mom had caught her making fun of Elizabeth, the girl in her third-grade class with the lisp. It was not a feeling she had ever wanted to repeat.
And it struck her, and she flinched inside. Take Penny the wispy witch out of
the past, and Penny Finch was basically a normal, nice person doing her job. Just
like Kate. Except for maybe, at the moment, the nice part.
Now she was studying the floor. Everyone needs to grow up sooner or later.
They were her own words, and she hadn't even listened to them herself.
What else had she missed?
He loves you, Kate. She didn't dare believe that. Not now. That would mean too much. More than an impromptu kiss in a museum. Or under the stars. Or anywhere.
Too much. It didn't matter what Penny believed. Grownups had
responsibilities after all.
Kate hurried back into the conference room, began unplugging and packing
up her laptop. She needed to get out of here, back to Chicago. She had to finish
this project, and then she could think. She needed time to think.
She stuffed some cords into her bag. That's it, she nodded to herself. Just some time to think.
Yet, down below, in the bedrock of her heart, she knew she didn't need more time to think. She'd never needed it, not since she'd been ambushed by his familiar crooked smile in front of Ray's Diner weeks ago.
She loved Peter. That was one thing that wasn't going to change.
* * *
She checked her watch, then hurried her pace down the hall. The sooner she got
back to Chicago, the better. She'd sort out this job, her career, her life.
She stopped. Peter was standing in the main entrance, hands in his pockets.
Tall and unavoidable as a roadblock. The only thing between her and escape. He
was talking to a student, who nodded and headed for the front door. Field trip must be over.
She waited, half hoping, half frightened out of her mind that he would turn
and see her.
She turned. No. She had work to do. And a long drive back. She couldn't deal with this right now.
Aside from her stinging eyes, she was fine. And this lead brick in her stomach. And the empty space in her chest.
She pushed through a side door that led to the visitor's lot and stood for a moment. Wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
Maybe she could send Danni back for the final presentation if they won.
She'd stay back in Chicago and…
She stiffened. No. This was her deal, her work.
Down the steps, to her car.
Back one more time if need be, then that was it. The job was done.
* * *
Peter watched from the reception area window that looked out onto the Nitrovex
visitor's lot. The school bus had just chugged out of the entryway, but it wasn't
what he was watching leave.
He could see her profile, standing at the top of the stairs wearing her tan double-breasted wool coat, stiff and straight, October wind ruffling her hair.
One last look, huh? a nameless voice said.
She slung her purse over her shoulder, suddenly looking all business. Her hair pulled back, her face prim. As if she were someone else.
His heart jumbled. Go after her. Grab her. Kiss her.
