Page 9 (1/2)

"See you later," Philip said

"Later," Gene returned "Just pro"

"I won’t"

Gene left, and the office had never seemed emptier The place seemed to echo with loneliness, a constant reht; it was al While Gene was out fighting the Christmas croith his wife, Philip had crept in here, the way he always did whenever life threatened to offer hiift

Because that hat Gene had more or less told him Carrie was A woman Mackenzie not only liked, but chauys would advise hihter for lunch, he’d chastised her for using it as an opportunity to get hiether with Carrie

Carrie

Every tih his blood No, that wasn’t it His blood didn’t go cold, it heated up Carrie was charhtful, kind--and hter than her own had ever been

Philip rolled his chair away froe pictureThe view of don Seattle and Puget Sound was spectacular fro The waterfront, the ferry dock, Pike Place Market, all alive with activity Philip couldn’t count the number of times he’d stood exactly where he was now and looked out and seen nothing, felt nothing

He went back to his desk and turned off his co more confused than when he’d arrived It was a sad day, he thought wryly, when he was reduced to accepting his thirteen-year-old daughter’s advice, but in this case, Mackenzie was right She’d told hi hiot would include putting the past behind him It wasn’t that the past held any allure for hi, unwisely He was terrified of repeating the same mistake Terrified of what that would do to hi up, Philip went back to the aparte across the street and was just walking toward the entrance when he saw Carrie There was a natural buoyancy to her step, a joy that radiated from inside her He sometier concerned him, because he wanted whatever it was

"Carrie!" Unsure what he’d say when he caught up with her, Philip hurried across the street

Carrie paused midway up the steps and turned around Some of the happiness left her eyes when she saw him She waited until he’d reached her before she spoke "I had no idea Mackenzie had invited us both to lunch," she told hiry mood earlier

"You do?"

Every time he saw her it was a shock to realize how beautiful she was Her intense blue eyes cut straight through hi…I know it’s last-ot other plans, but…" He paused "Would you go Christ with me?" He was afraid that if he invited her to dinner or a movie she’d turn him down and he wouldn’t bla incentive "I could do with a few suggestions"

His invitation had apparently taken her by surprise because she frowned at hi, "When?"