A WHISPER OF ETERNIT

Page 38



"Does it bother you?" he asked."My being younger?"

"I guess not. It's only five years." She grinned at him. "When I'm eighty and you're seventy-five, it will hardly matter."

There was a pause in their conversation while the waitress brought them another drink.Tracy glanced out the window. The street was crowded with men and women. She thought it odd that most of them wore black,then shrugged. Maybe they were into the Goth thing. She saw very few teenagers, practically no children. But, as she had toldBryan earlier, this was an artsy town, not a family community, so maybe it wasn't so strange after all.

As the evening wore on,Tracy found herself liking Bryan Longstreet more and more. He was easy to be with, easy to talk to. Not like Dominic, she thought. There was something about Dominic that bothered her, and it was more than the strong sexual attraction that sizzled between them. It was unsettling, the way he sometimes went still, his gaze resting on her face, his dark eyes hot. At such times, she felt like a very small mouse being stalked by a very large, very hungry cat.

But there was nothing aboutBryan to arouse either fear or suspicion. He was as open and outgoing as a puppy. She couldn't remember when she'd had a more pleasant evening.

Later, they went to an outdoor cafe and ordered cheeseburgers and French fries and talked about their favorite movies.

He likedBullitt andAirplane andRambo . AndStar Wars , of course. She liked Ladyhawke andThe Princess Bride andGladiator . AndStar Wars , of course.
"All right," he said, waving a French fry in the air. "Who's your favorite character?"
"Han Solo, of course," she replied, wiggling her eyebrows. "What a silly question." "Figures," he muttered.

"Who's yours?"

"Obi-Wan."

"In which episode?"

"All of them," he said with a wide grin. He swung an imaginary light saber over his head. "You have much to learn, young Jedi."

"So tell me, oh wise one, how do we get rid of Jar Jar ?" "Any way we can!"

She laughed at that and so did he.

Later, they went window shopping, stopping to point out which things they would buy if they had a million dollars.