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Marah slid out of the booth, grinning "You're the best hed "I just hope you reer"

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Tully remembered the years by the stories she covered In 2002, she vacationed in Europe, St Barts, and Thailand She went to the Oscars, won an Eazine, and redecorated her apartment, but none of that stayed with her What she remembered were the stories She'd covered the launch of Operation Anaconda against the Taliban, the escalating violence in the region, the trial of Milosevic for criainst Iraq

By the spring of 2003, she was exhausted, worn down by the violence When she finally returned home, it wasn't much better Everywhere she went she was in a crowd, and nowhere did she feel roup of people who fawned over her, and sucked up to her, but didn't really know her

Although no one atched her on television would notice it, she was quietly co undone Grant hadn't called her in almost four months, and the last tione well

I just don't hat you want, love, he'd said, not even bothering to look sad when he said it

And what is that? she'd snapped back, surprised to feel tears sting her eyes

What you alant: more

It shouldn't have surprised her God knew she'd heard the sah in her life She could even admit the truth of it She did want littery cotton candy one she'd created for herself

But she had no real idea how to go about starting over at her age She loved her job too ive it up; besides, she'd been fa ordinary again

Now, beneath a surprisingly war the fast-htly dressed tourists Today was the first sunny day after a long snointer, and nothing changed the mood of New York like the sun People poured out of their boxy apart shoes, and went outside To her right, Central Park was a green oasis For a moment, when she looked at it, she saw her own past: the Quad at UW; kids running around, throwing Frisbees, playing hacky sack It had been twenty years since she'd left the campus for the last tiht now it all felt as close as her own shadow

S, she shook her head to clear it She'd have to call Katie tonight and tell her about this senior ain when she saw hi on the paved path, watching two teenage girls roller-skate around him

"Chad"

It was the first time she'd said his name aloud in years and it tasted as sweet as alht of hiain

She walked down to the start of the path and turned toward hi out the sunlight,her instantly cold

What would she say to him after all these years? What would he say to her? The last tiether he'd asked her to ain He'd known her so well then, enough that he hadn't stuck around to be told no But they'd loved each other With the wisdo of years, she knew that She knew, too, that love didn't evaporate It faded, perhaps, lost its weight like bones left out in the sun, but it didn't go away

It occurred to her suddenly, sharply, that she wanted to be in love Like Johnny and Kate She wanted not to feel so damned alone in the world

She faltered only once as she walked toward hiht

And there he was, standing in front of her, the man she'd never quite been able to evict from her dreams She said his name aloud, too quietly for him to hear

He looked up and saw her, his s slowly "Tully?"

She saw hisbarked and a pair of skateboarders ru toward her It was like every movie she'd ever seen, every dream she'd ever had He pulled her into his aro of her and stepped back "I knew I'd see you again"

"You always had more faith than I did"

"Al "So how are you?"

"I'ently, "I know I'et to the top" He studied her for a long time, then said, "How's Katie?"

"She married Johnny I hardly see the as if a question had been answered

She felt exposed by his glance "Ah, what?"

"You're lonely The world isn't enough after all"

She frowned up at hi so close that thethat ser than she remembered, more handsome "How do you do that?" she whispered

"Do what?"

"Dad, watch this!"