《rekindled(英文版)》第67章

maple　syrup。
No　matter　that　he　had　done　this　before；　his　enthusiasm　and　genuine
enjoyment　of　the　process　were　in　no　way　watered　down。
As　for　Anne；　she　was　enchanted　watching　the　thin；　colorless　liquid
bubble　and　thicken　to　a　dense　golden　brown。　On　impulse；　she　slid　an　arm
around　his　waist；　happier　in　that　moment　than　in　any　in　recent　memory。
Regardless　of　what　the　future　held；　she　would　cherish　this　memory。
He　grinned　down　at　her。　〃What？〃
She　sighed　her　pleasure。　〃It"s　been　a　tin　week。　This　is　a　great　finish
to　it。〃　She　was　leaving　in　the　morning。　As　it　was；　she　had　stayed　a　day
longer　than　she"d　planned；　but　he　had　asked　her　to。
〃I"d　rather　a　more　personal　finish；〃　he　said　now。　〃Better　still；　I"d
rather　no　finish　at　all。〃
She　basked　in　the　tenderness　of　his　expression；　loving　him　and　aching　to
say　it。　But　she　wasn"t　setting　herself　up　for　rejection　again。　And
anyway；　just　then　the　sap　gurgled　wildly。
〃It　shouldn"t　be　long；〃　he　said；　lifting　a　large　wooden　spoon　to　stir
the　solution　and　test　for　its　thickness。　〃Should　we　have　pancakes　or
French　toast　for　dinner？〃
〃For　dinner？〃
〃I　don"t　know　about　you；　but　I　don"t　have　the　willpower　to　wait　until
breakfast　for　this。〃
Anne　drew　a　finger　across　the　back　of　the　cooling　wooden　spoon　and
licked　the　sweet　syrup　from　its　tip。　〃Mmmmmm。　You　may　be　right。〃　She
paused。　〃French　toast。〃
〃French　toast；　it　is。〃　Following　her　example；　he　tasted　the　syrup；　then
ran　his　finger　over　the　spoon　and　held　it　to　her　mouth。　The　syrup　was　as
rich　and　sweet　as　the　moment　itself。　Anne　thought　she　could　go　no
higher。
Suddenly；　a　faraway　gleam　entered　his　eyes。　His　voice　was　filled　with
gentleness。　〃Rachel　enjoyed　this　taste…testing　stage　the　most　last　year；
too。〃
Anne　froze。　Rachel？　His　〃obligation〃？　She　frowned；　then　stood
straighter；　then　backed　away　from　the　arm　on　her　shoulders。　Rachel？
With　that　faraway　gleam；　and　such　gentleness？　Oh；　yes；　he　loved　Rachel。
Anne　didn"t　doubt　it　for　a　minute。
He　was　frowning。　〃What　is　it？〃
〃How　could　you？〃
〃How　could　I　what？〃　His　innocence　riled　her。
〃How　could　you　do　that　to　me？　How　could　you　mention　her　name　at　a　time
like　this？〃　She　felt　eviscerated；　as　though　he　had　bee　part　of　her
and　was　being　cut　free。
〃Her　name？〃　Then　he　realized　what　he　had　done；　and　his　frown　gentled。　〃I
mentioned　Rachel；　didn"t　I？〃
The　softness　in　his　voice　at　the　mention　of　her　name　ravaged　Anne。　〃How
could　you？〃　she　repeated。　Tears　welled。　When　he　reached　out；　she
flinched　and　took　a　step　back。
〃Annie；　listen…〃
She　took　another　step；　then　another。　〃I　don"t　want　to　hear　about　your
love　life。〃
〃You"re　wrong…〃
〃Yes；　I"m　wrong。　I"m　wrong　to　want　to　stay　up　here　with　you；　when　I
should　be　back　in　New　York　trying　to　build　a　new　life。　I"m　wrong　to
think　that　you　really　wanted　me　here；　when　in　one　careless　minute　you　go
wimpy　over　another　woman。　How　could　you；　Mitch？　Can"t　you　see　that　I
love　you？〃
Whirling　around；　she　ran　from　the　kitchen；　taking　the　steps　with
reckless　speed；　stopping　only　when　the　door　to　her　bedroom　was　slammed
and　flush　to　her　back。　Trembling　hands　covered　her　eyes　and　grew　wet
with　tears。　The　pounding　of　her　heart　drowned　out　the　sound　of　footsteps
on　the　stairs。
He　rapped　on　the　door。　〃Open　up；　Anne。〃
〃No。〃　She　was　mortified　by　what　she　had　said；　and　heartsick　that　it　had
e　to　this。
〃There　are　things　I　have　to　tell　you；　Anne。　Open　the　door。〃
Weeping；　she　only　shook　her　head。
〃Anne　。。　。〃
〃Go　away！〃　she　pleaded。　She　couldn"t　face　him。　Nothing　he　said　mattered。
〃I　love　you；　Annie。〃　His　voice　filtered　soft　and　sensuous　through　the
ancient　wood　of　the　door；　and　suddenly　it　did　matter；　very　much。　If　this
was　a　cruel　hoax；　she　would　never　forgive　him。
Turning；　she　laid　her　wet　cheek　against　the　door。　Afraid　to　listen；
afraid　not　to；　she　waited。
〃Did　you　hear　me；　Annie？〃　Again　the　velvet　sound；　too　dear　to　be
dismissed；　too　real　to　be　denied。　〃I　love　you。〃
Her　pulse　raced。　She　wanted　to　believe　that　he　did；　wanted　to　believe　it
more　than　anything　in　the　world。　But　there　was　a　crucial　question　still
to　be　answered。
Slowly　she　turned　the　knob　and　drew　open　the　door。　Fearful；　she　raised
her　eyes　to　his。　And　she　saw　love；　surely　she　did；　unless　she　wanted　it
so　bad　that　she　was　imagining　it。
〃Do　you　love　Rachel；　too？〃　she　asked　in　a　faltering　whisper。
When　he　reached　for　her　arms；　she　didn"t　resist。　Neither　did　she　melt
toward　him；　but　held　her　line；　waiting；　waiting　for　his　answer。
His　smile　was　sad　but　tender。　〃Yes；　I　love　Rachel。〃　His　hands　tightened
when　she　would　have　pulled　free。　〃But　I　love　her　in　a　very　different　way
from　how　I　love　you；　Annie。　Rachel　is　my　daughter。〃
Anne　was　shocked。　His　daughter？　She　had　been　jealous　of　his　daughter？
〃Why　didn"t　you　tell　me？〃　she　cried；　wanting　to　hit　him　but　slipping　her
arms　around　his　neck　instead。
He　held　her　tightly。　〃I"ve　wanted　to　so　many　times。　But　it　never　seemed
appropriate。　At　the　beginning；　there　was　a　part　of　me　that　wanted…God
forgive　me…that　wanted　to　forget　her　existence　while　I　was　up　here。
Fatherhood　has　its　merits；　but　it"s　been　my　greatest　challenge　since
Bey"s　death。〃
He　had　a　daughter。　Anne　could　only　begin　to　imagine　that；　much　less　the
challenge　of　going　it　alone。　〃Maybe　I　could　have　helped。〃
〃You"ve　had　enough　to　face　without　having　to　cope　with　a　child。〃
〃How　old　is　she？〃
〃She　turned　six　last　week。　And　she　came　down　with　the　chicken　pox　the
day　after　her　birthday。　It"s　the　first　time　she"s　been　sick…really
sick　since　her　mother　died。〃
Anne　understood。　〃That"s　why　you　were　late　arriving　last　weekend？〃
He　nodded　against　her　head。　〃My　parents　have　been　wonderful；　taking　her
for　weeks　at　a　stretch。　They"re　often　more　cheerful　than　me。〃　He　looked
down　at　her。　〃But　I　couldn"t　leave　them　with　a　sick　child　who　only
wanted　her　mother　to　hold　her。〃　His　voice　broke　at　the　last。
〃Why　didn"t　you　bring　her　up　here　with　you？〃　Anne　scolded。
He　studied　her　closely。　〃I　wasn"t　sure　how　you　felt　about　kids。　We"ve
never　talked　about　that；　you　and　me。　I　only　know　you　have　none　of　your
own。〃
〃Not　through　choice；　Mitch；　not　through