LITMIR.BIZ

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you. I’d like to keep you here, but I know I’m being selfish. You deserve a chance to put your education to good use and I don’t want to hold you back.”

      She blinked back the tears that suddenly appeared. “Thank you for giving me the chance. I promise I’ll find someone who is every bit as good as I am. Within a week you won’t notice there’s been a change.”

      He shook his head. “That will never happen.” He picked up a letter lying on his desk, a clear dismissal of her, which was just as well.

      Jodie returned to her desk. She was going to miss seeing him every day, but it was better this way. The infatuation she seemed to have acquired while on Maui would die a natural death once she wasn’t around him so often.

      The days went by and Jodie slowly settled into a routine of doing her work and interviewing prospective employees.

      Rachel seemed to be back in Dean’s life. She called him every day or so, and Jodie happened to hear him making plans with her for a weekend next month.

      Jodie spent her evenings working on school projects and studying for finals. She’d be glad when she moved to her new position. Being around the old Dean who never laughed and rarely smiled made her heart ache for him. He’d returned to his hard-crusted shell, and it was as though the man she’d gotten to know in Hawaii no longer existed.

      She had hoped that, for his sake, he would look around him and enjoy his life more fully. It was his choice, of course, to revert back to the all-business-all-the-time man he’d been.

      Why should she care?

      She didn’t want to think about the answer.

      Sunday turned out to be almost springlike, which wasn’t surprising considering that spring would be there in another few weeks. Jodie decided to go jogging. She hadn’t been out much these past several weeks. She drove to one of the nearby parks, parked, stretched and started out in a slow jog.

      She recognized some of the other joggers because they’d been coming there for years. The sunshine and blue sky must have encouraged them to get out, just as it had her.

      Afterward, she stopped into a deli and bought a large sandwich and headed home.

      She decided to shower before eating. She’d barely gotten wet when she heard the doorbell. Since Lynette always called first, she didn’t have a clue who could be there.

      Jodie hurriedly stepped out of the shower and grabbed a bath towel, then hurried to the door.

      “Who is it?”

      “Dean.”

      “Dean?” She panicked. “Hold on a sec.” She rushed into the bedroom and found a robe to put on and hurried back to open the door. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I was in the shower when I heard the bell. Please. Come in.”

      He walked in and said, “I hope you don’t mind my stopping by without calling first.”

      “I’ll forgive you this once,” she replied with a smile, “especially since I just got home and you wouldn’t have reached me anyway. Would you like some coffee while I get dressed?”

      He shook his head. “Had too much already, but thanks.”

      She waved at the grouping of sofa and chairs and said, “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”

      Jodie hurried into her bedroom and closed the door. What was he doing there? And why was she letting his presence rattle her so? She didn’t have any answers. She dug out an old pair of jeans and a faded sweatshirt, stuck her feet in house slippers and went back to the living room.

      He stood as soon as he saw her. “You look comfortably casual,” he said with a lopsided grin.

      “I am.” She stood there for a moment, waiting, and when he didn’t say anything, she said, “Let’s sit down. I’m sure you have a reason for coming by.”

      He settled back on the sofa while she sat on the edge of one of her chairs.

      “I’ve been thinking.”

      That sounded a little ominous. “About what?”

      “Us.”

      She frowned. “There isn’t an us.”

      “Actually there is, whether we do anything about it or not. We became friends while we were in Maui. I’d like to give the relationship a chance and see where it takes us.”

      Oh, dear. His reason for being there was worse than she’d thought.

      After a moment she replied, “I don’t think so.”

      “Why not?”

      She rolled her eyes. “Oh, let me count the ways. One, I work for you, which we’ve already discussed. Nothing has changed in that regard. Two, I’m not into flings. Besides, you’re still involved with Rachel and I don’t want to get in the middle of that.”

      He looked uncomfortable. “We’ve agreed that the relationship isn’t working for either of us. I won’t be seeing her anymore.”

      “I can’t imagine her breaking up with you unless she found out you’re seeing someone else, and I don’t believe that’s the case. I always know when you’re seeing someone. You send them flowers, you get them tickets…” Her voice trailed off and she stared at him in dismay. “You sent me flowers.”

      “So I did.”

      She stared at him, feeling confused. “Well…but…you didn’t mean them in that way,” she said.

      “I meant them exactly that way,” he murmured.

      “Oh, my gosh.”

      “You didn’t guess?”

      “Are you kidding? Of course I didn’t think that’s what they meant.” She couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with Dean.

      He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “The thing is, Jodie, I’d like to start seeing you socially. I discovered that I enjoy your company. When I’m with you, I see everything through your eyes and I like the new perspective.” He kept his gaze focused on her. “Teach me how to relax and enjoy life a little more, like we did in Hawaii.”

      “You’re asking me to tutor you?” she asked, frowning slightly.

      “If you want to call it that.”

      “For how long?”

      “I don’t understand the question.”

      “Well, let me put it this way. How long do you generally date one person before moving on?”

      “What kind of question is that? I have no idea.”

      “Well, I do. It averages about two to two and a half months. How long do you expect to see me?”

      He threw up his hands. “This isn’t the conversation I thought I’d be having.”

      She crossed her arms. “Really? Did you think I’d rush into your arms when you decided you want to spend time with me away from the office?”

      “If I did, that idea got blown out of the water.”

      “Dean?”

      “What?”

      “What’s this all about?”

      He leaned back on the sofa, rested his head against the back and sighed.

      “I miss you more than I could have dreamed I would. We were good together. We had fun together. Or I did, at least. What’s wrong with extending that?”

      “We could try it, I suppose,” she said thoughtfully.

      “Your enthusiasm is underwhelming.”

      “I could be your transition person until you find someone else.”

      He

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