given up on yourself. I’m here for the long haul.”
Fire leaped into his eyes. “We’ll see about that.”
“Yes, we will,” she countered, unwilling to budge so much as an inch. But then, neither was he.
Bouncing from one airport to the next wasn’t the way Linette had expected to spend Christmas Day. She’d envisioned a turkey roasting in the oven, music on the stereo, and sitting in front of the fireplace with Cain.
Airline food, crying babies, and short-temperedvacationers wasn’t her idea of Christmas, but she refused to surrender to self-pity.
Christmas for the last two years had been strained with memories of Michael and her personal struggles with grief. Major on the majors, Michael had once told her. She’d dug her nails into a rock and hung on until the holidays were over.
Her time with Cain, although cut short, had been a reprieve. She couldn’t help wondering where he was, what he was doing, couldn’t help worrying. Just a little. Even when she knew he wouldn’t want her to fret.
The first thing she’d done when she’d arrived at the airport was to buy every newspaper she could get her hands on. She tore through the pages, hoping to find some clue from world events what might prompt the army to call for Cain in the middle of the night.
Political unrest was everywhere, but she could find nothing to indicate the reason Cain had been obligated to leave so suddenly. But then, she realized, whatever had happened wasn’t likely to be made public. Yet.
His abrupt departure had come at her from left field. He couldn’t possibly have meant what he’d said about not seeing her again. She was convinced of that.
Surely he wouldn’t have touched her and kissed her the way he had if that was his intention. It simply wasn’t possible, and she refused to believe it.
The plane landed in San Francisco late that afternoon. the sky was dark, the weather gloomy. The gaily decorated Christmas tree in the center of the terminal sagged to one side, and the poinsettias had lost several red leaves. The tree looked the way Linette felt.
As she made her way to the luggage carousel, shenoticed a man standing off to one side, scanning the crowd, holding up a piece of cardboard with her name printed on it.
“I’m Linette Collins,” she said, not sure what to expect.
“The limousine’s waiting outside.”
“The limo? I didn’t order one.”
“You didn’t.” He looked perplexed and reached inside his black suit jacket, pulling out a sheet of paper. “The job order and payment came in early this morning from Cain McClellan.” He looked at her expectantly.
“I see,” she murmured, and smiled softly to herself.
She’d hear from Cain again. Linette was willing to stake just about anything on it. Otherwise he would have let her find her own way home.
Francine arrived bright and early the morning following Christmas. She found Greg in the kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee, looking as if he weren’t quite awake yet. As a morning person, Francine was the type who woke up with a song in her heart and a smile on her lips. True, she petered out in the early evening and was generally in bed before ten, but that had never bothered her. She wasn’t the sort to have much of a night life anyway.
“Good morning,” she greeted Greg cheerfully. Francine was especially happy this morning, encouraged by her meeting with her patient the day before. At least each knew where the other stood.
Tim Mallory didn’t know the meaning of the word stubborn until he’d locked horns with her. Although he hadn’t given her any reason to believe she’d reached him, she felt as if their little talk had helped clear the air.
“How was your Christmas?” she asked conversationally, and took a mug out of the cupboard. She poured herself a cup of coffee, savoring the first sip.
“Great. I think the beastmaster had company.”
“How’s that?” It didn’t immediately occur to her that Greg was referring to her
Fire leaped into his eyes. “We’ll see about that.”
“Yes, we will,” she countered, unwilling to budge so much as an inch. But then, neither was he.
Bouncing from one airport to the next wasn’t the way Linette had expected to spend Christmas Day. She’d envisioned a turkey roasting in the oven, music on the stereo, and sitting in front of the fireplace with Cain.
Airline food, crying babies, and short-temperedvacationers wasn’t her idea of Christmas, but she refused to surrender to self-pity.
Christmas for the last two years had been strained with memories of Michael and her personal struggles with grief. Major on the majors, Michael had once told her. She’d dug her nails into a rock and hung on until the holidays were over.
Her time with Cain, although cut short, had been a reprieve. She couldn’t help wondering where he was, what he was doing, couldn’t help worrying. Just a little. Even when she knew he wouldn’t want her to fret.
The first thing she’d done when she’d arrived at the airport was to buy every newspaper she could get her hands on. She tore through the pages, hoping to find some clue from world events what might prompt the army to call for Cain in the middle of the night.
Political unrest was everywhere, but she could find nothing to indicate the reason Cain had been obligated to leave so suddenly. But then, she realized, whatever had happened wasn’t likely to be made public. Yet.
His abrupt departure had come at her from left field. He couldn’t possibly have meant what he’d said about not seeing her again. She was convinced of that.
Surely he wouldn’t have touched her and kissed her the way he had if that was his intention. It simply wasn’t possible, and she refused to believe it.
The plane landed in San Francisco late that afternoon. the sky was dark, the weather gloomy. The gaily decorated Christmas tree in the center of the terminal sagged to one side, and the poinsettias had lost several red leaves. The tree looked the way Linette felt.
As she made her way to the luggage carousel, shenoticed a man standing off to one side, scanning the crowd, holding up a piece of cardboard with her name printed on it.
“I’m Linette Collins,” she said, not sure what to expect.
“The limousine’s waiting outside.”
“The limo? I didn’t order one.”
“You didn’t.” He looked perplexed and reached inside his black suit jacket, pulling out a sheet of paper. “The job order and payment came in early this morning from Cain McClellan.” He looked at her expectantly.
“I see,” she murmured, and smiled softly to herself.
She’d hear from Cain again. Linette was willing to stake just about anything on it. Otherwise he would have let her find her own way home.
Francine arrived bright and early the morning following Christmas. She found Greg in the kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee, looking as if he weren’t quite awake yet. As a morning person, Francine was the type who woke up with a song in her heart and a smile on her lips. True, she petered out in the early evening and was generally in bed before ten, but that had never bothered her. She wasn’t the sort to have much of a night life anyway.
“Good morning,” she greeted Greg cheerfully. Francine was especially happy this morning, encouraged by her meeting with her patient the day before. At least each knew where the other stood.
Tim Mallory didn’t know the meaning of the word stubborn until he’d locked horns with her. Although he hadn’t given her any reason to believe she’d reached him, she felt as if their little talk had helped clear the air.
“How was your Christmas?” she asked conversationally, and took a mug out of the cupboard. She poured herself a cup of coffee, savoring the first sip.
“Great. I think the beastmaster had company.”
“How’s that?” It didn’t immediately occur to her that Greg was referring to her
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