Between The Lines

Chapter 6

"To tell you the truth, Cynthia," Amber stated the next day as she sat in the passenger seat of her sister's BMW, "I'm actually considerimg hia proposal."
"I can't believe he made such a casual thing of it. For Pete's sake, it sounds as if he asked to marry him the same way he might have asked you to type one of those reports he's always doing for his clients." Cynthia Paxton slipped the car into a turn lane with unerring accuracy. She was driving towrad the huge indoor mall that covered a large chunk of downtown Bellevue real estate.Cynthia could probably have driven the route from her home to the shopping center blindfolded. She spent a lot of time at the elegant mall; many people in Bellevue did.
Cynthia was two years older than Amber. Her short, sassy, stylish hair was a few shades darker than her sister's, and she had inherited their father's blue eyes instead of the golden-broen ones Amber had been endowed with. She had been working in the personnel department of a Seattle bank when she'd met and married her husband Sam. Sam Paxton was a successful stockbroker. Cynthia had quit her job shortly before her son Drake was born, intending to go back to work when Drake turned three. In the meantime she had taken to the life of the affluent suburban matron like a duck to water. She also took her duties as an older sister seriously. She was free with advice.
Amber threw Cynthia a wry smile. "If I'd given the matter any thought, I would have guessed that Gray would have asked a woman to marry jim in exactly that manner. It's just his style. He's a quiet, calm, deliberate sort of man."
"Dull is the word you're looking for," Cynthia said. She spun the wheel of the BMW, pulling into the large parking complex that surrounded the mall. She began cruising between the lanes of parked cars. With an expert's eye she perused the aisles of already tethered BMWs, Volvos and assorted Japanese-made vehicles. "Placid, dull, nice and boring. Are you sure that's what you want, Amber? Just because he looks like a quiet port after the storm of Roarke Kelley, don't jump into anything. Things may have ended badly with Roarke, but that doesn't mean you'd be happy with someone who's his direct opposite. After all, when you were happy with Roarke, you were very happy. Almost euphoric."
"And when I was unhappy I was absolutely miserable," Amber concluded firmly. "I can do without the highs I had with Roarke, Cynthia. They aren't worth the price. The last thing I wantvis another situation such as the one I had in California. The truth is, I really think I might be quite content with Gray."
Cynthia slipped into a parking space and switched off the ignition. Turning in her seat, she slanted an assessing glance at her sister. "Is content going to be enough, Amber?"
"I'm almost certain it will be for me," Amber said slowly.
"But?"
"But I'm worried that it might not be enough for Gray. He deserves more, Cynthia. He's a good man. He deserves someone who really loves him."
"And you don't."