Distant Shores

"For us," he said, getting angry now.

Her smile was too bright to be real. "I picked a place for us to celebrate your new job. "

The sudden change in subject was their way of smoothing over the rough spots in their marriage. He could have stayed angry, forced a discussion, but what was the point? Birdie didnt fight back and there was nothing new to say. "Where?"

"Theres a bear camp in Alaska. A place where you fly in and stay in tents and watch the grizzly bears in their natural environment. I saw an interview with the owner--Laurence John--on the Travel Channel. "

He unwrapped the towel from his waist and slung it haphazardly across the edge of the bathtub. Naked, he turned and headed into the walk-in closet, where he grabbed a pair of underwear, stepped into them, and turned to her. "I thought you were going to say dinner at the Heathman and dancing in the Crystal Ballroom. "

She moved hesitantly toward him. He noticed that she was twisting her wedding ring--a nervous habit from way back. "I thought maybe if we could get away . . . have an adventure . . . "

He knew what she was thinking, and it wouldnt work. A new location was no more than a different stage upon which to act out the same old scenes, say the same old lines. Still, he touched her face gently, hoping his cynicism didnt show. There was nothing he hated more than hurting her, although shed grown so fragile in the past few years that protecting her emotions was an impossible task. "The bear camp sounds great. Do we get to share a sleeping bag?"

She smiled. "That can be arranged. "

He pulled her against him, holding her close. "Maybe we could celebrate right here in our own bed when I get home. "

"I could wear that Victorias Secret thing you got me. "

"I wont be able to concentrate all day. " He kissed her. It was long and sweet, a kiss full of promise. The kind of kiss hed almost forgotten. For a split second, he remembered how it used to be between them, back in the days when sex was unbelievably good. When spending the day in bed seemed like a perfect idea.

As he pulled back from her, he looked down into her beautiful, smiling face. Once, not all that long ago, theyd loved each other unconditionally. He missed those days, those emotions.

Maybe.

Maybe everything really could change for them today.

TWO

Traffic in Seattle was stop-and-go. Jack couldnt believe the number of cars on the freeway. The city was a study in gray, shrouded in mist, buttressed by concrete. Even Lake Union was rainy-day dull today. Every few minutes came the honk of a horn and the screech of rubber on wet pavement.

He loved the hustle and bustle of it all. The energy. It was the first time hed been in a city-on-the-go in a while. The tech industry had given Seattle a hipness, an edge that it never used to have.

He drove across the floating bridge. He hadnt been here in years, probably not since his college days at the University of Washington. The changes were amazing.

In the seventies, Bellevue had begun life as a bedroom community for commuters who wanted a rural lifestyle. Families settled in clumps, buying matching tri-level homes in cul-de-sacs with names like RainShadow Glen and Marvista Estates. Thick black asphalt had been rolled in four-lane strips from east to west and north to south. Before the streets had even dried, the strip malls popped up. Flat-topped, white-sided shoebox buildings that huddled beneath the neon glare of their own signage. For years, the suburb grew unchecked; by the late eighties, it looked like southern California.

Then the Internet exploded. Microsoft and Immunex moved into this sprawl of tract homes and suddenly a city was needed. A place that the growing number of hip, young millionaires could call home. The changes came as fast as the money did. Strip malls gave way to beautiful, themed shopping centers. Trendy restaurants offered alfresco dining on concrete, under umbrellaed tables. Barnes and Noble built a flagship superstore in the old bowling alley.

At the corner of Main Street and 106th stood an imposing and ornate building, a sleek combination of concrete and glass with a trendy rococo facade at the entrance. It was a perfect representation of the "new" Bellevue--expensive, brash, and trendy, with just enough atrium space to display its northwest roots.

Jack parked on the street out front. He sat in the quiet car for a minute, gathering his confidence, then he headed into the building. On the seventeenth floor, he quickly adjusted his silk tie--more out of habit than any real fashion sense--and stepped into the expansive brass and glass reception area.

He thought, Youre Jumpin Jack Flash. Theyd be lucky to get you; then walked up to the desk.

The receptionist smiled brightly. "May I help you?"

"Jackson Shore to see Mark Wilkerson. "

"One moment, please. " She picked up the phone and announced him. After she hung up, she said, "Have a seat. Someone will be with you shortly. "

He sat down on the sleek red leather sofa in the waiting room. A few moments later, a woman walked toward him. She was tall and thin--nice body. The gold jewelry at her throat glittered in the overhead fluorescent lighting. She offered her hand. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shore. Im Lori Hansen. My dad always said that you were the best quarterback the NFL ever had. Well, you and Joe, of co

urse. "

"Thank you. "

"This way, please. "