curriculum guide with you。 If the preliminaries are all right； I"d like to work out more of the details。〃 Chloe"s arched brow spoke volumes； as did the slow perusal she gave the casually disheveled graduate student。 〃You"re up to it？〃 With great effort she stifled a broader grin。 Josh was a favorite of hers。 Several years her junior； he was working toward his degree at Brown。 This was his second year working part…time at ESE。 His proposed high…school geology curriculum was as fine as any she could have hoped ESE would produce。 Now he lowered his voice。 〃I"d really be up to it if I could take a swig of the coffee that smells so good in the kitchen。〃 〃Why don"t you？〃 He kept his voice low。 〃There"s a watchdog out there。〃 〃In the kitchen？〃 〃In the living room。 Tall guy； dark hair； dark eyes。 He doesn"t look happy with the traffic in here。 Who is he？ And what"s he doing in our house？〃 For the better part of the morning Chloe had pushed Ross from mind。 Now； revived by the work that she loved； she was able to chuckle at Josh"s reference。 〃He"s a friend；〃 she answered simply。 〃You"re sure about that？〃 〃I"m sure。 Go on out and get your coffee。 If he starts to snarl； you can send him in here。〃 Josh"s face took on a dubious I…hope…you…know …what…you"re…doing look。 Noheless； he drew up to his full sixty…seven inches； squared his shoulders； and made as grand an exit as was possible for someone going to face the proverbial giant。 With a helpless grin； Chloe sat back in her chair； elbows on its arms； fingers fortably laced。 So Ross had decided to spend the morning in her living room。 She wondered if he was bored； maybe annoyed that she was carrying on as usual； perhaps growing impatient。 Her grin turned smug。 〃You wanted to see me？〃 His deep voice rumbled in from the door。 Her grin remained。 〃Who； me？〃 He searched the room。 〃I don"t see anyone else in here； for a change。 They may not technically live here； but they run in and out all day； don"t they？〃 〃It"s an open office； you might say。〃 〃I do say。 Say； when will you be done？〃 〃Done？〃 she echoed innocently； then gestured toward the desktop。 〃Lord knows。 I have two reports to look through yet。 And Josh will be back。 Here he is。〃 His timing was perfect。 〃Josh； meet Ross。〃 As the two shook hands； Chloe stared at the appalling discrepancy in their heights。 No wonder Josh had been intimidated； not only did Ross tower over him； but their respective physiques were about as alike as night and day。 Instinctively protective of Josh； she pointed him to a chair。 Then she said； 〃Ross； would you excuse us？ We"ll be a little while。〃 〃I"ll be waiting。〃 He smiled as though he had caught onto the game and was playing。 Then he turned and left。 Josh wasn"t thick。 〃Listen； Chloe； are you sure you wouldn"t rather go over this another time？〃 〃What？〃 she ribbed him gently。 〃And waste the effort it took for you to pull yourself out of bed？ Carry on！〃 It was a full hour later when Josh finally left。 Chloe walked him to the door and had only enough time to note that Ross was occupied with a briefcase of his own； before Lee bounded through the living room。 He delivered a wave in passing to Ross； looped an arm about Chloe"s waist； and corralled her back into her office。 〃It"s about time you"re free；〃 he scolded good…naturedly。 〃You"re a busy lady。〃 Chloe smiled。 〃I"m all yours now。 I want to show you…〃 The look on his face cut her off。 〃There"s something we have to discuss first。 I think；〃 he said； giving care to each word； 〃that we have a problem。〃 〃A problem？〃 She frowned。 〃What problem？〃 Eying her warily； he said； 〃I had two cancellations yesterday。〃 〃Cancellations？〃 〃That"s right。 The schools。 They don"t have the money to finance us for the next semester。〃 She sat straighter。 〃Are you serious？〃 ；〃Very。〃 〃But I thought…〃 〃So did I。〃 〃I just sent Josh out of here with a great proposal。 You mean to say that he won"t be able to apply it？〃 〃Not in Hingham or Westerly he won"t。 There are still the wealthier munities。。 。〃 His voice trailed off； his implication clear。 〃But not for long。 That"s it； isn"t it？ You think we"re headed down a dead…end street？〃 〃Unless the powers that dole out money for education loosen up。 They"re thinking A； B； Cs。 We"re talking H； I； Js。 We"re strictly elective； they say。 A luxury they can"t afford。〃 Chloe"s mind raced ahead。 〃A good third of our work is through the public schools。 Oh； boy。 We"d better rethink that。〃 〃Smart girl。〃 〃Private enterprise；〃 she announced without hesitation。 〃e again？ Business isn"t our field。〃 Chloe laughed at the confusion on Lee"s bearded face。 〃No。 But I said it to Debbie earlier this morning and I meant it。 What we need is to affiliate ourselves with corporations as resident geologists； be the geologistson…call for several of these large development corporations。 You know； like…〃 〃…the Hansen Corporation？〃 The thought took her off…guard。 〃No；〃 she said with deliberate care。 〃I was thinking more of firms like Cabot and Walker； or Fennimen East。〃 But Lee was grinning。 〃What"s wrong with the Hansen Corporation？〃 〃Nothing；〃 she said； but rethought her answer when Lee was clearly disbelieving。 She lowered her voice。 〃What"s wrong with the Hansen Corporation is that Ross Stephenson is its president。〃 So？〃 〃Lee；〃 she pleaded； 〃Ross is a friend。 I would no more ask him to hire ESE than 。。。 than。。 。〃 She went silent； at a loss for words。 She was hoping to survive a single weekend with Ross。 She couldn"t begin to imagine working with him on an ongoing basis。 Lee grew serious。 〃What is he to you； Chloe？〃 She sighed； giving up the struggle to find excuses。 〃We knew each other before Crystal died。〃 〃He"s the one； isn"t he？〃 There was only kindness in Lee"s voice； yet his words jolted her。 〃What？〃 she whispered。 〃He"s the one…the man in your life。〃 〃There is no man in my life。 You know that。〃 Lee grew gentler。 〃Over the years； I"ve learned a lot about you。 You"ve told me about your sister； that she died； that you rarely visit your family back in New Orl