Silver Linings

just sits around in his boat painting or else he sits in the Hellfire drinking.” Hugh sent the Jeep roaring out of town. “Once in a while he gets real lucky when some stray lady tourist wanders in and decides he's picturesque.”
    “I see.”
    Hugh slid her a dangerous sidelong glance. “Can't really blame the guy for thinking he'd gotten lucky this afternoon, can I? The way you behaved, it's no wonder.”
    “For heaven's sake. You make it sound like I went in there to pick him up,” Mattie said tightly.
    “Well, didn't you?”
    “No, I did not. I went in there to do business with the man.”
    “What the hell did you think you were doing wandering into a waterfront bar all by yourself and sitting down at the table of a complete stranger?” Hugh snapped. “Where's your common sense, Mattie?”
    “Stop acting as if what happened back there was all my fault.”
    “It was your fault. I told you that.”
    “Hugh, I don't want to hear another word about it, understand? I've told you before, I don't like listening to your little lectures. And while we're on the subject, there's something else I'd better mention. I'd rather you stopped telling everyone we're going to get married.”
    “Why? It's the truth.”
    “It is not the truth. We have no plans for marriage. You're only going to embarrass yourself if you go around telling everyone you're about to become a groom.”
    He took his attention off the narrow road just long enough to shoot her a searing look. “What the hell do you mean, we're not getting married? We got that all settled last night, damn it.”
    “We did not settle anything last night!” Mattie yelled back. “All we did last night was have sex together. If you will recall, we did that once before and it didn't end in marriage.”
    “Christ, woman, are you going to throw that in my face again?”
    “Yes, I am. You deserve it.” She braced herself on the window frame of the Jeep as Hugh slammed the vehicle to a halt. “Why are we stopping?”
    “Because we're in the middle of an argument and I want to give it my full attention.” Hugh swung around in the seat to confront her, one arm draped over the wheel, the other lying along the back of the seat. “Mattie, what's gotten into you? You knew I figured everything was okay between us this morning.”
    “I knew you were probably making some assumptions, but who am I to try to set you straight? You never listen to me.”
    “Give me a chance. Talk to me. Tell me why you won't marry me,” he said roughly.
    “Try it the other way, Hugh. Why should I marry you?”
    “Because you love me.”
    “Is that right?” She faced him with fury and passion now. “How do you know that for certain?”
    “I've always known it.” He looked exasperated and helpless in the way only a man can when caught in the middle of a dreaded relationship discussion. “Since that night we spent together a year ago. Before that, if you want to know the truth. I wasn't completely blind to the way you acted around me. You were always sort of anxious and uneasy.”
    “Stress.”
    “Don't give me the stress excuses. If I wasn't sure how you felt about me back then, I got a damn good idea during the past eight months when you deliberately avoided me every chance you got. You were afraid to see me because you knew the effect I'd have on you.”
    “Bull.”
    “And if there was any doubt left, you cleared it up last night. You wanted me, Mattie. Admit it, damn it. You wanted me.”
    “I don't know what came over me last night. I went a little crazy. It was the stress. It must have been.”
    “It was not the goddamned stress. You wanted me. You can't hide a thing like that.”
    “Wanting is not necessarily loving. You're old enough to know that.”
    “It is with you.”
    “You don't know that, damn you!” she shouted.
    “Mattie, babe, you're getting upset.”
    “Of course I'm upset. You're trying to tear my world apart again. I won't let you do it a second time, Hugh. It took me long enough to put myself back together last time. Do you hear me? I won't let you do it to me.”
    “Babe, listen to me. I've told you I'm sorry. I didn't know what the hell I was doing last time. I made a mistake. I've been regretting it ever since. But this time around things are going to be different.”
    “Are they?” she asked, almost viciously.
    “Damn right.”
    “ Prove it .”
    That stopped him for an instant. He looked blank. “What do you mean, prove it? How am I