rekindled(英文版)-第33章

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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？　Plenty　of　wine？〃

〃Behind　me！〃　he　repeated。

〃Ho