Distant Shores

"Elizabeth?"

There was no answer.

The front door opened onto a small entry area. To the left was the living room, to the right, the kitchen. Both rooms were empty. He walked down the middle of the house, past the dining room--Had he told her how good the doors looked?--and headed up to their bedroom.

She stood at the French doors, with her back to him. She touched the windowpane with her finger. Light from the bedside lamp made her look almost ethereal. There was a sad wistfulness in her gaze, one he could see even in the pale lamplight.

"A penny for your thoughts," he said.

She spun around. When she saw him, she laughed. "You scared the shit out of me. "

"I caught an earlier flight. "

She glanced out to sea again. "That was lucky. "

Already hed lost her attention. But his news would get it back. He started to say something, but her voice stopped him.

"Its such a beautiful night. There are so many colors in the darkness. It makes me want to paint again. " She turned to look at him, finally. "I went to this meeting tonight, and--"

"I have a surprise. " It flashed through his mind that maybe he should do this differently . . . maybe give her the good news after a great dinner at LAuberge. But he couldnt wait. "Remember Warren Mitchell?"

She sighed softly, then said, "The horniest running back in New York? Of course I remember him. Hes what . . . a studio analyst for Fox now?"

"He was. He had a scare with his heart and decided he needed to change his life. When he tried to quit, the guys at Fox offered him a cushy one-hour, once-a-week gig. Sort of a sports talk show. "

"God knows we need more men talking about sports. "

Jack was taken aback by that. "This will be a whole new kind of show. Theyve contracted for twenty-six episodes. Theyll be filming in the Fox studio in New York, so no more traveling to the games and stuff. "

"Thats great for Warren. "

"And for us. "

"Us?"

He grinned. "Im going to cohost the show. "

"What?"

"Thats why I really went to New York. To audition. "

"You lied to me?"

She made it sound worse than it was. "I didnt want to disappoint you again. But this time I got the job. I wowed the network guys, honey. Think of it, well start over. Its almost like being young again. "

"Young again? What are you talking about?"

"Itll be great, youll see. Maybe well even hook up with some of the old gang. And well only be a few hours from D. C. Youll be able to take the train down to see the girls at school. "

"A few hours from D. C. ? What are you talking about?"

He winced. This was the tricky part. "We have to move to New York. "

"What?"

Guilt reared its ugly head. "I know I promised this would be the last move, but they offered me so much money you wouldnt believe it. I even got a new agent--a real Jerry Maguire type. Everything can be ours now. "

"Everything you want, you mean. " She was angry; there was no mistaking it. "You dont give two shits about what I want. Ive poured my heart and soul into this place. "