It rolled instead of crashed. It caressed the shore instead of pounded. The clouds kept the sun from being overly warm, but he could still feel the effect of it on his face. Was this the same ocean, the same sunlight, the same air that had failed to ease him when he arrived? He shook his head and turned in the direction of his cottage. A good book, outside on the deck. That’s what he wanted to do. 118 www.samhainpublishing.com Sterling’s Reasons An hour later, he heard her moving the furniture from inside to outside but he pretended to be unaware and went into his cottage. He didn’t want to spoil the evening that she had evidently thought out so well. As he fixed himself a vodka martini, he found himself looking around the room. At first he had resented her touch here and there. He resented her coming in here and rearranging things, straightening up. But somehow now it all just seemed so natural. He walked to his closet to check his clothes. He hadn’t packed with any sense of logic when he had left D.C.
