’s right. It’s embarrassing.”
    Hannah was amused. “That’s almost funny, coming from a Madison. No offense, but the men of your family aren’t known for feeling shy or awkward about their sex lives.”
    “It’s different when it’s your grandfather’s sex life,” Rafe said glumly.
    Hannah listened to the sound of dog claws prancing madly on the hardwood floor on the other side of the door. “Well, if it’s any consolation to you, Octavia told me that she and your grandfather are just friends. I believe her.”
    “Yeah?”
    She gave him a quick, searching glance as she opened the door. He had been in a strange mood since returning from the after-dinner walk in the garden. Rafe had never been an easy man to read, but now there was a dark, brooding aura emanating from him that had not been present earlier in the evening. She wondered what had been said between him and his grandfather.
    Winston bounced through the open door, torn as always, between the demands of professional dignity and blatant emotionalism.
    “Such a handsome dog.” She bent down to pat him. “The finest specimen of Schnauzerhood in the known universe.”
    Winston glowed.
    Rafe watched them with an expression of morbid interest. “He actually believes you when you say that, you know.”
    “So what? It’s true.” She stood back to allow Winston to trot across the porch and down the steps. The dog paused briefly to thrust his nose into Rafe’s hand, and then he disappeared discreetly into some bushes.
    Hannah reached around the edge of the door and flipped a light switch. “I’m probably going to kick myself for getting involved, but I feel compelled to ask. Did things go okay between you and your grandfather out there in the garden?”
    “Sure.” Rafe glided, uninvited, through the opening into the front hall.
    “I see.” She was not quite certain what to do with him now that he was inside her house.
    She held the door open for Winston. He pranced across the porch and into the hall. He headed straight for Rafe.
    Hannah closed the door and leaned back against it. Rafe crouched to scratch the dog’s ears. Winston promptly sat down and assumed a blissful expression.
    “There was the usual stuff,” Rafe said after a moment.
    “The usual stuff?”
    Rafe kept his attention on Winston, who was clearly ready, willing, and able to absorb an unlimited amount of it. “Mitchell reminded me that it wasn’t too late to join Madison Commercial.”
    “Ah, yes. The usual.” She straightened away from the door and walked into the kitchen. When in doubt, make a cup of tea. “And you gave him the usual response, no doubt.”
    “Well, sure. That’s how Mitchell and I communicate. He tells me what I should do, and I tell him I won’t do it. We understand each other perfectly.”
    “Aunt Isabel always said that you and your grandfather had problems from the day you hit puberty because the two of you were so much alike.” She filled the kettle and set it on the stove.
    “I’ve heard that theory before.” Rafe gave