LITMIR.BIZ

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to one.”

      He gave her a sharp glance. “Then don’t be offended when I tell you that Four-Jay and Mom showed Mike the money.” He leaned closer. “It looks like Four-Jay has deflected fireworks this time, at least.”

      His warm breath stirred tendrils of hair to tickle her ear. She shivered and leaned slightly away. “Were you here earlier when our beloved mothers spoke their piece?” she whispered back.

      “Missed it. It took me longer to get here than I expected.”

      Four-Jay was winding down. “…and so I say to everyone here tonight, to all the fine residents of Shepherd’s Pass past, present and future, old and new, that there is room for compromise. In a free society, we can sit down and reason together.” He opened his arms wide, a theatrical gesture perhaps rehearsed. “I am a reasonable man and I’m at y’all’s service. Many thanks for your kind attention.”

      He left the podium to applause from both sides of the room.

      Mayor Kelly slammed down his gavel as if relieved to have the opportunity at last to do so. “I think you’ll all agree that to follow that act would be folly,” he announced. “Meeting adjourned! I suggest you all go home and cogitate on the things that have been said here tonight.”

      Thalia raised her brows. “That was sudden.”

      “But not unwelcome. How about you and I—”

      “I’m sorry,” she interrupted quickly, “there goes my mother, rushing for the door. I need to catch her.” Standing, she leaned across him and called, “Mother!”

      “Huh? Oh!” Lorraine turned toward the sound of her daughter’s voice. “It’s you.”

      “Of course, it’s me. Where are you heading in such a hurry?”

      “I’ve got to talk to Four-Jay! I heard him say he was going over to the Watering Hole so—”

      “What about me? I don’t want to go to a bar and listen to more of this Shangri-la stuff.”

      “Oh.” Lorraine blinked, looked toward the door through which Four-Jay had now disappeared, looked back with a frown and finally brightened. “Luke can take you home, then. Can’t you, Luke.”

      “Sure thing.” His smile was benign.

      “In that case, I’m out of here. Don’t wait up, Thalia.”

      Lorraine rushed on. Thalia sat back down, feeling grumpy. “Well, for goodness’ sake. That was some brush-off from my own mother.”

      “Not to worry,” he said. “I’ll see you get home safe and sound.”

      “I don’t seem to have much choice so…thank you.”

      He laughed. “Gracious, as always.”

      “Touché.” She smiled sheepishly. Together they rose and started toward the door. “I didn’t mean to be rude.” She looked around the rapidly emptying room. “Where are you parked? If you got here late, you must have had trouble finding a spot.”

      “No problem at all. I’m parked in the driveway at home.”

      “But—? What are you saying?”

      “I walked.”

      He lifted a foot and pointed to his jock shoe and for the first time it registered with her that he was wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt. She’d been so dazzled by the man that she hadn’t noticed the ensemble.

      “Then why did you agree to drive me home?” she demanded.

      “I didn’t. I said I’d take you home, which I will.”

      “But—it must be two miles!”

      “You look like a healthy woman to me. You can walk, can’t you? I noticed you had on sensible shoes and it’s a beautiful night, so what’s the problem?”

      She considered. “I guess there is no problem,” she said at last. “A brisk walk will probably do me good.”

      “That’s what I thought.” He held the door open for her. “Lead the way, Thalia.”

      Taking a deep breath, she did.

      THEY STROLLED THE STREETS of Shepherd’s Pass, through a business district that quickly gave way to homes. Streetlights and a nearly full moon illuminated their way; glowing windows lined their path. The night was quiet and peaceful and infinitely calm.

      It was exactly as he’d hope it would be: Thalia at his side, crisp fall air filling his lungs, competition with no one and nothing for her attention. When he’d decided to walk to the meeting instead of drive, it had been a calculated risk with this in mind—even though he lived a good mile farther than she did from city hall.

      “Do you like being a veterinarian?” she asked suddenly, her tone full of sincere interest.

      “Yeah,” he said, “I do. A lot.”

      “I was surprised when I heard.”

      She looked both ways although there were no vehicles in sight, then stepped off the curb to cross a street. He took her elbow, feeling protective on general principles. She gave him a skeptical glance but didn’t object.

      He remembered what she’d said then and asked, “You were surprised? Why?”

      “I thought you were going to be a people doctor. That’s what you always said.”

      “That was my plan. Fortunately, I discovered in time that I like animals better than people.”

      Her smile was wry. “I see your point.”

      “What about you?”

      “What about me?”

      “You work for an insurance company, Lorraine said.”

      “That’s right. I’m an executive at the national headquarters of Insurance World.”

      “Do you like it?”

      “Of course.” She sounded a bit touchy.

      “Because you like business,” he prodded.

      “Well, yes.”

      “Thalia, I heard doubt in those two words.”

      “No, you didn’t—not at all.” She gave him another annoyed glance. “I’m crazy about my job, I have an unlimited future, and I’ll be going back to it in a few weeks.”

      “Why?”

      “I just told you.”

      “You certainly did not. You told me a lot of external stuff. What I want to know is why you want to go so far away when your mother and the people who care about you are here, in Colorado. There are jobs here, too—all kinds of businesses to choose from.”

      “But—” She sucked in a deep, agitated breath. “You just don’t understand. I—I have a life there. I’m already established. Everything’s in order.”

      “You’re established here, too.”

      “I have friends there….”

      “So? I didn’t say you didn’t have friends there. But old friends are the best, Thalia.”

      She remained silent for a couple of blocks, both of them striding along in near silence in their athletic shoes. At last she said, “What’s your point, Luke?”

      “That there’s no place like home, Dorothy.”

      Her laughter was sharp and incredulous. “My home is in California now.”

      “No, it isn’t. Your career is in California. Your home is here.”

      “My career is important. I’m serious about my career. I couldn’t just toss everything aside and relocate

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