Falling Awake

“One of the other instructors saw you two at a restaurant in town last night. She said it all looked very cozy.”
    Isabel put down her fork. “Why is everyone so concerned about my relationship with Ellis Cutler?”
    “So it is a relationship?”
    “Not the way you mean.” She picked up her teacup. “Not yet. But say, for the sake of argument, that it turns into the kind of relationship you’re talking about. What’s the problem? I would have thought you’d be thrilled for me.”

    “It’s obvious that he isn’t your type. You can’t blame me for being concerned.”
    “Why?”
    “Why, what?”
    Isabel finished munching the avocado slice and swallowed. “Why does everyone say that Ellis isn’t my type?”
    Tamsyn frowned, evidently baffled by the question. “He just isn’t, that’s all. It’s obvious.”
    “Not to me.”
    “Isabel, this is me, your good buddy Tamsyn, remember? I’ve known you since college. You’re the one who warned me not to marry Dixson and you’re the one who helped me get out of the marriage after I realized that you were right about him being abusive. I’m just trying to return the favor here.”
    “Don’t worry, Ellis is not an abusive man.”
    “You’re sure of that?”
    “Positive.” She reflected on the brief discussion she and Ellis had had concerning Vincent Scargill very late last night on the way home. He didn’t go into any great detail, but he promised to tell her the whole story today. “He’s got issues. Who doesn’t? But being cruel is not among them. And you don’t owe me any favors. In fact, I owe you for getting me this position here at Kyler.”
    “No, you don’t.”
    “I most certainly do. In case you weren’t aware of it, there are not a lot of career opportunities for folks in my line. Furthermore, I’m skating on thin ice, financially speaking. I needed thisjob very badly and you and Leila are the ones who talked Farrell into giving me a shot at it. So I owe you.”
    “The class on dreams will be hot. I’m sure of it.” Concern darkened Tamsyn’s expression. “What do you mean, you’re on thin ice financially? Are we talking serious debt?”
    “Sort of.”
    “I don’t understand. I thought you were getting a decent salary at the Center for Sleep Research. Leila and Farrell kept saying that it was such a relief to know you were financially secure at last.”
    Isabel cleared her throat. “I made some investments.”
    “Please tell me you didn’t do something stupid in the stock market.”
    “I’m not in the market.”
    “Did you buy a house?” Tamsyn looked relieved. “That’s usually a good investment. I’m sure you’ll be able to sell it.”
    “Not a house.”
    “Well, then?”
    “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not discuss it.”
    There was no way Tamsyn would understand about the furniture, she thought. Neither would Leila or Farrell or her parents. You didn’t buy several thousand dollars’ worth of furniture when you didn’t have a house or an apartment in which to put it.
    “All right, keep your big secret,” Tamsyn said. “But I’ve got to tell you, you’re just making me that much more nervous.”
    “Why?”

    “For Pete’s sake, you’re involved with a guy who drives a Maserati.”
    “So?”
    “So you have a long history of dating men who drive boring cars.”
    Isabel smiled in spite of herself. “You know, you’re right. I never thought of it like that.”
    Tamsyn flattened her hands on the table. “Pay attention here. You are hanging out with a man who has no visible means of support, drives a very expensive car, wears hand-tailored shirts and is so eccentric he wants to pay you to analyze his dreams. Does any of this worry you?”
    Isabel thought about that. “My life certainly has gotten a lot more exciting lately.”
    “This isn’t a joke. Speaking as your friend, I think you should be very careful when it comes to dealing with Ellis Cutler.”
    Isabel thought about that, too. Then she picked up her fork and attacked her partially eaten salad with sudden enthusiasm.
    “Too late,” she said. “There’s no going back.”

17
    h ardy’s death was no accident.” Ellis lounged against the railing of the inn room’s small balcony and watched the play of sunlight on the bay. “I’m almost certain.”
    Lawson pondered briefly on the other end of the phone connection. “Almost certain?”
    “I don’t have any proof. But if we’re talking coincidence here, it’s a big