CHAPTER 22
Kevin's resemblance to Noel astonished Farah. The same shape of face and brow, the same dark hair, the same easy carriage. Noel as he must have been in his early twenties. Only the eyes were different; Kevin's were hazel.
Realizing she had been holding her breath, Farah let it out slowly. "You wanted to see me?" she asked.
"Are you Farah Fuller?"
"You know my name?"
"It's on your mailbox." His voice was deeper than Noel's. "May I come in?"
"Of course." She didn't know why she felt so self-conscious, like a school girl.
As she opened the door wider to let him in, he saw her clearly for the first time. His eyes widened and he caught his breath audibly. They stared at each other with mutual interest, the chemistry strong between them.
Farah turned and led the way to the patio. Looking stunned, Kevin followed. "Would you like a drink?" she asked.
"No, thank you."
She was already pouring from a decanter on the table. "I can use one," she said. She took a nervous gulp and set the glass down. "The resemblance undid me."
"It does that to a lot of people."
"Won't you sit down?"
He sat down at the table where she had been eating her lunch, his tall frame looking uncomfortable on the small round seat.
"Why are you here?" Farah sat opposite him, acutely conscious of his nearness.
"I wanted to see you>" There was no mistaking the interest in his eyes.
"How did you know about me?" And why, she asked herself, do I feel so breathless and tongue-tied?
"I knew my father was seeing someone, and one day I overheard him calling you to say he would be late. I didn't hear your name or anything."
"How did you know where I live?"
Her question seemed to disconcert him. "I followed him when he left."
"I don't think I like that." Had he been spying on her and Noel all this time? she wondered.
"I didn't mean any harm. I guess I owe you an apology."
"You disapprove of your father seeing me?"
"Not at all. I thought you should know how Judy manipulates him." A mischievious smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I must confess to a little curiosity, too."
His answer surprised her. "Then you have no objection to his getting involved with someone else?"
"Why not? My parents have been drifting apart for a long time." He hesitated. "I expected someone older."
"You think I'm too young for him." It was not a question.
"Who am I to say? Sometimes these things work out." But he shook his head. "I think the odds are against it. There'll always be younger men wanting you." As I do, his look said plainly.
"When I met him I'd been through a very bad time. I needed someone older." Why do I feel I have to explain to him? she wondered.
"And you thought you were in love with him."
"I Was in love with him. I still am." A cold fear chilled her; she had used the past tense.
"You don't sound too sure." He had heard the indecision.
She stood up. "I don't think I like your coming here and questioning me."
He rose, too, his look at her direct, a half smile on his face. She looked back, unable to tear her gaze away, and excitement flowed between themm circled them round, caught them in a ring of enchantment. Only the rustle of leaves broke the stillness. She looked at him across a bridge of years, and the years fell away, and finally the transformation was complete, the melding of consciousness and personality as well as of body into that of a young girl.
How easy it would be to love him, she thought. I'm ready now for someone younger. But it can't be Kevin -- he's Noel's son. With an effort she turned away and walked out to the stone retaining wall, Kevin following.
"What a magnificent view," he said, but his eyes were not on the view. "You live here alone?"
"I have an apartment in town. I come out here when I can. It isn't the same since Jason died."
"Jason?"
"My adoptive father, Dr. Jason Fuller."
"Yes, I remember reading about the explosion that killed him. You met my father after that?"
"Soon after."
"You have no other family?"
"My parents were killed in a plane crash when I was sixteen. I was an only child with no close relatives."
"What rotten luck." He plucked a rose and handed it to her. "With my belated sympathy," he said with a smile. He studied her face. "Now it begins to make sense about you and my dad."
"I wasn't looking for a father figure, if that's what you mean. Noel is a very attractive and interesting man. Lots of girls find him exciting."
He touched her cheek, his manner shy. "You're so beautiful."
She jerked her head back with an awkward movement. "And off limits," she said.
"Does it have to be that way?"
"You know it does."
"Why? He'll never marry you. Judy will never let him go."
"That's beside the point."
"The point being, I suppose, that I'm his son. That does make it a bit awkward, but surely not impossible."
She made no comment, her gaze steady on his. Her heart pounded against her ribs and she wanted to weep, she didn't know exactly why.
A slow red spread over Kevin's face, which had gone stiff with shock. He whistled. "The old man's got more on the ball than I realized," he said. He walked away from her and stood looking down the steep incline of the canyon, struggling for composure. "What a klutz I was to come barging in like this," he said. "I guess I'd better leave."
"Yes." There was dismissal in her voice. Turning, she led him through the house to the entrance and opened the door.
Kevin paused in the doorway. "Don't think I'm passing judgment, Farah, but it does change things." He looked down at her soberly. "Something wonderful happened between us today. Nothing can change that. What we felt was real. And mutual."
"Please." She wished desperately she could tell him to stay. "I'm sorry."
He walked through the door and down the driveway to his car. Then made a gesture as of tipping his hat, got in the car, and went screeching off down the winding road at a reckless pace.