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.Laura was only a few minutes late, and just as perky and vibrant as usual.Her endless energy amazed Lindsey.She never seemed the least bit tired at the end of the day.“So what’s this big secret you made me wait a whole week to hear about?” asked Laura.“Well, it’s not really a secret, nor is it all that big.I just needed some time to make sure about my answer to Emmett.”“Your answer? What was the question?”“Well, you remember that he is a travel writer?”“Yes.Yes.Get to the point.”“Well, he told me he had a choice of taking an assignment in the Seattle area or one in Tucson.If I want to advance our budding relationship, he said he’d take the Tucson assignment.If not, he’d proceed to Seattle with no hard feelings.He’s going to call tonight at ten o’clock for my decision.”“And your decision is?”“Well, I’m not officially divorced yet, and I still think about Anthony a lot, and I know it’s really too soon to get involved with anyone, and—”“And? And? Your decision? What will you say to him tonight?”Lindsey gripped her coffee mug, needing something to keep her hands from shaking.“I’ll tell him the truth.I’ll be honest about my situation, and if that doesn’t send him running to the Pacific Northwest, I’ll tell him that I’d love to get to know him better.”“Wow!” Laura’s mouth gave a mischievous grin.“You must have had a really great time with him that night I danced until dawn.”She smiled, remembering.“Actually, it’s not what you think.He was a perfect gentleman; just like the night he rescued us off the trail.Men like that are rare these days.” She took a sip, then looked into the mug, considering.“Who knows? Maybe he is the one for me.I don’t know that yet, but I’m willing to explore the possibilities if he comes to Tucson for a while.” She looked at Laura from the corner of her eye.“What about you? Did you and Brad make any plans? You guys were quite the pair back at the canyon.”Laura looked uncharacteristically serious.“No.I don’t think so,” she replied.She sipped her latte and stared blankly ahead.The sudden silence was more than Lindsey could bear.“So, that’s it? Goodbye and good luck? Nothing more?”Laura shrugged.“He’s a terrific guy.A terrific and very wealthy, great guy who’s into his own work, his family, and his independent lifestyle.He’s not interested in changing any of that.It was what it was: a great week.Nothing more, nothing less.As we said goodbye, he said, ‘Same time next year?’ and I, of course, said ‘Sure,’ knowing he was just making light conversation.A man like that could have anyone in the world.Why would he want a pixie-haired special education teacher from Tucson?”This was a whole new Laura she was seeing, deep in thought about herself, her love life‌—‌or the lack thereof.Her usual c’est la vie attitude seemed suppressed below layers of melancholy.Within a couple of minutes, she snapped out of it, regrouped and was back to her old self.“Besides, I still want to get to know that cute, young bartender from the Coyote Café.”“Oh, that’s right.Ol’ what’s-his-name.Do you even know his name yet?”“Well, no, but I will.And soon.In fact, I’ll wager that not only will I know his name by next Friday, but he’ll ask me out by then, too.If I’m wrong, I’ll pay our next coffee tab; if I’m right—”“I’ll pay the next Coyote Café tab,” Lindsey said with a laugh, “though I’d expect a special friend or VIP discount.”CHAPTER SIXTEENLindsey sat on her sofa, pretending to read as she waited for Emmett’s call.Her eyes kept straying to the clock.Ten o’clock, ten-fifteen, ten-thirty.She tried to stay positive, but memories of her naivety in the realm of romance bombarded her thoughts.Ten forty-five.He won’t call.He was never going to call because he’d been toying with her all along.He’d set her up to be hurt, but why? He barely knew her.First Anthony deceived her in the worst way possible and now this.When would she learn?Then the phone rang, and Lindsey jumped.She stared at the receiver, trying not to grab it on the first ring, then couldn’t manage to do it until the eighth ring.Her heart raced.“Hello?”“Lindsey?” Emmett asked.“Is that you? You sound different.”“Hi, Emmett.Sorry.It’s me.I was…‌baking cookies and had to run to the phone.I didn’t realize it was so late,” she lied.She didn’t want him to know that she’d been sitting there, counting each overdue minute, and feeling desperately sorry for herself.“Yes, it is late.I’m late.I’m so sorry.I’ll be able to explain my lateness better tomorrow.So…‌have you thought about my proposal? Should I be packing my rain gear or my sunscreen?”Lindsey cleared her throat, then performed the speech she’d rehearsed over and over in her head, saying she didn’t know if she was ready for a real relationship, that her divorce wasn’t final, and that she might still have some feelings for Anthony.None of this seemed to bother Emmett.He said he felt all her concerns were legitimate and normal, and nothing he couldn’t live with‌—‌at least for the time being.She couldn’t stop smiling.“Then by all means,” she said, “head to Tucson, but pack the rain gear, too.We’re due for a wet January this year.”“You won’t regret your decision, Lindsey.Trust me on this one.”She sat straight, startled to hear a knock on the door.No one ever came to her door at 11:30 at night.Not even on a Friday night.“Someone’s at my door,” she whispered into the phone.“Answer it.I’ll stay on the line.You’ll be okay,” he assured her.Lindsey might have been naive in the ways of dating and courtship, but she wasn’t stupid.There was no way she was going to simply open the door at 11:30 at night.She scooted the leather ottoman over to the door so she could peek out the glass panes at the top of her front door, cursing herself for not insisting on a door with a peephole when she’d been remodeling.She tried to be quiet so the visitor wouldn’t know she was standing right behind the door peering out into the darkness.It was definitely a man.“I’m not opening the door,” she whispered.“I don’t know who it is.”The dark form looked up, meeting her eyes.“You do now.It’s me.”Lindsey flung open the door and into Emmett’s waiting arms.***Before Lindsey could even take the mail and memos out of her school mail slot, Laura was at her side, begging for answers.“Did he call? What did he say? What did you say? You’re looking pretty happy.”“Yep.He called Friday,” she said smoothly.“Why didn’t you call me after you talked to him? What’s going on?”Lindsey smiled contentedly.“I don’t know where to begin.Everything is happening so fast.Why don’t you drop by my classroom at lunch, and I’ll get you up to speed [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]