apple now hid from the hunter。 Chipmunks and squirrels were burrowed in
their dens。 There was the rustle of evergreen boughs in the wind； the
icy gurgle of the brook as it charged downstream； the crunch of their
boots on the near…frozen ground。
Anne's cheeks were as red as her cap when they returned； tired but
exhilarated； and it was a harbinger of the days ahead。 They settled into
the fort of easy panionship； sharing not only meals； but most
every other time of the day。 Mitch read when Anne did； his eye
occasionally catching hers。 They played backgammon in front of the fire；
and worked together on a jigsaw puzzle。 The weather held； offering
pleasant days with clear skies； and an invigorating chill to the night。
They walked together and worked together； Anne on her translating； Mitch
on papers dug from an overstuffed briefcase。 They lived in the here and
now； avoiding talk of the city like the plague。
All too soon； Anne loaded up her car for the return trip to New York。
Slinging an arm across her shoulder； Mitch walked her from the house a
final time。 The silence had been heavier that morning than at any other
point in the week。 Anne knew its cause。
〃Will you be spending Thanksgiving with your family？〃 he asked quietly。
〃Yes。〃 She took in his handsome features； studying； memorizing。 〃And
you？〃
〃The same。〃 He held her just a little closer。 〃Plans for New Year's
Eve？〃
They had reached the car。 She faced him； smiling sadly。 〃Funny。 I used
to worry about New Year's Eve。 Would I have a date？ Would I not？ Would
he be tall； dark； and handsome？ Now it doesn't seem to matter。〃 She
sighed。 〃No； I don't have a date。 I may just plant myself on my sofa
with a bottle of Chablis and a book。〃
〃Why not do it here？〃 His eyes were deep green； the color of saying
something important。
Her pulse raced。 〃What？〃
〃Spend New Year's Eve here。〃
〃Will you？〃 she asked without premeditation。 He pulled her close； into
the warmth of his sheepskin jacket。 〃Yes。〃
〃What about your other obligations？〃 Unpremeditated also； but the answer
mattered。
Mitch was a minute in answering。 〃She goes to bed too early for my
tastes； certainly too early to make it to midnight。 No；〃 he grinned；
〃she wouldn't be much fun on New Year's Eve。 Besides； she's not a fan of
Chablis。〃
Anne didn't know what to say to that； but his good humor was infectious。
She relaxed in his arms and rested her hands on his chest。
〃How about it？〃 he coaxed softly。 〃New Year's Eve here？〃
〃I don't know； Mitch。 This thing is so bizarre。〃
〃Are you afraid？〃 His hands drew light circles on her back。
〃A little。〃
〃Of me？〃
She was acutely aware of the swell of his broad chest beneath her palms。
〃No。〃 She eyed the ribbed pattern of his sweater； and whispered； 〃Of
me。〃
〃You have nothing to fear； Annie；〃 he assured her gently。 He took her
chin with his fingers and tipped up her face。 It was the closest
physically that they'd been since that first day。 〃I know what my own
needs are right now； and they don't include making things harder for
you。 By helping you through New Year's； I may just help myself； so
there's a selfish motive involved。〃
She nearly drowned in the deep； deep green of his eyes。
〃So； what do you say？〃 he asked。
〃I say this is starting to sound like a Neil Simon script。〃 She wanted
reassurance that meeting again was right。 She wanted him to say； There's
reason why that script made millions for the guy； it's a damned good
plot； it makes a whole lot of sense。
But Mitch only shrugged。 Dropping his arms； he moved back。 〃It's your
choice。 I'll be here anyway。〃
She hated the sudden sound of indifference； but it made it easier to
leave。 When he opened the door； she slipped behind the wheel。
〃Drive carefully；〃 he said。
〃I will。〃 Backing the car around； she straightened the wheel。 She gave
Mitch a last； longing glance before putting a foot on the gas。 The car
had barely moved forward when his voice echoed in the winter wood。
〃Hey； wait！〃
She braked。 His long…legged gait quickly brought him alongside the car。
His breath misted the air when he leaned into the window。
〃Don't forget to pack a dress。 We'll be going out。〃 He grinned and
popped a featherlight kiss on the tip of her nose。 〃Now； go； before the
snow gets here。〃
She went。
Thanksgiving wasn't nearly as bad as Anne had expected。 She spent it at
her parents' house with their usual crowd； and； yes； she missed Jeff。
But there were interesting people to talk with； and chaos enough to
pretend that Jeff might just be off in another room。 Her major
disfort proved to be a stomachache from eating more heavily than she
had in a year； but an antacid and a long walk with her father eased that
pain。
Work kept her busy； as did； to her dismay； unfinished business relating
to the plane crash。 The FAA had finally e through with its findings；
and Anne's lawyer had filed suit against the airline…a small； privately
owned one…for the inadequate upkeep and safety…check procedure of its
craft。
Anne had always known that the suit was a possibility； but her appetite
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？