Silver Linings

face with both hands and smiled gently. “That's very sweet of you, and I will never forget this as long as I live, but it's not the right answer.”
    He went very still. “You got a better one?” he demanded fiercely. “Because I'm not letting you go, Mattie. And that's a fact.”
    “Aunt Charlotte and everyone else is right when they say you belong out here, Hugh. This is the home you've made for yourself. You overcame enormous odds to build a new life out here, and I want to be part of that new life.”
    “Here?” He stared at her. “You're saying you want to move to St. Gabe?”
    “I want to live in that beautiful house you're going to build, and I want to have your baby, and I want to start my own business here. And I want to do it all right now. So I am going to go back to Seattle on the first available plane and sell Sharpe Reaction. And then I will pack up all my belongings and move out here to St. Gabriel.”
    Hugh looked dazed. “But what kind of business are you going to build here?”
    “I'm not precisely sure yet, but I think there's going to be plenty of opportunity for an ex-gallery owner with ties to the West Coast artistic community. I've got a few dreams I'd like to try. I'm going to look into the possibility of starting an artists' colony. A place where people like Shock Value Frederickson can come and get refreshed, maybe. For a price, of course.”
    “You're going to invite all your artsy-craftsy friends to come out here?” Hugh was clearly appalled.
    “They'll spend money, Hugh. Lots of it. They'll love St. Gabriel. And they'll love the idea of a Pacific island art colony. And on the side I think I'll open a tourist-oriented boutique. I'll feature Silk's paintings for starters. And I think I can persuade Evangeline Dangerfield to move out here and set up a clothing design business. I can sell her creations alongside Silk's.”
    “The mind boggles.”
    “You've said yourself St. Gabriel is on the verge of getting discovered. I'll make a fortune selling stuff to the tourists while you clean up with Abbott Charters. Silk will made a bundle on his paintings, and Evangeline will be able to go into a whole new line of work. We'll all get rich, fat, and happy.”
    Hugh laughed softly, turned onto his back and pulled her down on top of him. “Life is never going to be dull with you, babe, I'll say that much.”
    “Hugh, the tide…”
    “Like I said, I can swim and I'll take care of you. Trust me, babe.”
    She smiled and bent down to kiss him full on his beautiful, sexy mouth. “I do.”
    “About time.”

    Charlotte Vailcourt closed the folder on her desk, leaned back in her executive chair, and looked at Hugh, who was standing at the window watching the people on the street below. “An excellent proposal, Hugh. You have a talent for organization and planning. I imagine it will stand you in good stead as you build Abbott Charters.”
    “I learned a lot from you, Charlotte. I appreciate it.”
    “You have more than repaid me.” She paused. “I would like to be able to call on you from time to time as we implement this security proposal. Are you going to be available for the occasional consultation?”
    “As long as it's occasional, I think I can manage to fit you into my schedule.”
    “Thank you,” Charlotte murmured with a smile. She glanced across the room to where Valor lay on black velvet in the display case. “And thank you for bringing back the sword. It is a fine blade, isn't it?”
    “If you like that kind of thing.”
    Charlotte smiled in genuine amusement. “Well, I don't suppose I need to worry about the legend attached to it any longer, do I? One way or another, it seems to have been fulfilled.” She gave Hugh an odd, speculative glance.
    Hugh shrugged. He was no longer interested in Valor . It was a good fighting tool that had been available when he needed it. That was all that mattered.
    “What's Mattie doing? Still packing?” Charlotte asked.
    “Today she went shopping for her trousseau with Evangeline.”
    “This should be interesting. I can't wait to see what she's bought under Evangeline's guidance. Imagine going shopping with a professional call girl.”
    “Ex-professional. Evangeline is a real businesswoman now. Mattie says she's bought an industrial-grade sewing machine and about half a million spools of thread to take out to St. Gabe with her. She's planning to ask Silk to design some fabric for her. You know, I think Silk's going to go crazy