小说园

第28部分（第1页）

fail。　It　was　a　possibility；　wasnt　it？　She　hadnt　started　the　car　once

all　week。

But　it　coughed　to　life　at　the　first　turn；　and　hummed　smoothly　as　it

warmed。　Which　left　only　one　thing　left　to　do。

She　was　about　to　climb　from　the　car　when　that　one　thing　rounded　the

house。　〃You　werent　going　to　leave　without　saying　good…bye；　were　you？〃

he　asked；　bending　to　talk　through　the　open　window　of　the　car。

〃I　was　just　going　to　e　and　find　you。〃

〃Do　you　have　all　your　stuff。？〃

〃Uh…huh。　I　left　the　rest　of　the　apple　pie　for　you。〃

His　eyes　sparkled　warmly。　〃Thanks。　You　do　make　a　good　one；　even　though

your　coffee　is　still　too　weak。〃

〃Then　youll　be　glad　to　be　rid　of　me。〃　She　smiled　wryly。　〃When　do　you

leave？〃

〃Later　today。〃

〃Oh。〃　What　else　to　say？　His　fingers　curved　over　the　window　ledge。　They

were　strong　fingers；　nice　ones。

〃Will　you　be　back　up　here　at　all？〃　he　asked　quietly。

She　shrugged。　〃I　dont　know。　I　havent　thought　too　far　ahead。　Its　been

a　good　week；　though。　Im　sorry　to　be　leaving。〃

〃It　wasnt　all　that　bad；　was　it？〃　He　seemed　suddenly　hesitant。　〃Look；〃

he　began　tentatively；　〃Ill　be　ing　up　the　week　before　Thanksgiving。

Kind　of　to　give　myself　a　boost　before　the　holidays。　Keep　it　in　mind。〃　He

stopped　short　of　an　open　invitation；　but　the　implication　was　there。

It　struck　her　that　she　would　probably　want　a　boost　herself。　〃Ill

remember。〃　She　cleared　her　throat。　〃Well；　good…bye；　then。〃

He　smiled；　hit　the　ledge　once；　and　pushed　himself　straight。　〃Safe　trip。〃

When　he　stepped　away；　she　put　the　car　in　reverse；　backed　around；　and

headed　for　the　road；　all　the　time　thinking　that　she　might　have　liked　a

kiss。　It　was　a　whimsical　thought。　Not　so　whimsically；　his　lank　image

shrank　steadily　in　the　rearview　mirror。　When　the　car　took　a　curve　and　he

disappeared；　she　narrowed　her　sights　on　reality　and　New　York。

How　different　the　road　looked　this　time　around。　Parched　brown　leaves

blanketed　the　ground；　forests　of　bare　branches　joined　evergreens　in　a

blur　of　gray…green　on　distant　hills。　Mountains　stood　stark；　more　harsh

without　greenery　on　their　slopes。　Leaf　peepers　had　long　since　gone　home

to　city　beat　and　thoughts　of　Thanksgiving；　barely　two　weeks　away。

Those　thoughts　had　precipitated　Annes　trip；　or　so　she　told　herself　as

she　drove　steadily　north。　On　one　hand；　things　had　improved　in　New　York。