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She arranged the contents of the picnic basket on the glass-topped dining room table while Nick built a fire Rafe had outdone hi dishes including a beautiful vegetable pate, curried potato salad studded with fresh green peas, cold asparagus spears dressed in hollandaise sauce, little savory pastries filled with shrier-flavored marinade There were also homemade pickles, Greek olives, and crusty bread fro the label of an exclusive Oregon vintner rounded out the menu Dessert consisted of tiny raspberry tarts

"Oh, my," she murmured appreciatively "This is lovely Absolutely spectacular And to think that I was going to fix a plain green salad for dinner Rafe is ah about Rafe," Nick said He struck a"Let's talk aboutthe wine"

"Well, I suppose I can give you that" She glanced at the label "It's a very nice wine"

"Thanks" He uncoiled to his feet, crossed the room, and took the bottle froh al for it"

"A dirty job, but soht"

He carried the pinot noir into the kitchen, found the corkscrew, and went to ith a few deft, econolasses He handed one of the glasses to her and raised his own in a small salute

"To Hannah and Rafe and the baby," he said

She slass to his "And to the end of the Harte-Madison feud May you all live long and happy lives"

He paused, the glass partway to his oodbye"

"I am, in a way" She took a sip of the wine "I've been in a strange place for the past few months--"

"Yeah, Eclipse Bay is a little weird, isn't it?"

"--but I think I've treaded water long enough"

"You're entitled to tread water for a while after you lose someone you love, you know"

"I know But Aunt Claudia would have been the first to tell et on with ht She turned away and opened a cupboard to select solass dishes she stored inside "Mind if I ask what that scene at the gallery was about today?"

"Any chance I can get aith asking, 'What scene?'"

"No" She looked at him over her shoulder as she took the plates out of the cupboard "But I suppose you could tell ainst the tiled counter and contelass for ato tell her, it was not going to be the whole truth and nothing but

"Jere buddies and friendly rivals in the old days here in Eclipse Bay Co dates with fast wohtly

"Fast women, sad to say, were always pretty scarce around Eclipse Bay"

"Too bad Go on, what happened with you and Jeremy?"

"We had some adventures Got into soe and we both wound up working in Portland He took a position as an instructor at a college there and I dutifully tried to fulfill ations at Harte Investments And then--"