weekend?' to which you would reply 'I had a good time.' Then I would say 'The fun is over and it's back to work for another week.' My intentions were all very innocent!"
Joan flushed scarlet, firmly put in her place. "I didn't know … I didn't realize …" She fumbled for an apology. I misunderstood. I'm sorry."
"As usual, you were making mountains out of molehills," he stated dryly, the contempt leaving his voice. Her gaze skittered to his face and bounced away. His head tilted inquiringly to the side. "Pax?"
Her mouth moved into a tentative smile. "Pax," she agreed weakly.
"Good," he nodded abruptly, a dancing gleam suddenly appearing in his eyes. "Then get me that completion schedule. It's back to work."
Their truce was surprisingly solid. That infinite tension no longer crackled in the air. True it was bittersweet for Joan, but at least she didn't feel she had to guard every word an the chance that Brandt might misconstrue its meaning.
Besides, in this Christmas week, it seemed so wrong not to declare 'peace.' Christmas was a holiday of love, and her heart overflowed with love for Brandt. In another month she would hand in her notice and be forever out of his life. It was better to leave a casual friend than the instigator of a cold war. He would be less apt to question her motives.
Her fingers paused on the keys of the typewriter, and she wished she hadn't reminded herself of her imminent departure. A minute before she had been rejoicing silently in the Christmas spirit. She was determined not to let herself sink back into the doldrums of despair. Tonight she was taking a bus home to be with her family on Christmas Day. She would not have her visit colored with useless yearnings.
The door to her office opened and Kay floated into the room looking like one of Santa's helpers with her pixie curls and bright red dress. A beaming smile of exasperation bowed her lips.
"Aren't you ready? Nearly everyone is in the canteen now, except you and Mr. Lyon," she scolded lightly.
Joan returned the smile indulgently. Kay was always the party-lover. The annual Christmas party at the office was one more reason to exhibit her outgoing and bubbly personality.
"As soon as I finish this letter I'll be done for the day," she replied.
"You're much too earnest!" Kay sighed. What does it matter if that letter gets done today or not? Tomorrow is Christmas Day and it isn't going to get delivered to wherever it is that it's going."
"It will only take me a few minutes to finish it and then I won't have it waiting for me when I come back," Joan argued logically.
"Well, I'm not going to wait for you." Kay wrinkled her nose and glided towards the door. "The party is to start at one-thirty, and it's now one thirty-five."
"I'll be there shortly," Joan promised.
When the letter was typed, she set it with the other stack awaiting Brandt's signature and cleared her desk. Kay's bright spirits were infectious. She found a smile came readily to her lips as she picked up the letters and walked to the connecting office door. She rapped lightly on the door and entered Brandt's office after his muffled summons.
He was leaning idly back in the large leather chair, a suggestion of a smile about his mouth that was disconcerting as Joan approached his desk.
"If you'll sign these letters," she said, placing them on the empty desk top, "I'll see that they get out yet today.
"You're all done after this, aren't you?" He slipped the pen from its holder and began affixing his bold signature to the letters.
"Yes," Joan agreed quietly, liking the way the pen flowed in concise strokes over the paper.
"You're late for the party," Brandt commented, not glancing up.
"So are you." A few days ago, before their truce, she wouldn't have been able to respond so lightly and naturally.
The last letter was signed, but instead of handing them to her, he began folding and inserting them in their respective, attached envelopes.
He glanced up at her and smiled. "Yes,
Joan flushed scarlet, firmly put in her place. "I didn't know … I didn't realize …" She fumbled for an apology. I misunderstood. I'm sorry."
"As usual, you were making mountains out of molehills," he stated dryly, the contempt leaving his voice. Her gaze skittered to his face and bounced away. His head tilted inquiringly to the side. "Pax?"
Her mouth moved into a tentative smile. "Pax," she agreed weakly.
"Good," he nodded abruptly, a dancing gleam suddenly appearing in his eyes. "Then get me that completion schedule. It's back to work."
Their truce was surprisingly solid. That infinite tension no longer crackled in the air. True it was bittersweet for Joan, but at least she didn't feel she had to guard every word an the chance that Brandt might misconstrue its meaning.
Besides, in this Christmas week, it seemed so wrong not to declare 'peace.' Christmas was a holiday of love, and her heart overflowed with love for Brandt. In another month she would hand in her notice and be forever out of his life. It was better to leave a casual friend than the instigator of a cold war. He would be less apt to question her motives.
Her fingers paused on the keys of the typewriter, and she wished she hadn't reminded herself of her imminent departure. A minute before she had been rejoicing silently in the Christmas spirit. She was determined not to let herself sink back into the doldrums of despair. Tonight she was taking a bus home to be with her family on Christmas Day. She would not have her visit colored with useless yearnings.
The door to her office opened and Kay floated into the room looking like one of Santa's helpers with her pixie curls and bright red dress. A beaming smile of exasperation bowed her lips.
"Aren't you ready? Nearly everyone is in the canteen now, except you and Mr. Lyon," she scolded lightly.
Joan returned the smile indulgently. Kay was always the party-lover. The annual Christmas party at the office was one more reason to exhibit her outgoing and bubbly personality.
"As soon as I finish this letter I'll be done for the day," she replied.
"You're much too earnest!" Kay sighed. What does it matter if that letter gets done today or not? Tomorrow is Christmas Day and it isn't going to get delivered to wherever it is that it's going."
"It will only take me a few minutes to finish it and then I won't have it waiting for me when I come back," Joan argued logically.
"Well, I'm not going to wait for you." Kay wrinkled her nose and glided towards the door. "The party is to start at one-thirty, and it's now one thirty-five."
"I'll be there shortly," Joan promised.
When the letter was typed, she set it with the other stack awaiting Brandt's signature and cleared her desk. Kay's bright spirits were infectious. She found a smile came readily to her lips as she picked up the letters and walked to the connecting office door. She rapped lightly on the door and entered Brandt's office after his muffled summons.
He was leaning idly back in the large leather chair, a suggestion of a smile about his mouth that was disconcerting as Joan approached his desk.
"If you'll sign these letters," she said, placing them on the empty desk top, "I'll see that they get out yet today.
"You're all done after this, aren't you?" He slipped the pen from its holder and began affixing his bold signature to the letters.
"Yes," Joan agreed quietly, liking the way the pen flowed in concise strokes over the paper.
"You're late for the party," Brandt commented, not glancing up.
"So are you." A few days ago, before their truce, she wouldn't have been able to respond so lightly and naturally.
The last letter was signed, but instead of handing them to her, he began folding and inserting them in their respective, attached envelopes.
He glanced up at her and smiled. "Yes,
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