Stringfellow Hawke finished stoking the fire to a cheerful blaze and straightened to frown at the pictures on the mantel. He straightened the picture of his missing brother Saint John, briefly touching the frame before he turned to look critically at the rest of the room. Scatter rugs softened the polished wooden floor; the walls were crowded with the art his grandfather had once collected for his grandmother, the grandeur of the pictures strangely complementing the understated furniture. It was an eclectic mix of old pieces except for the sofa and chairs; they were brand new although in the same style as those he'd replaced. With the lamps casting an amber glow over the room and Tet his dog stretched out in front of the blazing fire, the room was filled with a cosy atmosphere. It looked perfect, he thought.

Hawke glanced across to the kitchen where Caitlin O'Shaunessy was stood at the stove stirring a pot with intense concentration. It was hard to believe that they'd only been living together at the cabin since the new extension had been completed a couple of weeks previously. But then, he thought wryly, it was hard to believe that there had been a time when they'd settled for being simply friends; he couldn't imagine his life without her. Yeah, he thought again as she turned to smile at him, everything was perfect.

Hawke headed over and slid his hands around her waist. Her long red hair was pinned up and he took advantage dipping his head to kiss the curve of her neck. She leaned back giving him easier access.

'I should put my hair up more often.' Caitlin murmured and felt him smile against her skin. She turned to face him and ran her hands over his shoulders. He leaned in for a kiss and stopped just before her lips, his sensitive ears picking up the approach of a helicopter. He groaned and rested his forehead on hers.

'Whose idea was this anyway?' Hawke asked. His old friend and mentor, Dominic Santini, had returned the day before from Italy where he had been recuperating from collapsing with chest pains; a warning sign of a potential heart attack. Much to the amusement of the young couple, Dom had been accompanied by a new lady friend, Rosa Delmitri and they had invited them to the cabin for dinner to get to know her better.

'Mine but you agreed.' Caitlin reminded him, hooked her hands behind his neck and kissed him anyway.

'I must have been mad.' Hawke sighed.

She wiped her lipstick of his lips. 'You'd better go greet them.'

He released her and headed out to the porch to watch the couple approach. Dom had smartened up for the evening and was dressed in a suit; even his usual bright red satin cap was missing. Rosa's arm was tucked into his. She was a handsome brunette with sherry brown eyes and a broad smile. Hawke guessed she was in her fifties. She was dressed in a comfortable red pant suit that suited her warm colouring.

Dom smiled and greeted his surrogate son with a hug. Rosa stepped forward and gave him a European greeting with a kiss on each cheek.

'It's nice to see you again Rosa.' Hawke said politely.

'It was good of you to invite me.' She gestured at the vista in front of them; the sun going down over the mountain turning the lake a beautiful pool of gold. An eagle cry cut through the sunset. 'It is bellisimo.'

'Thank you.' Hawke stepped back. 'Please come on in.'

There was a flurry of activity as Caitlin left her cooking to greet the couple and the wine was poured. Finally, they all settled down to talk in front of the fire.

'So how did you two meet?' Caitlin asked, sitting down on the arm of the chair Hawke was sat in, their hands tangling together. Her frank curiosity gleamed from her unguarded eyes.

'You tell it, Dominic.' Rosa said, her brown eyes sparkling in merriment.

'Well, there I was on my second day in the Piazza del Marco shopping for groceries and I turn to get some tomatoes and I knock down poor Rosa here.' Dom gestured.

'So I'm on the floor…' Rosa interjected.

'The vegetables are rolling everywhere…' Dom said laughing.

Rosa continued. 'And Dom helped me up…'

'So we ended up going for an espresso.' Dom smiled at her.

'An unnecessary apology.' Rosa laid a hand on Dom's knee.

He smiled at her and took her hand in his. 'And we spent all afternoon talking and it turns out that we have a lot in common.'

'So he invited me to dinner and dancing.'

'This really great little jazz club out on the main square.' Dom added. 'And somehow we just seemed to end up spending every day together…'

'Until my sister called me.' Rosa ended. 'She's not very well poor thing and asked that I come and stay with her.'

'And when I found out that Rosa's sister just lives down the coast, well, I decided I might as well come home too and I offered to fly Rosa back.' Dom explained.

'And here we are.' Rosa finished. The couple smiled at each other.

Hawke and Caitlin exchanged an amused look. He cleared his throat to get the older couple's attention. 'So is your sister feeling better?'

'I think it's a nerve thing.' Rosa confided. 'She won't leave the house.'

'Is she younger?' Hawke asked, swirling his wine.

'Yes, younger.' Rosa smiled. 'I guess that's why I felt I needed to come out to look after her. An older sibling thing.'

'You have any more brothers and sisters?' Caitlin asked.

Rosa nodded, sipping her wine. 'Two more sisters and two brothers.'

'Just like my family, four girls and two boys,' chimed in Dom.

'Dom tells me you are one of five, Caitlin?' Rosa smiled at the younger woman.

'Yes. Two older brothers, an older sister and a younger sister.' Caitlin confirmed.

'And they are in Texas?' Rosa said.

'Yes.' Caitlin nodded. 'My family has a ranch out there.'

'Dominic tells me your sister is getting married before Christmas. You must be looking forward to it.' Rosa said.

Caitlin smiled tightly and felt Hawke's fingers squeeze comfortingly around hers. Her family had never approved of her relationship with Hawke and her sister was marrying one of Caitlin's ex-boyfriends; in her opinion the wedding had all the makings of a disaster waiting to happen. 'It'll be nice to see everyone again.' She said noncommittally.

'Your parents must be very proud of you.' Rosa continued seemingly oblivious to Caitlin's growing distress.

'More wine?' Hawke said getting up to refill the glasses and hoping to distract Rosa into another topic of conversation.

'Oh thank you.' Rosa proffered her glass. 'This is very nice. Italian?'

'Of course.' Hawke said returning to his seat and taking Caitlin's hand again.

'He got it specially.' Dom said proudly.

'I'm honoured.' Rosa smiled at the young pilot. 'So, Dom tells me you have an older brother.'

'Yes.' Hawke said. 'Saint John.'

This time it was Caitlin's hand that tightened comfortingly on his.

'And he's still missing after the Vietnam War?' Rosa asked.

Caitlin stood up. 'I think dinner is about ready. Why don't we head to the table?'

'Can I do anything to help?' Rosa asked, getting up.

'Oh no.' Caitlin waved her to the table. 'Please. Sit and relax.'

She served out whilst Hawke saw their guests were seated. He came into the kitchen to help her take dishes back out. They sat down and Caitlin determinedly started a conversation about Italy. They were serving dessert, a lime cheesecake when Hawke asked Rosa whether she was also from Amieto, the small Italian town where Dom's sister lived.

'Oh no. I live in Rome.' Rosa said.

'So you were just visiting Amieto when you met Dom?' Caitlin asked forking up a piece of cheesecake.

'A wonderful twist of fate.' Rosa said. 'I was there on business.'

'Oh what do you do?' Caitlin asked.

'I'm an interior designer.'

'You mean go into people's houses and design rooms for them?' Caitlin checked.

'That's right.' Rosa looked around. 'I find the choice of décor you have fascinating, Hawke. Eclectic. And the art is just incredible.'

'Thank you.' Hawke said. 'So you were working a job in Amieto?'

'No just searching for antiques and other object d'art. I like to have a stock for inspiration.' Rosa gestured at the paintings. 'They are almost perfect copies.'

'Oh they're not copies.' Dom said missing Hawke's sharp look.

'Dominic, stop teasing!' Rosa slapped his hand playfully. 'Caitlin, Dominic tells me you are moving in here soon so there will a woman's touch around the place?'

Caitlin blinked at the remark and wondered whether to feel insulted. She glanced quickly at Hawke and saw his blue eyes cooling. 'Oh I'm moved in already.'

'Oh my mistake.' Rosa pressed her hand to her chest. 'I feel just awful. My tenses, I sometimes mix them up in English.'

'It was probably my fault.' Dom said gallantly. 'My Italian is rusty and I may have gotten my tenses mixed up.'

'It's fine.' Caitlin waved away the apologies and got to her feet. She started to collect the plates. 'Truth be told, I guess I haven't looked to do very much redecorating since I moved in.' She stopped by Hawke and touched his shoulder briefly. 'I kinda like the cabin the way it is. Shall we move to the fire for coffee?'

A half an hour later, Hawke leaned against the porch post and watched the Santini helicopter leaving with a worried look. Tet whined picking up on his mood. Hawke ruffled the dog's coat and headed indoors, Tet followed at his heels. Caitlin was in the kitchen wiping down the surfaces. She threw the cloth in the sink at the sound of the cabin door closing and turned to him with a tired smile.

'I don't know about you but I'm ready to call it a day.'

'Yeah.' Hawke held out his hand. 'Let's go up.'

The fire crackling in the bedroom hearth was the only light in the room when Caitlin climbed into bed to join Hawke. He was sat up, his arms crossed behind his head staring into the flames, brooding. She slid over to cuddle into his side, her head on his shoulder, her hand sliding over his chest. He shifted bringing his arms down, one sliding around her shoulders to pull her closer and the other drifting over the arm she had around him, stroking it gently.

'You don't like her.' Caitlin stated quietly after a while.

Hawke sighed. 'I don't trust her.'

'Me either.'

He paused in his absent-minded stroking of her arm for a split second before resuming. 'I don't know what it is.' He confided.

'Me either.' Caitlin repeated sighing. 'So what are we going to do?' Her fingers absently traced his ribs and she raised her head to look directly at him. 'You know if we say anything, Dom's going to think we just don't like her because of that decorating crack. He's completely smitten.'

'Yeah. She's got him hook, line and sinker.' Hawke noted unhappily. 'I guess we're going to have to be subtle, get him to see it himself.'

'That's not going to be easy.' Caitlin warned.

'I know but we have to try.' Hawke said evenly and she nodded. She sank back down, resting her head on his shoulder again.

'Cait, about the decorating thing…' He cleared his throat, 'you do know you can change anything you want. This is your home now too.'

She raised her head again and squarely met his eyes. He was trying to hide it but she could read the worry in them. 'I know and I meant what I said. I kinda like it the way it is.' Her eyes remained locked on his. 'I kinda like you the way you are too.'

Hawke moved suddenly so she was sprawled beneath him. 'I don't want to talk anymore.' Caitlin was smiling when he kissed her.