Silver Linings

me, Mattie. Not about that.”
    “I expect it's the stress,” she said with forced calm. “It has odd and unpredictable effects on people.”
    “Stress? Don't give me that. Do you city people blame everything on stress these days? Even a little old-fashioned lust?”
    “I suppose you never suffer from stress?” she muttered, moving several feet away from him. She sat down again, pulled her knees up under her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs.
    “I don't know. I don't think too much about it.”
    “But lust, on the other hand, is something you do understand, right?”
    Hugh started to answer with what looked like an automatic yes and then paused, obviously sensing a trap. “Babe, let's not argue over this,” he said with surprising gentleness. “I can see you're kind of on edge. I didn't mean to rush you. If you want to talk a little first, that's all right with me. I mean, I know women like to talk about things; to communicate . Paul always said…Never mind. It's been a long time since we've seen each other. You probably just feel a little shy, that's all.”
    “No kidding.” Her voice dripped sarcasm.
    “Hey, it's okay, babe. We've got all day. We can't go anywhere until tonight. Why don't we just sit here and sort of get comfortable with each other again?”
    “Oh, my God.” Mattie nearly choked. Hugh Abbott trying to be modern and sensitive was too much to take. “Ariel was right. You're hopeless.”
    “Ariel? What the hell has she got to do with this?” Hugh demanded, clearly annoyed.
    “You remember my sister, Ariel, don't you, Hugh? You were engaged to her for a couple of months last year. Don't tell me it's slipped your mind. You met her in Italy when she went there to tour the galleries. You two ate pasta, drank cheap red wine, and did kinky things in famous fountains at three in the morning. Then you returned to Seattle with her. The two of you told everyone you were engaged. Does any of that sound vaguely familiar?”
    Hugh groaned. “Ariel was a mistake.”
    “I'm aware of that. I believe I mentioned the fact to you a year ago.”
    “Yeah, you did.”
    “She's married again, you know. Her second husband is a man named Flynn Grafton. He's very nice. An artist.”
    “Charlotte said something about it,” Hugh muttered, not showing any great interest in the matter. “Look, Mattie, I don't want to talk about Ariel.”
    “I do,” Mattie said with sudden violence. “I want to know why you fell in love with her and planned to marry her when it was obvious she was all wrong for you. I want to know why you didn't notice me until I threw myself at you, and even then you didn't bother to catch me.”
    “Forget Ariel. That was a year ago and I've already told you it was a mistake.”
    “And I was another mistake, wasn't I, Hugh? Do you make mistakes like those a lot?”
    “Not often enough to be convenient,” he shot back. “Damn it, you aren't the only one who's had a hard year. I haven't been with another woman since you, Mattie.”
    “You expect me to believe that?”
    “Believe what you damn well want to believe. You're really spoiling for a fight, aren't you?” Hugh leaned his head back against the stone and stared out at the sea. “Want to tell my why?”
    She bit her lip, horrified to realize how close she was to losing her self-control. It was so unlike her; so alien to her personality. She never made scenes; never screamed at a man; never embarrassed herself with outrageous behavior. A woman like Ariel could get away with that sort of thing. Mattie did not even want to try.
    Mattie had been the calm, controlled one in the family for as long as she could remember. The only time she had ever lost her common sense and abandoned herself was a year ago with Hugh Abbott, and she had regretted it ever since. She made it a point not to repeat mistakes.
    “Forget it,” she said brusquely. “I'm sorry I brought the subject up. I know we're trapped here together until we can get off this island. There's no sense quarreling.”
    “Why?”
    She scowled at him. “I told you why. Because we're stuck in this cave, and we have to work together until we can get out of here.”
    “I'm not talking about that. Don't worry, I'll get you off the island. I'm talking about why you want to bring up Ariel and the past and fling them both in my face.”
    At that point Mattie did something she never did. She lost her temper. “Maybe because I want to make certain I don't make a fool