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Suate and walked over to theJames could see her plane and kneouldn’t becall was announced

"I’m sorry, sweetheart" He rested his hands on her shoulders and closed his eyes

"Me, too"

He frowned She’d done nothing wrong "For what?"

"Oh, Ja her ar to be so lost without you"

"It’s going to be hard" He wasn’t willing to pretend otherwise "I’ll phone as often as I can"

"Do you haveyou need?" They’d gone over the details a dozen times

"No I need you, James"

His hold on her tightened He wondered if they were afraid they’d lose the ic Afraid that once they returned to their respective lives, everything would change

Her flight nu before he saw her, he promised himself He’d try for a week, two at the most A few minutes later her roas called

"That’s you," he said reluctantly

"I know"

But neither of them made a move to break apart

Summer was the last one to board the plane, and Jah the airport in order to catch his own flight If anyone had suggested even ten days ago that the dignified Jah an airport so he could spend a few extra minutes with a wo now

He arrived in the nick of ti

Between dashing through airports and hours spentlove, Summer would be the death of him yet He smiled as he snapped his seat belt into place If he was to die that very moment, he’d leave this earth a happy man

Jaot home, it was dark and shadowy His firstat the office on his way back from the airport After he arrived in Seattle, he’d spent what reh the memos, briefs and case histories No one else was in, so he was able to acco He’d do anything he had to so he could arrange time away as soon as possible

Suhts

Once he reached his house, suitcase in hand, he was exhausted He switched on the light in the kitchen, put down his bags and set his briefcase on the walnut table in the breakfast nook

He hadn’t eaten since that erator reminded him he’d been away all week He’d need to order out or ainst both, he heated a can of soup, ate, then showered He’d showered that , but Summer had been in the stall with him and neither one had see

James stood in front of the mirror in the steamy bathroom and wiped off some of the condensation, then stared at his reflection He didn’t look all that different froo But he was different

Unable to delay talking to Summer, he dressed quickly and headed for his book-lined den

Having memorized her apartment and cell phone numbers, Ja "Hello"

"Hello, darling"

"James!"

"I would’ve called sooner, but I went to the office I needed to clear offI can fly down on a Saturdayin teeks, but I’ll need to be back Sunday afternoon That doesn’t give us reed, "but we’ll make the most of it" Her relief was evident "I was afraid once you looked at your schedule you’d find it iet away"

"I don’t care what it takes, I’ll be in California in teeks"

"Wonderful I traded weekends with a friend so I can come to you in February MyShe’s left a e with the secretary at the Moose Hall It’s a very nice building"

"Yourevery hed "Yes But the one who surprises me most is my dad I don’t knohat you said or did, but h

Then they were both silent They’d spent nearly every ether They’d discussed everything there was to discuss Yet neither illing to break the connection

An hour later they were still on the phone They hadn’t spoken hs They’d shared a few secrets and memories, some of them very private Very intimate…

In their next conversation, he’d let Suotten together with a group of business

Ja into the distance As always, his thoughts were fifteen hundred n ht days he’d be with his wife The last six had been the purest form of torture

He lived for the times he could phone her Because she perforht, he couldn’t reach her until after ten, and ht

"There’s a dinner party this Friday night at the Morrisons’," Ralph announced

Ja, aren’t you?"