as the Bermuda Triangle aren't really mysterious or strange after all? That there's no curse on the mummy of a certain Egyptian pharaoh? That everything can be explained in a rational fashion? That sort of approach?"
He nodded, pouring more syrup on his pancakes. "You've got it."
Rani straightened in her chair, frowning across the table. "I've got news for you, Flint. You're doomed before you start. Take my word for it. I work in a public library and I know what people read. They don't want their legends debunked. You'd do better to write articles emphasizing the exotic nature of the legends, not the truth. I have a fairly good feel for what people are interested in and most of them want the wonder and the mystery left in their legends."
Flint gave her an impatient glance. "Well, I write the truth."
"Had it occurred to you they may not want to read it?" Suddenly Rani held up her hand. "Forget I said anything. Why on earth am I sitting here arguing with you about it? You're certainly entitled to write anything you please. In fact, it sounds as if you've spent most of your life doing exactly as you please. You're obviously not going to listen to someone like me."
"Why do you say that?" He sounded genuinely interested.
"Well, it's pretty clear you've indulged yourself to the hilt in the classic male fantasy of never being tied down. There's no reason on earth why you should start listening to someone trying to tell you to do something you don't feel like doing. What's the longest period of time you've ever stayed on any one job?"
"I don't know, A year or so maybe. No, wait, there were at least two years in Indonesia."
"I won't ask if you've ever been married," Rani murmured, finishing her pancakes.
Flint's brows came together in a hard line. Beneath them his green eyes were brooding and watchful. "There's never been the time nor the place nor the woman."
"Bull. You mean you've never wanted to make a commitment that would require you to give up your freedom." She gazed at him very levelly. "Do you want any more pancakes?"
"Wait a minute. What do you mean with that crack about commitments?"
"Most men aren't terribly good at making them and keeping them," she explained, as if he were a little slow in the head. "Not long-term ones. Ask any woman."
"I'm asking you."
"Oh, I'm a great witness. My father came and went all during my childhood until one day when I was about fourteen he announced he couldn't handle being a husband and a father any longer. He had his own life to think of and he didn't want to waste it on a nine-to-five job in the suburbs and a dull little family. He divorced Mom and walked out for good. Went off to live his dreams, I expect. Since getting out of college I've discovered that the world is full of men who can't make commitments. At least not to a woman. Most of them would probably secretly sell their souls to live your type of life-style, though. Do you want any more pancakes or not?"
"You seem to have accepted this particular weakness you've identified in the male of the species," Flint growled, ignoring her question about the pancakes.
"I have. I've just recently turned thirty. What's the sense of growing older if you don't also grow up?' :
"What do you do? Go through life being wonderfully understanding and not making any demands on the men you go to bed with?" he demanded roughly.
Rani blinked owlishly, uncertain of his mood now. "Men can be quite entertaining on occasion. Some have a great sense of humor. Some are talented. Some are even quite intelligent. I enjoy their company at times. But I've learned that it's best not to let them get too close. Physically or emotionally. The thing with men is not to take them too seriously.' ' she explained gently.
"Are you sleeping with that guy who called last night?"
She stiffened. "Mike Slater? That's really none of your business, is it?"
"I keep forgetting. I'm just the hired help, aren't I?"
"I'll try to make sure you remember in the
He nodded, pouring more syrup on his pancakes. "You've got it."
Rani straightened in her chair, frowning across the table. "I've got news for you, Flint. You're doomed before you start. Take my word for it. I work in a public library and I know what people read. They don't want their legends debunked. You'd do better to write articles emphasizing the exotic nature of the legends, not the truth. I have a fairly good feel for what people are interested in and most of them want the wonder and the mystery left in their legends."
Flint gave her an impatient glance. "Well, I write the truth."
"Had it occurred to you they may not want to read it?" Suddenly Rani held up her hand. "Forget I said anything. Why on earth am I sitting here arguing with you about it? You're certainly entitled to write anything you please. In fact, it sounds as if you've spent most of your life doing exactly as you please. You're obviously not going to listen to someone like me."
"Why do you say that?" He sounded genuinely interested.
"Well, it's pretty clear you've indulged yourself to the hilt in the classic male fantasy of never being tied down. There's no reason on earth why you should start listening to someone trying to tell you to do something you don't feel like doing. What's the longest period of time you've ever stayed on any one job?"
"I don't know, A year or so maybe. No, wait, there were at least two years in Indonesia."
"I won't ask if you've ever been married," Rani murmured, finishing her pancakes.
Flint's brows came together in a hard line. Beneath them his green eyes were brooding and watchful. "There's never been the time nor the place nor the woman."
"Bull. You mean you've never wanted to make a commitment that would require you to give up your freedom." She gazed at him very levelly. "Do you want any more pancakes?"
"Wait a minute. What do you mean with that crack about commitments?"
"Most men aren't terribly good at making them and keeping them," she explained, as if he were a little slow in the head. "Not long-term ones. Ask any woman."
"I'm asking you."
"Oh, I'm a great witness. My father came and went all during my childhood until one day when I was about fourteen he announced he couldn't handle being a husband and a father any longer. He had his own life to think of and he didn't want to waste it on a nine-to-five job in the suburbs and a dull little family. He divorced Mom and walked out for good. Went off to live his dreams, I expect. Since getting out of college I've discovered that the world is full of men who can't make commitments. At least not to a woman. Most of them would probably secretly sell their souls to live your type of life-style, though. Do you want any more pancakes or not?"
"You seem to have accepted this particular weakness you've identified in the male of the species," Flint growled, ignoring her question about the pancakes.
"I have. I've just recently turned thirty. What's the sense of growing older if you don't also grow up?' :
"What do you do? Go through life being wonderfully understanding and not making any demands on the men you go to bed with?" he demanded roughly.
Rani blinked owlishly, uncertain of his mood now. "Men can be quite entertaining on occasion. Some have a great sense of humor. Some are talented. Some are even quite intelligent. I enjoy their company at times. But I've learned that it's best not to let them get too close. Physically or emotionally. The thing with men is not to take them too seriously.' ' she explained gently.
"Are you sleeping with that guy who called last night?"
She stiffened. "Mike Slater? That's really none of your business, is it?"
"I keep forgetting. I'm just the hired help, aren't I?"
"I'll try to make sure you remember in the
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