"Yes," Lucy said, trying to breathe and hug back, thinking, Great, now I have to play with Barbies. She pulled back to get some air and said, "Nice binoculars!" as she tried to keep from getting smacked with them again.

"Connor gave them to me," Pepper said. "I can see everything with them."

"Good for Connor." Over Pepper's head Lucy saw the helicopter cut across a bend in the river, zipping through an impossibly small opening between two looming oak trees. It's heading right for us, she thought, and whoever is flying that thing is crazy. Then Connor raised his voice and said, "No, "and she looked over to see the young brunette step up into his face, giving as nasty as she got.

Lucy thought, Good for you, honey, and stood up, smiling at Pepper. "But I have to work first, so-"

"I will help you work," Pepper said, clinging to her, her smile turning tense. "I will be your assistant and bring you apples and water."

Lucy nodded. "You will be a huge help." She took the little girl's hand and looked back at Connor. After kicking herself twelve years ago for having been so stupid as to marry him, looking at those broad shoulders and slim hips now reminded her why her brain had gone south when she was twenty-two. Good thing I'm smarter now, she thought, and looked again.

The way he was talking to the brunette, the way she leaned into his comfort zone, they were sleeping together. And she looked to be about twenty-two.

That must be his target age, she thought. I should tell Gloom that, he'll laugh.

Gloom. She looked back toward the set and didn't see him, but the helicopter was now zipping underneath one of the port cranes, then banking hard toward the bridge. Lucy shook her head, trying not to be impressed. The pilot probably had Top Gun in permanent rotation on his DVD player. Whatever happened to the strong, silent type?