Come Next Summer: Chapter Two-The Date

No, Devon and Jon don't go out on a date. It's way too early for that yet. They've got to be troubled and stuff first. The chapter opens with Devon and her two no-longer-boyfriends-but-still-friends pulling up to the apartment with a station wagon full of her stuff. (You see, Devon's pushing-men-away takes the form of dating them, only letting them get as far as a good night kiss, and wanting to be friends when they ask to go steady with her.) Jon and his swanky sports car are already there. Devon tries to explain that she's living with this guy but not “living with him living with him”. It's going to be awkward later when she and Jon do become an item. Anyway, her buddies Brad and Roger move some of her stuff in and meet Jon. The first thing Roger says to Jon is, “We're Devon's ex-boyfriends. If you don't treat her right, we'll haunt you.” Genuinely made me laugh out loud. Unfortunately, that's all the character Roger really gets in this chapter, although we do see more of him since he asks to take Devon to the game that night and is accepted. Brad gets a smidgen of personality too. When Devon walks them back to the car, he mentions something about how Jon taking Roger's threat well means he's a good kid. Also, there's lots of talk of a club of Devon's ex boyfriends. I wonder if she has seven exes. Perhaps some of them are quite lethal.

Anyway, back in the apartment, Devon and Jon do some verbal jabbing, some learning about each other, and some granting each other use of their stuff like the TV and stereo. Devon is indeed graduating in May and Jon is indeed planning on resuming political activities soon-ish, specifically a Senate seat. Also Jon's words about his wife, “She doesn't care what I do, as long as I'm happy.” Also, his kids are triplets and they're twelve. Two boys and one girl. Jon starts explaining more about his kids and Devon, fed up, announces the fact and leaves the room. Rude.

The story jumps to Roger coming back to pick her up at seven. He's chatting with Jon in the living room and doesn't notice when Devon enters the room. She taps her foot a little and, when that gets no response after a few minutes, sits down and takes off her coat to read a magazine. Don't ask me why she didn't say something to Roger or tap him on the shoulder. Anyway, eventually Roger looks up, is amazed that it took Devon so long to get ready and says they have to leave or they'll be late. Roger calls Devon on being late in the car and she calls him on not paying attention. Well, it's not his fault, Jon's conversation is so enthralling and dreamy... To be clear, I don't think Roger's gay (probably), I'm just amused that he was that unaware of his surroundings. Roger gets Devon to admit that she doesn't like Jon. He asks the logical question, “Then why are you living with him?” Devon gives him a flippant answer, and oh hey look! The game!

When they get back, Devon yawns and Roger says he'll take the hint and leave. Devon explains it's a legit yawn and that he can come in for a bit, but he's gonna let her rest. So then Devon has to face Jon alone when she comes back in. He fell asleep with the cat on his knee, but when Devon comes in the cat stands up and stretches and digs her claws into Jon's thigh. Cats are nice like that. Anyway, Jon and Devon chat about the game, teaching, Jon's wife Sylvia or Stella (he calls her both names and defends himself by saying her name is Sylvia Stella Hardesty). Really, if they had the internet, the whole mystery of whether or not he has a family would be solved quickly and easily. The Viking said he had a wife, but I'm not sure if I believe that's still true. He mentions how his wife calling might be problematic, but I'm wondering if she's dead. Of course, since Devon says she doesn't believe his family exists, they just might exist, still be married, and all be alive... Possibly.

Anyway, they also get to argue about having parties (Devon wants to and Jon says he'll have his out-of-class sessions at the apartment as well), Devon being able to get a date with the double handicap of being an English major and having Jon for a roommate, also Jon becoming friends with Roger, and the two generally get quite annoyed with each other. Yup, this guy is the one she falls in love with because she starts out fighting with him all the time. Because that's how every relationship starts. At least in romance novels. Also, we learn that Jon's family isn't likely to visit because his kids are so darn studious, and he's not likely to visit them until spring break. Also, also, as Devon admits to her cat, “I can't help liking the scoundrel myself.” Of course you can't. You're bound by your genre.

All right. For the next chapter I predict... Devon will discuss Jon some more with her (boy)friends, still hotly tell them that he's not a good guy, and slowly decide that maybe he is. Also, it's high time we had a check in with Julie. That wedding's not going to plan itself. Devon may only be a bridesmaid (not the maid of honor), but I'm sure there's something that will come up. Oh! When Devon needs a date for the wedding, Jon will be her only option that that more than anything will spur them to become close. But what about his wife? Moral quandaries abound, but only if Jon has been truthful.

Come Next Summer: Chapter One-The Info Dump

This book is Come Next Summer by Leigh Michaels. I'm hoping that in 1985, when this was first published, that title couldn't be taken as a crude pun for telling someone to be celibate until the summer after this one. If that was the intent, this book will be quite different than the other ones I've read.

Anyway, the book opens with Devon being woken up by her Siamese cat, Cyan. Then, the several page exposition/info dump starts. I'll sum it up for you: Devon is currently in the home of Julie's parents. Julie and Devon were roomies earlier in college and have become besties. Julie is marrying Devon's brother, David. The newlyweds will then be moving in with David's Aunt Eleanor, whom Devon used to live with until she could finally get out. Devon is now looking for housing. David is Aunt Eleanor's favorite so him moving in until Julie graduates is fine, but Devon feels she can't go back there. So, she's got to find an apartment before classes start up in the spring. She's an English major who dates lots of guys, Julie's a bio major who's going to become a doctor, and The Viking (his name is Matt, but I don't think he'll be around long) is in political science. As far as I can tell, they're all undergrads, except The Viking who is a graduate student. Maybe they're all graduate students then, but Devon spent fall semester "practice teaching", so who knows. Devon has a date with The Viking that night, for a classical music concert, no less. According to Julie, Devon has a deep distrust of men because Devon's dad left her as a child, so she thinks all men will. I warned you, at this point we're up to our eyebrows in info.

Also, all of that? In the first four pages. Whew! Moving right along, Devon has a list of apartments to look at, but we don't see any of their overpriced squalidness (not much has changed on that front as far as apartments close to campus). All we see is Devon throwing her list away because there are no open apartments left. She's going to have to move in with someone. And that someone might just be the older man with the pipe and taco who shares her table at the local pizza/apple cider/whatever place. She can't say anything about sharing a table because there's no free tables in the place and it's snowing outside, but when he starts talking to her, that really crosses the line. Then, across the street, there's a sign for an apartment that lights up. Huzzah! Devon dashes across the busy street to talk to the owner, and the man with the pipe follows her there. Apparently he paid for her cider. How gentlemanly, this Jon Hardesty fellow is. Well, it turns out that he needs to find an apartment too, and he has no friends in town so clearly he needs this more. The apartment just so happens to have 2 bedrooms, be large and nice, and also a bit over Devon's budget.

A woman calls about the apartment so Jon tells the owner that they'll take it. Devon is not okay with this, but neither of them is willing to give in, so the compromise is that they'll both live there. Also, apparently Jon has a wife and three kids. Whatever. They're living together in a romance novel. Either he's already divorced his wife, or she's something he made up to keep Devon from getting ideas. I don't have high hopes for The Viking.

Speaking of The Viking, now we're at the concert with him. Devon can't stop thinking about how she signed a six month lease with a man she doesn't even know and can't concentrate on Rachmaninov's “stormy music”. No worries folks, Jon's at the concert too in a box seat with a senator. Apparently, Jon was kind of a big wig in politics until he lost the previous election. Now he's back to teach for a bit, and later he'll probably try his hand again at politics until he gets to the White House. Oh, that woman he's with? Not his wife.

Being a political science student, The Viking wants to meet Jon and Devon sees to reason to say no that she wants to explain. The Viking manages to get through the mob to shake Jon's hand and chat just a little before Jon sees Devon. She re-introduces herself but, instead of shaking her hand, he kisses the back of it, and turns it over to kiss her palm. Woah, buddy. You just got introduced a few pages ago and this isn't a Special Edition Harlequin Romance novel.

Shortly after this, the woman who's not his wife drags Jon back to the box and The Viking and Devon go back and sit down. The Viking is surprised that Devon knows Jon, but doesn't press her for details. The chapter closes with Devon wondering “what would happen to her” when she moved in. Well, I would start with a lock on my bedroom door and picking up a baseball bat if she doesn't already have one. Just a thought.

My prediction for this book: Jon and Devon fall deeply in lust/love with each other, which is complicated when Jon's wife comes to visit, possibly with the kids. Devon doesn't want to be “the other woman” in an affair and they have painful decisions to make. Jon ends up divorcing his wife and splitting time with the kids. Then he and Devon can be together and, once she graduates, he goes back on the campaign trail with her as his staunchest supporter and it looks good for him to become president. Or Jon has no wife and the story is just about whether or not they like each other and how awkward it is the first time they make out/bang. Or ninjas. Never rule out ninjas.

The Moongate Wish: Chapter Fourteen-That Backstory was Important After All

Glen says that he doesn't want to intrude, but he knows that Erika's father just died and he wants to be there for her. The hospital gave him the address. Geeze it was easy to learn things about people back then. Also, is anyone else getting a stalker vibe here? It makes some sense, though: they told Glen at the hotel that Erika was at the hospital, so he drove to the hospital where they told him about Erika's father and where to find her. Erika asks why he was coming to Glenbrae Castle. He replies, “I went there to see you, Erika. What else?” Aw. Does this mean he's finally realizing that he's in love? This is the final chapter after all...

Phyllis wants to know who it is, so Erika invites Glen in and introduces him to Phyllis and Debbie. There's handshakes all around and a confirmation that he is that Glen Hunter. Glen is sympathetic, and they all talk funeral arrangements. Finally, Erika says that there's no more she can help with and she has to get back to her hotel. She asks if Phyllis will be okay, but she's got Debbie for awhile so she'll be fine. Erika and Glen leave together and they make a plan to drop off his car and take hers back to the hotel.

As they're driving back, Erika unburdens herself more than she means to and shares that she saw things the wrong way around as a child. Glen replies that he's done the same thing and he's carried some emotional baggage that's distorted how he sees the world. Then he suggests a turnoff up ahead that will give them some time to talk. Erika takes it and stops the car under an oak tree just past a steam. A perfect spot for a murder.

Glen sits there, twining his fingers together while Erika waits for him to speak. Does he want what they had in Bermuda even though she told him no? Maybe he's come to his senses. But no, he's got this grudge against being in love and forever. What is he going to say? Glen opens with: “I love you, Erika.” Well, that answers that question. He goes on to explain that Erika has been far more awesome than any other woman he's been with. No, Erika, it's not just sex. It's both sex and love. Being in love made the sex better, or something. Or, as Glen says it, “Love-making with you brought a totally new understanding of the word to me.” See what he did there?

Oh, also they're going to learn about being in love together. I didn't think these sex-crazed maniacs could be adorable. I'm kidding; they're not maniacs. Anyway, Erika asks Glen about his career. Glen explains that he was super jealous when Erika went out with Tony and he wrote a bunch of music that night which he initially threw out. He saved it from the garbage and sent it to Felix when Felix was demanding something. Glen got a message to call Felix right away when he finished his flight to England, so Glen called him once he landed. Felix loved the music and said it was the new Glen. He also realized this had to be because Glen was in love, probably with Erika. See, Erika is good for his career. Also, Glen kind of asks her to marry him sort of. It's not really phrased as a question, just the reason he told Felix he was coming to England.

Erika is super happy about this, but asks how long he'll love her. Glen promises her forever only because he can't promise any longer. Wow. This chapter is sweet enough for the whole book. Erika wonders about Glen's father and Glen explains that he's realized that he is not his father. Love does not mean the end of his career. I know. It's blasphemy. So, they kiss on being together forever and Glen offers to drive the rest of the way back. Erika lets him and as they're driving back, they both say they'll put the other person before their careers. That's right, Erika doesn't have to be a housewife.

They make it back to the hotel, the person Erika put in charge only has minor questions for her, and bathe before dinner. They find a secluded corner of the dining room for dinner and they splatter more adorableness on the page. Then Glen asks if he can come to her room that night. Erika's initial thought is along the lines of, “Really? You want sex the night after my father died and I've been on an emotional roller coaster?” Glen clarifies that he just wants to hold her. Erika agrees to this. So, she makes her final rounds and heads to her room. Glen shows up a bit later and they cuddle in bed together. Just before she falls asleep, Erika manages to tell Glen that she loves him for forever. Aw.

So, that was The Moongate Wish. Tune in next week for the sequel, which picks up right where this book leaves off. Glen Hunter and Erika Talbot have just overcome their emotional walls and decided to get married. However, the night after the death of Erika's father is not so calm as it seems. Erika and Glen are roused from a well-earned sleep by an assassination attempt. It seems Erika knew even less of her father than she thought, and he left behind a legacy that she never dreamed of. Pick up King of Ninjas to see if Erika and Glen have what it takes to claim her birthright, defeating any in their way, perhaps even Erika's stepsister...

The Moongate Wish: Chapter Thirteen-Heart Trouble

So, happy new year. Sorry for the long silence. Life decided to happen all over the place. Let's see what Erika and Glen have been up to in our absence.

When this chapter opens, Erika has been in Scotland for four weeks managing that hotel. She's visited the Montroses several times before, but this time is different because we get to see it. They get along well, like old friends, and we hear some news from Bermuda. Lalla's son, Frankie, has an apprenticeship at a flower nursery, and Lalla seems to be making great friends with the owner, if you know what I mean. Nothing under the table about it, just a budding relationship that Erika writes off as probably ending in marriage. Could this be foreshadowing? Nah.

The three of them sit down to a home cooked meal and are thoroughly enjoying it. Then the phone rings and Douglas answers it to find out he's gotta go do an appendectomy. He's a doctor, remember? I didn't. So, he rushes off and leaves the two women alone for the first time since Catrina's great unburdening. She continues her trend. She and Douglas are both trying to be a couple now, so that's working much better for them. She no longer thinks he's uncaring or blames him for their children's deaths, and it scares her to see how she could have lost him. What a good thing she decided to keep trying and make a relationship, huh?

Catrina runs out of the room to cry somewhere else for a moment, and comes back with raspberries and cream for dessert. Then she asks about Glen and Erika. Wait, Erika and whom? Erika says that she and Glen left it in Bermuda and that it's over. Catrina says that's too bad, because she's pretty sure Glen was in love with her. Erika thinks so too, but she won't say it. ...because why would she say anything about love and Glen to anyone ever? Anyway, the permanent manager of Glenbrae Castle's daughter is doing well in New Zealand and they'll probably be heading home in 10 days. The two agree to keep in touch even after Erika moves on.

As Erika's leaving, Catrina gets a chance to say what a wonderful husband Douglas is and whatnot. Then, she can't hold this in any longer: “I just have to tell you, Erika. I wasn't going to because it's really much too early, but...” Erika guesses that Catrina is pregnant and is correct. Maybe I was too busy trying to figure out how Glen was getting back in the novel, but I didn't see that coming at all. Anyway, it seems that Catrina's and Douglas' rocky relationship is in the process of righting itself. If only something like that would happen between Erika and someone else...

Erika drives back to the fancy-pants Glenbrae Castle and there's a message for her from Phyllis Talbot, her stepmother. Erika takes the call in her office, which was a good call. Erika's dad apparently has a heart issue and he's about to die. He was asking for her. So, despite the coldness she's felt for him for years, Erika recognizes when it's time to get over it and she gets in the car to see him. I didn't realize she was so close to them, but it's just four hours from Glenbrae Castle to the hospital where her father is.

Erika is shocked to see how frail her father is, but his eyes brighten when he sees her. Basically, he tells Erika that her mom was super-jealous even when there wasn't cause...and then there was. He couldn't leave Phyllis with a baby on her own so he had to leave Erika's suffocating mother. Erika didn't know this part before, so it puts that whole situation in a new light. Erika's father's wish is for Erika not to hold Phyllis accountable for this and to make up with her. Erika's dad manages to hold on until his other daughter, Erika's half sister, shows up. Deborah, the half sister, Phyllis and Erika are all around him for awhile. Then he slips away into the night.

Phyllis asks if Erika wants to come to their house before she drives back to her hotel. Mindful of her promise, Erika agrees. While she's there, she begins to see Deborah, as a sister. Apparently, Debbie is having similar emotions to what Erika had at 18. Anyway, Erika tells Phyllis what her dad wanted, and says that she's going to try to make it happen. Phyllis says that Erika will always be welcome in their home and Debbie agrees. See? This is the relationship I was talking about being mended. You guys thought that foreshadowing was about something else, didn't you?

Then the doorbell rings. Oh those neighbors, this is not the time for sympathy. Erika volunteers to get the door because Phyllis can't handle that right now. She opens the door to discover a nosy neighbor who saw their car come back and has concluded the old man has “finally kicked the bucket”. She wants to come in and bother Phyllis and Debbie but, remembering her promise and generally being a good person, Erika turns her away. No, I'm just messing with you. It's Glen. End of chapter.

All right. They've only got one chapter to make it up to each other, explain how much they mean to each other and finally make some sort of commitment. I don't think this is the type of book where they'll have to end up married, but I'm not really sure. So, my prediction: Glen looks in shock at Erika and says, “This isn't Gertrude's house.” Erika, assuming Gertrude is one of his women, slaps him and shuts the door. Because her assumption is correct, Glen walks sadly away, never to find Gertrude because she gave him the wrong address.

The Moongate Wish: Chapter Twelve-If Stupid Were a Disease, They'd Have Terminal Cases

Since it's Tony's last day in Bermuda, Erika agreed to go out with him. Just to be clear, it's just once, not going steady and switching class rings or anything like that. They go to some cool looking caves, but the important part comes when they have coffee afterward.

Tony asks if they'll get together again and Erika is non-committal. After replying to that, Tony continues with, “When I arrived at the Moongate and found you there...well, I guess I thought it was fate at work.” Erika gets his drift and turns him down flat. Tony says a career isn't a life, and he's had an emptiness since someone (I'm assuming his wife) died. Then he says to Erika, “Even if you're not interested right now, Erika, don't close your mind to the idea of marriage.” Wait. What? Isn't this the third time they've seen each other, and he's already talking marriage? I mean on a scale of weeks, not dates, by the way.

Erika tells Tony she's sorry and he's a nice man. Tony replies that he'd better not tell Erika what he thinks of her or she'll accuse him of being pushy. Too late, I already did. Erika says she wishes nothing but the best for Tony (too?). He replies that he'll only get second best. Aw. I guess he's the counter-love interest who would probably be better for her, but is not as difficult as the primary love interest, so he has no chance. Right? You'd think by now I'd have a formula for romance novels.

Anyway, Erika gets back to her office to find she has a message from the owner of Glenbrae Castle Hotel, Richard Mackenzie. Yes, it's in Scotland. Richard's daughter got in a car accident in New Zealand and he needs someone to manage his hotel while he's down there being with her. Also, Douglas and Catrina Montrose told him Erika would be an awesome pick for the job. How fortunate that they know him. So, Erika negotiates salary and such, and it's an awesome deal, so she takes it. This gig starts right after her time at the Moongate ends. Oh no! That means she has to leave Glen!

Bruce Oldfield gets back that day and he and Erika have dinner together so she can catch him up on everything that's happened in his absence. Erika tells him that she won't stay the extra week because she's accepted this other job, and Bruce commends her determination. But does it matter anymore? A life without Glen is no life at all! God forbid she should say so, though. Oh, Erika also tells Bruce about Lalla's advance and recommends a raise. Also, maybe Frankie could get a better job. You know, whateves.

Erika and Bruce go over books and such, and fix their schedule for the next day. Erika's free by ten o'clock. She takes a long time showering and deciding what to wear so she can put off this penultimate encounter. As part of her dilly-dallying, Erika stops by the moongate and thinks about what to wish for. She thinks about wishing that her final encounter with Glen would be bearable, and other things like that. She gets so close to mentally verbalizing a wish for them to be together forever when Glen shows up.

You see, Glen has Erika-ESP. He says, “I can scent you, taste you, breathe you. I feel a tingling on my skin if you're anywhere within a hundred yards.” Really? Let's test this... Also, he smelled her from the villa of love? Also, also ew. Apparently, Glen felt restless waiting for her, so he went for a walk the way he knew she'd be coming and was able to pick out her silhouette in the moonlight. I mean, sappy romantic reason. Yeah, that.

Then they kiss in the moongate. Well that's it, then. The superstition has to be proven right. They'll totes end up together. For now, they saunter back to the villa of love. On their way, Glen asks Erika if she'll be staying for her possible vacation. She tells him that she'll be managing another hotel very soon. Glen is annoyed because if she hadn't lined up another job, she would have caved and stayed. Erika debates the point, but Glen seems pretty sure of himself. Oh, you want her to stick around, Glen? Maybe you should say so. No, that would be too easy. Do you see where my frustration comes in with these people?

Glen asks if Erika will see Tony again. She gives a vague answer and Glen wants to know if she's made plans with him or not. Kind of possessive for someone who's not willing to give his future, aren't you? Erika could tell him that she's not interested in Tony, but it's much more constructive to snap at him and say she warned him not to get so nosy. Glen asks if he can see her tomorrow and she says she'll be too busy. “Too many last-chance emotional encounters would be more than she could take.” I can see that...I guess.

Glen pours himself a drink and Erika notices that he looks gaunt and rumpled. She resists asking him about Gossip because that won't help anything. Then Glen says that Erika's last day should be something special. He asks about going back to their island. Okay, you guys, if you're going to claim every place you've had sex, you own a lot of Bermuda. Erika remembers the talk Glen gave her about his father there, but the sex had been great, so it all balances out.

Meanwhile, Glen isn't really sure this is the best choice. He wants to feel like they're the only two people in the world, but he also remembers that the island isn't the best place ever. He asks Erika if it's okay and they get into a passive aggressive snipe-fest. 'It's fine!' 'Fine!' Unsettled with this vibe, Glen sits on the couch and offers his hand to Erika. Then he asks her about the hotel she's going to manage. Apparently Glen stayed there for a bit. It won't be a total escape from Glen, then. His aura will still be hanging around. Maybe his person should be hanging around instead...

They trade a few comments about how Erika's moving up in the world, and then start furiously pawing at each other's clothing. The villa of love earns its name once again. In the afterglow, when Glen is asleep. Erika mouths the words, “I love you,” and is depressed that she can never say them out loud to Glen. She shifts to look at what time it is, and Glen wakes up. Erika says she should go, but Glen convinces her to stay a bit longer. Finally, at dawn, Erika walks back to the manager's rooms. Bruce let her finish her stay in them. Erika sees the dawn not as a beginning, but as the, “end of something beautiful and precious and irreplaceable.” Interesting omen. What could it mean?

Erika gets all packed before her day trip with Glen, and she says goodbye to folks who will be busy when she gets back. She and Glen hop in Bruce's car and head out to the boat-rental place. Too bad the only boat there is a smelly, beat up dinghy. Should have called ahead and reserved one. They throw in the scuba gear anyway and head out to their island. Oops. Should have called ahead and reserved it. There's teenagers running amok there. Other islands have junk on them, or a dinghy with no sign of the people on it. Erika assumes those people are having sex somewhere. I assume they're dead.

Also, Erika is suddenly not okay with finding a place for having sex. It seems dirty to her. What with not finding an island around Bermuda and some stormy clouds, Erika asks to go back to shore. Glen says, “An island is our best bet.” Erika's immediate thought: “Best for sex!” Clearly, there's nothing else on Glen's mind and he's a pig. Never mind that Erika wanted it too, a moment ago. Also, maybe he wants to tell you something privately, Erika, without people being distracting.

So, Erika upset Glen and he turns the smelly dinghy around. They go to Warwick Long Bay, wherever that is, and pick at their food. Glen suggests going back to the villa of love, but Erika is having none of it. Erika says they should cut their losses and just end their time together. She wants their last farewell to be good, but it's just not turning out that way. Bruce will take her to the airport. He's offered, anyway, and Erika's planning on going with that now.

So, they drive back to the hotel and Glen suddenly realizes that he's going to have to say goodbye to Erika forever. Fueled by desperation, Glen says, “...this doesn't have to be the end for us.” Erika, hopeful, asks what he means. Glen says something about keeping in touch, seeing each other when possible, vacationing together when their schedules allow it. Erika will have none of this, either. She wants a clean break or forever, but she doesn't explicitly say the last part. Glen tells Erika that she's special and that he can't bear saying goodbye to her, but neither of them makes that last little push into a commitment.

Erika asks Glen to kiss her one last time. He does and they both want to hold each other, but neither does. Then Glen gets out of the car and Erika drives away with tears in her eyes, little knowing that Glen's eyes are full of tears too.

What if this was the end of the book? I mean, it's not. We've still got two more chapters. ...but just ponder that for a moment.

My prediction for the next chapters? Erika discovers a hotel that specializes in sundaes. They give them out to all of their guests and have them on every surface. There's a whole team of people who are there just to replace the melting sundaes. Erika gets sick of the hotel business after this and quits. She goes to look up Glen one day to see if they can recapture the magic, but just before she calls him, she sees an article in the newspaper and his latest conquests and she puts the receiver down. Across the ocean, Glen is yelling at someone about spreading lies just to sell papers, and the newspaper writer shrugs and tells Glen that he's made his reputation, now he's got to lie in it...or something. Tony, however, has found his true calling in life, something to fill his emptiness: carpentry.

The Moongate Wish: Chapter Eleven-More Tension!

Howdy there, folks. Glen and Erika have certainly had enough time to solve their problems. I doubt that's happened, but let's see what they're up to.

The hotel manager, whose spot Erika is filling, calls up the hotel and tells Erika that he'll be back at work in a week. He's hoping they can work together for a few days before she leaves. This means Erika's and Glen's time will be cut short! Maybe someone will be pushed into making a decision! Maybe.

The permanent hotel manager, Bruce Oldfield, offers Erika a paid vacation for the rest of her contract there, but Erika declines. She and Glen would still have to say goodbye at the end of that time, you see, and clearly it's better for her not to linger for too long. Or something.

When Erika tells Glen that Mr. Oldfield will be coming back in a week, Glen looks on the bright side: Erika can stay at the hotel and spend more time with him, or just stay in his villa so they can get up to more hijinks. Erika, however, seems to be operating under that assumption that if Glen likes it, he should put a ring on it. She says she has an appointment in England so she can't stay. Does anyone else foresee Glen “dropping by” to see Erika in England soon after she leaves?

Glen is annoyed that Erika is so bland about leaving, and Erika is annoyed that she can't just say “forever”, but she realizes that Glen would freak out if she suggested such a thing. She's gotta let him get the idea, then he'll think it's wonderful and they can get married and live happily ever after. ...but if she suggests it, then they will break up and end up bitter and forever alone. That seems like an intense contrast, but clearly I don't know Glen as well as Erika does.

So, of course, they have sex again and all is well for the present, with a stormy future looming in the distance. So...you remember that tension I mentioned in the title? That's not what I was talking about. This next paragraph is.

Hello, Tony Sutton, a man whom Erika has met several times previously and turned down being having relations with, but does not do a good job of continuing to make that clear this time. How's it going? Oh, you're still totally into Erika. Well, you'll just have to get in line. The consequences of Tony showing up are a bit funny, in a “dear God what are you doing?!” kind of way.

Tony is Mr. Smooth, trying to work in time with Erika and she, thinking that a friend will “help keep her sane” when she has to leave Glen, says she might spend time with Tony. Because clearly Tony's given up on getting with Erika. No, wait that other thing. He makes a remark about ambition being something he likes in a woman. You know, since it's the “nineteen-eighties”, that's unusual that a man would appreciate that. I guess. Also, the two of them are totally flirting.

So, in the spirit of poorly outlined friendship, Erika agrees to have dinner with Tony, breaking her rule about eating with guests. Of course, while they're having cocktails, Glen walks in and gets territorial. Erika, desperate to make Glen think she'll be fine (just fine!) when they go their separate ways, kind of over does it with Tony and Tony is no help by being vague about what, exactly, their past relationship was...which Erika appreciates. What?

Both men talk about what they do, Tony's some big wig in a bank or something, “a captain of industry” as Erika calls him. Glen casually mentions that Tony's company could sponsor him. Tony uneasily says they're already sponsoring one artsy thing. Satisfied that he won, Glen stalks away before dinner.

Dinner is tense because Erika can't forget Glen. Afterward, Tony asks if he can hang out with Erika again the next afternoon, and he slips a compliment in there. Then, as Erika walks away, she realizes that she accidentally encouraged Tony's interest in her because she was trying to make herself seem less dependent on Glen. I mean, it seems a little obvious that this would happen, given what Erika was doing, but they've got to fill the next four chapters somehow.

Glen calls Erika and asks if she's alone. Of course she is! Harumph. Glen says he needs to see Erika. She says she's not at his beck and call. He double checks they're still on for the next night. Then Glen makes a remark about how a “captain of industry” is a good catch, and Erika gets pissy. Glen apologizes and admits that he wanted to hit Tony. Jealous much, Glen? Maybe you're kind of invested here. I'm just sayin'...

Erika says neither of them own each other, they're both free, blah blah. Glen says he can't leave her alone, with better phrasing, but that he can't really explain because he doesn't understand himself. He sounds so depressed that Erika wants to run to him and comfort him, but then she'll have lost everything she gained tonight. Excuse me? So, is it a plan to hurt him until he realizes that he totally wants you by his side forever? Or is this like a friend picking a fight before she moves away so neither them have to be sad? Some people.

Anyway, back at the villa of love, Glen is annoyed at himself for pissing off Erika. He pours himself a strong drink, then furiously writes music until the wee hours of the morning. Then next morning he walks down to the piano and looks at the music he wrote hours ago. Crying out in terror, he throws it all in the trash.

So, marrying someone kills your creative outlet (in theory), but wanting someone and being frustrated kills your creative outlet (in practice). My prediction for the next few chapters? Glen is screwed, Erika realizes that Tony is much easier to deal with and falls for him and the couple we all thought would get together doesn't. That would probably take three chapters. The last one is shifts between Erika and Tony getting married and spending a happy life together and Glen spiraling downward, no longer able to write his snappy music and realizing he possesses no other marketable skills. The romance becomes a tragedy.

The Moongate Wish: Chapter Ten-A Pic-a-nic

Erika and Glen are off to have a picnic on a island near Bermuda all by themselves. This chapter is almost entirely fluff. Although, it does include the important line, “Hi, sexy.” Anyway, Glen rented a boat and some snorkeling gear. Then he took Erika out to a random island for a picnic. On the boat, they were talking about how they wanted each other, so they make out for a bit once they beach the boat. Then it's time for snorkeling.

They spend a paragraph looking at the pretty fish in the tropical sea. Erika is quite enthused about them. Soon after Erika's mask and flippers come off, so does her bikini top. They're engaging in some hanky-panky (what a great word) when Erika says she's so glad it's just the two of them away from everyone else and that she wants it to go on forever. Nope. No commitments here. Move along. Glen decides it's time for lunch.

Glen watches Erika get lunch all spread out. She's a strong, independent woman, so of course she's setting up the meal by herself. Sorry I couldn't resist. Anyway, while Glen is watching Erika, he thinks about how he wants to tell her he loves her. Then he clamps down on that thought. True, every time he's thought about his future it's included Erika, but that's no reason to think he should commit. Le sigh.

They nibble at lunch and pack most of it away again. Then, after an awkward silence, Glen starts talking about his father. I like to imagine this next sequence in sepia with that too-happy old time-y piano music. Glen's grandpappy barely had the money to send his son to music college, blah blah blah. Anyway, after some hard work and luck, Glen's dad makes it big. One day, he's walking down the road when he hears someone playing one of his songs on the piano. He pokes his head in the window and it's a pretty lady playing. Well, instead of going to dinner, Glen's dad stayed with that lady for the evening. They got married three or four months later. By the way, that lady was totes Glen's momma. Anyway, a whirlwind romance didn't really have staying power and they fought a lot. Also Glen's dad couldn't write good music anymore. Glen's dad killed himself when Glen was nine and his mom struggled to support them. She died by the time he was sixteen, so he had to work his own way up in the musical world.

Erika realizes that Glen's story is a warning to both of them not to get too involved. Because of Erika's parents' marriage fail, she's already wary about that, but still... Glen breaks their contemplative silence by sprinkling sand over Erika's foot. The sand is pink-gold, by the way. I wonder if it really is pink in Bermuda. Anyway, Glen says again that he wants Erika and she says, “Yes. Yes, yes.” She was not only agreeing that they could have sex, but she was agreeing to their relationship on his terms. That doesn't sound like a good relationship to me, if it's entirely what one of the people wants.

So, they have sex on the beach again (although on a different beach) and it's fantastically amazing. Erika fights the urge to cling to Glen and tell him how much she loves him. The chapter ends with her wanting to cry for joy at how awesome the sex was and for how sad she'll be when he leaves her and Bermuda in a couple of weeks.

So, at least in this book and No Love In Return, the women know what's up and the men are deluding themselves about their relationship. I doubt this exists, but I wonder if there's a romance novel where the dude realizes they're in love and the lady doesn't. I dunno. I have the feeling that the only romance novel where a guy knows they're in love would be one that's between two guys. Anyway, for the next chapter, I predict more sex, perhaps not on a beach, and some more tension-filled silences. Also, a fruity drink with an umbrella. There haven't been enough of those in this book.