Summer in Eclipse Bay

bail one of you fine, upstanding, pillar-of-the-community Hartes out of jail. To say nothing of a Seaton."
    "If you're looking for undying gratitude, try the Yellow Pages." Jeremy put a cautious hand to his jaw.
    "One thing I really hate," Nick muttered, "is a guy who bails you out of jail and then gloats."
    "You two are going to look very colorful tomorrow," Rafe said, amused.
    "You know, neither of us is in the mood for this." Nick gave him a sour look. "The only thing we want from you right now is a lift back to the Total Eclipse so that we can pick up our cars. Think you can manage that without further comment?"
    "No," Rafe said. "You want a ride, you've got to put up with the witty remarks."
    Nick exchanged glances with Jeremy. "We could beat him up now or we could do it later."
    "I vote for later," Jeremy said. "To tell you the truth, I'm not really up for any more physical activity tonight."
    "Okay, later." Nick turned back to Rafe. "Drive."
    "My pleasure." Rafe led the way across the parking lot to where he had left Hannah's car.
    At that moment another vehicle swung into the lot, briefly dazzling Nick's eyes with its headlights. It came to an abrupt halt nearby. Octavia's fairy-tale coach.
    "The perfect end to a delightful evening," Nick said to no one in particular. "It just doesn't get any better than this, does it?"
    They all watched the door on the driver's side snap open. Octavia shot out of the front seat. Her red hair was a wild, fiery tangle in the yellow glow of the street lamp.
    "No," Rafe said. "It sure doesn't. Oh man, am I ever glad I'm not in your shoes, Nick. All I can say is good luck."
    Octavia rushed toward them around the hood of the white compact. She wore a gauzy, ankle-length, flower-patterned skirt and a snug-fitting tee shirt with a deeply scooped neckline. When Nick glanced down, he saw that she was wearing slippers. She had dressed in a hurry.
    "I just had a phone call from Hannah. Something about a tavern brawl. Tell me there's been some terrible mistake."
    "There's been a mistake, all right," Nick said. "You forgot to put on your shoes. You know, the importance of proper footwear is often overlooked."
    "Are you both all right?" she asked.
    "Sure," Nick said. "We're fine. Aren't we, Jeremy?"
    "We're fine," Jeremy said obligingly.
    "They're fine," Rafe assured her.
    Nick saw some of her tension ease. The slight shift in the set of her shoulders caused her breasts to move beneath the tee shirt. The thin cotton fabric clung briefly to her nipples and he realized that she was not wearing a bra.
    He was suddenly intensely aware of Rafe and Jeremy standing there with him. They were looking at her, just as he was. Probably also noticing that she wasn't wearing a bra.
    Annoyed, he yanked off his windbreaker and held it out to her. "Here. Better put this on. It's chilly out here."
    She frowned at the jacket, as if she'd never seen one before. He moved closer, putting himself between her and Jeremy and Rafe, and tugged the jacket forcibly around her shoulders. It was so large on her that it fell like a cape in front. He wasn't entirely satisfied, but at least her nipples were no longer visible.
    She ignored the jacket to glower at him. "What happened? How did the fight start?"
    "Eugene Woods started it," Nick said. He glanced at Jeremy. "Isn't that right?"
    "Definitely," Jeremy said. "Eugene Woods was the cause."
    Rafe nodded. "Eugene Woods."
    "You weren't even there when it happened, Rafe. How do you know?"
    "You got a situation involving Mean Eugene and Dickhead Dwayne and you know who started it," Rafe explained.
    "Just the way things are in Eclipse Bay," Nick said.
    Jeremy opened his mouth to give his two cents' worth. She hushed him with a raised palm and turned back to Nick.
    "What was the fight about?"
    Nick shrugged. "Bar fight. They happen. Jeremy and I were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
    Suspicion gleamed in her eyes. She turned to Jeremy.
    "Tavern brawls are sort of like whirlwinds and tornadoes," Jeremy said seriously. "Forces of nature. They erupt out of nowhere for no known cause."
    She moved on to Rafe. "Do I get an answer from you?"
    He held up both hands, palms out. Innocent as a lamb. "I wasn't there, remember?"
    She looked at Nick again.
    "Hey, it was your idea that I buy Jeremy a drink," he reminded her.
    She planted her hands on her hips. The movement parted the edges of the windbreaker and stretched the tee shirt across her unconfined breasts. "So this