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。