Two hours had passed in silence as Daniel sat on his couch, his mind in turmoil over what had been happening since Angie Ramirez set foot on Hope Island.  Before then, he’d thought that his life was finally coming together the way he’d been praying for.  He had a parish that he loved, many wonderful friends, and a beautiful, intelligent, passionate woman in his life.  And, to top it all off, he’d finally felt like his relationship with his father was beginning to grow closer.  Now, he felt like his life had been turned upside down.  Too many things had happened way too fast.  Everything seemed to be spinning out of control.

Yet, amidst the chaos, there was at least one thing that remained the same: Alex.  No matter what happened with Angie, or his parents, or his future, she would still be here, and he would still love her.  That thought reminded him of something Angie had told him to do.  He still hadn’t done it, and he had a sudden desire, a need to do it now.

Daniel hurried back down the hill, striding purposely to the Widow’s Walk.  He spied Alex cleaning tables and headed toward her.  Hearing his footsteps, she looked up, smiling when she saw it was him.  The smile faltered when she saw his expression.

“Is there something wrong, Daniel?”

“No, there’s just something that I need to tell you.”

“What?”

“Can we go up to your room?  I want to talk in private.”

Alex looked at him even more closely, puzzled by his behavior.  He seemed tense, but also excited.  She wondered what he had to tell her.  Obviously, it was important.  “Um, sure.  Let me just tell Molly.”

Alex disappeared into the kitchen.  His nerves on edge, Daniel began pacing until he realized what he was doing.  He then stopped, staring down at the counter top of the bar.  A few moments later, he looked up at the sound of the kitchen doors opening, meeting Alex’s gaze.  He followed her upstairs to her room.  Once the door was closed behind them, the minister began wandering around, looking at the items in the room, but not really seeing them.

“So . . . what did you need to tell me?” Alex asked.

Sending up a brief pray for strength, Daniel turned to her.  “As you know, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Angie, getting to know her and trying to help her cope with Rollie’s death.”

“Yes, I know.”  Alex was careful to keep her voice neutral, though the mention of Angie had stirred up a lot of feelings in her.  Though she hated to admit it, she was jealous of the time Daniel had been spending with the New Yorker.  She’d chastised herself over the feeling since she knew that Angie desperately needed a friend right now, but the jealousy remained.  Now, it appeared that whatever this important thing was that Daniel had to tell her, it involved Angie.

“Angie and Rollie were friends for years, since she was a child,” the minister continued.  “By what Angie has told me, they had a very special relationship.  They loved each other a great deal, but it was always platonic.  They were never involved romantically.  They were like family.  But there was something that Angie never told Rollie.  She never told him that, not only did she love him as a friend, she was in love with him.  She was afraid to tell him, and, now, she’ll never have the chance.  It’s tearing her up inside because never told him.”

Alex felt her jealousy fade away at what Daniel was saying.  She felt for Angie.  It would be a terrible thing to love someone, then forever lose the chance to tell them.

Alex’s thoughts dwelled on Angie for only a moment, for Daniel was approaching her, his eyes dark and intense.  He came up to within a few inches of her.

“I’m not going to make the same mistake,” he murmured.  He then cupped her face in his hands, eyes that had turned soft and oh so deep looking into hers.  “I love you, Alexandra Melissa Stone, with every part of my body and soul.  I will love you till the day I die and beyond.”

Alex’s breath drew in with a sharp gasp, then tears welled up in her eyes.  A bright smile filled her face.  “Oh, Daniel,” she whispered, feeling her heart fly up like a bird.  “I love you, too.”

A hopeful smile brightened Daniel’s face.  “You do?”

“Yes, very, very much.”

An instant later, she was in his arms, crushed against his body.  Daniel’s lips came down on hers, and, all at once, every kiss they’d shared before became like a tiny spark compared to the raging forest fire she was now experiencing.  Daniel’s mouth devoured hers, his tongue plundering her mouth with almost frightening hunger.  With a moan that seemed to come from the deepest part of her, Alex surrendered to the passion.  Pushing his tongue aside with her own, she thrust her way into his mouth, instantly addicted to the taste of him.  She swallowed his groan and gave back one of her own.  Their hands took up the frantic search, sliding over each other’s bodies with ever-increasing boldness.

Having no idea how they got there, Daniel and Alex found themselves on the bed, Daniel sitting on the edge, Alex in his lap, straddling his thighs.  Daniel clutched her more tightly and began ravishing her neck, placing hot, open-mouthed kisses down the long, smooth column.  Alex let out a low, deep moan and threw back her head, rubbing against him.  Her respiration was coming in shallow, rapid pants, her heart racing out of control.  Daniel could feel it thundering through the thin material that separated them.  He brought his mouth down to her chest just above where the material of her top began and placed a kiss over the wildly beating organ, claiming it for his own.  Alex moaned again and arched her back, pressing herself hard against him.

It was this that finally woke Daniel up to what was happening.  He desperately tried to bank the fires, to pull back from the bright abyss of desire that was calling to him.  With a monumental act of will, he succeeded.

“Alex,” he panted.  “We have to. . . .”  A groan punctuated his sentence as Alex took his earlobe into her mouth and began sucking on it.  He felt himself tilting over the edge again and hurriedly continued.  “We . . . have to s-slow down.”

Seemingly oblivious to his words.  Alex was now reaching between the buttons of his shirt to stroke his chest.  Daniel let out an almost painful groan and grabbed her wrist.  That, finally, got her attention.  She looked into the minister’s eyes, which were as black as coal and smoldering with desire.

“We have to slow down, Alex.  We can’t do this,” he told her, his voice strained and ragged.

“Why?” she asked, knowing only that she wanted to keep going, to feel and touch and taste all of him.  Never in her life had she felt such hunger, such passion, not even with Steve, not even on the night that Dylan was conceived.

It was that thought that awakened her to the reality of the situation and what going any further would mean for both of them.

“You know why,” Daniel said, his voice even deeper.  His body was trembling, and she realized that it was taking an enormous amount of willpower for him to stop what they were doing.

“Yes.  Yes, I do.”  She put a few inches between them.  “But I wish it wasn’t so.”

Daniel let out a long, shaky sigh, both in relief and in regret.  “I know.  A part of me does, too.”

Alex got off his lap and sat on the bed, putting some space between them. They glanced at each other awkwardly.

“Alex, I--” Daniel began, feeling like he needed to say something.

“No.  You don’t have to say anything, Daniel.  What just happened was incredible.  It felt so good.  But you’re right that we had to stop,” a slow smile curved her lips, “at least for now.”

Daniel smiled back at her and stroked her cheek.  “Yeah.  For now.”  He searched her face.  “Alex Stone, you are the most intoxicating woman I’ve ever met.”  His hand slid down to her jaw line, his thumb brushing across her lips.  “If the circumstances were different, I would be making love to you right now.”

“You bet you would, Daniel Cooper,” Alex shot back emphatically.

They both laughed, the sound a bit strained.

“So, what happens now?” Alex asked.

“We keep going like we were before, only I think the ‘taking it slow’ part isn’t going to work out so well.”

Alex giggled, a sound that made the minister grin.  “No, I don’t think it will,” she agreed and backed up her statement by leaning over and taking Daniel’s lips in a long, slow, deep kiss that made his head spin.  He pulled her up against him and deepened the kiss even more, exploring her mouth thoroughly, all the while fighting to keep things under control.

“This is not going to be easy,” he murmured against her lips as they surfaced for air.

“Oh, boy.  You got that right,” Alex agreed huskily, waging her own inner battle not to yank Daniel’s shirt off.

Regretfully, they pulled apart.

“So, how long did your courtship with Kate last?” Alex asked, trying to take her mind off her raging hormones.

“About three years.”

“Three years?  And I thought that Kevin was the only guy who’d wait that long to pop the question.”

“My father had something to do with it.  If he’d given his blessing to our relationship, Kate and I probably would have been married after a year.”  Daniel began running his hand up and down her arm.  “But things are different now.  I won’t let my father or his wishes control my life anymore.  I lost my chance to be with Kate.  I won’t do the same with you.”

Alex smiled.  “That’s good to know.”  She slid over and snuggled in under his chin.  Daniel’s hand started stroking up and down her back soothingly.  Giving a contented sigh, Alex closed her eyes and just let herself enjoy the sensation of being in his arms, feeling happier than she had in a long, long time.  Her happiness in finding love made her thoughts turn to the woman who had lost the man she loved.  “How’s Angie doing?” she asked.  “I haven’t asked you before, and I feel bad about that.”

“Better, though it’s going to be a very long time before she’s really healed.  She may never be fully healed.  What she felt for Rollie was . . . almost spiritual in its depth.  They shared a bond that only a very few are lucky enough to experience.  I hope that she’ll be able to move on and find love again, but I fear that may never happen.”  He sighed.  “I’ve been doing all I can, but I know that the only person who could truly make Angie a whole person again is Rollie.”

Alex felt empathy for the New Yorker, understanding her pain.  If she were to lose Daniel, it would be like someone tore her heart out.  “All you can do is keep trying to help her.  I think that you being Rollie’s brother is a big plus.”  She felt Daniel’s muscles tense slightly.  Lifting her head, she saw a troubled frown on his face.  “What?  What is it?”

He shook his head.  “You’d laugh if I told you.”

“Try me.”

Daniel removed his arms from around her and ran a hand through his hair.  “Well . . . Angie thinks that, um . . . that Rollie is trying to communicate to her through me.”

Alex’s eyebrows rose.  “You mean she thinks he’s a ghost?”

“No, not a ghost.  She said that maybe his spirit was trying to reach out to her from heaven.”

“And do you believe that?”

“I don’t know.  I don’t know what to think.”

“What made her believe this in the first place?”

“Um, some strange things have been happening.”

“Like what?”

Daniel didn’t reply right away, trying to decide how much to tell her.  In the end, he told her most of what had been happening, leaving out what he thought he saw in the mirror.  He also explained Angie’s ideas and beliefs about what was going on.

Alex was staring at him, wide-eyed.  “Wow.  That’s amazing.  So, Rollie’s communicating through you because you’re his twin brother.”  Her eyes drifted away.  “Wow.”

Daniel stared at her in astonishment.  “Wait a second.  You mean you believe in all this stuff?”

“Well, I don’t believe in things that ‘go bump in the night’, but I’m willing to believe, I’d like to believe, that people we’ve lost can reach out to us after death somehow.”  Seeing the shock that was still on Daniel’s face, she asked, “Why is it so hard for you to accept that I believe that?”

Daniel gave his head a little shake.  “I don’t know.  I guess I just thought of you as being too practical to believe in something so . . . intangible.”

Alex’s mouth quirked in a smile.  “Does this have something to do with the fact that I’m no longer religious?”

Daniel didn’t answer.  He only sat staring at his hands, which were resting on his legs.  She covered those hands with her own.

“Daniel, when I stopped believing in religion, I didn’t stop believing in everything that I could not see, hear or touch.  I know there are things out there that can’t possibly be explained, things beyond our senses.  I just don’t know if God, the god I was raised to believe in, has any part in them.”

“I guess this is something we’ve never really talked about, is it, what you believe in now,” Daniel said quietly.

“No, it’s not, and I guess we should.  Do I believe in God?  I don’t really know.  At one time, I did, but after my mom died, I was ready to say that there was no god or that, if there was, He didn’t care what happened to us.  But a lot of years have passed since then, and things have happened in my life, especially recently, that have made some of my feelings change.  I’ve fallen in love with a minister.  I’ve seen how deep his faith is, watched him perform miracles time and time again in this community.  I’ve seen him give my son something to believe in and bring him out of the shell that his father put him in.  It’s given me a new perspective on things.”  She pressed a finger to Daniel’s mouth when he started to speak.  “No, I’m not ready to go back to church, and I’m not ready to believe again in all the things I did as a child, but I’m no longer going to say that religion is a bad thing and that it’s something I could never, ever go back to.”

Daniel gave her a soft smile as he brushed back her hair.  “That’s good to hear.  It gives me hope.”

“That I’ll one day walk into your church on a Sunday morning and listen to your sermon?”

The minister nodded.  “Or, if not, that you’ll walk into Father Mac’s church and do the same.”

Alex smiled.  “Daniel, if that day ever comes, it won’t be Father Mac’s church that I go to.  I may have been raised a Catholic, but I have no loyalties to that faith.  I’ll want to be in the church that you are in.”

Daniel grinned.  “Even if I was a Buddhist monk?” he asked teasingly.

“If you were a Buddhist monk, we wouldn’t have been doing what we were doing a few minutes ago.”  She leaned closer.  “And I am very, very grateful that you’re not a monk, or a priest, or any of those other guys who are not allowed to do such things.”

Daniel pulled her against him.  “So am I,” he said fervently, following it up with a kiss.

“I really think I’m going to like speeding things up,” Alex murmured as their lips separated.

“Yeah, me too, even if it is going to be an extreme exercise in willpower not to let things progress beyond what we can allow them to.”

“Well, just think of it as character-building,” Alex said with a mischievous grin.

Daniel ran his fingers down the side of her neck.  “And will it be ‘character-building’ for you, too?” he asked in a low, sexy voice that made Alex’s heart leap about wildly.

“Daniel, I’ll be building so much character that you could make a skyscraper out of it,” she breathed.

Daniel chuckled low in his throat.  “I’ll build one right beside yours.”

Alex groaned and yanked Daniel against her.  Their mouths met in a fiery cataclysm of passion.  They were both gasping for air before they finally parted.  The minister took a deep, shaky breath.

“I think it might be a good idea if we both got out of here and back into the public eye,” he suggested.

“Yes, I think you’re right.  Are you hungry?  Will you be staying for dinner?”

“I ate a little of Angie’s pizza, but I am getting kind of hungry now.”

Alex grinned.  “Ah, yes.  Boris’s famous New York Style pizza.  He insisted that it had to be New York Style since Angie’s from New York.  He wanted her to feel at home.  I think Boris has personally given himself the duty of putting weight back on her.”

“Good.  She definitely needs it.  She’s still far too weak.  She went for a short walk today, and it proved too much for her.  We had been hoping that she’d be able to leave the clinic today, but the doctor thinks she’s not strong enough yet to be on her own.”

“She wouldn’t be on her own.  We’d take care of her here and make sure she’s okay.”

Daniel smiled in gratitude.  “Yeah, I know, but there’s the stairs to consider.  Also. . . .”

“What?”

“She had a nightmare about Rollie earlier today.  It was pretty bad.   I had to shake her out of it.  It concerned Doctor Watson.  She doesn’t want Angie to be alone.”

Alex nodded.  “So, she’ll have to keep staying at the clinic?”

“Yeah, there really isn’t another option, not one that would work for everyone.”

Alex studied the minister’s face, able to tell that he was keeping something back.  “What it is?  You’re leaving something out.”

“No, not really.  It was just an idea I had, but it wouldn’t work out.”

“What idea?”

“I, uh . . . had just considered the option of Angie staying at my place for a couple of days, just so that I could be there to watch over her.”  Not looking at Alex, he hastily added, “But Angie said it wouldn’t be a good idea, and she’s right.”

“Why”

Daniel flushed.  “Um . . . because, uhhh . . . because of you.”

Alex hid a smile, realizing what he was talking about.  “Ah, I see.”

Daniel looked up at her.  “I love you, and I don’t want anything to come between us, Alex.  I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.  Angie feels the same way.  She doesn’t want you to, well, you know.”

“Get jealous?”

Daniel nodded, feeling painfully embarrassed.

Alex’s smile finally broke free.  “I do so love you, Reverend Cooper.”

Her statement was rewarded with a smile from Daniel.  “And I love you, more than I could ever say.”

They came together in another long kiss, which was abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door.  Quickly pulling away from Daniel, Alex called for the person to enter.  Molly came in and halted just inside the doorway.  Her eyes took in the heightened color on the faces of the couple, their mussed clothing and hair.  It didn’t take much to figure out what they’d been doing.

Squashing her smile, Molly turned to the minister.  “Daniel, the doctor just called.  There’s a problem with Angie.  She told me to tell you it happened again, only it was a lot worse, whatever that means.”

“Oh no.”  Daniel stood and looked down at Alex.  “I need to go to her.  It sounds like it’s really bad this time.”

“Of course.”  Alex stood, a sudden thought coming to her.  “Can I join you?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess.  Sure.”

Alex turned to her best friend.  “Can you handle things here a while longer?”

“Sure, no problem,” Molly replied.

Daniel and Alex hurried over to the clinic.  As they walked in the door, they heard the terrible sound of gut-wrenching sobs.  Doctor Watson came up to them.

“She won’t talk to me,” she said.  “I can’t get her to tell me what the dream was about, though it was obviously about Rollie.  The way she was screaming his name. . . .”  The doctor shook her head.  “I can’t help her with this.  It’s beyond my training.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Daniel said.  He went into Angie’s room, Alex following a few feet behind.  They found Angie in the bed, curled up into a fetal position, face buried in her hands.  The sight sent Daniel’s heart plummeting into his stomach.  He quickly sat beside her.

“Angie?  Angie, it’s Daniel.”

With shocking speed, Angie hurled herself at him, clinging to him with such strength that it hurt.

“He was in pain.  He was hurting so much,” she cried.  “He was screaming my name, and I couldn’t help him.  I couldn’t save him.”

“Shh shh shhhh.  It was just a dream, Angie.  It wasn’t real.  Rollie didn’t suffer.  He didn’t feel any pain.”

Daniel continued to hold Angie for a long time, speaking to her soothingly, rocking her in his arms like one would an anguished child.  Watching them, Alex felt Daniel’s display of gentle, loving compassion touch her deeply.  There was not one shred of jealousy.  How could she be jealous when it was clear that what Daniel was giving to Angie was something to hold onto and the strength to overcome the grief that appeared to be eating her alive?  Yes, there was love.  She could see it on Daniel’s face.  But it was not the same kind of love that he felt toward Alex.  It was like something you’d feel toward family or a dear friend.  Alex would never have believed that such a relationship could develop so quickly, but there it was before her.  What was also obvious was that Angie desperately needed something that only Daniel could give her.  But there was something else that Alex was just now realizing.  Angie was giving to Daniel something that he craved, too.  She made him feel needed, that he was truly helping someone, that his life was fulfilling a purpose.  Alex made a promise to herself that she would let Daniel know that he was needed by many other people as well, particularly by her and Dylan.

Angie finally quieted, pulling away from the minister a little.  Daniel handed her the box of tissues, which she accepted gratefully.

“I’m sorry I went to pieces,” she mumbled.

“Hey.  No apologies,” Daniel scolded gently.  “If you want to fall to pieces, then you go right ahead and do so.  You just have to let me be there to pick up the pieces and put you back together again.”

“You mean like Humpty Dumpty?”

“Uh uh.  Remember, even all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put him back together.”

“Yeah, but you have much better glue.”  Angie looked up into his eyes.  “Thank you, Daniel.  Thank you for being here for me.”

“Well, that’s what friends are for, right?”  He turned and looked at Alex, wondering what her reaction to this was.  He found her looking at him, a warm smile in her eyes.

Angie noticed who Daniel was looking at and hastily put some distance between her and the minister, afraid that Alex would be upset.  “Alex.  I, uh. . . .”  Words failed her.

“Angie, don’t,” Alex said.  “I’m glad that Daniel’s able to help.”  Making a sudden decision, she looked over her shoulder at the doctor.  “Could you give us a minute?”

Lily nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.

“So, I understand that Daniel was thinking of having you stay with him for a couple of days, until you were well enough to go back to the Widow’s Walk,” Alex said.

Angie shook her head.  “He mentioned it, but that was all.  We’re not going to do that.  I’ll just stay here.”

“Hmm.  Well, it seems to me that you’d be more comfortable and a lot better off at Daniel’s.”

Angie and the minister stared at her, their mouths hanging open.  Alex almost laughed at the sight.  She did love surprising people.

“You . . . you mean you want Angie to stay with me?” Daniel asked, shocked.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that I want it, but I think it would be a good idea for Angie’s sake, and . . . and maybe for your sake, too.”

“But . . . but I thought that. . . .” Angie started, halting mid-sentence.

“That I’d be jealous,” Alex finished.  “You’d have been right.”  She looked at Daniel, smiling softly.  “But Daniel and I had a long . . . talk, and it made me feel better about a lot of things, especially our relationship.”

Angie looked back and forth between the redhead and the minister, seeing the same kind of smile on Daniel’s face.  “You told her,” she said.

“Yeah, I did,” Daniel admitted.

Angie nodded, feeling a tightness in her chest.  “Good.  I’m glad.”  At least Daniel would never have to live with the pain of those words left unspoken.

As if sensing her thoughts, Daniel turned to her.  “You’ll get to tell him, too, Angie, someday.”

Angie’s gaze dropped from his.  ‘But not soon enough,’ she thought, ‘not when it could have made a difference.’  But she wouldn’t say that to Daniel.

Feeling herself slipping back into depression, Angie forced positive thoughts into her mind.  She lifted her eyes to the couple.  “So, when’s the wedding?”

Two pairs of eyes widened in shock.

“Angie!  We’re not. . . .  I mean, things aren’t. . . .” Daniel stuttered.  “We’ve only been dating for a few months,” he finally managed to get out.

“And you’ve known each other for over a year.  What are you going to do, wait another year before you decide to make things official?  If Rollie was alive and he told me today that he loved me, I’d marry him tomorrow.  I wouldn’t want to wait one second to make him mine.”  She sighed sadly.  “But then, I had two years to think about how much I loved him and how much I wanted to be with him in that way, and I had sixteen years to get to know the kind of person he was.”  Angie smiled weakly.  “I guess I can let you two do a little catching up . . . but not much.”

Daniel grasped her hand in his, not really knowing what to say.  He glanced at Alex, whom he could tell was also at a loss for words.

It was Angie herself that broke the uncomfortable silence.  “It’s funny, actually.  I never used to be someone who was big on marriage.  Well, at least not since I got past my teens.  When I first met Rollie and got that big crush on him, I had dreams about us getting married and living happily ever after.”  She fell silent for a moment, thinking about the fact that her childhood dreams could never come true now.  “But after I grew up, I decided that marriage wasn’t for me.  I wanted a career and the freedom of a single life.  I felt that way up until the moment I realized that I was in love with Rollie.  Everything changed after that.  I wanted it all, marriage, kids, the whole nine yards, though I’m not so sure about the house with the white picket fence.  More than anything in the world, I wanted a family with him and to spend the rest of my life with him.”  She grew silent again, sorrow over what could never be taking hold.

Daniel’s grip on her hand tightened.  He spoke no words.  There were none he could say that would change things.

Several moments of silence passed before Alex spoke.  “So, when will you be moving into Daniel’s place?” she asked.

“Are you sure about this, Alex?” Angie asked, still not certain it was a good idea.

“Yes, I’m sure.”  Alex looked at the minister.  “I trust Daniel, and I trust the way we feel about each other.”  As soon as she said it, Alex realized that it was the first time she could say such a thing and mean it.  Her relationship with Steve had not been one that she could trust and have confidence in.  Now that she was finally in a relationship where she knew with certainty that the man she was in love with loved her equally as much, it gave her new confidence.

The smile Daniel gave her made Alex feel all warm inside.  ‘I love you,’ he mouthed to her.  Then he turned back to Angie.  “Do you want to move in today or wait until tomorrow?”

“Let’s just wait until tomorrow.”

“Okay.  That’ll give me a chance to get things ready.”

Angie smiled.  “Need to do a little cleaning up?”

“Well, maybe just a little,” the minister admitted.  “I mainly want to get the bedroom ready for you.”

“The bedroom?  I can sleep on the couch.”

“No way, Angie.  You need all the sleep you can get.  I’ll take the couch.”

“Yeah, and if you’re like Rollie, either your feet or your head’s going to be hanging over the end.  I fit on a couch a lot better than you do.”

“It’s a big couch.  I’ll be fine,” Daniel insisted.

Angie shook her head.  “Daniel--”

“Children, children,” Alex interrupted, amused by the argument.  “I think I’d better settle this, or you’ll both end up sleeping on the floor so that neither of you feels guilty.  I have a roll-away bed at the Widow’s Walk.  We can set that up in the living room.  Then you’ll both have beds.”  She grinned.  “You can then argue about who will sleep on which bed.”

“Thanks, Alex,” Daniel said.  “That’ll be great.”  He grinned.  “Well, now I’m really hungry.  I will definitely take you up on that offer of dinner at the Widow’s Walk.”

“Could I--” Angie began, then halted.  She shook her head.  “Never mind.”

“What were you going to ask?” Daniel inquired.

Making a guess at what Angie was going to ask, Alex said, “Would you like to join us?”

Surprised, Angie looked at her.  “Um, it would be nice, but I didn’t want to intrude on you.  I’m sure you have lots of things to talk about.”

“Yeah, but those things can wait for another time.  We’ll have plenty more meals together in the future.  I should imagine that you’d like to get out of here for a while.”

“Yeah.  I’m getting kind of tired eating here in my room, especially alone.”

“Well, then it’s settled.  You’ll come to dinner with us,” Alex said firmly, feeling good about the decision.  The look of deep gratitude and pride that she received from Daniel made Alex feel even better.

Lily insisted on driving the three of them over to the Widow’s Walk, not wanting Angie to get overly tired.  Leaving Angie and Daniel at a table, Alex went up to the bar.

“Hey, everything all right with Angie?” Molly asked, looking over at the New Yorker.

“Yeah, it is now.”

“She’s looking paler than she did earlier today.”

“She went through a rough period.  Daniel and I want to have dinner with her, but I don’t want to leave you and Boris to handle everything on your own, what with the dinner crowd being here.”

“Alex, don’t worry.  Boris and I have dealt with the dinner crowd without you before.  We’ll be fine.  Have dinner and enjoy.”

“Thanks, Mol.”

“I’ll be over in a bit to take your order.”

Alex returned to the table and sat down beside Daniel.

“So, will you be able to eat with us?” he asked.

“Yep.  Molly assured me that she and Boris could hold things together on their own.”

“Good.”  Without hesitation, Daniel leaned over and kissed her, a much longer kiss than the last one they exchanged in public.  When they parted, they both glanced at Angie, whose gaze had shifted to the tabletop.

“Let’s decide what we’re going to eat, shall we?” Daniel suggested.

Knowing the menu by heart, Alex didn’t bother looking at it.  Daniel, also knowing the menu well, only glanced at his before making his choice.

When Molly came over, they all placed their orders.  Over tea, they then began to chat.  It didn’t take long before it became apparent that Alex and Angie had a lot in common with their personalities, both of them intelligent, strong-willed and unafraid to express their opinion.  They got along well, dominating the conversation throughout the meal.  Daniel just sat back and watched them, enjoying seeing them becoming friends.  He was glad that Alex seemed to have gotten over her jealousy toward Angie.  Angie could use all the friends she could get, and having a woman to talk to might be a big help to her.  Maybe she would even confide a few things to Alex that she couldn’t to him.

Time passed, and, before they knew it, there were only a few people left in the place.

Molly came back over.  “Anybody want dessert?”

“Not me.  I’m stuffed,” Alex replied.  She looked closely at her friend, who seemed a little tense.  “Is everything all right, Mol?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.  I’m just a bit tired.”

“I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have left you to take care of both your job and mine for so long.”

Molly smiled and waved her hand in dismissal.  “I’m fine, Alex.  A good night’s sleep, and I’ll be good as new.”

“Well, how about if you go ahead and take off for the night?  Maybe you and Kevin can go take a walk and find someplace to . . . spend some time alone.”  She gave her friend a wink.

Molly blushed, then smiled.  “You know, that might not be a half-bad idea.  Thanks, Alex.”  She left for the kitchen, a little spring in her step.

“What’s up with that?” Angie asked.

Daniel and Alex looked at each other, grinning.  “Molly’s father, Mayor Brewster, had a financial setback and lost his house,” the minister explained.  “He’s been living with Molly and her husband, Kevin, for the last few months.”

“Aren’t they newlyweds?”

“Yep.”

“Ugh.  That would be a nightmare.  Molly’s husband can’t be very happy about that.”

“He was pretty upset about the whole thing at first,” Alex confirmed.  “But he came to accept it.  It has been pretty frustrating for them, though.”

“Yeah, I can imagine.  Having your father in a bedroom down the hall would kind of put a damper on the wedded bliss, to put it politely.”

“Yeah, even worse when he’s in the bedroom right on the other side of the wall.”

Angie groaned, feeling sorry for the couple.  “If that happened to Rollie and me, I know I’d go nuts.”  Realizing what she’d just said, Angie looked down at her plate.

“So, did either of you want dessert?” Alex asked quickly, not wanting the mood of the evening to dim.

Daniel shook his head.  “No, I’m good.”

“Me too,” Angie said.

The minister smiled at her.  “You did a fair job of emptying your plate this time.”

“Yeah, my appetite is definitely returning to normal.  I’ll be putting on the layers of fat in no time.”

“Something tells me that you were never in danger of being fat,” Alex remarked.  “You have the look of someone who likes to stay fit.”

“Yeah, I was.  I kept pretty active.  I’m sure not fit now, though.  I need to start working out, building back some muscle.”

“You need to wait until you’ve got your strength and stamina back,” Daniel pointed out.  “But when you are ready to start with the exercise, you’re welcome to join me on my morning run.”

“I was never really into jogging.  I went for inline skating, and, for more intense exercise, I went rock climbing.”

“Well, inline skating is out of the question here.  No pavement.  But there might be a cliff or two that you could scale,” Daniel said with a big grin.

“No thanks.  I think I’ll keep my feet firmly on the ground, at least until I can walk on those feet for more than a few minutes without getting tired.”  As if to emphasize her statement, Angie yawned hugely.

“You’re tired.  I should take you back to the clinic,” Daniel said.

“Yeah, I am pretty beat.”  She shook her head.  “Rollie and I used to do all-nighters on our job, and it really didn’t bother me that much as long as I got a good night’s sleep the day before and the day after.  Now, I can’t stay up for more than a few hours without getting sleepy.”  She smiled sardonically.  “I have no one to blame but myself for this, so there’s not much use in self-pity, is there.”

“You’ll get better, Ange,” Daniel told her gently.

Angie looked at him sharply, not missing the fact that he’d shortened her name again.  She chose not to say anything.  “Yeah, I know.”  She rose from the table.  “I’ll say goodnight to you both.”

Daniel stood as well.  “Where do you think you’re going?  I’m taking you back in Alex’s truck.”

“Daniel, I think I can manage to make it to the clinic on my own by foot.”  She saw the minister’s brow lower in an expression she’d seen on Rollie’s face many times in the past.  There was no way she’d get out of there alone, and it would be pointless to argue.  She heaved a big sigh.  “All right, Mister Knight in Shining Armor. Come on and take the fair prison-- maiden back to the castle keep.”

Alex let out a snort of laughter, grinning behind her hand.

“Ha ha,” the minister said sarcastically.  Then he began looking about the room.  “Now, where did I put my white charger?”

Both women laughed at that, Angie thinking that it was just the kind of thing Rollie would say.

“Forget the horse, Sir Daniel,” she said.  “He probably ran off back to the stable.  You can take me home in the fearsome war wagon.”

“The wagon that’s fought many wars of the road,” Alex put in.  She handed the keys to the minister.

“I’ll bring it back safe and sound to you, milady,” he said, bending down to give her a kiss on the back of her hand.

“I’m more interested in you bringing yourself back, milord,” Alex said, batting her eyelashes coyly as she got into the spirit of things.

A wicked grin curled Daniel’s lips, which set Alex’s heart pounding.  “Oh, to be sure that I will, my love, for I wouldst hope that I shall partake of thy company awhile yet this night.”

Alex made a show of fanning herself with her napkin. “I shall await thy return.”

Daniel turned to Angie, seeing, for an instant, a look both of amusement and deep sorrow on her face.  She was quick to erase the second emotion from her features.

“Ready?” he asked her gently.

“Yeah.”

On the short drive back, Daniel kept looking over at Angie, who was staring out the window.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said.

Angie turned to him.  “Sorry?  For what?”

“For joking around and flirting with Alex like that.  I know that it made you think of Rollie.”

Angie sighed.  “Yeah, it did, but that’s not your fault.  I’m happy for you and Alex, Daniel, and I don’t want you two to walk on eggshells around me.  If you feel like kissing her or flirting with her or whatever, please don’t stop just because I happen to be there.  You have something special, and you need to let it grow out in the sun.”  ‘I had my chance at love, and I wasted it,’ she added silently.

Somehow, Daniel sensed what she was thinking.  He reached over and took her hand.  “I missed my chance to love him, too, Angie.”

She turned to him.  “How do you do that?  There were times when I’d swear that Rollie could read my mind, but I just figured that it was because we knew each other so well.  Now, you’re doing the same thing.”

“I didn’t read your mind, Angie.  I just had a feeling about what you were thinking.”

“Perhaps.  But maybe you’ve got some of the psychic ability that Rollie had.  You were identical twins, after all.”

Daniel shook his head.  “No psychic abilities here.  I’m just an ordinary guy.”

“Daniel, even if you don’t have paranormal abilities, you’re far from being an ordinary guy.  You’re a very extraordinary guy, just like your brother was.”

Daniel turned and stared at her a moment, then returned his gaze to the road.  “Thank you.”

Angie shrugged.  “Just stating a fact.”

“Did you ever tell Rollie what you just told me?”

Angie’s shoulders slumped.  “No, I didn’t.  I never told him anything like that, even though he used to give me praise all the time.  The one and only time I even told him that he was brilliant was when he lay dying from snake poison.”  She turned back to the window.  “So many things I never told him.”

Daniel cursed himself for bringing back Angie’s sadness.  He pulled up to the clinic and turned off the engine.  He held his arms out to her.  “Come here,” he murmured.

Hesitating only a moment, Angie went into his arms.  She managed to hold back the tears as he held her.

“You’ll get to tell him all those things, Angie, everything you wanted to say but didn’t.  He’s waiting for you up there, waiting for that moment when you’ll be together again.”

Feeling herself start to lose it again, Angie gave him a hard hug, then released him.  She opened the truck door.

“You want me to come in with you?” Daniel asked.

“No, I can take it from here.”

“What time would you like me to come for you tomorrow?”

“Nine o’clock?”

“Okay.  I’ll see you then.”

Daniel watched Angie until she was inside, then turned around and went back to the Widow’s Walk.  When he got there, the place was empty, and Alex was behind the bar, wiping glasses.  It reminded him of the night he confessed to having feelings for her.

Alex hadn’t noticed his presence yet.  He snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.  She stiffened in surprise for a second, then relaxed with a smile.

“Your knight has returned, milady,” Daniel whispered in her ear.  He then began slowly kissing down the length of her neck.  A breathy moan was his reward.

“And what does the brave knight have in mind for this evening dalliance?” Alex murmured.

“Oh, I don’t know.  Maybe a little kissing, perhaps some necking.  By the way, have I told you that I love your neck?”  He nibbled on a tendon to emphasize his statement.  “Anyway, where was I?  Oh, yeah.  Telling you how much I love and adore you.”

Alex spun around in his arms.  “Sounds good to me,” she said before pulling his lips forcefully down to hers.  Daniel groaned into the kiss, pushing her up against the counter.  They felt the power of their passion taking them upwards as they explored with their lips and hands.  They were both on the verge of completely losing control when they simultaneously pulled back.  Breathing hard, they stared at each other.

“I think we need to be more careful,” Daniel panted.

“Yeah.  Another round like that, and we’ll be doing what we both agreed we shouldn’t do.”

The minister took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.  He loosened his hold on Alex.  “You know, there are things to be said for being spontaneous.”  He grinned.  “Wanna elope?”

Alex laughed delightedly.  “Daniel Cooper, I’m surprised at you.  What would your church association say?”

“Not as much as they would have said if they’d found out I married a showgirl while drunk.  At least you don’t dance around in a bikini and feathers for a living.”

“No, but I’m not a Christian, and I have a son born out of wedlock,” Alex said, her gaze fixed on Daniel’s chest.

The minister tried to meet her eyes.  Failing, he lifted her chin.  “Alex, if I choose to be with someone who doesn’t share my faith and had a child when she wasn’t married, that’s my choice.  Yes, it’s true that the Association is going to have a cow, but I’m hoping that they’ll get over it.”

“And if they don’t?  What could happen?”

Daniel’s eyes drifted away.  “I don’t know.  That’s something I’ll find out when the time comes.”

“And what about your father?”

Daniel’s expression darkened.  “I told you before that my father is not going to have control over my life anymore.  Yes, I’d want him to be happy that I’ve found someone to love, but if he’s not, then I’ll live with it.”  He looked down at Alex.  “Being with you is more important to me.”

Knowing how important it had always been to Daniel for him to have his father’s approval, Alex was deeply touched by his declaration.  She kissed him tenderly.

“I want everything to work out for you, Daniel, and for us.”

“It will, one way or another.  I trust in God for that.”

Alex laid her head on his chest.  “You think that God approves of us?”

“He brought me here to this island where I found you.  From the moment I met you, I felt something.  I don’t know if it was love at first sight, but God knows what’s been growing in my heart, and He has not shown me that He doesn’t want this.  So, yes, I think He approves.”

“So, unless He announces with a rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning that you’re not to have anything to do with me, we’re safe?”

Daniel chuckled.  “I’d say so.”

“Good.  I’ll keep an eye out for approaching storms.”

Daniel grinned.  He lifted her face up to his and kissed her long and slow.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

The minister looked at his watch and sighed regretfully.  “I’ve got to get going.  I have things to do to get ready for Angie tomorrow.”  He looked at the woman in his arms closely.  “Alex, are you absolutely sure that you’re okay with this?”

“Yes, I’m absolutely sure.  And if I do start to get a teensy bit jealous, all you’ll have to do is kiss me like you did earlier, and I’ll be just fine.”

Daniel smiled broadly.  “Well, then, you be sure to tell me every time that green-eyed monster starts rearing its ugly head.  Your knight in shining armor will rush to slay it.”

“Hmm.  You know, on second thought, it might take more than one kiss to kill it.”

Daniel’s smile turned a little dangerous.  He pulled her closer.  “Then I’ll just have to keep right on kissing you and kissing you until it’s dead, now won’t I.”  His hand slid down her waist to the upper curve of her hip.

“Yes.  Yes, you will.”  Alex pulled back.  “And, now, I really think you’d better get going before I change my mind and decide to ravish you.”

Daniel’s mouth quirked in amusement.  “Yes, fair lady.  Your will is my command.”  He kissed her hand with a flourish and walked out the door.  Smiling, Alex watched him leave.  Then she finished cleaning up and headed up to her bedroom, thinking that, one day, maybe in the not too distant future, she wouldn’t be going to bed alone anymore.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Daniel woke up the next morning with a smile on his face.  He’d had a wonderful dream about Alex last night, a dream of them together as a family, with Dylan and a new baby of their own.  The best thing about it was that it was a dream that could come true.

The minister went on his morning jog, then quickly showered and went into town for breakfast.

“Good morning, fair damsel,” he said to Alex as he stepped up to the bar.

“And good morning to you, Sir Knight,” Alex responded with a smile.

Molly looked at them with an amused smile.  “Sound like you two must have had fun last night.”

“Oh, you could say that,” Daniel agreed, leaning over the bar to give Alex a kiss.  He turned to the blonde.  “And did you and Kevin have a nice walk?”

Molly’s face turned dreamy.  “Yes, we had a very, very nice walk . . . among other things.”

Daniel smiled and returned his attention to Alex.  “What time are you going to bring the bed over?”

“After the breakfast crowd, probably around ten o’clock.”

“Bed?  What bed?” Molly asked, bursting with curiosity.

“The roll-away bed we’ve got in the storage room,” Alex replied.  “Angie’s going to be staying with Daniel for a couple of days or so until she’s well enough to come back here.”

“Really?” Molly said, surprised.  She studied her friend’s expression, wondering how Alex felt about a young, single woman staying with Daniel.  Surprisingly, the redhead seemed not to be bothered at all by it.  Molly knew that if, before she and Kevin got married, a young, unmarried woman had come to stay with him, she wouldn’t have liked it at all.  This was definitely something that she’d have to get more info about from Alex.

“Could I borrow your truck to take Angie up?” Daniel asked Alex.  “There’s no way that she can make that walk.  I’ll bring it back down after she’s settled and help you load the bed.”

“Sure.  No problem.”

After finishing his breakfast, Daniel headed over to the clinic.  Angie was all packed and ready for him.

“All ready to move to your new temporary lodgings?” the minister asked.

“Absolutely.  I’ll be glad to get out of here.”

As Daniel took her luggage out to the truck, Angie paid her doctor’s bill.

“Ah, the fearsome war wagon again,” she said as she walked down to the truck.

“Yes, just in case we meet any dragons along the way, although the deadly potholes are a far greater danger.”

On the drive up the hill, Angie looked around at the forest they were passing through.  “It is pretty here.”

“Yes, it is.  It’s beautiful country.  But wait until you see the view from my deck.  The house itself might not be much, but that view is a treasure without price.”

As they pulled up to the parish, Daniel glanced over at Angie to see what her reaction was.  She was looking at the church with a faint smile on her face.

“It is small,” he said, “but it does the job.”

“I think it’s beautiful,” Angie told him.  “According to Lily, the place was just about falling down when you arrived on the island.  I’d say you did a great job fixing it up.”

“Thank you.  It was a lot of hard work, but it was well worth it.  The church sustained a lot of damage late last winter in a bad storm, but it’s all repaired now.”

Daniel parked as close as he could to the parish house.  Grabbing the luggage, he followed Angie up the steps and into the house.

“It’s nice,” Angie said, looking around.  “But I can sure tell that a bachelor lives here.”

“Oh?  How so?”

“None of those ‘feminine touches’.”

“Ah, yes.  The feminine touches.  I never did quite get it straight as to what qualifies as a feminine touch.”

“All depends on the female.  I bet Alex will add a few of them.  Then you’ll see for yourself.”

Daniel scanned the room with a critical eye, thinking about how it would be for three people to live there.

“What’s wrong?” Angie asked, seeing a frown mar the minister’s face.

“It’s not big enough, is it,” he replied.  “Not for three people.  There’s only one bedroom, and it’s not a big one.”

“You could always add on.”

“Yeah, when I could manage to scrape together enough money.  My congregation’s not very big.  Not much money comes in.  It cost a lot of money to fix this place up, too much money.  I came close to losing the church a while back because I was over four thousand dollars overdrawn at the bank.  I won’t let that happen again.  It would probably take quite a few months to save enough money for the amount of adding on that I’d have to do to this place.”

Seeing the unhappiness on the minister’s face made Angie wish that she could give the money to him.  Actually, she probably could.  If she sold some of Rollie’s assets, she could easily fund the construction.  She was confident that, if he’d been alive, Rollie would have happily helped his brother in that way.  Angie suspected, however, that Daniel would absolutely refuse any money from her.  But what about from Alex?  Could they pool their resources to pay for the additions?

“Um, what about Alex?  Could you put your money together?”

Daniel shook his head.  “Alex doesn’t clear all that much from the Widow’s Walk.  Besides, this should be my responsibility.”

“Why?  Why does it have to be yours alone?  If Alex and her son are living here, then shouldn’t Alex’s income help support the family?  The additions would be a family expense, not just yours.”

Daniel did not reply at first.  He just stared at the floor.  He finally gave a small sigh.  “You’re right, of course.  I just. . . .  When I almost lost the church, it was my fault.  I didn’t pay attention to the bookkeeping and finances like I should have.  It took the generosity of the whole island to save the church.  If it hadn’t been for them, I’d have lost everything.  It woke me up to the fact that I and I alone have the responsibility of keeping this parish financially secure, and I should never again rely on others to pull me out of a situation that I got myself into.”

“Daniel, there are a lot of families where both parents work, and the income from both the husband and the wife is used for family expenses.  That’s not the same thing as getting money from other people to pay for something.”

The minister smiled slightly.  “Yes, I know.  I’m not one of these guys who thinks that the wife shouldn’t work or that, if she does, her income shouldn’t help support the family.”  His smiled widened.  “I think my problem is that I’m not adjusting my thinking to the fact that Alex would be my wife and, therefore, her income would be part of the family income.”

Angie smiled in amusement.  “Well, some men have a harder time adjusting to marriage than others do,” she said teasingly.

“Oh, I wouldn’t have trouble adjusting to being married, believe me.  I never really liked living alone.  When Stella showed up on the island a few months ago, she stayed here, and it was nice having someone to come home to, really nice.”

“Your wife was here?”

“Yeah.  She said she came to see if things could work out between us.  I don’t know if that was the real reason.  Some things happened that would indicate she had an ulterior motive.  But, regardless of her reason, she was my wife, and I wasn’t going to let her stay at the inn.”  Daniel saw the curiosity on Angie’s face.  “No, we didn’t renew any . . . marital activities, if that’s what you were wondering.  I’d been with Stella a grand total of twelve hours before my father’s men whisked me away.  I hardly knew her.  I never really thought of her as my wife.  How could I when I don’t remember the wedding and barely remember the wedding night?”

Deciding that it was time for a change in topic, Daniel walked over to the French doors leading to the balcony.  “Come here and check this out.”

Angie joined him as he opened the doors wide.  Her eyes took in the sight of the bay shining like a gemstone below and the distant mountains.

“Wow,” she gasped.  “How beautiful.”

“Yeah.  I could sit out here all day and look at this.  The majesty of God’s creations never ceases to amaze me.”

Angie turned to the minister.  “God plays a big part in your life, doesn’t He.  I mean, aside from being a minister.”

“Yes, He always has, even before I began seminary training.  I’ve always looked to Him as my source of strength and the guide for my feet.”

Angie looked off into the distance.  “I have to wonder. . . .”

“What?”

“If your positions had been reversed and it had been Rollie who was adopted and you who was raised by your birth parents, would Rollie have had your religious ideals while you developed the beliefs he had?”

“That’s a hard question to answer.  Our personalities and beliefs are affected by the environment we grow up in, by our parents, by how we’re raised.  But a big portion of our personality and what we believe in is something that’s born within us, which explains how one sibling can have a belief in God while the other doesn’t or how a child of atheists can grow up to be a member of the clergy.  I can’t imagine myself not being the religious person I am, but growing up in the environment that Rollie did would have made me at least a little different.  I probably would not have become a minister.  In regards to Rollie, I couldn’t say.  He’s the only one who could have answered that question, and he probably wouldn’t have known either.”  Daniel looked at Angie, seeing an odd expression on her face.  “What are you thinking of?”

“I was just thinking that, if your positions had been reversed, I’d probably never have met either one of you.  It’s unlikely that you would have become a stuntman, which is what Rollie was before he went to work for my dad.  That’s how we met him.  He was working as a stuntman on a movie we were doing the F/X for.  And you said yourself that you have no technological skills.  Rollie’s talent in electronics, robotics and mechanical things was a natural gift.  He was creating amazing things well before he met my dad.  It was his natural ability that encouraged Dad to hire him.  But if Rollie had been raised in the kind of environment you were, it’s pretty unlikely that he would have gotten into the movie business.  His life would have been so different.”

“You’re right that I wouldn’t have become a stuntman,” Daniel confirmed.  “Even taking into consideration the different life I’d have led growing up, I’m still certain of that.  And, as I told you before, I couldn’t have done the things Rollie did in the special effects business, so your father wouldn’t have looked twice at me.  As for Rollie, if he was born with a natural ability to work with electronics and mechanics, growing up with the Coopers would not have changed that.  There is a chance that he might still have gotten into special effects somehow.  There’s no way of knowing.”  He laid his hand over Angie’s where it rested on the railing.  “But, regardless of how different mine and my brother’s lives would have been, I’d like to believe that you meeting Rollie was meant to be, that it was part of God’s plan, and that wouldn’t have changed.”

Angie’s grip abruptly tightened on the railing.  Daniel sensed a shift in her mood to one of anger.

“What’s wrong?” he asked

“I don’t think I want to believe that, that our meeting was part of some plan of God’s.”

“Why not?”

“Because it would then mean that our whole lives were part of that plan. It would mean that Rollie’s--” her voice broke, “Rollie’s death was part of that plan, too, and I can’t believe that.  If I do, then . . . then I’ll hate Him.  I’ll hate God for taking Rollie away from me.”

Shocked at the vehemence in Angie’s voice, Daniel said nothing for a moment.  He gently turned her so that she was facing him and cupped her face in his hand, his other hand maintaining its hold on hers.  “Angie, I want you to understand something.  Most members of the clergy will tell you that we can’t know or second guess God’s plan, and this is true.  We cannot know what He has planned for any of us.  But something I’m not going to tell you is that God took Rollie.  God did not take Rollie’s life.  Rollie’s life was taken by a fellow human being.  God did not make that person kill Rollie so that he could be in heaven.  That person made that decision all on his own.  God gave each of us free will and the capacity and freedom to make our own choices in life.  Some abuse that freedom by committing evil, like the person who took my brother’s life.  No one is responsible for Rollie’s death except that person and whoever else was involved.  It is because of the sin and imperfection in the world that there is death and tragedy, not because God makes it happen.  Blaming God for the death of a loved one can bring only pain and bitterness.”

Seeing that Angie was now crying, Daniel stepped forward and enfolded her in his arms.  “Over the centuries, many learned men have theorized, and discussed, and made claims over why things happen in this world as they do, but I believe that there is a verse in the bible that sums it all up.  It says, ‘The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.’  No matter who we are, no matter how important, or rich, or godly, we cannot escape the fact that things unplanned and unforseen befall us.  A man could be a big corporate executive one minute and be dead from a piece of a building accidentally falling on his head the next.  A chance happening.  Some would say it was bad luck that he happened to be standing there at just the wrong time.  But it was no one’s intention for him to be there at that exact moment, for him to be killed in that way.  He just was.

“So many times, it is a chain of circumstances, often not even relating to us, that results in a life-changing event. Something happens that causes something else to happen, which, in turn, causes yet another thing to happen, just like a line of dominos.  Sometimes, what causes a person’s death is something that could have been anticipated and, therefore, possibly prevented, like someone dying of lung cancer because they wouldn’t stop smoking.  But, other times, the circumstances leading up to a personal tragedy are things that we could not have known would happen, like . . . like a woman being killed because a drunk driver plowed through an intersection,” he said, his voice trembling slightly.

Angie looked up into his eyes, seeing pain there.  “Is that how Kate died?” she asked gently.

“Yes,” Daniel replied in a whisper.  His voice then strengthened.  “God did not put the bottle in that man’s hand and make him drink it.  He did not then instruct the man to get into his car and drive when he had no business driving.  It was the man alone who committed that act of stupidity, carelessness and selfishness.  And God did not deliberately place Kate in the path of that car.  It was just a terrible case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  If just one thing in the chain of events leading up to Kate’s death had been different, she might still be alive, and the same is true for Rollie.”  Daniel sighed.  “But, like I said before, we can’t live our lives regretting the what-ifs.  Terrible things happen, and there’s nothing that any of us can do to change that.  All we can do is live the best that we can and try to make things a little better for others during our time on Earth.”

Daniel looked into Angie’s eyes.  “But, you know what?  Even with all I just said, I still believe that God had a hand in you meeting Rollie.  I think He foresaw that the two of you together could achieve something special, something important.  It was just up to you to fulfill the potential that He foresaw, and from what you’ve told me, you did.  You and Rollie did a lot of good in the time that Rollie had with us, more than most people would if they lived a hundred years.  Rollie’s life touched a lot of people and left a mark on this world that will last a long time.  Don’t ever forget that.”

Angie held onto Daniel.  “Rollie did do a lot of good.  I never appreciated that until after he was gone.  And I also never saw how important it was to him to help, how he needed to help.  You know, all the times that Rollie helped the cops and the feds, I hated it.  I was so afraid that he’d be seriously hurt or killed.  And I was right.  My worse nightmare came true.  Yet, if I could have Rollie back, I’d let him keep right on doing what he was, if that’s what he wanted, because I’d be so happy just to have him back that I’d put up with anything, even that constant fear, to have him with me.  It’s just not fair.”

“I know, Angie.  It’s never fair when we lose someone we love before their time.  We always feel cheated out of the years we should have had left with them.  I feel cheated, too, cheated that I never even got the chance to meet him.”  Daniel’s voice was tight with restrained emotions.

Angie looked up at the minister.  “I’m sorry, Daniel.  I’ve been so wrapped up in my own feelings that I haven’t been thinking about how this is affecting you.  At least I got sixteen years with him.  You should have had your whole life with him, and you didn’t even get to meet him.  If I were you, I think I’d feel pretty angry.”

“I don’t think that angry is the right word.  I don’t know yet what the circumstance behind my adoption were.  If it turns out that I was stolen. . . .  I don’t know if I’ll feel angry then.  What I’m feeling right now is sorrow that all these years I had a twin brother out in the world, and when I finally do find out about him, it’s too late.  And I feel . . . I feel like my life is incomplete, in a way, because I was denied something I should have had.  Actually, the word I used earlier is a good one.  I felt terribly cheated.”  He looked down at her.  “But I am very glad that I was given the joy of meeting you, Angie.”

“And I’m glad that I got to meet you, too, Daniel.”  Angie gave him a weak smile.  “Let’s go back inside, okay?”

They left the balcony and returned to the living room.

“I’ve got the bedroom all ready for you,” the minister told her.  “And don’t bother objecting,” he added quickly.  “There are times when you’re going to want a little privacy, so it’ll work out best if you take the bedroom.  Besides, I’m an early riser, and I wouldn’t want to disturb you.”

Angie shook her head.  “I guess I can’t argue with logic, can I.”

Daniel grinned.  “Nope.”  He took Angie’s luggage into the bedroom and showed her which drawer she could use for her stuff.  He also showed her the space he’d cleared for her in the closet.

“Thank you, Daniel,” she said.  “You really didn’t have to go to this much trouble, though.  I have lived out of a suitcase in the past.”

“Not while you’re my guest.”

Angie glanced over the shirts and sweaters hanging in the closet.  “That’s another way you’re different from Rollie.  He usually wore casual clothes, too, but yours are more colorful.  I don’t know why, but over the last few years Rollie was wearing mostly black.  I often wished that he’d brighten up his wardrobe, but it wasn’t any of my business what he wore, so I never said anything.”  She sighed and closed the door.  “It doesn’t matter now, though, does it.”

Daniel glanced at his watch.  “I’ve got to get back down to the Widow’s Walk to pick up that bed.  Will you be okay alone?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.  I’ll just do a little exploring, if that’s okay.”

“Sure.  I’ve got no secrets to hide.  Well, at least none that you don’t already know.”

After Daniel had left, Angie wandered around the house for a while.  She finally ended up at the shelves holding Daniel’s collection of music and books.  The music illustrated another way in which Daniel was different from his brother.  The bookshelves held mostly volumes on theology and poetry.  Noticing what looked like a photo sticking up out of one, she pulled the book down and looked inside.  It was a black and white photo of a woman who looked to be around Angie’s age, maybe a little older.  The woman was pretty and appeared to be at least partially Latino.  Was this Kate?  Angie doubted that Daniel would have a photo of Stella tucked away in a book, so chances were good that it was Kate.

Putting the photo back in the book, she returned the volume to the shelf.  She then went to another shelf that had photos on it.  There was one of an older couple.  The silver-haired man looked familiar.  It took only a second for Angie to realize that it was Cliff Cooper.  Her gaze went to the woman beside him, knowing she must be Daniel’s mother.  Even in a photo, Angie could see the warmth in her spirit from the smile on her face and in her eyes.  This was the woman whose influence had shaped Daniel’s personality into what it was.  Though she was not his birth mother, Angie guessed that they had the same gentleness and giving nature.

Angie’s eyes returned to Daniel’s father.  He appeared poised and confident.  With his perfectly groomed hair and expensive clothing, he looked like an actor.  Angie shook her head.  It was hard to believe that this man had a hand in raising Daniel, someone who was so open and lacking in artificiality.  But then, according to what Daniel had said, his father really hadn’t had much of a role in raising him, except to bring in the money.

Angie thought about the correlations between Rollie and Daniel.  Both of them had wonderful mothers who loved and cherished them, who took up the majority of the burden of raising their sons.  And both brothers had fathers who mostly ignored them, who were concerned with their chosen careers more than their families.  But there were two big differences in these reflected pictures.  One was that, while Rollie had scorned and rejected his father’s way of life, Daniel chose to more or less follow in his father’s footsteps.  The other difference was that Rollie lost his mother’s presence in his life at a far too early age.  How different would he have been if Alcinia Tyler hadn’t died?  Would he have been more like his brother?

Angie’s gaze turned to another photo.  This one was of Daniel and Alex.  It was obviously a candid shot, one taken without the couple’s foreknowledge.  They were apparently at some kind of picnic.  They each had a plate of food in their hands and were sitting on a blanket.  The picture had been snapped just as Daniel was pulling what looked like a leaf from Alex’s hair.  They were gazing at each other, and any fool could see the love on their faces.  Seeing it made Angie’s chest feel tight and heavy.  In her imagination, she replaced Alex with herself and made Daniel’s hair longer, transforming him into Rollie.

Realizing what she was doing, Angie put the picture down and turned away.  Feeling like she needed to get out of the house for a while, she went to the church.  The peaceful silence within immediately made her feel better.  She wandered up the aisle, running her hand over the backs of the pews, and stopped at the pulpit.  It was simple, without ornamentation, exactly the kind of pulpit Angie would imagine Daniel using.  She touched it, trying to picture him standing behind it, giving a sermon.  She found it more difficult than she’d have thought, maybe because she kept substituting Rollie in his place.

Angie eyes went to the altar and the cross on the wall.  She gazed at the cross for a long time, remembering years long past, when she went to church with her father.  Though she had left religion behind, some part of it had never completely left her heart.

Her eyes never leaving the cross, Angie went to her knees before the altar, a sudden need taking hold.  “Please, God.  If Rollie is there with you, please let me hear him.  Please let me see him.  I just need so much to see him one more time, to tell him that I love him.  That’s all I’m asking.  I won’t ask anything else from you ever again, except that you let me be with him after I die.”

For a breathless moment, Angie sat utterly still, listening, hoping.  Then her head bowed, eyes closing, as she felt the silence of the church close about her.

“Angie?”

Angie’s head shot up, her breath catching at the sound of her name being spoken by a voice that made her heart ache.  “R-Rollie?”

“Angie, can you hear me?” the voice said again, and there was no doubt in Angie’s mind that it was Rollie.  She could feel him all around her.

“Yes!  Oh, God, yes, I can hear you!”  Angie scrambled to her feet, eyes casting about the church frantically.

“I . . . I can’t believe it.  Oh, Angel.  It’s so good to hear your voice,” Rollie whispered.

“I want to see you, Rollie.  Please let me see you,” Angie begged.

“I can’t, not yet.  But soon, sweetie.  Soon.”  Rollie’s voice grew urgent.  “Angie, please listen.  I--”

Angie waited a moment for Rollie to continue.  When he didn’t, she started to get worried.  “Rollie?”  Only silence answered her.  Then the feeling of his presence abruptly vanished.  “No!  Come back!  Rollie!” Angie screamed.  She dashed outside, as if she could somehow find him out there.  “Rollie!”  Sobbing deeply, Angie ran down the stairs and out into the middle of the parking area.  There was no sign of Rollie.  He was gone.  “Noooo!” Angie wailed, falling to her knees.  She looked up at the church.  “Why are you dong this to me?!” she asked God, her voice raised in rage and anguish.  “Why are you torturing me?!  Why?”  Then she just slumped to the ground and wept and wept.

All at once, familiar hands grasped Angie’s shoulders, a gentle voice was in her ears.  Joy exploded within her, and she spun around, Rollie’s name on her lips.  She saw his beloved face looking down at her with love and concern, then . . . then reality came crashing back in upon her as she realized that it was Daniel, not Rollie.  Angie wilted, her eyes dropping to the ground.

“What’s wrong?  What happened?” Daniel asked, more than a little scared.  He and Alex had just crested the hill when they spied Angie sitting on the ground before the church, crying uncontrollably.

“I heard him, Daniel.  I heard Rollie.  I begged God to let me see him, and, all at once, he was there.  I couldn’t see him, but I could hear him.  I could feel him.  And he could hear me, too.  But then, he was gone, he was just gone, and it was too soon.  I didn’t get to tell him anything.”

Daniel listened to Angie’s almost hysterical babbling, his fear increasing.  He didn’t know what to make of her claim.  Angie was saying that she’d talked with Rollie, that God had answered her prayer and let her speak with him.  The minister was both astonished and wary.  Was it true?  If so, why did God not allow Angie to speak to Rollie long enough for her to tell him what she so desperately needed to?  What would be the purpose?

But what worried Daniel a whole lot more was if it wasn’t true.  If it wasn’t, then Angie was beginning to hallucinate, and that terrified him.  He had no idea what to do about it.

“Come on, Daniel.  Let’s get her inside,” Alex said, startling him.  He’d forgotten that she was there.

The two of them helped Angie into the house.  They took her to the bedroom and sat her on the bed.  But when they attempted to lay her down, she resisted.

“No.  I don’t want to lie down,” she told them in a dull voice.

“I think you should, Angie,” Daniel said.  “You need rest.”

“No, I don’t need rest.  What I need are answers.  If Rollie’s in heaven and God just allowed us to talk to each other, why did He stop it too soon?  Why didn’t He let us finish, let me tell Rollie what I wanted to?”

Daniel glanced at Alex, then sat on the bed.  “Why don’t you tell us exactly what happened.”

Angie recounted what happened in the church, what Rollie had said before he was cut off.

Alex listened to the woman, her emotions bouncing back and forth between amazement and disbelief.  She didn’t know whether or not to believe in Angie’s story.  But what mattered right now was that Angie believed in what she saw, and she needed some kind of reassurance.

“Angie, when you asked Rollie to let you see him, he said that he couldn’t yet, right?”

“Yes,” Angie confirmed.  “I didn’t understand that.”

“Now, remember what he said after that.”

Angie frowned.  Then her eyes widened.  “He said ‘but soon.’” She looked at Alex and Daniel with hope growing in her eyes.  “Does that mean he’ll be coming back, that, for some reason, he couldn’t talk to me now but he would later?”

Alex smiled.  “Well, that’s what it sounds like to me.”

Angie looked off at some unseen point.  “Then I might be able to talk to him again.  I might be able to see him.”

“I hope so, Angie.  I really hope so,” Daniel said fervently.  He sent up a prayer that it would be so.

Angie looked at the couple, her mouth twisting.  “I’m sorry.  I’ve been a lot of trouble for both of you, haven’t I.  I bet you’ll be glad when I’m gone.”

“That’s not true at all, Angie,” Daniel hastily said.  “We’re not going to be glad when you leave.  And you haven’t been a lot of trouble.”  He smiled.  “You’ve just added some excitement to our normally dull and dreary lives.”

Angie snorted.  “Yeah, right.”  She sighed, rubbing her hand across her forehead.  “I don’t know.  Maybe it would be best if I did leave.”  She looked at Daniel.  “When I first got to know you, I finally started feeling like I could carry on with my life, that I could be happy again.  But, now. . . .  I don’t know what’s happening.  Everything’s so out of control, I’m so out of control.  And things just seem to be getting worse.  I feel . . . I feel like I’m trapped inside something that I cannot see or understand, that there is a key somewhere that will open everything up and set me free, but I just can’t find it.  And I don’t know why I feel this way.”

Daniel was silent for a long moment.  What Angie had just said about feeling trapped mirrored his own feelings.  He, too, felt like he was a prisoner inside something he could not understand and that there was a way out, if he could just find it.

“With everything that’s been happening, I feel that way, too, Angie,” he confessed.

“You do?”

“Yes.  And it’s terrifying.”  The minister laid his hand on hers.  “But maybe, just maybe, we can find that key together.”

“I hope so.  I really hope so.”

Alex looked at Daniel’s and Angie’s clasped hands, feeling a tiny stab of jealousy, which disappeared quickly.  Daniel was just being a friend to Angie and performing his duty as a minister to bring comfort.  She knew there was nothing more to it than that.

Angie rubbed her hands over her eyes.  “Maybe I will lay down for a while.  I’m feeling a little tired now.”

“Sure.  You get some rest, Angie,” Daniel said.  “I’ve got some ministerial duties to attend to anyway, so you’ll have the place to yourself for at least a couple of hours.  When I get back, we can have a late lunch.”

“Okay.  Sounds good.  Oh.  Do you need help getting that bed in?”

“No, we can handle it.  Rest well, Angie.”

Daniel and Alex left the bedroom and went outside.

“Thanks, Alex,” the minister said.

“For what?”

“For helping her, for giving her hope.”

“I just reminded her of what she thought she heard Rollie say.”

“Nevertheless, it was what she needed to hear.”  Daniel studied her face.  “I’m not going to ask if you believe what she said happened.”

“I wouldn’t be able to answer anyway since I don’t know.  I mean, I know I said that I’d like to believe that those we’ve lost can communicate with us somehow, but. . . .”

“But you’re not so sure about the part where it appeared to be an answer to a prayer,” Daniel finished.

“Yeah.  I’m sorry if that disappoints you.”

Daniel wrapped his arms around her.  “I’m not disappointed, Alex.  I’d have been surprised if you felt any other way.  I don’t expect your beliefs to change overnight.  I don’t expect them to change at all.  I only hope that they will.”

“What if they don’t?  You’re a minister, Daniel.  God and the Church are your life.  Can you see yourself spending the rest of your life with an unbeliever?”

“When I was dating Kate, I could imagine spending my life with someone whose beliefs were not the same as mine.  Though many of the fundamental doctrines between Protestantism and Catholicism are the same, there are a lot of big differences between the two religions, differences that could cause contention in a relationship, if they were allowed to.  Yet, I was willing to accept that and work through any problems we might face.  It’s the same with you, Alex.  I know that there will be problems.  I know that religion, or the lack thereof, will cause disagreements.  But I’m willing to accept that because I love you, because I would far rather face those problems than be without you.”

Daniel looked into her eyes.  “But what about you?  Not much more than a year ago, you wanted nothing whatsoever to do with religion and were pretty adamant that Dylan was not to get involved in it either.  Do you think you could handle being with a man whose way of life revolves around religion?  You’ve only been with me when I’m not acting as a minister, during off-duty hours, so to speak.  It’s true that you still won’t be with me when I’m giving a sermon, or when I’m counseling someone or performing some other duty like that, but you will be there when I’m writing my sermons, when I’m studying the bible or some other theological publication, and perhaps, sometimes, when I happen to meet a parishioner on the street and begin talking with them on some religious point.  Religion is a part of my daily life.  It influences a lot of what I do and is never far from my thoughts.  Do you think you’ll be able to handle that?”

Alex thought about her reply for a moment.  “A year ago, I’d have said no, but a whole lot has happened since then, and knowing you has been what’s changed things for me.  Almost from the start, you made me see that I couldn’t refuse to allow Dylan to get involved in religion.  And I’ll tell you that I wouldn’t have believed that I’d change my mind so fast on that.” Alex smiled.  “Even just knowing you a few days, you were already changing my life and the way I saw things.  When I first decided that I had to allow Dylan to make his own choices regarding religion, I wasn’t sure how well I’d handle my son being an acolyte, praying, going to church every Sunday, stuff like that.  But you know what?  It hasn’t been hard at all, and that surprises me.  I’ve heard him pray at night, I’ve seen him reading that bible you gave him, and it doesn’t bother me.  It’s okay.”

“I’m so glad to hear that, Alex,” Daniel said, clearly relieved.  “I’ve wondered how well you took to Dylan getting involved in religion, but I didn’t want to ask.  It makes me feel a lot better knowing that you’ve had no problems with it.”

“Well . . . there has been one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“Dylan has asked me why I don’t go to church and if I ever will.”

“Oh.  I guess that’s to be expected.  Did you handle it okay?”

“I think so.  He seemed to understand.  He was disappointed when I told him that I didn’t know of I would ever go to church again.”

“I can understand that.  As he gets older, I’m sure that he will understand better.”

Alex nodded.  She looked at her watch.  “I need to get back.  The lunch crowd will be starting pretty soon.”

“Okay.  Let’s get that bed out of the truck.”

They unloaded the bed and put it in the living room.  Back outside, Daniel followed Alex to the truck.

“I doubt I’ll get into town for dinner tonight,” he said.  “I think it would be best if Angie just relaxes for the rest of the day.  Which reminds me.  I need to figure out some form of transportation for us.  Walking works fine for me, but it won’t for Angie.”

Alex chewed the inside of her lip, considering the problem.  “I suppose that I could let you keep the truck.  After all, it’s only going to be for a few days.”

“I wouldn’t want you to be inconvenienced.  You know, it’s too bad that I haven’t got that motorcycle finished.  There are some parts I need that are rather pricey, and I haven’t seen my way clear to spend the money on them.  There have been so many other more important things to use the money for.”

Alex grinned.  “Well, I hope you get it finished eventually.  I’m looking forward to seeing you riding down the road in your leather jacket.”

Daniel pulled her into his arms.  “Oh, is that so,” he murmured, his voice dropping a few octaves.  “I’ll have to hurry and get those parts, then.  And maybe I’ll get to see you on the back of a motorcycle.  I’d really like that a lot.”  His last sentence was whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending shivers of excitement up and down Alex’s spine.  She felt her pulse speed up.

“I think that can be arranged,” she said before pulling Daniel’s mouth down to hers in a hot kiss.

“Mmm.  I’d better let you go now,” Daniel said as they drew apart.  “Otherwise, we’re both going to be late.”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed regretfully.  She got in the truck.  “Give me a call later, and we’ll work something out for your transportation.”

“Okay.”

The minister watched Alex leave, thinking that he was a very lucky man to have her.  Then he turned and went back into the house.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Yes, but don’t you think it’s, well, a bit odd that Reverend Cooper would have a woman he hardly knows staying with him?”

Alex halted upon hearing the softly spoken sentence.  She turned to see who had spoken and saw two women sitting at the corner table.  She recognized one of the women, the one who’d spoken, as Henrietta Marks, one of the biggest gossips on the island.  Alex had a pretty good idea what the woman was thinking and saying about Daniel.

Her expression firming, Alex strode over to them.  “Excuse me, but I don’t find it at all odd that someone as compassionate and selfless as Daniel Cooper would open his home to someone in need of care, and neither should you,” she said, allowing her scorn to leak into her voice.  “Angie Ramirez is ill and needs both physical and emotional support.  Daniel has been helping her through her troubles, and both he and the doctor believe that it will do her a lot of good to remain in his care until she’s well enough to be on her own.  I happen to agree, and, as I’m sure you know, I have a lot more personal interest in Daniel than you do.  So, if this isn’t bothering me, then it certainly shouldn’t bother you.”

“I didn’t mean to imply that there was any impropriety on the reverend’s part,” Henrietta said, a little huffily.

“Oh, don’t give me that.  Of course that’s what you were implying.  If Angie was a man, you wouldn’t have said a word about it and not given it another thought.  But, because she’s a woman, you instantly assume there’s something going on.  Well, let’s get something straight, and you can pass this on to the rest of the island, if you’d like.  Daniel and I are very much involved with each other.  We love each other, and I trust him implicitly.  I’ve seen him with Angie, and what I’ve seen is a strong friendship, along with compassion and empathy for a fellow human being who’s suffering.  That’s all.  So don’t you dare make this out to be something it isn’t, because if I hear any nasty things being said about Daniel, you’ll see how mad a redhead can get . . . and you can pass that around, too.”

Not giving the woman a chance to reply, Alex spun on her heel and continued on her way.  She stopped when she saw Bonita Vasquez watching her, an amused smile on her face.

“What?” Alex asked, a tad sharply.

“Oh, nothing.  I was just thinking that poor Henrietta’s lucky she still has any ears left.”

Alex paused, then adopted a sheepish expression.  “I guess I did kind of chew them off, didn’t I.  I just don’t like hearing anyone say something bad about Daniel, especially when he doesn’t deserve it.”

“Yes, I gathered that.”  Bonita looked over at Henrietta and her companion, who were making a hasty retreat out the door.  “Look, Alex.  Angie Ramirez staying with Daniel was bound to make people talk.  Fortunately, most of us know him well enough to be certain that nothing improper would happen.  But there are a few who will think like Henrietta.  There’s no way to avoid that.”

Alex sighed.  “Yes, you’re right.  So, what about you and Ruby?  What do you think?”

“We think that Angie’s lucky to have someone as caring as Daniel watching out for her.  Mom was pretty worried about her when they met.  She said that Angie looked as if her world had crumbled down around her.  And she’s obviously not well.  Is she really ill?”

“Not in the way you’re thinking,” Alex replied.  “I can’t really tell you anything.  It’s personal.  But she’s getting better.  She’ll probably be with Daniel for only two or three days.  Then she’ll be returning here for the rest of her stay.”

“That’s good to hear.  Please tell her that our prayers are with her.”

“I will, Bonita.  And thanks for believing in Daniel.”

“It’s not that hard, Alex.  We’ve seen almost every day since he arrived how good a person he is.”

Alex continued on to the bar.  Molly was watching her, her mouth trembling in an effort not to grin.

“So, I guess you heard, too,” Alex said.

“It would have been a little hard not to.  I think everyone in the restaurant got the message loud and clear.”

Alex grimaced.  “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t apologize for standing up for Daniel, Alex.  Personally, I felt like applauding.”

“Really?  I got the impression from what you said earlier that you were concerned about Angie staying with Daniel.”  Not long after she returned from the minister’s, Molly had asked her about the whole thing.  They hadn’t had time to talk much about it because of customers.

“I was just concerned about your feelings.  Having a single, attractive woman staying with Daniel couldn’t be something that makes you happy.”

“Well, no, I’m not happy she’s there,” Alex admitted.  “But I’m not upset either.  Actually, I’m the one who encouraged them to do this.”

“You are?”

“Yeah.  Daniel had thought about it, but he and Angie decided against it, mainly because of me.  But, after seeing how bad Angie was after that nightmare and how much Daniel helped her, I knew that I couldn’t stand in the way of him helping her all he could.”

“Nightmare?” Molly asked curiously.

“Oh.  Um. . . .”  Alex bit her lip.  “Angie’s having nightmares about something that happened.  It’s connected to her . . . illness.”

“Then it’s not really a physical illness, is it.  I got an idea it was something else by things you and Daniel said.”

Alex’s gaze dropped to the counter.

“Is it really serious?” Molly asked in a concerned voice.

Alex said nothing for several seconds.  She wanted to tell Molly what was happening, but she knew that she didn’t have the right to reveal the whole story about Angie.  Perhaps she could find a middle ground.

“Let’s go over here,” she said, leading her friend to a far table, well away from the handful of patrons in the restaurant.  “You have to promise you won’t tell anyone any of this.  It would upset Angie if it became public knowledge.”

Molly nodded, agreeing.

“Three months ago, the man Angie loved was killed.  They’d known each other for a very long time, since she was a child, and she took it really hard.  Since then, she hasn’t been eating or sleeping properly, and it finally caught up with her.”

“How terrible.  I understand now why she looks the way she does.”

“Yeah, the grief has been tearing her apart.  It still is.  She has terrible nightmares about it.  But. . . .  Okay, this is where things really take a sudden left turn.  When Angie first saw Daniel, she thought he was Rollie, the man she lost, because Daniel looks like him.”

“There must be a pretty strong resemblance for her to make that mistake.”

“Yeah.”  Alex fell silent.

“What is it?” Molly asked, able to tell something was wrong.

“Daniel doesn’t just resemble Rollie, Mol, he looks exactly like him, because . . . because they were twin brothers.”

Molly gasped sharply, shocked and dismayed.  “Brothers?”

“Yes.  Daniel was adopted by the Coopers.  He grew up not knowing that he had a twin brother.  Then Angie showed up here, and it all came out.”

Molly’s eyes drifted away.  “Oh no.  Poor Daniel.  What a horrible way to find out that you have . . . had a twin brother.  It must have hurt him terribly.”

“Yeah, it did.  It tore me up seeing how much he was hurting.  But he told me that he’s glad he knows, partially because it enables him to help Angie now.  This is part of the reason why Angie’s staying with him.  Because he is Rollie’s twin brother, he’s been able to help Angie in ways that no one else could.  She trusts him and feels a connection to him because of who he is.”

Molly nodded.  “Yes.  I totally understand.  Thanks for telling me, Alex.  I won’t tell anyone else, though, thinking about it, if everyone knew what you just told me, I bet there wouldn’t be any more talk like Henrietta’s.  I think everybody would completely understand why Angie is staying with Daniel.”

“Maybe, but I don’t think that Angie and Daniel would want it known to everyone.”

“No, I should imagine that they wouldn’t.”  Molly’s gaze went to one of the other tables.  “I think that Jack and Marcia are ready for dessert.  I’d better get over there.”  She stood.

“Mol?”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks for understanding everything.”

The blonde smiled.  “Well, I’m an understanding kind of gal.”

Alex got up as well, wondering how many more times she’d have to defend the man she loved.

Daniel closed the door behind him, giving a small sigh of relief.  It hadn’t taken long for him to discover that word of Angie staying with him was already spreading throughout the island.  While he was in town visiting some of his parishioners, he’d had several people asking about it.  That wasn’t so bad since he was able to explain the reason why.  What had been worse were the looks and sidelong glances that were directed toward him from those who did not ask.  He knew that people were curious about the whole thing and that a few would get the wrong idea.  He just had to hope that, once Angie was back at the inn, the talk and curiosity would end.

“Wow.  That’s almost unreal,” said a voice to his right, startling the minister out of his thoughts.  He turned to see Angie staring at him.

“What?” he asked.

“Seeing you dressed like that, with the white collar and all.  I mean, I know you’re a minister, but seeing you like that . . . well, for a minute, it was like seeing Rollie dressed like that.”

Daniel smiled.  “So, the whole minister thing just hit you right between the eyes, huh?”

Angie smiled back at him.  “You could say that.”  Her smiled dimmed.  “I wonder what Rollie would have said if he’d known his twin was a clergyman.  Knowing him, he’d have been surprised, but it wouldn’t have bothered him, though he’d probably have missed going out with you for a beer from time to time.”

“Oh, I have been known to drink the occasional beer, Angie.  We are allowed to partake in alcoholic beverages, you know.”

Angie nodded.  “Now, the one who’d really have a hard time adjusting to your chosen vocation would be Dingo.”  She laughed.  “I can see the look on his face.”

“Does he have a problem with religion?” Daniel asked, realizing he knew next to nothing about his biological father.

“No, I don’t think so.  He’s never talked about it.  Come to think of it, though, he does believe in God.  I got that from something he said a few years ago.  The reason why I think that you being a minister would shock him is because of his own, um, chosen profession.”

“Oh?  What does he do?”

Angie sat down, knowing it was time Daniel found out what kind of man his real father was.  The minister sat beside her.

“Well, in a way, you could call him a con man.”  Seeing the look on Daniel’s face, she hastily added, “No, I don’t mean one of those guys who cheats little old ladies out of their life savings.  He never did anything that cruel or heartless, though I know that he has pulled some scams.  Mostly, he talks people into thinking they want or need something that they really don’t.  But that’s just a part of what he does.  He also barters and trades stuff.  He gets something from someone, which he trades to a second person for something else, then that thing goes to a third person, and so on and so on until Dingo gets what he wants.  He also buys and sells things at flea markets, swap meets, garage sales, etcetera.  He gets something, shines it up or fixes it up a little, then sells it for many times more than he paid for it.  He does a lot of finagling, fast talking and charming to get things cheap then sell them for more than they’re worth.  He also gambles, especially on the horses, and a lot of the time, it’s through illegal gambling joints.”

Daniel sat staring at the floor, unhappy over what he was learning about his father.  “So, he’s broken the law a lot.”

Angie noticed the expression on Daniel’s face.  “Yeah, he has, I’m afraid.  In fact, the last time we saw him, Leo and Rollie had to prevent him from going to jail for illegally selling some rare birds.  But don’t get the wrong idea about him, Daniel.  He’s not a bad person in that way.  He’s never hurt anyone or taken money from someone who couldn't afford it.”  Her voice changed, became bitter.  “The only person he really hurt was Rollie.”

Daniel looked at her.  “You said that he wasn’t around much.”

“No.  When Rollie was growing up in Australia, Dingo spent more time out on the road or in the nearby towns and farms than he did at home.  Rollie didn’t see him much.  That didn’t change until Dingo took Rollie away with him after Cale tried to kill Rollie.  They started traveling together, Dingo drawing Rollie into what he did.  They worked Australia for a while, then came here.”

“He made a child do that kind of stuff?” Daniel asked, appalled.

“Yeah.  I guess Dingo didn’t see anything wrong in it.  I know that Rollie hated it, though, and it embittered him against his father even more, especially after he walked away from it.”

“How did that happen?”

“Rollie was offered the opportunity to become a full-time stuntman, and he jumped at the chance.  It was a way for him to get out of what he’d been doing with his father and have a real job.  Plus, he loved the thrill and action of stunt work.  But I think that Dingo didn’t understand.  Rollie never said so, but I got the impression that Dingo was mad that Rollie was leaving him and what he called ‘the life’.  He left, and Rollie didn’t see him again until years later.  In time, Dingo apparently got over it, but he still didn’t come to see Rollie regularly.  He was more interested in his pursuit of the next big score.  He only came to see Rollie three times in eighteen years, and every one of those times he was in trouble.  And it was up to Rollie to get him out of it.  He always helped Dingo out, no matter what.  He never turned his back on him, even with all the pain that his father caused him.  Not only that, but, though he had pretty much washed his hands of Dingo, every time the man did show up, I could tell that a big part of Rollie was secretly happy to see him.  He never said so, but I know that he ached to have Dingo be a part of his life like a real father should be.”  Angie gave a soft sigh, full of anger and sorrow.  “And, now, he never will have that.  Dingo denied Rollie what he should have had.  Rol deserved to have someone a lot better than Dingo Tyler for a father.”

Angie looked away, staring at the floor.  “I hope . . . I hope when Dingo finds out that Rollie’s dead he’ll realize what he did and regret it for the rest of his life.  I know that sounds spiteful, but I can’t help it.  It just makes me so mad that he was such a pathetic father, that Rollie died with all the pain and regret of not having the relationship he should have had with Dingo.  It--”  Angie halted, swallowing tightly.  “It should have been Dingo who died, not Rollie,” she finally whispered.  She took a shuddery breath.  “And I don’t care if it’s wrong for me to think these things.”

Daniel remained silent, not knowing what to say.  He could feel his own outrage over Dingo’s failings as a father, at the way he’d hurt his son.  Daniel had thought that he had a poor relationship with his father, but hearing about Rollie and Dingo’s relationship made him realize that things had, in many ways, been even worse for his brother.  At least Cliff Cooper was a godly, law-abiding man who brought something good into people’s lives.  And he would never have forced Daniel to do something illegal or immoral.

Daniel tried to be charitable, tried to understand Dingo’s side of the issue, but he was finding it very hard to do so.  Maybe if he met his biological father, he’d get the other side of the story and see things differently, but, right now, he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to meet the man.

Angie watched the emotions play over Daniel’s face, realizing that she’d probably just alienated him from the father he hadn’t even met yet.  She felt a twinge of guilt over that, but not enough to say anything.  As far as she was concerned, Dingo didn’t deserve the love that Daniel would give him.  He didn’t deserve a giving, gentle, loving son like Daniel, no more than he had deserved the wonderful, compassionate, courageous son that Rollie had been.

Realizing that she was letting her bitterness and grief turn into hatred toward Dingo, Angie steered her thoughts away from the man.  “Um, since you were later getting back than you thought you’d be, I went ahead and fixed my lunch.  I ate some of Boris’s pizza.  There’s still plenty left for you.”

The minister looked at her blankly.  He pulled himself out of his thoughts with an effort.  “Oh.  Okay.  I guess I’ll have some, too, then.”

They went into the kitchen, and Daniel warmed up a couple of slices of the pizza.  Angie sat at the table with Daniel, munching on some carrot sticks as he ate.

“I heard a car engine when you arrived,” she said as he was finishing.  “Did you borrow Alex’s truck again?”

“No.  I happened to mention my need of temporary transportation to one of my parishioners, and she let me borrow her car.  She doesn’t use it much in the summer since she prefers to walk or ride her bicycle when the weather’s nice.”

“That was nice of her.  So, how did things go this afternoon?”

“Fine.  I had some good discussions with the people I went to see.  I am sorry I took longer than I anticipated, though.  I . . . got into a few other conversations in town.”

Angie caught a fleeting glimpse of a frown on the minister’s face.  “What kind of conversations?” she asked.

“Just a few people asking me some things.  That’s all.”

Angie could see the tension in Daniel and knew that something was up.  Then it dawned on her.  “It was about me staying here, wasn’t it.”

“Uh, yeah, but it’s all right.  I explained things to the people who asked about it.  I told them that you were ill and I was caring for you until you got better.  They understood.”

“Yeah, and what about the people who didn’t ask?”

The minister didn’t reply for a moment.  “It’ll be fine, Angie,” he then said.

Angie shook her head.  “I was afraid that something like this might happen.  People love to talk, and they love scandals.  I bet most of them think we’re having an affair.”

“No.  Most of the people here aren’t like that.  They’re curious, but they won’t think that you and I are involved like that, certainly not to the extent that we’re sleeping together.”

“You have a much better opinion of people than I do, Daniel.  I guess it comes from our differing life experiences.  But let’s say that you’re right, that the majority of people here won’t assume that we’re sleeping with each other.  What about those who will?  I was afraid right from the start that that would happen.  I should have listened to myself.”  She stood.  “I’d better go back to the clinic and nip this in the bud.  I haven’t stayed the night yet, so, if I go now, it will be better.”

“No.  Please don’t do that, Angie.  I want you to stay.  This will all blow over.  In two or three days, you’ll move back to the inn, and anyone who might have thought like that will realize they were wrong.”

“Maybe, maybe not.  But, either way, the damage will have been done.  The respect you’ve earned in this community will be hurt.  I am not going to be responsible for that happening, Daniel.”

Angie left the kitchen and marched into the bedroom.  She started packing her suitcase back up.

“Angie, please don’t do this,” pleaded Daniel from his position in the bedroom doorway.  “It won’t be as bad as you think.  Everyone on the island found out that I was married to Stella, and almost nothing has been said about it since she left.”

Angie looked over her shoulder at him.  “Do they all know the circumstances of the marriage, that you were drunk at the time and barely knew her?”  The expression on Daniel’s face gave her the answer even before he admitted that only a few people knew that part of the story.  Angie gave a short nod and continued packing.

Daniel watched her helplessly, not knowing what to say to change her mind.  This terrible feeling was building inside him, growing stronger and stronger with each item that was placed in her suitcase.  Then, all at once, it hit him with almost crippling force, a feeling of panic and anguish so powerful it nearly brought him to his knees.  Angie was leaving.  She was going away and never coming back.  If she left, he’d never see her again.

Desperate to stop her, Daniel rushed forward and grasped her shoulders, turning her around.  “Please, Angie!  Please don’t go!” he cried.

Angie stared at Daniel wide-eyed, seeing the torment and fear on his face.  Abruptly, his expression changed to shock and dismay.  He released her as if he’d been burned and quickly left the room.  A moment later, Angie heard the front door open and slam shut.  She stood unmoving for a good half-minute, wondering what had just happened.  She then went in search of the minister.  Guessing right off where he’d gone, she headed for the church.  There, she found him in the front row, eyes closed tightly, forehead pressed against clasped hands.

“Daniel?” she inquired softly.  She saw his muscles tighten, but that was all the reaction she got.  She sat on the pew beside him.  “Daniel, please look at me.”

For a long moment, the minister remained as he was, then he slowly lifted his head and met her eyes.  That’s when she saw that he was crying.  It sent a sharp pain through her heart.  “Daniel, what’s wrong?  What’s going on?”

Daniel’s gaze wavered and fell.  He turned to the cross on the wall.  “I don’t know,” he whispered.  “I don’t know what’s happening.  What . . . what just went on back there, what I felt, I don’t know why it happened.  I felt like . . . like you were leaving forever, like I’d never see you again.  But I shouldn’t have felt that way.  You were just going back to the clinic.  I’d still be seeing you, at least until you went back to New York.”  And he shouldn’t have felt like, if she did leave, she’d be ripping his heart out and taking it with her.

“Do you still feel that way?” Angie asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

“No . . . yes . . . I don’t know.  My mind is telling me that I’m being illogical and ridiculous, but inside here,” he laid a hand over his heart, “this voice is screaming at me that I can’t let you go.  I experience a terrible feeling of dread just thinking about it.”

Angie sat back and looked at Daniel quietly.  There was one explanation that she could think of for what Daniel was feeling, but it was one she doubted he’d accept.  “Daniel, could it be that you were . . . sensing that something was going to happen to me?”

The minister’s head snapped around toward her.  “You mean like what Rollie