按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
for it had waned。 Not so Jeff's parents' appetite。 They kept the lawyer
on the case even after Anne asked them to stop。
Now the wheels of justice were turning。 The lawyer called her in for
meeting after meeting。 Rarely did a day go by when he didn't phone her
with one question or another。 The latest word was that there would be a
hearing in early April。 Anne cringed at the thought。
She was tired of reliving the accident； tired of the horror； the
helplessness； the anger。 She would love Jeff until the day she died； but
she needed to live until then。
And there was Mitch。 Something had begun to change…in her life； in her
outlook； in her attitude toward him。 He was being real。 When she was
low； she thought of him and felt better。 The prospect of seeing him for
the New Year's holiday became part of her daily routine。
It worried her a little。 She wondered if she was building him up to be
something he wasn't。 She remembered him as being smart； solid； and
strong； as offering protection and fort； stimulation and challenge。
At times he seemed larger than life； too large for a plane crash to
kill。 She half…suspected he would look at the burning debris and walk
away unscathed。
It occurred to her that after building him up； she might be in for a
letdown when she saw him again。 She figured she had until New Year's to
get a grip on herself。
As it happened； she was wrong。
Alexander Robie； the professor for whom she did the ongoing grant work；
organized a dinner for the seven people involved with the project。 There
were two secretaries； three research assistants； Alex and a colleague of
his； and Anne。 Thumbing his nose at the usual budget restraints； Alex
reserved a long table at one of New York's finest restaurants。 Only
because she had refused him on so many other occasions； Anne agreed to
let him pick her up and drive her to the dinner。
She was self…consciousness when they arrived together； but the
awkwardness faded。 No one seemed to think twice about it。 Besides； she
knew these people and liked them。 This was the kind of dinner with
friends that she and Jeff had always enjoyed。
And Mitch？ Did he like spending time with friends？ There were other
groups in the restaurant。 Her eye skimmed one or two； then went to a
third； and her pulse tripped。 A man there had Mitch's hair and good
looks。 He wore a dark suit and tie； and a crisp white shirt。 He was with
a woman。 In all the time Anne watched； he didn't take his eyes from her
face。
Funny； but the possibility of their bumping into each other hadn't
entered her mind。 New York was a big place； and she rarely went out。 The
man in the corner couldn't be Mitch。 It would be too much of a
coincidence。
She refocused on her friends。 Shortly before dessert was done； though；
the maitre d' materialized beside her and slipped her a folded piece of
paper。
〃What's this；〃 Alex teased。 〃A secret admirer？〃
Anne unfolded the paper。 There； in a bold black script； was the short
message。 unul DECEMBER 3lst。 Her eyes flew toward where the man and his
date had been seated； but the table was empty now； reset with fresh
linen and silver。
Biting her lip； she reread the message。
〃What is it； Anne？ Any problem？〃 Alex's concern made her aware of the
others' attention。
Embarrassed； she refolded the paper。 〃It's nothing。 An old friend was in
and saw us。〃 With a feeble smile； she tucked the note in her purse。
〃Must have been some old friend；〃 Alex whispered。 〃You're blushing。〃
〃I am not；〃 Anne replied。 〃It's the wine。〃
But her cheeks grew red more than once in the following days。 Sometimes
it was with annoyance that Mitch had embarrassed her in front of her
friends； sometimes with frustration that he hadn't approached； sometimes
with anger that he hadn't made his note more personal。 One or twice； it
was even with jealousy。 He had been with a woman。 His 〃other
obligation〃？ Anne couldn't recall anything about her； not her looks； her
age； her dress； or her expression。 She wished she could； but she'd had
eyes only for the man who looked so much like Mitch。
Thinking about this faceless woman； she had second thoughts about
returning to Vermont。 If Mitch wasn't free； what was the point？ Already
she thought about him far too often。 Better to cut her losses and make a
clean break。
But she did think about him a lot； and she needed Vermont。 No matter
that it would be safer spending New Year's Eve home alone； she found
herself driving to the cabin。
The landscape was snow…covered and bleak now。 Ice hung in spikes from
the boughs of trees and the caves of tidy farmhouses and cottages along
the familiar route。 Everything in sight was either gray； ash…green； or
white。 With the superhighway far behind； her small car slid often on
patches of ice。
Anne drove as fast as she dared。 The midafternoon sun cast a feeble
shadow through bare trees lining the road。 She was mesmerized by the
grid it formed； so much so that she lost track of her speed； until the
loud blast of a car horn from the village road on her right brought her
back。
She recognized the light blue Honda instantly。 With a smile of delight；
she pulled up on the shoulder of the road。 The Honda stopped just
behind。 When Mitch climbed out； Anne's heart throbbed。 Any doubts she'd
had about ing vanished on the spot。
Smiling more widely than ever； she rolled down her window and called a
breathy 〃Hi！〃 even before he reached the door。
His glower took her by surprise。 〃What are you trying to do； get
yourself killed？ You can't speed on this road。〃
〃I was only going forty。〃
Anger and all； he was a sight to behold。 Looking her fill through dark
glasses； she kept right on smiling。 His hair was more blond than silver
in the dull sun； making him look younger and； for a tall； hard man；
oddly soft。 Then she realized that despite the show of anger； he was
glad to see her again。
As though he sensed she had him figured out； he blew the anger off with
a misted sigh。 〃Look； Annie； you stay behind me for the rest of the
trip。 Okay？〃
She humored him。 〃Did you get everything at the market？ All the
perishables？ Plenty of wine？〃
〃Behind me！〃 he repeated。